If you’re contemplating a substitute for boxwood, consider these words from Cyrus Hyde, the late garden herb folklorist and founder of Well-Sweep Herb Farm in New Jersey. He referred to germander as “poor man’s box”. Why then, has it not received more recognition in the world of herbs?
Even our first president, George Washington was such an admirer of germander that it was planted at his Mount Vernon, Virginia estate. But sadly, it seems to have faded from view until recently when garden centers began featuring lesser known herbs alongside the more desirable customer favorites. Thankfully, it was a wise decision with germander finding its place as a decorative evergreen border plant and as a substitute for boxwood in the beloved knot-garden design.
Germander ‘Upright’ surrounding the children’s statue in the Edible Landscape at Raincatcher’s GardenGermander ready to be planted at Linda’sGermander thriving in MG’s Patty Brewer’s Garden.
Germander is a Mediterranean native in the mint family (Lamiaceae) with small, dark green scalloped leaves and a mild garlic-spice aroma. It is a hardy perennial and evergreen, keeping its tidy appearance throughout the year. In early summer whorls of purple-pink flowers appear. Bees are attracted to the tiny flowers.
Grow it:
*Space plants 2 feet apart and at least 3 feet away from companion plants.
*Germander prefers full to partial sun and well-drained soils.
*Follow a regular watering schedule to establish, then cut back to maintain health.
*Fertilize lightly with an all-purpose organic fertilizer once or twice a year.
*Pruning right after bloom will help to renew the plants faster.
Germander with single stem gerbera daisies gently nestled in the glossy green foliage
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
Did you know that not all cukes are created equal? To simplify, there are two main types of cucumbers, American and English. Both can be used for pickling and slicing. This year I decided to try the English variety in my raised garden bed. Also, to save space, I used a trellis type support system for growing it vertically. That proved to be a very good decision.
13 inch long English cucumber ready to be harvested from my garden
After about two and a half months in the ground, my little cucumber transplant has covered the trellis and produced over a dozen cucumbers. English cucumbers generally grow thinner and straighter than their American counterparts and can grow in the range of 12 to 24 inches long. So far, I’ve been harvesting them at around 12 to 14 inches in length.
English cucumbers have a sweeter flavor and delicate skin that is less bitter than that of other cucumbers. Many sources say that English cucumbers tend to have very few seeds but, as you can see from the photo, mine had a generous amount.
Seeding an English cucumber with a serrated grapefruit spoon
Tips for growing:
*Plant in an area of the garden that receives a minimum 6 hours of sunshine daily.
*Prepare the soil by tilling well while adding aged compost to a depth of 6 inches.
*On average, cucumbers require: 1 inch of water per week in moderate conditions, twice per day when temperatures exceed 90°F.
*Add a 4-inch layer of organic mulch around base, but not touching the stem.
One of my favorite cucumber recipes is from a place in the Texas hill country where my husband and I, for over 35 years, always enjoyed having lunch. It was an absolutely charming restaurant in Fredericksburg known as ‘The Peach Tree Tea Room’. The Pedregon family opened their new venture in the fall of 1984. It brought in diners from all over the United States and internationally, as well. Sadly, it closed a few years ago leaving a void in the Fredericksburg culinary scene. Thankfully, over the years, I purchased all three of their wonderful cookbooks. The recipe I’m sharing is from their first cookbook, published in 1990. It is the recipe for ‘Chilled Creamy Cucumber Soup’.
Making the recipe over the weekend brought back cherished memories from those early days in Fredericksburg. It was especially rewarding to use three of the ingredients called for in the recipe from my garden; English cucumbers, parsley and garlic that was curing in my pantry.
Chilled Creamy Cucumber Soup Garnished with Freshly Chopped Parsley and Tomatoes
Hope you will be inspired to take a cool and refreshing break with ‘Chilled Creamy Cucumber Soup’. In the meantime, chill out with these tasty, sliced cucumber appetizers.
English cucumber slices topped with Herbed Cream Cheese, Salad Burnet and Borage Blossoms
And, just in case you were curious about the title…’Cool as a Cucumber’. I did a quick online search and learned something new. First, the inside of cucumbers are approximately 20 degrees cooler than the outside air. And the phrase ‘cool as a cucumber’ first appeared in a poem by the English author John Gay in 1732. It expresses the narrator’s angst regarding a woman with unreturned love! Today, that phrase is used to describe someone who tends to remain calm, assured and composed in any situation.
