Author: zboy

A winter blast in early fall in zone 4 has forced an abrupt end to the growing season and has triggered an early fall harvest.  I will utilize some of my garden vegetables to make one of my favorite recipes, Red Salsa.  It is easy and simple to prepare for any occasion.

 

2 15 – ounce cans of fire-roasted tomatoes, drained

1 limed, juiced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 cup cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, diced

½ cup red or white onion, diced

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp sea salt

2 – 4 Tbsp green chilies, diced

Simply blend all ingredients in a bowl, chill and serve.  Enjoy

The Painted Lady, also known as the Thistle Butterfly is the most prolific of all butterflies due to the native Burdock, Thistle and Sunflowers their larvae consume.

There has been no shortage of Painted Ladies in zone 4 as we have witnessed an explosion of these migrating insects heading south to warmer conditions, reminding us that fall is on the horizon.  Cheers

The possibility of attracting humming birds to your garden will increase when you plant our featured flower of the month, Four O’ Clocks.  Mirabilis is an annual plant that produces fragrant trumpet shaped flowers that open in the late afternoon.  Four O’ Clocks are full sun, drought tolerant and come in a variety of colors.  Mirabilis is unique because it is one of only a few plants capable of thriving in poor, dry soil conditions.  I plant Four O’ Clocks in early spring for plants that spread out up 16 inches and reach heights of 30 inches or more.  Cheers

During the growing season my primary focus is usually on flowers. This season I’ve added vegetables to the mix and I have spiced things up by growing a few varieties of peppers.  As fall approaches Jalapeno peppers are in great demand for many of my favorite fall grilling endeavors.  This year I started my pepper seeds indoors in early February and will begin to harvest them near the end of August through late fall. Enjoy!

Blooming early and often is our featured flower of the month, Yarrow.  Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium) is a perennial favorite in zone 4.  It is one of the first plants to flower in early spring with blooms lasting until late fall.  It comes in a variety of pastel shades ranging from bright yellows to an array of pinks, reds and whites.  Yarrow is drought tolerant and made for the sunny side of your garden’s landscape. Direct sow yarrow between April and July for seasons of joy to come. Cheers