Critter... I put the pineapple scented geranium on the list for you.. if it lives you can have a cutting in the spring.. I brought in two other AG's to try and over winter them.. and have a few more planted in the garden... just have to wait and see what lives!
October blooms
Jen, Those are great photos. The last few years I have seen people around here leaving Elephant Ears out all winter and they have actually stayed green.. Just recently I read somewhere on DG about these cold hardy ones. They might be taking them in at night and I just haven't noticed. Maybe it was OrchidFancy talking about leaving them out in MD..
Ah yes, I do remember that pineapple geranium you got! I thought you were talking seeds... sorry... trying to catch up on too many threads, LOL. My scented geraniums took a pretty big hit recently when they went unwatered for 3 weeks (got missed by my neighbor kid who was in charge of plants & fish)... but I've got green sprigs on them at least... so they should recover and/or I'll take cuttings. :-)
I saved all my scented ones if yours don't recover.. including the ones you gave me.. I am happy to say so far the pineapple sage cuttings I took are looking good too.. it was my first time trying those
Ooh, thanks for the reminder... got to try to get some cuttings from my pineapple sage before frost! It's blooming like mad now, and while I suppose a non-blooming stem is best for a cutting, I'm not sure I can find one, LOL.
Did you put the pineapple sage cuttings in water or just stick them in moist potting mix?
Can anyone tell me if Greek oregano is perennial?
I have a big pot-full by now and want to know.
Thanks. G.
I did mine in potting mix... just like a coleus.. the bigger cuttings I made didn't make it.. might be better off with a smaller cutting .. they took a while to recover .... but the smaller ones stood right back up
most of the greek oregano are perennial ... depends on which one you have
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/search.php?q=greek+Oregano&Search=Search+PlantFiles
I've overwintered Greek Oregano & other herbs in pots... helps to put them in a sheltered spot against the house and also to tilt them a bit so water/ice doesn't build up.
There are some tender oreganos, but I'm guessing yours is hardy... definitely hardy if you got it from me, but I don't remember how many oreganos I brought to the spring swap or if you got one.
Jill--
I did not get it from you but bought it from the "Bonnie Herbs" (the ones under the green canopy--always nice plants) at my HD.
I have cut it back twice and dried the leaves....IF I am leaving it outside for the winter--I will, surely, cut it back severely to keep all the leaves from rotting off.
Went out and took a picture of it. It is in a 10" pot.
Here's the tag--as to the variety.
OK! As this IS the "October Blooms" Post--I better post some I still have going.....
The Pentas--of course! The do much better when the weather cools.
Jill--Did you ever buy these this year? Last year you said you might as you liked my pictures...
Osteospermum daisies---Just cut these back the other day. Cleaning up early--while the weather is still good.
And lastly--here are the Monkshood divisions I dug away from "mama" and planted by my house...Blooming late--as usual.
Gita, I've planted purple pentas for 2 other people but didn't get any in my own garden this year! I did find a purple lantana though that I really loved... must remember to bring it inside when it gets cold again!
Yes, I think that looks like a hardy oregano. Glad it did so well for you!
I don't dry oregano leaves, I freeze them (mince in food processor, add some olive oil, then freeze in ice cube tray).. along with the basil that we do the same way, that gives a wonderful "fresh herb" flavor to our spaghetti sauce! (I just use commercial dried thyme in the winter, because it's too much of a pain to harvest the fresh in any quantity.)
Jill--
To tell you the truth---I have NEVER used any of the Oregano in anything....WHY do I grow things I do not use????
I can only cook so much--being by myself--besides--I really do not know what oregano is good on/in--besides a pizza....maybe? The 64K question.
I only eat a few tomatoes--give most of them away...and I only grew 5 plants. Same quandary!
The answer has to be--GARDENING ADDICTION.......
Instead of freezing the leaves in oil--oil does not really freeze...could I just put them all in a jar and pour some OO over it and keep it in the fridge?
Thanks---G.
I use oregano in spaghetti sauce...mostly Italian dishes.
So many of your gardens still look great! I am in 6a but except for the roses and some ground covers, everything else is kaput. When I look at my neighbor across the way (most of my neighbors have beautiful professional landscaping but no gardens that need lots of upkeep) I wonder what I am doing in the mud digging up all these tender bulbs. I have a garage full of muddy wet bulbs that need to dry out before i start wrapping in newspaper. I read somewhere that peat moss dries them out too much. I don't know which of the expert advice is best but the newspaper seems easiest for me so I'll try this method.
Unfortunately, I only know which are begonia, dahlia and canna; but I don't know their names. I would be very happy to see them all bloom again next year so that I can try to match them up with the names on my orders.
My limelight hydrangea is one of the things that still looks good at this time of year.
I don't freeze the leaves in a jar of oil or anything, Gita... I make a rough paste of the leaves, just like making pesto (only without the pine nuts). A little added oil seems to help preserve the fresh flavor. Do you eat salad? My DH loves dressing made with oregano-flavored balsamic.
We make spaghetti sauce in quantity and freeze it for easy meals. (I've started making it in remarkable quantity, using our Nesco turkey roaster, but a crockpot works really well.)
Sorry, don't mean to go off topic.
Back to blooms... My knockout rose and my 'Rozanne' hardy geraniums are still blooming their heads off, and my pineapple sage looks fabulous! Amazing how some things bloom until the bitter end. :-)
This message was edited Oct 24, 2009 3:08 PM
The paste also makes a good alternative to mayo on sandwiches and panini. It's also good to flavor soups like minestrone and pasta fasoole.
This message was edited Oct 24, 2009 11:32 PM
OK!
With all the suggestions----I vote for Jill's idea of making an Oregano leaf "paste" with a bit of OO added.