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
Everyone’s garden needs a leading lady. Have you considered Summer Phlox as yours? This tough, heat tolerant perennial makes a 3″ tall show stopping clump that lasts from early summer through fall. Texans make sure to select the Victoria Phlox shown above or the John Fanick cultivar. They have both been named to the Texas Superstar Program which means they will perform well in your garden and after all they probably grew at your grandmother’s homestead.
Phlox paniculata ‘Victoria’ at my house with boxwood and white Turk’s CapNeighbor’s PhloxPhlox along a garden path at Linda’sClose up, note the many tubular flowers forming a panicleRaincatcher’s Phlox ‘John Fanick’
Does the familiar phrase ‘once upon a time’ bring back memories of your early childhood? Maybe it was when you heard the classic story of Little Red Riding Hood for the first time or were mesmerized when you saw Disney’s version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Throughout the years, fairy tales have given us wondrous characters in magical settings and left an indelible impression on young children throughout the world. But the fairy tale that has recently impressed me most is of a uniquely different variety. It is one that produces magically, ornamental plants for your garden. In this case, it is the adorable petite eggplant known as ‘Fairy Tale’.
Fairy Tale Eggplant
As you can see from the photo, it is a lovely mini eggplant, only 4 inches long, with stunning streaks of lavender and white. The plant itself grows to only 24” but produces tender-sweet fruits that are as beautiful as they are delicious. This variety can be grown in ground but, with its compact, dwarf size, is a just as suitable for container growing.
When it was time to harvest and enjoy, a quesadilla recipe was the perfect choice. Honey crisp apples gave it a sweet, tart taste while the smaller slices of savory fairy tale eggplant fit nicely on the tortilla. A handful of roughly chopped spinach along with some creamy Monterrey Jack cheese completed the combination of amazing flavors. Freshly made tortillas from Central Market held everything together while the quesadillas were baking in the oven.
A very unique feature of ‘Fairy Tale’ is the recognition it received in 2005 as an AAS* vegetable award winner. It was the first eggplant to win an AAS award since 1939. There is still time to grow ‘Fairy Tale’ in your garden so why not give it a try?
For transplants:
Pick a sunny site with rich, organic, well-draining soil. Eggplants require at least 6+ hours of direct sunlight per day. (Some sources advise not planting it in a plot where you grew tomatoes, peppers, potatoes or other eggplants the year before). Set transplants about 3 feet apart.
Mulch after planting.
Provide adequate water to produce the best-tasting eggplants. Fairy Tale eggplant enjoys deep, consistent watering throughout the growing season. Check often to be sure that Fairy Tale is receiving about 1-2 inches of water per week.
Harvest when fruits reach 2-4 inches in length for sweet, bitter-free enjoyment. Snip fruit with clean shears at their individual stems or in clusters. The skin should appear glossy (left side of photo), as dull skin can indicate overripe fruit (right side of photo). Harvest regularly to encourage new fruit production.
*All-America Selections winners are tested at trial grounds across North America. Each winner has superior qualities that distinguish it from similar varieties. ‘Fairy Tale’ was granted the prestigious AAS award by a nationwide panel of experts.
Linda Alexander,Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
Congratulations to the Raincatcher’s Garden Veggie Team, who has harvested and donated 634 pounds of squash so far this year. It’s quite an accomplishment when you consider the ubiquity of the destructive squash vine borer (SVB) in the area.
The team’s challenge was to find a squash variety that resists SVB. Over the past three years, gardeners have tried Zucchino Rampicante (Cucurbita moschata), Baby and Waltham Butternut (Cucurbita moschata) and Calabacita (Cucurbita pepo). All overcame SVB damage, but the Calabacita production was much higher.
Calabacita is delicious, especially when harvested at tennis ball to softball size. It can also be eaten as a soccer ball size pumpkin and stores well at the larger size. It takes a little more effort to prepare the larger size, so the gardeners included cooking instructions with donations.
One difficulty, but a good problem to have, is finding the many fruits of this prolific plant before they reach a large size.
Another issue is the vines grow over 10 feet long and quickly sprawl throughout the garden. At Raincatcher’s they grew over large trellises and into the raised beds and grape arbor on the opposite side.
However, the trade off of space for productivity worked out well for the garden this year.
Well done Veggie Team, whose total production for 2024 has now surpassed 1200 pounds, providing fresh, nutritious food for the patrons of North Dallas Shared Ministries.
Cyntihia Jones and Beverly Allen, Dallas County Master Gardeners
The Veggie Team works hard every Monday morning (and many Thursday mornings during harvest), weather permitting, so please feel free to stop by with any questions you may have about growing vegetables in Dallas or just to look around and be inspired. Our garden is located on the grounds of Midway Hills Christain Church at 11001 Midway Road, Dallas, TX, 75229.
