North Central Texas Fall Roundup Plant Talk

I thought I would start this thread for plant discussion since the trade thread is getting to long.
So please talk to your hearts content!!

Dennis, I gave the Chile Pequin that you brought for Pattie to City-Sylvia, they live not far from each other and she said she would give it to her. Now Sylvia, don't forget to do it.
Josephine.

Kate, two of my cats started trying to take over the cat mint as soon as I put it down. I had to take it away from them so it can grow larger. LOL. Thanks

Steph,

LOL.. that's hilarious... I'll have to bring some inside for my cats! (I feel like they get short shift to the dogs... maybe that will help make it up to them!). I have the remainder of the packet of seeds if you need to start more plants.

Kate

I would love to have some of your ideas for using Chile Pequin. Dennis, you said it can be used fresh or dried. Any special way to dry them?
Josephine, love that garlic...How deep do you plant those little bulbets? Do you plant the bigger one too?
TxMel, sorry I didn't get to meet you in person. Hope you got the Turk's Cap.Saw you liked this dish.

Roasted Vegetable Recipe
Cooked up brown rice and just added some turmeric and cumin so that it had a golden color

Roasted Vegetables
4 red peppers cut in strips
2 sliced onions
4 - 6 zucchini and/or squash sliced about 3/4"
8-10 mushrooms halved
4 sliced tomatoes
( this is what I used, but definitely can change the variety..eg 1 eggplant and 3-4 zucs, green peppers, cooked cauliflower
when using eggplant and zucs, slice and sprinkle with salt, let it sweat for 20 min then wipe off salt)

mix 4-6 cut up garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp seasoned vinegar or lemon juice
lots of oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Add to veggies in a large bowl

Spread single layer on two baking sheets
Bake 450 F about 1 hour, mixing 2-3 x and may want to rotate the pans . Careful when you open the oven...very steamy!
Easier to do than to read this all. Can 1/2 it easily Tastes great hot or room temp
( from Meal Lean i Yumm, Norene Gilletz)

Chickpeas
Drain can of chickpeas and rinse.
Heat chickpeas in saute pan until water is gone and are slightly toasted.
Add chickpeas with 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2-3 crushed garlic, lots of oregano, salt and pepper
This is also a great stand alone dish. My dtr's comfort food.Got from a magazine at a Dr's office

Just saw the great garlic info. Thanks Stephanie and Josephine.

Hi Anna,

I pretty much grow chile pequin as an ornamental. I brought one back with me from Beeville and it has done great up here and has produced quite a few volunteers - just be a bit patient in the spring since it comes back a bit late. I have eaten a few, and have thrown a few into some recipes, but that is about it. My mother-in-law just had dried ones she kept in an open can. I'm not sure how she prepared them.

I used to buy several different chile pequin (or petin, as they call it down there) at a place called Faye's Texas Naturals down in Goliad, TX, but I know that Faye passed away and I don't know if they are still open. I particularly loved hot pickles made with them called Firecracker Sweets.

Let me know if you come up with anything to do with them! :)

Dennis

seitz, Shirley, I bet you had some good eggs for breakfast this morning.

Smockette....Thanks for giving me a redo in Jax on the Bulbine division.

Anna, I loved the rice and roasted vegetables too, thank you for posting the recipe.
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You can plant the garlic bulbils in the Fall in a small trench placing them a few inches apart, they will come up in the spring and make full bulbs the second year after planting.

The large cloves can be planted in the Fall also, push them into the prepared soil with the pointed end up so that the pointed end is buried at least half an inch below the surface. These will sprout in a week or two, will make a big bulb and be ready for harvest in June.

This garlic is an heirloom, I received it from a friend 35 years ago and have been growing it ever since.
Josephine.

Okay, Kate, I need some mint for my cats, please! They have to stay home & inside when I go to all these great RUs! Seeds are fine, if you have extras.

