Oberle Botanical

Matt, my husband, grouches that I spend entirely too much time thinking about produce. It’s just my nature. And besides, how much time would be appropriate?

Onions have been on my mind for the past few weeks. Possibly because it’s about time to start them in the greenhouse. I need good, sturdy seedlings to put out in the field in March. This way they’ll have plenty of time to bulb-up to baseball/softball size come summer. Golf ball sized are usable, but disappointing. No bragging rights there.  And forget the miniature onion ’sets’ that you can buy in  mesh bags at the box stores and nurseries in lieu of seedlings. Too many are moldy, they tend to go to seed before bulbing and the squirrels in my neighborhood love to dig them up. They don’t eat them. I think it goes something like this in the miserable little squirrel mind: “Hmm, what’s this?, might be something good, let’s take a closer look”, pulls it out, takes a sniff, “nope, don’t think I’d care for that”….”hmm what’s this?, better take a look; oh that’s right, I don’t like these” . Repeat until every single onion is unearthed. This is a rodent with a very short memory.

Country cousin to the Easter Lily, onions are in the genus Allium, also home to garlic, shallots and leeks. It is impossible in my mind to cook well without them. I grow several types, but what interests me at the moment are the differences between “sweet” onions and the “storage” onions. Sweet onions are a summer treasure, ephemeral, lasting only a few weeks at most after harvest. Among the varieties a person can grow, ‘Candy’ is one of the best. It’s big, it’s sweet and unlike most onions, it just doesn’t care if the days are getting longer or shorter.   Day-neutral, it will size up nicely as long as it’s growing conditions are met. These onions are mild because they have fewer of the sulfur compounds responsible for an onion’s pungency. And, their higher water content dilutes the sulfuric chemicals making them less noticeable. That high water content is also the reason they’re short-lived compared to storage types.

What blows my mind is that the storage onion we favor, ‘Copra’ is actually higher in sugar than many of the summer sweet types. The sweetness is masked by the oniony flavor that is more pronounced due to it’s lower water content; and less water means a longer shelf life. Heat is the key. When ‘Copra’ onions are sautéed, roasted, caramelized, or in any way cooked, the sulfur compounds are released… but not the sugars. These things are great roasted or grilled.

I guess it’s the vegetable analogy for not judging a book by it’s cover - or in this case an onion by your tears.

(No Ratings Yet)
 Loading ...

Have you ever noticed that most jack o’ lanterns look best about a week after Halloween? Once the face has experienced a good frost and a few warm days, it’s features take on a whole new persona as the eyes sink and nose melts into the mouth. Soon to be removed to the compost pile, it provides one more reminder of winter’s fast approach. The progression of holidays has begun. Floppy pumpkin faces are replaced by colored corn and before long we swap the corn for wreaths and holly. Then the seed catalogs begin to come in earnest, along with the day dreams.

I once read that many of us garden in hopes of recreating our first magical experience with plants and nature. We remember colors, smells and textures in an exaggerated, dreamy way. Nostalgia paints a seductive picture, and we try year after year to live up to the masterpiece.
Years later, I still ponder this idea and it’s implications. Holiday memories seem much the same - filled with fragrance, taste and color yet impossible to define in exact form. Each year I try to give shape to my memories once through my medium of plant materials.
We live in a great area for windowsill gardening. Most mornings provide enough bright eastern light to satisfy many different plants. Living plants provide a special holiday ambiance, particularly herbs and flowering houseplants.
Because the holidays have a tendency to be a bit harried (and I am absent mindedness when harried), I prefer plants that can take some neglect. If I forget to water or miss a pest inspection (within reason) there is not too much of a problem.

The herbs I like to use most around the Christmas season include sage, rosemary and thyme. I combine these with bright red and white geraniums and/or miniature roses for a new twist on an old theme. The sage lends a beautiful gray-green softness to the grouping, with a few of its leaves imparting traditional character to poultry seasoning, dressings and even potpourris.

With its evergreen needles and spicy fragrance, rosemary adds pizazz to the eyes and nose during the holiday season. If your plant is large enough, small wreaths can be made from its branches. Given as gifts, these dry beautifully and are welcomed by cooks.
Rosemary or sage provide a wonderful bed for roasting potatoes (see accompanying recipe). Drizzle with a little olive oil and you’ll find the basic spud elevated to a whole new level. A word of caution: rosemary and miniature roses both greatly resent completely drying out. Keep them away from heating vents. Gusts of warm, dry air take their toll on indoor plants.
If you intend to eat your herbs or rose blooms, don’t apply pesticides.

Washing plants periodically does wonders for pest control. It brightens them by removing dust and provides a shot of much needed humidity. This is so effective and restorative that I’ve invested in a small, shower-type gadget that fits over the faucet on my kitchen sink. I purchased it at a local hardware store for under $10.00. It’s flexibility and gentle shower allows me to easily clean the underside of leaves; a favorite hiding area for spider mites. Moreover, I’m sure that I’ve heard contented sighs coming from freshly showered plants drying on the kitchen counter. Honest! Now the recipe:

Herb Baked Potatoes Peheat oven to 350 degrees Idaho baking potatoes Rosemary or sage Salt Olive oil

Scrub potatoes and pierce with a fork. Wet roll in salt until covered. The salt can be removed after baking. It aids in drawing out the moisture and results in a “fluffier” finished potato with a slightly sweet flavor.

Cover the bottom of your roasting pan with a bit more salt and herbs. The amount of rosemary or sage will depend on personal preference. I’ve completely covered the bottom of a pan with rosemary branches and didn’t find it overwhelming and the kitchen smelled deliciously of rosemary . Place potatoes on top of the herbs. Top the spuds with a few more herb sprigs if you’re so inclined. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top and bake for about an hour.
You should be able to pierce the potato easily with a fork when done.  Great, fluffy baked potatoes are never wrapped it in foil! Foiling produces steamed rather than baked potatoes.

