Monday, 31 May 2010

ASPARAGUS SOUP


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If you love making home soups, but get a bit disappointed with the flavour sometimes – then you are going to love this one. I never intended to use this site for recipes but this soup is soooo full of flavour I just had to publish it.

This recipe for asparagus soup is about as simple as it can get, but it isn’t just a gourmet starter – try it cold straight out the fridge on hot days too. All you need to do is add a touch of lemon juice

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

800g asparagus with the woody ends removed
50g of salted butter
2 medium onions
2 sticks of celery
2 leeks
1 tablespoon of plain flour
2 litres of chicken or vegetable stock
150ml of double cream or crème fraishe
1 tablespoon of lemon juice – for serving cold soup only
sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and a sprig of thyme

Remove the tips from the tops of the asparagus and put these to one side for later. Next, roughly chop the asparagus stalks. Heat up a sauce pan, adding the butter. Chop the onions, celery and leeks then add to sauce pan – gently fry for around 10 minutes until they are soft and sweet. Keep the temperature in the pan low to prevent the onion from colouring.

Sprinkle the tablespoon of flour over the mix and then stir it in so that it can soak up the juices.

Now add the chopped asparagus stalks and stock and simmer for a further 20 minutes with a lid on the sauce pan. Remove from the heat and puree the mix until it is silky smooth using either a hand-held blender or in a liquidizer.

Season the soup bit by bit - this is important - with salt and pepper until it tastes just right.

Finally, stir in the double cream or creme fraiche and the reserved asparagus tips. Re-heat gently for 3-4 minutes until the tips have softened and serve very hot in warm soup bowls garnishing with the sprig of thyme.

If you are serving this dish cold then thoroughly mix the tablespoon of lemon juice into the soup. Cool and chill thoroughly before serving in chilled bowls.

For related articles click onto:
Growing Asparagus from Seed
How to Grow Asparagus Plants
How to Grow Asparagus from Seed
How to Grow Asparagus from Seed Indoors
How to Grow Asparagus from Seed Outside
How to Grow Onions From Seed
How to Grow Onions from Onion Sets
How to make Plum Chutney
How to Make and Prepare an Asparagus Bed
How to Make and Prepare an Onion Bed
How to Make my Recipe for English Onion Soup
How to make my Recipe for Parsley Soup
How to Make Spicy Pumpkin Soup
How to Make Stock from Chicken Bones
How to Make an Asparagus Bed
How to Make old Fashioned Fruit Chutney
How to Plant Asparagus Crowns
My Recipe for Globe Artichoke with Dijon Mustard
Recipe for Blood Red Halloween Soup
Leftover Turkey Recipe - Turkey and Broccoli Bake
Organic Control of Asparagus Rust
Parsley Soup
Recipe for Christmas Pudding
Recipe for Spicy Pumpkin Soup
Recipe for Tagines
Recipe for Tangy Tomato Soup
Spaghetti Bolognese
Tomato Soup
Turkey Soup
Why Don't we Value our Food Any More?
Posted by Simon Eade at 10:58 0 comments
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WHAT IS AN ORCHID?



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Despite their exotic sounding name, orchids occur in almost every range of habitat apart from deserts and glaciers. The great majority are found in the tropics, although there are a few species that can be found above the Arctic Circle. They are also one of the largest plant families on the planet consisting of over 25,000 species – second only to the aster family ‘Asteraceae’.

Although its name may sound exotic, the word orchid comes from the Greek word Orchis – meaning testicles! This unfortunate label arrived because it described the two rounded tubers that were commonly found on many of the native European orchid species.

As you can imagine orchids come in many different shapes and colours. The characteristics that they all have in common however is that the male and female parts of the flowers (the stamens and pistol) are fused together to form the column.

Other characteristic include the arrangements of the flower. There are three similar petals and three petals. The third petal - known as the lip or labellum – is different to the other two and usually the most eye- catching. The lip has evolved to attract the pollinators which – depending on the species – can include ants, bees, wasps, gnats, butterflies, moths and even birds!