Sliced yellow squash with a bouquet garni of freshly snipped parsley, sage and thyme
Last year was disappointing. My yellow squash limped along with only a few blossoms and then fizzled! But in the world of gardening, we know that last year’s failures can easily be replaced with surprising success in the new year. Hopefully, this photo reveals my sentiments regarding the crop of yellow squash coming out of my garden over the past two weeks. It inspired me to search for the perfect yellow squash soup recipe seasoned with fresh herbs from my garden.
No surprise, then, that I landed on a recipe from the queen of flavor, Paul Deen. Her recipe called for 1 pound of yellow crookneck squash, but with much more than that amount ready to be harvested, I was motivated to double it and share with family and friends.
My tiny 4” yellow squash plant went into the garden around the last of April. It is now over three feet tall and three feet wide and has supplied me with over a dozen perfectly formed yellow squash, to date. Depending on how much longer it produces, I’m planning on sharing a few recipes in early July from our master gardener cookbook, ‘A Year On The Plate’.
As called for in Paula’s recipe, I added a bouquet garni made with a sprig each of thyme, parsley and sage from my garden. For a colorful garnish, freshly snipped blue borage blossoms added a touch of texture and interest. The soup was a very satisfying accompaniment to beef quesadillas topped with smashed avocado and snappy salsa. Ymmm!
Oh, I so enjoy the colors and flowers that bloom during the early summer and one that I’m enjoying of late is bee balm. Its magenta flowers atop a tall stalk are a feast for pollinators. In the wildflower area of Raincatchers, a purple rocket-like plant is putting on a show – Bee balm? It looks nothing like the other, but I recall it being bee balm too. Can it be? And then there’s Lemon Balm with its bushy habit and ability to travel readily. Looks like it’s time to clear up this mystery—
Upon further investigation, these similar names create a climate for confusion Bee balm, Lemon Balm, and Lemon Bee Balm -the looks of the plants are distinctively different but all are related to the mint family.
eBee balm, also called Wild bergamot, has several varieties – some perennial and others annual. Monarda is a genus of flowering, plants from the mint family. Lamiaceae didyma or fistulosa (zones 4-9) are perennials. Its cheery pink flowers are located near the Edible landscape greenhouse and stands 24-48 inches tall, and can spread 24 -36 inches. It blooms late spring into summer in full to part sun in well prepared beds with good drainage. Bee balm has magenta, pink, purple, red or white flowers that are 2-3-inch across with slender tubes looking flowers on a tall stalk.
Bee Balm
If your garden needs a smaller specimen, pinch the stalks in early spring, or purchase a shorter variety. Deadheading and cutting makes way for more flower production. Cut the stalks close to the ground in late fall and they will return in the spring. Powdery mildew might make an appearance if it’s a wet spring, but it won’t harm the plant.
II was purchased at the DCMG Plant Sale at Fair Park and then a dear friend gifted some she started from seeds (Northaven Gardens). It spreads some, but not difficult to control. The bees, Butterflies and hummingbirds are delighted. Mark and Cynthia Jones captured this picture of a moth (white lined sphinx moth I think) feasting on the variety Peter’s Purple.
Lemon BEE Balm (Monarda citriodora) is a herbaceous annual of the mint family, native to Central, southern America and Mexico and is commonly found in pastures and prairies. It will thrive in full sun, and in poor, rocky, or sandy soils. Can you see where this gets confusing? It Blooms in late Spring early summer about the same time as the Bee balm is blooming. This was found in our wildflower area at the garden along with blanket flower, long after the bluebonnets, Indian paint brush, and Engelmann daisies have said their adieus (goodbyes) To confuse even more, Lemon Bee balm is also known as purple horsemint or lemon mint. It has lemon scented spiky clusters of varying shades of lavender. You can find this in seed packets and often in wildflower mixes.
Lemon Bee Balm
Lastly there is Lemon Balm, another member of the mint family, (Melissa officinalis). Native to Europe, It can be found in many places, but most recently has been thinned from the Hügelkultur in the Edible landscape. It grows in a clump, with wrinkled leaves that have a scent of Lemon. The flower is an insignificant spiky pale-yellow cluster. This herb is said to produce calming effects. It seeds and spreads readily and can get 3 feet by 2 feet. It consistently returns in the garden. It can be obtained in the herb section of garden centers or possibly a garden friend would gift you a start.