At least to me--this makes the most sense. And I was NOT talking about freezing it in the jars--just refrigerating the Oregano leaves in the jar with some OO added. Then I could remove a spoon full at a time.....
Jill--a question----when you freeze this Oregano paste in ice-cube trays--does it really freeze solid?
I know when I freeze my finished Pesto--it is NOT really frozen.
BTW--None of the dishes you all mentioned are on my regular Menu......I seldom eat sandwiches--as I do not I care for a lot of pasta or breads or potatoes. I seem to have, totally, drifted away from eating anything high in carbs--and NO! i am NOT on any kind of a 'diet". I just don't want/need/crave it!
If I am at a cook-out and they have hamburgers--I will eat the meat patty and have NO need for the roll--which usually falls apart in my hands anyway. Same for hot dogs (which I very seldom eat) or sausages.....I just have a bit of Potato salad, Cole Slaw, and whatever else served...
I have NOTHING against any of these foods--and I do like them--but years of trying to stay steady in my weight, and looking after my health--I have drifted away from all these kind of foods. Now I cook all my own.....
Yes! I do eat salads--but my fave. dressing is Ranch. Once I had a Raspberry Vinaigrette to die for.....haven't found it since. Balsamic is OK. Will have to try the Oregano in that--IF I follow your advice and freeze my Greek Oregano in a bit of OO. OR---I will, maybe, never grow it again.....Gotta do something with it..........;o)
Gita
Roses, I've been digging too. Yesterday it was all of the caladiums. I did keep them well labeled and was able to store them by variety. I could not believe how much they multiplied over the summer. I planted 10 of each variety and lifted at least 15 of each plus many many baby bulbils.
I saved all of those net bags that bulbs come shipped in as well as the ones that clementines and avocados come in to store the bulbs. Last year I hung the bags over a pipe in the basement and replanted them in the spring. They came up just fine. Of course, I bought more this year and now have many more to store.
Roses, let them have their landscaped lawns. Gardening is good for the soul!
I know this Tread seems to be "digressing"--and i am guilty also of it doing so----BUT!!! There is not a lot in the gardens in bloom right now--so, it seems OK to do so. Most of us have already cleaned up our beds.
Maybe our minds are now turning more to "preserving" what we have saved/rescued from the cold????
Here is a link I just looked at. A nice discussion on growing your own herbs. it DOES, kind of, tie in to what we are talking about here....does it not?
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/999977
Gita
Gita, Don't worry. I'm not going to sound off. LOL You seem to have some of the few remaining blooms left. Although I've got an Iris that I hope opens before a frost kills it. Also my Pineapple Sage isn't fully open yet. I suppose we can talk about harvesting and what not on here until some blooms appear.
I was chagrined to see my new Giant cold hardy Callas that I planted last month have 5 inches of foliage above ground. I hope that doesn't hurt next year's bloom and leaf appearence.
Here are some of the buds forming on one of my Camellias. This is a spring bloomer, but my fall bloomer is loaded too, even though I transplanted it this summer.
No picture but I have two colors of annual Salvia coccinea (Forest Fire, Coral Nymph) that just bloom on till frozen.
I have self sown Agastache , one is younger and the bloom clusters are very pretty purple on it this week..
I'm bad about using the garden herbs too. I have a recipe for chicken thighs baked at high heat with olive oil and oregano- give that a shot. Or zucchini, tomatoss, eggplant, onion, all stewed up, some oregano sounds good in that.
Jill, I'm so glad to hear you say its too much trouble to pick off thyme leaves fresh! So often my dinner is down to the wire and I just don't feel like adding a fifteen minute fussy prep action.
Sometimes I just tie some of the sprigs together and let them simmer in the pot and then pull them out. Sally, your veggie mix sounds like Campanata.
LOL, my sister and I had a brief Ratatouille phase~ guess that is "French Caponata"
Yes, it is. I once made a miserable Ratatouille. LOL Still don't know what I did wrong.
Well, we thought ours was OK, since we had no idea what to expect! Then we had that cold cucumber-tomato-pepper soup, gosh can't remember what that's called. But cold soup just hasn't really thrilled me ever. Gazpacho!!!!!!!!!!! thats the name. "Cold Spanish caponata" LOL
I like that. It's probably one of the few cold soups that I enjoy. Wonder what everyone does with the end of season Cherry Tomatoes. I have a lot of green ones left.
One trick I don't remember often enough... if you put thyme sprigs in the freezer, the leaves fall right off!
Both my pesto and other herb cubes freeze pretty solid -- firm enough that they rattle against the counter when I pop them out of the ice cube tray. Maybe Gita adds more olive oil than I do. I'd be wary of just putting herbs in oil due to botulism concerns, but in the fridge you might be OK.
For strong herbs (like rosemary), try using one of those mini ice cube trays.
With the oregano-balsamic dressing I mentioned, I make an herb vinegar and use it with a little olive oil (toss the salad with the olive oil first to lightly coat everything, then add the vinegar -- that way, the lettuce doesn't wilt).
A couple of the first articles I wrote were on using herbs, both fresh and saved for winter use. Here's the one with the herbal vinegar instructions: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/111/
This is getting a bit long and not many Oct blooms to show off so I started a new spin off thread, you can still post your bloom pictures here to finish up the month.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1050969/
Thanks Jill---
Re-read your article and printed it out too.
G.
I hope it inspires you to save some herbs to experiment with this winter! :-)
Going to the new thread now...
Here are some blooms still going...
Some DLs still going
This calendula from a wildflower seed mix just keeps going and going...
This azalea keep putting out blooms
Love this color combo
Very pretty Jen, I like the colors in the last one also.
You may be the one to keep this thread going till Nov 1.
lol