All orchids are classed as perennial herbs and lack any permanent woody structure. They can grow according to two patterns:

Monopodial: The growing stem is formed from a single bud, with the leaves being produced at the apex of the apex. As more leaves are produced, the stem grows longer accordingly. The stem of orchids with a monopodial growth can reach several metres in length, as demonstrated by examples in the Vanda and Vanilla species.

Sympodial: The plant produces a series of adjacent shoots which grow to a certain size. Once in bloom the shoot will stop growing, however the orchid will continue to grow in size by producing a new shoot. Sympodial orchids grow will laterally rather than vertically - following the surface of their support. The growth continues by the development of new ‘leaders’s which have with their own leaves and roots. These will be found sprouting from - or next to - those of the previous year, as noted in Cattleya species. While a new lead is developing, the rhizome may start its growth again from a so-called 'eye' - an undeveloped bud found at or near the base of the plant.

Although many orchid flowers are indeed spectacular, most varieties produce seeds are in fact tiny – approximately 0.5mm in diameter, although some species can produce seed as big as 5mm!

While the seed produced is generally small, orchid plants make up for this in sheer quantity of seed produced- so much is produced that it can look like thousands of dust particles floating on the air!

Strangely for such a successful plant, the seeds of many orchid varieties cannot germinate or grow on their own. Research has shown that these seeds have a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship with specialist fungi so that they can receive the nutrients required to germinate. This is because the seed lacks an endosperm - the tissue found in other seeds which provides nutrition in the form of starch.

Advances in horticultural production techniques have now advanced to such a point that they are able to germinate far more seeds than would otherwise happen in the orchid’s native habitat. This is why orchids are now commonly available in supermarkets and retail plant centres.

For related articles click onto:
How to Feed Orchids
How to Look After and Care For Orchids
How to Repot an Orchid
How to Water Orchids
What are Mycorrhizal Fungi?
What are Plant Macronutrients and Micronutrients?
What are Plant Nutrients?
What are Prunes?
What is an Epiphyte?
What is Cork Made of?
What is E.Coli?
What is a Truffle?
When should you Re-pot an Orchid?

Seedling photograph courtesy of http://www.sarawaklens.com/
Posted by Simon Eade at 06:07 1 comments
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Saturday, 29 May 2010

HOW TO GROW COMFREY


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For any gardener who wishes to grow their plants by using strict organic principles, modern fertilisers can often be a bit of a sticking point. However, help is at hand from the native European herb Comfrey – otherwise known as ‘Knitbone’ as it was once used as a traditional remedy to help heal broken bones.
.Comfrey has a naturally deep rooted and extensive root system and acts as a dynamic accumulator by extracting a wide range of nutrients from deep within the soil. These nutrients naturally accumulate within its fast growing leaves - up to 4-5 lbs per plant when cut. Because comfrey leaves lack fibrous tissue they can quickly break down returning their nutrients to the soil surface making them more readily available to cultivated plants. In addition there is little risk of nitrogen being ‘locked up’ during decomposition when comfrey is dug into the soil as the carbon to nitrogen ratio of the leaves is lower than that of a well-rotted compost. Comfrey is also an excellent source of potassium - an essential plant nutrient needed for flower, seed and fruit production. In fact comfrey leaves contain 2-3 times more potassium than most farmyard manures.
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To begin growing you own comfrey you are best off using the cultivar known as ‘Bocking 14’, a special strain which was developed during the 1950s by Lawrence D Hills - the founder of the Henry Doubleday Research Association. Bocking 14 is sterile, and therefore will not set seed (an advantage over other cultivars as it will not spread out of control). Because of its sterility, this cultivar is normally propagated from root cuttings of ‘off sets from the parent plant.

To produce your own ‘offsets’, it is best to choose mature, strong healthy specimens with no signs of disease - such as rust or mildew - to act as the parent plants. Drive a spade horizontally through the leaf clumps about 3 inches below the soil surface. This will remove the crown, which can then be split into pieces. The original plant will quickly recover, and each new offset can be replanted with the growing points just below the soil surface. Once established these offsets will quickly grow into new plants.

