Sage and Onion

Make your own sage and onion mixture to use as a stuffing or to make your own sage and onion balls.

Ingredients:

Olive oil for frying, 2 medium sized onions, small bunch of fresh sage leaves finely chopped or 2 teaspoons of dried sage, 100g of bread and salt and pepper to taste.

Method:

(1) Peel and finely chop the onions and fry until softened
(2) Grate bread to fine breadcrumbs
(3) Add breadcrumbs and the rest of the ingredients to the onions and mix well

Use as a stuffing mix or form into balls before cooking for 10-15 minutes in a medium oven.

Growing turmeric

I have ordered five turmeric rhizomes on E-Bay. Turmeric is a perennial tropical plant of the ginger family and it's roots are used to produce turmeric powder. These roots are boiled, dried and ground up to produce the turmeric powder which is used as a spice in curries to add a lovely peppery taste and produce a deep yellow colour.

Turmeric is a very healthy addition to your diet as it contains iron, manganese, lowers cholesterol and has antiseptic and antibacterial properties.

From what I have read growing turmeric is relatively easy, provided the plants receive enough moisture until they are established, after which they are drought tolerant. The plants also appear to be able to cope with most soil types but prefer some shade but if grown in full sun will need to be kept constantly wet. Outside of tropical areas, the plants will need covering in the coldest months to avoid frost damage.

I will use a propagator to get the plants started before planting the rhizomes out in late February. The pleated leaves will apparently grow to about 120cm tall in ideal conditions and yellow flowers will emerge between the leaves in summer months.

If the plants are successful I will investigate the method for making turmeric powder. I do like a gardening challenge.

Four steps towards organic gardening

Organic gardening may seem complex but it is not as difficult or as expensive as people think. Although it is certainly a different approach to gardening, when you break it down it simply means re-examining every aspect of how we garden. A change towards organic gardening can be a gradual process, phasing in organic methods slowly before you become fully organic and fully enjoy the health benefits of chemical free food.

Step one should always be to analyse your soil's structure and composition. For example, if you have a hard soil with little humus, like ours, your first goal would be to improve it's texture and health. Such a soil can be gradually improved by incorporating as much natural materials such as dried leaves, compost or manure. This process will take some take some time but over time you will see an improvement in your soils structure and health as your soil becomes richer in nutrients and minerals. As the soil improves it will provide plants with the means to resist disease and insect attack naturally.

Whenever we can we add well-rotted manure from local dairies, composted material from the garden and kitchen, well rotted straw, wood ash from our wood burning stove and we will, when we get round to it, make use of sea weed. Whatever natural materials you can use will improve your soil over time. And each season you will notice the structure of your soil improving.

Step two, should be to gradually incorporate the use of organic pest controls into your garden. You can make your own chemical free concoctions at home or alternatively there are now an endless array of commercial  products available to deal with all your gardening problems.

Step three, should be your gradual move towards purchasing organic seeds. You will find a wide selection of these available from on-line seed sellers and most sites will indicate whether seeds are organic or not.

Step four, will involve exploring ways to control weeds without the need to resort to chemicals.  Using a mulch is one of the easiest ways to keep weeds down. Applying a thick layer of any natural material such as well-rotted composted, wood chips or even shredded paper will restrict the light from weed seeds not allowing them to germinate. Hoeing and hand-pulling of annual weeds, if done consistently, is another great way to prevent weeds from taking over your garden. For perennial weeds you must, however, ensure that they are fully dug out to remove all the root to avoid re-emergence.

You can, over a period of your choice, become fully organic by following this four stage plan. Good luck and happy gardening.

Rainbow

We were just on the edge of a thunderstorm and only had a few drops of rain but saw a beautiful double full rainbow.

Homemade citrus spray

Our citrus trees have been suffering from insect attack recently which has damaged quite a few of their leaves. I sprayed them today with a homemade solution.

Last night I boiled a quartered onion (with its skin), a crushed garlic clove and one very hot pepper and after allowing the contents to boil for about 10 minutes,  left the mixture to cool overnight,.

I strained the mixture this morning and added 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons of eco washing-up liquid.

I poured the mixture into a spray bottle and added 2 liters of water, before shaking thoroughly before spraying.

We will have to see if the spray does any good and if not I will resort to some shop bought organic insecticide.

Early days - will have to wait, probably until the Spring, to see if the spray has worked.

Marigold - uses and benefits

We were having a stroll around the garden this afternoon and saw this perfectly formed marigold flower.

Did you know the marigold (Calendula) is part of the daisy family and is native to the Mediterranean area. There as many as twenty varieties available, most of which are annuals but there are even a few perennials. Marigold is self-seeding and once established generally produces a show annually and can be thinned out for transplanting. Alternatively you can collect seeds annually, which can last up to two years or longer if stored correctly, and sow seeds in different areas of your garden.

We grow a couple of different annual varieties in our herb beds for the petals which make a lovely addition to salads, pasta or rice dishes and provide a peppery flavour. The petals can also be infused to make a tea which is said to help with digestive problems. This is probably based on the fact that the petals have been found to have antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Did you also know - that dried marigold petals have been described as the poor mans saffron because of its similar taste and ability to add colour to dishes.

For other edible flower ideas go to https://sites.google.com/site/cyprusgardener/home/edible-flowers

Gardening in Cyprus - Jobs for December

The Cypriot weather in December can be very changeable and it is on average the wettest month of the year, with about seven rainy days. Day time temperatures average between 15-18c and minimums of between 5-8c. The mild temperatures of the day can therefore be followed by some very chilly evenings. There can even be an occasional frost but it's not usually too severe. The mild days are excellent for getting some gardening done and the following jobs can be undertaken during the month.


Plant out garlic bulbs and onion sets

Sow salad leaves and beetroot

Sow broad beans

Prune fig trees if needed

Fertilize citrus and pomegranate trees

Harvest citrus fruits and have a try at making your own marmalade or lemonade syrup

http://cyprusgardener.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-make-your-own-orange-marmalade.html
http://cyprusgardener.blogspot.com/2011/07/make-your-own-lemonade-syrup.html

Cover any tender plants (or trees such as guava) to avoid any possible frost damage

Harvest olives and if you have already done so prune your olive trees

http://cyprusgardener.blogspot.com/2011/11/pruning-mature-olive-trees.html

Have a try at preparing some of your own black olives

http://cyprusgardener.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-prepare-black-olives-for-eating.html

Plant pansies and violas - with viola petals making a lovely addition to salads

Collect fallen leaves for composting or if you don't mind the look leave on the ground to rot down and provide a natural mulch

Plant spring bulbs - if you haven't done so already

Happy gardening and harvesting for the month and if you require any further information go to www.cyprusgardener.co,uk or http://cyprusgardener.blogspot.com/