Almanac for Homemakers

It's Time to Revive a Poinsettia "Danger of frost is now past in most of the cooler parts of the country. If it is where you live, it's time to get out a poinsettia if you have one in storage." We had briefly talked about poinsettias before in February when you were instructed to store your flower away from the freezing temperatures. Now that the threat of freezing weather has mostly passed, you can take your plant and move it to your garden. Poinsettias need to be in temperatures above 65 degrees fahrenheit. These guys also like to be watered daily. This is why they are indigenous to Mexico. They love humid, warm temperatures. So if you don't want yours to end up in compost, you need to take care of them. These flowers are like the extroverts of the garden. They like attention. They want your attention. They are so red to stand out for that attention. This is why me and gardening do not mix. I'm an introvert. I ne...

Flue Tiles Make Decorative Planter for Flowers "Planters filled with flowers such as geraniums or petunias are attractive when arranged around a lawn, porch, or patio, but the fancy planter are pretty expensive." These clay flue tiles come from your typical chimney like this image below. The clay tile aides in safely venting smoke away from the inside of your home. Somehow, someway, someone thought it would be a good idea to put some plants in one. Because of this, we have all kinds of clay pots for sale at any garden center for all your flower potting needs. You can still purchase these flue tiles for gardening. The price can vary depending on the size you need for your gardening. I was trying to find out what started this gardening trend and I can't point to one place in history that this started. I did find many people who claim that they originally came up with idea.  Well guess what, they didn't. This project of writin...

Add Flowers to Your Cooking Repertoire "Candied violets or the petals of roses make festive edible cake decorations or garnishes for meats and salads." Edible Flowers Sound Familiar? This is the third post about eating plants. 1. Day Lilies 2. Dandelions  3. Flowers from your garden. Here is the thing about edible flowers. Just because you can eat them, doesn't mean that they taste good. Small flowers can be used as a garnish and it is ok if eaten. You can eat them in one bite with your food and they shouldn't over power the flavor of the main dish. Large flowers should be used mostly for decoration only and not really eaten. Being edible means that they are safe if consumed and safe to arrange around your main dish. The purpose of a garnish is to be edible, to complement the dish, and to actually make sense with your overall presentation. These are zucchini blossoms on this flat bread pizza. This actual...