TIP. When dividing comfrey plants, take care not to spread root fragments around, or dispose of them on a compost heap. Each piece can easily re-root, and comfrey can be a very difficult plant to get rid of.

Comfrey will prefer to be planted in full sun although it will tolerate partial to near full shade. It is not so keen on thin, chalky soils, but you can give it a helping hand by dig deeply to break up the subsoil. Light sandy soils will benefit from organic matter, and being a fleshy plant it will require a decent amount of watering.

Comfrey will grow very densely and can be difficult to weed, so before planting, dig the soil over and remove any perennial weed roots. Luckily, it will tend to shade out most weeds once established. To get your comfrey off to a good start it is also well work adding any fertilisers or well-rotted manures before planting – just fork it into the top 6 inches of the soil.

Do not cut in the first year, but once established you can harvest the foliage four to five times a season. Harvest by cutting the plant down to about 2in once the plants has reached at least 2ft in height.

For related articles click onto:
Posted by Simon Eade at 07:39 1 comments
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Thursday, 27 May 2010

HOW TO MAKE LIQUID FERTILIZER FROM COMFREY


CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE NEW 'GARDEN OF EADEN' WEBSITE AND SEED SHOP

.For any gardener who wishes to grow their plants by using strict organic principles, modern fertilisers can often be a bit of a sticking point. However, help is at hand from the native European herb Comfrey – otherwise known as ‘Knitbone’ as it was once used as a traditional remedy to help heal broken bones.

Comfrey has a naturally deep rooted and extensive root system that acts as a dynamic accumulator by extracting a wide range of nutrients from deep within the soil. These nutrients naturally accumulate within its fast growing leaves - up to 4-5 lbs per plant when cut. Rich in nitrogen, comfrey is also an excellent source of potassium - an essential plant nutrient needed for flower, seed and fruit production. In fact comfrey leaves contain 2-3 times more potassium than most farmyard manures.

Making a liquid feed from comfrey is relatively simple. In fact, it can be no more difficult that adding comfrey leaves to a bucket of water. They will need to be weighed down to keep the leaves submerged, but wait 3 to 5 weeks – depending on how warm the weather is – and you will have a wonderfully rich liquid feed by the end of it. Although the comfrey solution is already mixed with water it is worth diluting it down further to prevent damage to the root systems of plants that it is applied to. Consider diluting the solution at a rate of one part concentrate to 3 parts water.

Unfortunately, liquid fertilizer made from comfrey stinks to high heaven so you may wish to use a more sophisticated system for its production. A small water barrel would be ideal as it will come with a lid (to keep the smell in) and a tap at the base so that the liquid fertilizer can be drained off when needed without the risk of splashing the foul smelling solution over yourself!

TIP. Consider placing the leaves into an old sack before submerging as this can help to prevent taps from being blocked.
Alternatively – and far cheaper than the cost of buying a water barrel – is to use any a large plastic container that comes with a lid. Drill a hole - ¾ inch in diameter - in the bottom of the container and then place it on a stack of bricks. Position a wide-neck bottle under the hole, and then after a couple of weeks you can expect to see a dark liquid trickle out of the container and into the bottle. Once collected, the liquid can be stored in a cool, dark place.

The nutrients in this liquid are highly concentrated and will need to be diluted with water before it can be applied or it can damage the root systems of any plants you try to feed it to. The liquid must be treated as a concentrated liquid feed, so dilute it at a rate of one part concentrate to 10 parts water. This solution can be applied at every watering should you require.