Sue Oberle’s article in the Winter 1997 issue of Real Life Magazine

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

While I write this, August marches on, full heat, ripening eggplant and juicy tomatoes. Crocus, tulips and the like seem so far off as I look through my kitchen window at the taller zinnias I grow to use as cut flowers. These are hedged in by a wall of Italian sunflowers; the ground hidden by unruly zucchini vines. Undoubtedly, one or two monstrous sized fruits lie somewhere within, waiting for discovery having been missed during earlier harvest sessions.

I try to imagine this colorful mass of vegetation passing away. Following our first hard frost it will become a sorry, wilted sight indeed. I try to see my garden in heaps upon the compost pile, my now green view taking on the shades of brown and gray common to winter months. This is not something I’m good at. I know though that in due time my garden will die, just as the icy cold mornings sure to follow will eventually fade into spring. I begin to fantasize about future gardens. I see new combinations of color, shape and form and dream of tastier tomatoes, longer standing spinach and find myself once again at springs door.

I’ve always been drawn to early spring settings where the gardener has worked cleverly with nature in creating a lush setting within a landscape newly emerging from winter’s rest. Bulbs are especially delightful at this time of year. Long before other plants break dormancy, many bulbs are in full flower. Most of us are familiar with crocus, tulips and daffodils as long awaited signs of spring. What many don’t realize though, is that there are some many other bulbs that are just plain under-utilized. Fritillaria meleagris, otherwise known as Guinea hen flower comes to mind. These have nodding, bell shaped heads, that are genuinely checkered in shades of maroon and white. Many other uncommon bulbs are members of the families we’re already familiar with, such as the species of tulips and iris.

I am particularly fond of the snow iris. These small plants begin flowering very early in the season, often peeking up through the snow. In my yard, bright yellow Iris danfordiae is the first to bloom. These are then followed by Iris reticulata. Mine are deep grape purple with yellow highlights, quite the show considering the time of year. They are also in crisp light and dark shades of blue. Species tulips are another of my favorites. These are recognizable as tulips, yet they are quite different from their later season cousins.

They are much smaller and daintier and tend to look best in rock gardens or where ‘naturalized’ by the gardener so as to appear wild.

In her book, The Undaunted Garden, Lauren Springer discusses many bulbs especially suited to the front range of Northern Colorado. Springer wrote the book while living and gardening in Windsor. She addresses things which tend to challenge gardeners in our area: drastic temperature fluctuations, drought and (that four letter, heart-chilling word) - hail!

Her “Bulb lawn” was one of my favorite ideas. It was planted with Buffalo grass, a drought tolerant native, then studded with 5,000 spring blooming bulbs. Buffalo grass is a warm season grass. It stays dormant until temperatures rise in late spring. Until then, the bulbs provide masses of color keeping an otherwise bland area vibrantly alive. By June, the old bulb foliage has died down as the lawn greens up. The old foliage is then easily raked away with old, dead grass from the previous season. All in all, very low maintenance and striking too!

As far as planting goes, bulbs will do best when our heavy clay soils are well amended with compost or peat to a depth of at least one foot. This makes it easier for young shoots to emerge in the spring and promotes good drainage (a must). They should be planted in mid-September through October to allow time for root growth and establishment before cold weather sets in. As a general rule of thumb, the depth of planting is four times the height of the bulb from soil surface to bulb tip. If your soil is still heavy after amendment, plant them 1-2 inches shallower than described above.

When thinking about how to use bulbs in your yard and garden, keep one thing in mind: like most flowers, bulbs look best in masses and not in straight lines. There is no more pitiful spring sight than a group of tulips (or crocus, daffodils, iris, etc.) lined up in a row like soldiers facing a firing squad.

I have been pleased to find many of the more unusual bulbs becoming available locally. Much of what I had to mail order in the past can now be found in local garden shops and nurseries. Another delight is price. Bulbs are generally not terribly expensive. I can buy several for the price of one good sized potted perennial. Many also multiply over the years, increasing populations, or allowing you to be generous with neighbors. Overall, a great deal for the pocket and winter weary soul.

Sue Oberle’s article in the Fall 1997 issue of Real Life Magazine

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

Fall may mark an end to our growing season, but its a great time to start next year’s gardens. Here are a few suggestions to ensure that your garden will wake up on the right side of the new millennium.

• Plant spring bulbs from mid-September through October. For best results, amend the soil with organic matter to a depth of at least one foot. Plant bulbs in mass rather than strait lines for a natural look.
• Make a compost pile! Fallen leaves and lawn clippings will be accessible for some time, and kitchen scraps (eggshells, coffee grounds and produce trimmings) are also useful. Avoid woody materials. Turn the pile once or twice during the cold season, and you will most likely be rewarded with home “grown” compost for your spring planting.
• If your perennials are dying out in the center, it’s time to divide them. Cut them back, lift, divide and replant–or make someone’s day by sharing a piece of the favorite plant.
• Fall is an excellent time to plant perennials, trees and shrubs. By doing so, the plant becomes established and ready to burst forth next spring. You MUST commit to many long, deep watering sessions in the fall and winter. Use holidays to jog your memory: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Groundhog Day. Mulch will help prevent evaporation and add to your efforts.
• For the adventurous kitchen gardener, plant cold tolerant greens such as spinach, kale, turnip greens and collards now. They will sprout over winter and resume growth at the first signs of warmth in early spring. This won’t work every year, but our recent mild winters have granted us crops for the past three years. Plant in a protected area to increase chances of success.

Sue Oberle’s article in the Fall 1999 issue of Real Life Magazine

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...