Orange, Ca
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Orange County
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FEBRUARY |
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Cool, wet weather encourages red thread in lawns. If you notice brown patches, check the tips of the blades for red threads of fungus. It can be a sign of nitrogen deficiency, so high-nitrogen fertilizer may be indicated. But don't over-fertilize; that may cause other problems.
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Be a Guest Gardener: Gardeners love to learn from other gardeners "over the fence." We would love to include a tour and/or an article from one of our readers! |
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Quotation of the Week: "I don't know whether nice people tend to grow roses or growing roses makes people nice."
— Roland A. Beowne |
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Getting started: Organic Gardening
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Organic foods are basically foods that are grown without any chemicals or pesticides added, and that are grown only with substances found in nature. These foods are very popular with men and women who want to eat healthfully or support the environment in general. Public interest in organic food has grown in recent years, going from the shelves at GNC to the shelves of many public supermarkets — and now, to your garden.
The interest in organic foods has grown since NBC stated that every year, 9,000 people die of food-related illnesses in the US alone. Since then, the organic food industry has grown tremendously, now selling $10 billion worth of natural foods each year.
Interested in your own organic garden? Here's how to get started:
- For eventual use as fertilizer and mulch, make your own compost pile for recycling dead plant material, including that from your kitchen. (Do not use material from diseased or pest-infested plants.)
- Use natural fertilizers instead of ones made of manufactured chemicals.
- Instead of using chemicals to defend your plants, use other gardening techniques to prevent your plant from getting diseases or pests. Ask us for organic tips to keep your plants growing healthy.
- Instead of using weed killer, use a weed-pulling tool to pull the weeds. Use thick mulch to help keep weeds down.
We have an extensive line of organic products to help you. Come and see us!
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Identifying Grasses
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You may not realize it, but your lawn is very important to you. Our lawns are home to picnics, baseball games, parties, and - perhaps most important - our gardens. However, maybe our lawns don't get all the attention to their differences that they deserve.
In fact, 11 types of grass are commonly planted in the U.S. If you have ever sowed a grass seed mixture, you may have many of these grasses in your lawn. Although some of them do not grow well in our area, most will grow at certain times of year, or sprout and then disappear. You can figure out what kind of grass you have, whether it belongs, and how to take care of it, depending on its characteristics.
| Bent grass - mostly found in the Northern U.S., it is considered a cool-season grass in southern climes. The grass is bright green and often used on golf courses. Creeping bent grass, the most commonly used, is considered a high-maintenance grass. |  |
| Bermuda grass - grows fast and is mostly found in Florida and Southeastern U.S., along the gulf coast. The blades are fairly wide. It holds up well under heavy foot traffic and even under cars. |  |
| Buffalo grass - found mostly in the Midwestern U.S. It is thick and strong to the touch, doesn’t need to be watered very frequently, and will not grow any higher than five inches tall. |  |
| Carpet grass - is a low-maintenance grass mostly found in the South. It grows in very thick (hence the name) but is sensitive to foot traffic. It is a good choice for places that are hard to mow because it is so low-maintenance. |  |
| Centipede grass - comes from Asia and is used extensively throughout the Southeast and along Gulf coast areas (except near beaches - does not like salt conditions). The blades come in dense, but coarse. It withstands great fluctuations of temperature, and grows slowly. |  |
| Kentucky Bluegrass - the most popular type of grass in the Northern U.S.; it grows throughout the continental U.S. but is used only as a cool-season grass in warmer climes. It's a nice looking, low-maintenance grass. |  |
| Rye grass - useful because it adds nutrients to soil and partially prevents erosion. It grows quickly and needs to be mowed frequently. |  |
| St. Augustine grass - thick and resilient. It normally grows in the South and is fairly high maintenance. The seeds for this grass are rare outside of its usual area. |  |
| Tall Fescue - very tolerant of fluctuating temperatures and foot traffic. It is often used in places like playgrounds because it stands up well under heavy traffic. It is found mostly in the North. |  |
| Wheatgrass - the grass seen all over the Great Plains. It is especially durable against weather and foot traffic and grows in thick. It is low maintenance and grows slowly, so it does not need to be mowed very often. |  |
| Zoysia grass - good for weedy lawns because it is low maintenance and its roots predominate over roots of other plants in its area. Chiefly found in the South, it has a very low tolerance for cold weather, which will cause it to turn a yellowish color. |  |
| Unfortunately - there's also crabgrass. Although we don't plant it, it seems to pop up everywhere. |  |
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Clivia
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 | Clivias make fabulous house plants. They grow well in shade, tolerate dry spells, and flower in late winter to early spring. Keep them cool for 3-6 weeks in winter to promote flowering. Grow them in an east or north window in winter, and outdoors in the shade during summer. |  | Grouped beside ferns, azaleas and other shade loving plants, clivias provide the perfect contrast for a shade garden. The orange clivia miniata is the best known variety but other colors are becoming more popular and more affordable.
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Chili Rellenos Quiche |
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What You'll Need:
- 10 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 (4-ounce cans) chopped green chilies
- 1 pint cottage cheese
- 4 cups grated Cheddar or Jack Cheese
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
Step by Step:
Preheat the oven to 400º. Grease a 9x13-inch glass baking dish.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the ingredients together in the order they are listed.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350° and continue baking for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Yield: 10-12 servings
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