For related articles click onto:
Green Manures for Autumn Planting
How Can You Improve Clay Soils?
How to Build a Compost Heap Pile
How to Grow Comfrey
How to Make Compost
How to Make John Innes Compost
How to Make a Leaf Mould Compost
How to Make a Natural and Organic Insecticide for Aphids
How to Make a Wildlife Pond
How to Make a Wormery
How to Make your Own Organic Pyrethrum Insecticide
How to Use Comfrey as an Organic Fertilizer
Sacrificial Planting
The Importance of Log Piles to Native Wildlife
What are Plant Macronutrients and Micronutrients?
What are Plant Nutrients?
What Causes Blue Hydrangeas to Turn Pink?
What is Chlorosis?
What are Mycorrhizal Fungi?
What is a Green Manure?
What is a Leaf Mould Compost?
What is a Wormery?
What is 'Slash and Burn' Farming and How does it Affect the Rainforests?
What is John Innes Base?
Why Grow Green Manure?

Photographs courtesy of http://www.veggies-only.blogspot.com/ and http://www.organiclivingforall.com/
Posted by Simon Eade at 04:11 2 comments
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Wednesday, 26 May 2010

HOW TO USE COMFREY AS AN ORGANIC FERTILIZER


CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE NEW 'GARDEN OF EADEN' WEBSITE AND SEED SHOP
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.For any gardener who wishes to grow their plants by using strict organic principles, modern fertilisers can often be a bit of a sticking point. However, help is at hand from the native European herb Comfrey – otherwise known as ‘Knitbone’ as it was once used as a traditional remedy to help heal broken bones.
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Comfrey has a naturally deep rooted and extensive root system which acts as a dynamic accumulator by extracting a wide range of nutrients from deep within the soil. These nutrients naturally accumulate within its fast growing leaves - up to 4-5 lbs per plant when cut. Because comfrey leaves lack fibrous tissue they can quickly break down returning their nutrients to the soil surface making them more readily available to cultivated plants. In addition there is little risk of nitrogen being ‘locked up’ during decomposition when comfrey is dug into the soil as the carbon to nitrogen ratio of the leaves is lower than that of a well-rotted compost. Comfrey is also an excellent source of potassium - an essential plant nutrient needed for flower, seed and fruit production. In fact comfrey leaves contain 2-3 times more potassium than most farmyard manures.

There are various ways in which comfrey can be utilized as a fertilizer, the most common are as follows:

Comfrey can be used as a compost activator - Add comfrey to a compost heap to add nitrogen. Its speedy decomposition will also help to heat the compost heap. However, comfrey should not be added in large quantities as it will quickly break down into a dark sludgy liquid that will need to be balanced with more fibrous, carbon rich material.

Comfrey liquid fertilizer – This can be produced by either rotting leaves down in rainwater for 4–5 weeks to produce a ready to use 'comfrey tea’, or by stacking dry leaves under a weight in a container with a hole in the base. When the leaves decompose, a thick black comfrey concentrate can be collected. This must be diluted at a rate of 15:1 before use.

Comfrey as a mulch or top dressing – By applying a 2 inch layer of comfrey leaves around your chosen plant, it will slowly break down and release a range of plant nutrients. It is especially useful for crops that need extra potassium, such as fruiting plants, but there is also evidence that it can improve potato crops too. Comfrey can be allowed wilt slightly before application but however you use, avoid using flowering stems as these can take root.

Comfrey potting compost – This was originally developed to be used in conjunction with peat, but environmental awareness has led to a leaf-mold based alternative being adopted instead. Two year old, well decayed leaf mold should be used, as this comfortably absorbs the nutrient-rich liquid released as the comfrey decays. Using a black plastic sack, alternate 3-4 inch layers of leaf mold followed by 3-4 inches of chopped comfrey leaves. Add a little dolomitic limestone to slightly raise the pH level. Leave for between 2–5 months depending on the season, but make sure that you check that it does not dry out or become too wet. The mixture will be ready when the comfrey leaves have rotted and are no longer visible. This mix can be used as a muli-purpose potting compost, although it will be too rich for seedlings.