Next, Dennis, I have the Chile! Some how we thought that I would see Pattie b4 Sylvia would, so it is in Magnolia with me! If I don't see her b4 CSRU, I'll give it back to Sylvia & she can go fr there.
We had some Chiles @ the farm where I USED to work & we tree-d them up. They were about 3' tall & very full @ the top. They were great looking. Have anymore seeds or volunteers you want to get rid of?
:~)

This message was edited Oct 6, 2009 12:26 AM

Let me say I am one of those dial-ups!!! What else can I say? I feel like I live in the boonies sometimes!
I had a great time & will post the cheesecake recipe if I can't find the thread it comes off of! I got it fr a fellow DGer & I think he deserves the credit! It is awesome! Smock & Sylvia & I were all wishing we had some after supper last nite!

This is my Chile Pequin last fall. I've never harvested or eaten the peppers, as the Mockingbirds beat me to it. Are they really hot?

Carla

My uncle used to make a hot sauce using chili petins. (I'm from San Antonio and that's what we call them down there! LOL) I don't know how he did it, but I'm sure it wasn't difficult since he wasn't an ace in the kitchen. It was kinda like that LA Hot Sauce stuff you see in the store. A word of warning: Wear gloves when you harvest those things. They'll sting your tongue if you pick 'em then lick your finger! (Don't ask me how I know this!!) I'll ask my dad if he knows how to make the sauce when we're down there this weekend.

I have some catmint, but have never tried it with the cats. The neighbor's cats like to come and SIT in my container of catnip outside, though. LOL I harvested the seeds off of it this year if anyone's interested.

Just call me the 'Cat lady begger'! lol I'd take some of both, not meaning to sound too selfish!
Now, imagine that beautiful plant sitting on top of a 3' pedestal. They look so kewl, tree-d up!
:~)

They are very hot. I just looked up the scoville units. Here's a chart of the common peppers:

habanero: 200,000-300,000
chile petin (chiltepin): 100,000-250,000
cayenne: 30,000-50,000
serrano: 8,000-23,000
jalepeno: 3,500-8,000

I like spicy, but I've always considered serranos and jalepeno to be hot enough for me! I just think that they are very, very cool decorative plants. :)

Well, they're too hot for me. But not for the Mockingbirds. :-)

Carla

Wow. Can't wait to try them!

bananna18... yes, I got my turks cap! Thank you so much... I did not get to meet as many people as I thought I would!!!

Thanks to all that were so generous to share their plant "babies". I've been planting, looking up info, planning for where others will go!

Thanks for the recipes, and for those to come! Great food, friends and conversation. Can't wait for the next get together!!! Hope I have things to share by then!!!

Melanie

Recently found this simple and delicious recipe for the best Scalloped Potatoes. Would have brought this dish had we made it.

Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped potatoes with basic white sauce, chopped onion, parsley, and sliced potatoes. Add cheese and bread crumbs to top this casserole, if desired.

Ingredients:
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onion
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups thinly sliced potatoes
• 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon flour
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• 1/2 to 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• paprika

Preparation:
Bring 2 inches of water to boil in a pan; add onions, sliced potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and boil for 5 minutes; drain. Caution: Over boiling on purpose or mistake will soften the potatoes and onions producing almost a mashed potato dish.

Melt butter, blend in flour, pepper, and remaining teaspoon of salt. Add milk and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in parsley. Combine vegetables and cream sauce; place in a shallow casserole and bake, uncovered, at 400° for about 35 minutes.

Sprinkle cheese and paprika over potatoes and bake 3 to 6 minutes longer, until cheese is melted. Serves 4 to 5.

Josephine,
What was the name of the tuber you gave out? Some sort of four o'clock. I am trying to figure out what to do with them.
Cheryl

Yes they are Four O'clocks, I had yellow and pink.
You can plant them now outside with the top of the tuber about 1/2 inch below soil level.
They will come up in the spring, they are hardy and like sun but can take a little shade too.
The flowers usually open after six in this area, the opening is triggered by a drop in temperature, not daylight, the flowers smell heavenly and hummingbird moths come to them at night.
I hope you will enjoy them.
Josephine.

DogsNPetunia, those bags that the llama poop were in were so nice. Do you want them back? (after a wash!) Also,is there a way to get rid of the weed seeds. I couldt add to lasagna garden or compost, but was wondering.