Lemon Balm
Now that that mystery is put to rest, figure out a way to use one or all of these beauties in your landscape.
Starla Willis, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2011
Video of sphinx moth, courtesy of Mark and Cynthia Jones, Dallas County Master Gardeners Class of 2013
A recent Savannah Bee email was so inspiring to read that I immediately ordered three jars of what founder Ted Dennard described as “the happiest honey around”. Sourced from the beekeepers of Ukraine and Romania, it truly is “as sweet as a summer day.”
For more information about the women beekeepers who produce and distribute this remarkable sunflower honey, please follow the link to Savannah Bee. Their story is one of determination and perseverance in continuing the art of beekeeping for future generations.
Also, please revisit a blog article posted by Master Gardener Starla Willis in August of 2022. It features her summer trip to Ukraine where she captured an amazing photo of sunflower fields from her train ride across the country. She has cherished memories of that special experience.
For a quick breakfast treat, spread this yummy, crystallized honey onto a toasted English muffin.
Candied Sunflower Seed Snack
Only 5 ingredients from this to this!
And this might be the summer to grow your own sunflowers for some additional honeybee activity in the garden. I’ve decided to try the big one: Mammoth Sunflower Helianthus annuusIt’s only been in the ground for one month, is already over 4 feet tall and filled with buds
*Note: For all products and references to Savannah Bee go to savannahbee.com
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardner Class of 2008
It’s as common in the garden and grocery isles as parsley but there seems to be a level of misunderstanding that needs addressing. First Coriander and Cilantro are the same plant. The confusion is found in the seeds. It is also sometimes referred to as Chinese parsley because of its long history of use in that cookery. To clarify, the name “coriander” comes from the Greek koris, meaning bug, in reference to the odor of the leaves. And who hasn’t heard the taste of cilantro described as having a “soapy” character?
Historically, coriander has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes for over 3,000 years. It is mentioned in Sanskrit texts, on Egyptian papyri and in Tales of the Arabian Nights.
In the Bible it is compared with manna. (Exodus 16:31 – “And the people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey.” NASB)
Coriander was brought by the Romans to Europe, where it now grows wild. In Mexico and throughout the Southwest you’ll find cilantro leaves used as a necessary flavoring ingredient in salsas, salads, soups, chicken and meat dishes.
Today, coriander is grown primarily for the leaves, but chefs are discovering new ways of using the entire plant. Interestingly, for me, while working in the garden last week, a cilantro plant filled with lacey, petite white flowers caught my eye. After taking a few colorful photos, I couldn’t resist snipping a delicate umbel and popping it into my mouth. While the leaves of coriander/cilantro have a much more assertive personality, the flowers offered a milder, citrus-like taste that was cool and refreshing. It was an “ah-ha” moment for me. Never before had I considered using the delicate flowers in my cooking. I’m now convinced that a creative approach to using them will be enjoyed and appreciated. It is recommended cilantro flowers always be used fresh, never dried.
(Avocado Toast with Tomato Slices, Freshly Snipped Cilantro Flowers and a Splash of Apple Balsamic Vinegar)
(Asian Noodle Salad with Fresh Cilantro Flowers)
*Finally, here’s an easy way to simplify the confusion. When people speak of cilantro, they are referring to the stems, leaves and flowers of the plant. Coriander usually refers to dried seeds. All are edible so, please, enjoy using the entire the plant in your future cooking adventures.
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
A recent springtime visit to The Natural Gardener with my son who lives in Austin was delightful. We had gone to purchase seasonal color for his front beds but lingered for over an hour just to soak in the experience. Themed gardens filled with fragrant blossoms, the intoxicating scent of countless herbal treasures along with an earthy aroma of perfectly finished compost bins kept us there longer than we intended to stay.
Located on a meandering section of Old Bee Cave Road, The Natural Gardener is considered a world-class gardening destination. The Dromgoole family has owned and operated the establishment, in its current location, since 1993. They are well respected for their pioneering work in organic gardening and sustainable living.
You might find that visiting during the week is a more relaxing time to leisurely stroll through over eight acres of this rustic Hill Country beauty. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on a comfortable bench alongside the Kitchen Garden or while resting in the old red swing.
Be prepared to take pictures at every turn. Don’t miss the whimsical expressions of the goats while perched on their elevated wooden table or the chickens scratching around in the ground. Plan to spend some time in the Butterfly Garden where honeybees, butterflies and hummingbirds can be found visiting flowers displaying an array of beautiful colors.
Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008
DALLAS GARDEN BUZZ 