For related articles click onto:
Green Manures for Autumn Planting
How Can You Improve Clay Soils?
How do I find out my Soil Type?
How to Build a Compost Heap Pile
How to Grow Comfrey
How to Make Compost
How to Make John Innes Compost
How to Make a Leaf Mould Compost
How to Make a Natural and Organic Insecticide for Aphids
How to Make a Wildlife Pond
How to Make a Wormery
How to Make Liquid Fertilizer from Comfrey
How to Make your Own Organic Pyrethrum Insecticide
Sacrificial Planting
The Importance of Log Piles to Native Wildlife
What are Plant Macronutrients and Micronutrients?
What are Plant Nutrients?
What Causes Blue Hydrangeas to Turn Pink?
What is Chlorosis?
What are Mycorrhizal Fungi?
What is a Green Manure?
What is a Leaf Mould Compost?
What is a Wormery?
What is John Innes Base?
What is 'Slash and Burn' Farming and How does it Affect the Rainforests?
Why Grow Green Manure?
Posted by Simon Eade at 13:00 1 comments
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Tuesday, 18 May 2010

DISCOVERED – FROG UNIQUE TO SCIENCE


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A new species of ‘brightly coloured frog’ has been discovered by a team of scientists from the School of Environmental Studies at the University of Delhi.

The scientists found the frog at an altitude of 2,698m above sea level on the Anaimudi peak, a remote mountain in the southern part of India.

The frog was initially identified back in 2001, but it has taken almost a decade to prove - via careful study of its anatomy and genome - that this brilliantly coloured specimen was in fact a new species.

The frog has been named ‘Raorchestes resplendens’ and is a unique new member of the tree frog group. In fact, it is the only tree frog to have what the researchers call ‘macro glands’ – the purpose of which is still uncertain.

Dr. S D Biju was part of the scientific team who made the discovery explained had this to say on the discovery.

‘…These frogs may be representing a classic example of "point endemism" in amphibians. This means that the species lives in a very limited range of environmental conditions, making it very vulnerable to extinction ...’

He also added,

‘…This new species of frog has got extremely short limbs and multiple glands and swellings almost like a toad…’

The team of scientists say that fewer than one thousand of these frogs are currently surviving in a unique ecosystem that is less than three square kilometres in size. Its habitat will require special attention in order to conserve the species for the future.

Currently, about one third the world's known amphibian species are under threat from extinction. Habitat destruction due to human activity has identified as a primary cause of their numbers being so drastically reduced, but there are also under severe risk from the devastating effects of the chytrid fungus - a virulent disease carried by the North American bullfrog.
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Posted by Simon Eade at 13:42 3 comments
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Thursday, 13 May 2010

HOW TO SOW AND GROW COURGETTES FROM SEED OUTDOORS


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Want to buy courgette or zucchini seed? Click here to view seed shop.
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Although considered to be a vegetable, courgettes - otherwise known as zucchini - are actually the immature fruit of a marrow squash – more specifically, the swollen ovary of the female flower. Courgettes can be yellow, green or light green, and generally have shape similar to a ridged cucumber, although there are a few cultivars available that can produce a rounded or bottle-shaped fruit.

.Courgettes prefer heavier soils, and will always do best in a sunny, sheltered position - away from cold winds. When it comes to preparing the ground, it is well worth adding plenty of well rotted farm manure before hand – in fact, this can be done as early as the previous autumn.

.If you intend starting early, you can protect an early planting with cloches. It is a good idea to put your cloches in place where you plan to plant your courgette plants a couple of weeks before you need them as this will to help warm up the soil below. Doing this will greatly increase your early planting chances of success.

.If you are going to sow your courgettes from seed directly into the ground then you can do this any time from early May onwards – around about the time of the last late frosts. With cloches you can sow courgette seed up to three weeks earlier.
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The trouble with courgettes is that they like lots of moisture around the roots, but ironically the plants can rot off if there is too much moisture around the base of the plant. To try and overcome this, courgettes are often grown on ridges in order to improve drainage – how to make a courgette ridge is outlined as follows.

