What Happened in April

I'm not keeping my own intentions to keep garden diary... Let's see if I can recall what was done in late March and April.

Sometime late March/ early April I finished mulching. Yeay!

April 6 I seeded sorrel and this one herb which name is escaping me right now chervil.

April 13: seeded beans and planted potatoes ('Carola').

April 20: cilantro. Anything else?

The last Saturday in April I did not have a chance to do anything in the garden as I was leaving for business trip the next day.

My memory is very faulty. I most likely missed something.

Ode to Dill

Dill is my favorite herb by far. In Latvia, where I grew up, dill is ever present in summertime meals. Spices and herbs are not widely used in Latvian cuisine, but dill, once in season, is added fresh to almost any dish except dessert. So I always associate it with summer's warm weather, wellness and freshness.I've been seeding dill directly in soil twice a year. First in mid to late March when the top layer is just warm enough. They grow full and produce seeds by late June. In July I collect seed heads for the next year. Another sowing comes late August to early September for fall crop of few-inch tall seedlings (that's now!). Dill sprouts after 7-10 days. In a few weeks one can start pulling out the first seedlings to use in meals.
Fresh dill from the garden is one of my biggest satisfaction factors of owning a garden. It's so nice to step outside and pick a few very aromatic leaves. I add dill to my fresh salads, to smoked salmon sandwiches, tuna salad and use in olive oil + fresh lemon juice + pressed garlic + thyme + dill + salt + ground pepper marinade for seafood or chicken. I also dry some dill on paper towels to use later in winter with some meat dishes.
In addition, I find dill to be a beautiful, almost architectural plant. Just look at it's delicate flower head.

It seems that no many Americans care for dill as much as I do. Is that true and if so, why?

Today's Harvest June 24

Today I picked a bunch of dill leaves. Dill is one of my favorite herbs (if not the favorite). I prefer to have it fresh, but they are blooming now and soon after the plant will go to seed. The best time to pick any leaves for consumption is before or during the blooming period. I will dry these dill leaves to use later this fall and winter. I just leave them on a paper towel on kitchen counter for a few days. Once they are dry, I crunch them up and store in a glass or plastic container with a lid. I promise to share the ways how I use dill soon.
I also picked some hot peppers. Those little plants are super producers! I planted four varieties in my garden this spring. Now we have more jalapenos, chiles, sweet banana and cayenne peppers than I know what to do with. I guess we'll have some homemade salsa this weekend. And maybe some spicy fish tacos.

Safeway Basil

First, can I say how excited I am about my blog? I even have my first follower (Erika, I'll always remember that!)

Yesterday I bought live basil plants at Safeway--they routinely sell them in produce section. I think that's the best deal around for $4. You get plenty of basil for mozzarella, tomato and basil salad and then there are three or four basil plants to put in the garden to boot. I've used "Safeway basil" for my herb collection in the garden for the last two years and have decided that there's really no need to spend more money on basil seedlings at a nursery. This way you alreday get your first harvest and the next one can be done soon after.

"The planting material" does look unusual--their roots are squished together in some weird spongy mold with some substance that I'm sure is some super-duper plant food. I just pull the plants apart and shake off anything that will freely come off. No worries about weak-looking roots. The good thing about basil is that it's one of those plants that will easily root from a cutting. I might even use some of this same basil bunch to cut some stems, put in a water and after a week, when new roots have appeared, put it in a pot with some potting mix and give it to someone to plant in their garden. To my first follower, perhaps...


P.S. I could not help myself and took a picture of my white peony with raindrops on it tonight as well.