Anna....I had put some of Glenna's Llama compost on my beds about two months ago and didn't notice any great difference in the weed growth. I always get some just from the birds anway. I won't hesitate to use more.

Hi there, not ignoring the request for cat mint... it's just been a bit of a week so far. I'll get back to you shortly.

Thanks for understanding!

Well Glenna, I have a question, how did I get so lucky to end up with three bags of llama manure?
I thought I was getting one, and at the end there were three, right there by my plants.
I couldn't believe how neatly they are put together in those muslin bags, you must be a very patient lady. Thank you very much.
Josephine.

She probably had some unclaimed and knew they would go to good use. We will see a lot of healthy native plants at the spring sale because of it. :-)

Yes, I will be putting some of it at the Fielder house garden too.

bananna18, I could have sworn I replied to your question about the cloth bags for llama manure last night but I don't see it here, so maybe had another of my "sometimers" moments. LOL.

I make the cloth bags because in plastic bags it starts molding and getting smelly. And I've been a "fabric addict" (quilter) for about 20 years and have more than I'll ever live long enough to use up, especially since I spend so much time outdoors now. Will be glad to have the bags back so I can refill them, but anyone who has a use for them, like making compost tea, etc., is welcome to keep them.

Josephine, I don't know how that happened. I think one of those bags you have is coffee, though. I did have a couple of bags that the recipient did not show up.

Re: weed seed - The best way I've found to get rid of it is to put it in a bucket or pan and put in the sun and in a few days the weed seed will sprout. If it has dried out, mist it because it needs to be very slightly moist. Stir it around to kill the sprouts and do the process again.

Llamas are what's called modified ruminants (chew their cud), so there's not as much weed seed as with horse manure, for instance. They choose a potty spot used by the herd and continue to go back to it. Even little babies will go to the potty place within the first day after birth. Then we rake it up from those potty places and that's where we get a lot of the weed seed probably.

Now, that's probably more than anyone ever wanted to know about llamas.

Have a nice day.

I think it is all very interesting, the sound like very neat animals.
Thank you again.

I do also. I sometimes wish I had room to have livestock of some sort. But then I remember how much work they are.

That is so sweet, please don't stop, keep telling us all about these interesting animals.

So, I have a slightly embarrassing confession to make. As you could tell if you spoke with him, Richard is English (at least for the first 30 some odd years) and I lived over there for a number of years before we found ourselves here in the metroplex. So, needless to say, we switch back and forth between a couple of different English dialects in the house on a daily basis. I say all this by way of explaining that that lovely Catmint that I gave you on Sunday is Catmint… in England… here’s it’s just plain ol’ Catnip. You all probably figured that out by now, but sorry if I created any confusion.

Not a problem for anyone I am sure MsG, we have all been there. I was given a plant and told it was Mex Petunias which turned out to be Obedient Plant when it bloomed. Then I was given Ruffled Leaf Basil that was really Perilla, but only found out after sharing it several times.
DNP...That is such a super happening! Glad you witnessed and could share with us. Plus we learned new termology of "cushed". I used to do that in front of the tv when I was younger and more limber! LOL!

B4 I bought my house, I almost bought a house on 7 acres w/barn & 'round' fencing all around. I had a GF that was going to buy some acreage fr me & build her a house on it. We investigated llamas alot & were seriously going to get some. We figured the fencing would be better for them than barbed wire!
I have a friend now that has two in Florida. How many do ya'll have?

Yes, very interesting. I had to google llama cush to see what it looked like.

Here's photo of our momma llama in the kush position. (I have trouble remembering the preferred spelling is with "k".) New cria (baby) at her side.

Cria with neighbor's GS. They are very gentle and curious animals. When I look at this photo, it does make me a little sad that we're not going to have any more little ones but I just got to the age I couldn't take care of it all, halter breaking, cleaning stalls, trimming toenails, etc. DH made the mistake of asking me what I wanted for Christmas a couple years ago and I said, "To get rid of animals." So he sold the females and we only have two males left. Llamas need to always have a llama partner or their mental health suffers.

Just adorable.

Thanks for sharing. Never thought of llamas being so gentle.