.Begin by digging a small trench about 4 inches deep, then fill the bottom of this trench with well-rotted farm manure until the trench is refilled back to its original soil level – now dig over the trench so that the compost and soil is nicely mixed. Now dig a second trench next to this first one placing the soil along to top of the original trench so that you a have formed an elongated mound. This will form a ridge into which the courgette seeds can be planted into - 3 ft apart. Alternatively, if you are only growing a few courgette plants, just make one individual mound per plant roughly 1ft 6in square. These mounts do not need to be too high - no more than a few inches at most.
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When sowing courgette seed outside, sow two seeds per planting position – covering with ½in of soil. Each planting position should be about 3 ft apart. When the seeds have germinated they can be thinned out by removing the weaker of the two vigorous seedlings. If you are transplanting courgette seedlings, then they should be planted into the ridge at the same depth as they were in the pot.

Courgettes require plenty of water so that they are able to grow and fully develop so soak the roots thoroughly and regularly. However, try to keep as much water as you can away from the foliage to help prevent the incidence of fungal infections.

For related articles click onto:
How to Germinate and Grow Cucumbers from Seed
How to Germinate and Grow Melon Plants from Seed
How to Germinate and Grow Okra from Seed Indoors
How to Germinate and Grow Watermelon Seed Indoors
How to Grow Amaranth from Seed
How to Grow Artichokes from Seed
How to Grow Asparagus Plants
How to Grow Asparagus from Seed
How to Grow Aubergines From Seed
How to Grow Autumn Sowings of Broad Beans
How to Grow Banans Outside in the UK
How to Grow Basil from Seed
How to Grow Basil from Seed Indoors
How to Grow Beetroot from Seed
How to Grow Butternut Squash from Seed
How to Grow Butternut Squash in Pots or Containers
How to Grow Broad Beans from Seed
How to Grow Cabbage from Seed
How to Grow Carrots from Seed
How to Grow Chinese Spinach from Seed
How to Grow Citrus from Seed
How to Grow Eggplants from Seed
How to Grow Garlic
How to Grow Garlic in Pots and Containers
How to Grow Greenhouse Tomato Plants from Seed
How to Grow Jalapeno Peppers from Seed
How to Grow a Lemon Tree from Seed
How to Grow Lettuce From Seed
How to Grow Melons in a Greenhouse
How to Grow Melon Plants from Seed Outdoors
How to Grow Okra from Seed Outdoors
How to Grow Onions From Seed
How to Grow Onions from Onion Sets
How to Grow an Orange Tree from Seed
How to Grow Oregano from Seed
How to Grow Outdoor Tomato Plants from Seed
How to Grow Parsley from Seed in Outdoor Beds
How to Grow Parsley from Seed Indoors
How to Grow Peppadew Peppers from Seed
How to Grow Hardy Passion Flowers from Seed
How to Grow Pumpkins from Seed
How to Grow Radish from Seed
How to Grow Red Kidney Beans from Dried Seed
How to Grow Strawberries from Seed
How to Grow Sunflowers from Seed
How to Grow Sweet Corn
How to Grow Sweet Corn from Seed
How to Grow Sweet Potatoes in Pots or Containers
How to Grow the Autumn Broad Bean 'Aquadulce Claudia'
How to Grow the Autumn Fava Bean 'Aquadulce Claudia'
How to Grow Watercress from Seed
How to Grow Watermelon Plants from Seed Outdoors
How to Grow Winter Lettuce from Seed
How to Grow Zucchini
How to Plant and Grow Artichokes
How to Plant and Grow Strawberries
How to Propagate and Grow Chili Peppers from Seed
How to Propagate and Grow Sweet Peppers from Seed
How to Propagate and Grow the Bell Pepper from Seed
How to Propagate Strawberries
How to Sow and Grow Courgettes from Seed Indoors
How to Sow and Grow Spring Onions from Seed
How to Sow and Grow Zucchini from Seed Indoors
How to Take Cuttings from Sweet Potatoes
Posted by Simon Eade at 14:04 1 comments
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Wednesday, 12 May 2010

EDIBLE NUTS – THE ANSWER TO LOWERING CHOLESTEROL?


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CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW 'GARDEN OF EADEN WEBSITE' AND SEED SHOP
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Research from the United States has shown that eating nuts may help lower cholesterol levels.

The study - which involved nearly 600 people - has shown that eating an average of 67g of nuts a day can reduce cholesterol levels by up to 7.4%. As well as improving cholesterol levels, eating nuts can also reduce the amount of triglyceride within the body, a type of blood fat that has been linked to heart disease.

It is not yet clear why nuts can have this effect on cholesterol levels, although one suggestion puts it down to the plant sterols they contain - these are believed to interfere with the bodys cholesterol absorption.

John Sabate - lead researcher of the Loma Linda University team – had this to say on the matter

‘... increasing nut consumption as part of a healthy diet should be recommended. The effects of nut consumption were dose related, and different types of nuts had similar effects...’

Ellen Mason, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, added

‘...Apart from salted peanuts at the pub, nuts in sugary cereals or the traditional Christmas selection, nuts have been largely lacking in our diets in the UK...’
UK experts agreed that the research showed that nuts were an important part of a healthy diet, but warned against eating nuts covered in sugar or salt.
.Although previous studies have indicated that eating nuts regularly can be beneficial to your health, this new study has now been able to put an accurate figure on the effect.
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Posted by Simon Eade at 09:53 1 comments
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Friday, 7 May 2010

DISCOVERED – MOTH NEW TO SCIENCE FOUND IN UK


Photograph courtesy of Eric J Vannieukerken of the Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity Naturalis
CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW 'GARDEN OF EADEN WEBSITE' AND SEED SHOP
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A moth new to science and found nowhere else in the world has been formally recognised as living in the UK.

The 3mm-long micro moth - which was discovered in Hembury Woods in Devon - was first spotted in 2004, yet it has only been given the recognition as a new species this year, 2010.
.Amateur naturalist Bob Heckford sighted the unusual bright green caterpillars of this tiny leaf-mining moth on oak saplings within Hembury Woods, a site managed by the National Trust.
Named Ectoedemia heckfordi after its discoverer, the tiny micro moth has a wingspan of just 6mm.

Matthew Oats from the Nation Trust had this to say on the matter

‘…we hear so much about the losses to the natural world, and less about the gains; which makes this find, however small, so important. Amateur naturalists have a wonderful window on the wildlife world and nature continues to amaze us and throw up surprises even in the UK…’
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Caterpillars from this new species are usually found on oak saplings and the shaded ‘feathered’ growth found at the base of some oak trees. The mines the caterpillars make are quite dark while the caterpillars themselves are bright green which is quite unusual for micro moths. The adults lay their eggs on the underside of the leaf.
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Mr Heckford said:
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'...for most of my life I've had a passion for the natural world and been privileged enough to have beautiful wild places on my doorstep...'
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Posted by Simon Eade at 14:03 0 comments
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Tuesday, 4 May 2010

HOW TO SOW AND GROW ZUCCHINI FROM SEED INDOORS


CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW 'GARDEN OF EADEN WEBSITE' AND SEED SHOP
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Although considered to be a vegetable, zucchini - otherwise known as a courgette - are actually the immature fruit of a marrow squash – more specifically, the swollen ovary of the female flower. Zucchini can be yellow, green or light green, and generally have shape similar to a ridged cucumber, although there are a few cultivars available that can produce a rounded or bottle-shaped fruit.
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Like all summer squash, zucchini can trace their ancestry back to the American continent, however the varieties of squash typically known as ‘zucchini’ were actually developed in Italy - many generations after their introduction from their country of origin. The first records of courgettes in the United States date back to the early 1920s - almost certainly brought over by Italian immigrants.
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In order to achieve an early crop - and yet have protection against late, spring frosts - zucchini can easily be started off indoors. Zucchini seed can be sown any time from mid March through to late May. Using a good quality soil-based compost such as John Innes ‘Seed and Potting’, fill 3 inch pots to within ½ inch of the top of the pot. Sow two seeds per pot – on their sides - placing each seed ½ an inch deep.
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Temperature is important when it comes to germinating zucchini seed and so once they have been watered in they will need to be placed in a warm, bright position at a temperature of between 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternatively they can be placed in a heated propagator.
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Once the seedlings emerge, the weaker one can be removed from each pot. Harden off the young plants by putting the first sowing into cold frames at the end of May. Plant them out after about two or three weeks once the risk of late frosts have passed.
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Remember to water the pots well before planting out, and avoid holding the plants by their stems as they are easily bruised causing irreparable damage.
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If the weather is cool, cover each plant with a cloche for the first week or so, to give them a little extra warmth and protection. Alternatively, use half of a clear plastic 5 litre mineral bottle. Cut the bottle into two halves in order to make two excellent cloches. The top half - whilst giving good protection against the weather – will also allow air and moisture to circulate through the neck of the bottle.
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TOP TIP. To prevent flying insects entering through the neck of the bottle, cover with a small piece of fleece and secure it in place with an elastic band.
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For related articles click onto:
How to Grow Carrots from Seed
How to Grow Citrus from Seed
How to Grow Eggplants from Seed
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Posted by Simon Eade at 02:01 0 comments
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Sunday, 2 May 2010

HOW TO MAKE MY RECIPE FOR ENGLISH ONION SOUP


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Most of us have come across that most watery excuse of a dish – French onion soup. However if you have onions to ‘burn’, and you are prepared to have one last go at an onion based dish then look no further than this superb recipe for English onion soup. In fact just calling it ‘a soup’ is somewhat of an injustice - it is more of a ‘3 course meal’ in a bowl!

To make the most of this recipe, use as many different varieties of onion as you can get your hands on - about 1kg in total. Further still, cook them on a very gentle heat so that they just ‘sweat’ in the pan - you'll be amazed at the range of flavours produced.
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Serves 8


INGREDIENTSA knob of butter.
1 tablespoon of olive oil.
A handful of fresh sage leaves - keep 8 in reserve.
6 cloves of garlic.
5 red onions.
3 large white onions.
3 shallots.
300g of leeks.
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2 litres of good-quality hot beef, chicken or vegetable stock.
8 slices of good-quality stale bread, 2cm thick.
200g freshly grated mature cheddar cheese.
A drizzle of Worcestershire sauce.

Chop and crush the garlic, then place it - along with the butter, olive oil, and sage - into a gently warmed, thick-bottomed non-stick pan. Give the ingredients a good stir, then finely chop the onions, shallots and leeks before adding those to the saucepan too.
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Season with salt and pepper, and cook slowly on a very low heat for about 50 minutes - periodically giving the mix a good stir so that nothing catches on the bottom of the pan. It is worth keeping a lid on the pan to keep the heat in but remove it for the last 20 minutes - by this point the onions should be soft and golden in colour.
As mentioned before, cooking the onions slowly is the key to obtaining the best flavour for this soup. Don't be tempted to use more heat to speed up the cooking process or you can risk loosing incredible sweetness and flavour.

Now add the stock, and bring the pan to the boil. Afterwards, turn the heat down and simmer for between 10 and 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven or grill to its maximum temperature

Toast the bread on each sides, and add seasoning - as per your taste - to the soup. Dispense the soup into individual heatproof serving bowls and then place the bowls onto a baking tray. Tear toasted bread over each bowl so that it fits it like a lid, then sprinkle grated mature cheddar cheese over the top with a drizzle of Worcestershire sauce.

Add the reserved sage leaves to a dash of olive oil and place one on top of each slice of bread. Put the baking tray into the preheated oven or under the grill to melt the cheese until it's bubbling and golden in colour. When the cheese is ready, very carefully lift out the tray and carry it to the table. English onion soup is served!
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For related articles click onto:
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English onion soup recipe is care of Jamie Oliver http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/jamie-oliver/english-onion-soup-with-sage-and-cheddar-recipe_p_1.html
Posted by Simon Eade at 10:10 0 comments
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