Quotation of the Week: "It is always a great pleasure — and surprise — when you happen on just the perfect place in which to plant some special treasure." — Margery Fish

Care for Your Transvaal Daisies

Plant Transvaal daisies (aka Gerbera daisies) now through April. New varieties are freer blooming and have a wider range of colors than older types. Gerberas are easy to grow in pots or the ground but need good drainage; place in sun to partial shade. When planting in the garden, take care to bury all the roots but not the crown (the place where the roots join the leaves). They will rot if planted too deeply. Allow gerberas to dry out slightly between waterings. Be sure to protect them from snails and feed often with a complete fertilizer such as Whitney Farms All Purpose Food.

Growing Onions

By Tamara Galbraith Once believed to cure everything from mad dog bites to baldness, the onion has never ceased to amaze — both in and out of the kitchen. Onions are perhaps the most versatile veggie in existence, when it comes to cooking. As for growing, onions are also versatile. Gardeners can purchase both dormant "sets" as well as transplants, or start onions from seed. (Whether you decide to start onions from sets or seeds, it's good practice to pre-soak them in compost tea for 15 minutes prior to planting.) What's nice, in the case of bulbing-type onions, is you can harvest them at the point of your choosing; that is, if you want a bulbette size, pull 'em up early, or let them get to burger-slicing size if you wish. Green onions, also known as scallions or bunching onions, are also easy to grow, and mature faster than bulbing onions do. No matter what starting form you choose, onions prefer growing conditions that are cool but not cold, plus well-draining moist soil, and at least six hours of full sun per day. Dig in a good soil amendment, such as Kelloggs Amend, before planting. If you're planting sets, space them about 2"-6" inches apart, depending on the onions' mature size, and about 1/2" deep in the ground, making sure the pointed end is facing up. Bulbing onions are fully mature when the tops turn brownish yellow and droop over. After carefully digging them from the soil, you should leave onions either outdoors or inside in a well-ventilated area to cure for about two weeks. This will allow the outer skins to dry and will help them to store better. Onions make excellent, well behaved neighbors for fast-maturing, early spring veggies such as lettuce, as they both like the same growth conditions and can be snuggled in together without too much interference.

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Pest Profile: Imported Cabbageworm

By Tamara Galbraith Early spring is the time of year to grow cool season crops of the brassica family, such as cabbage and cauliflower. Soon after doing so, you can almost hear the ringing of the dinner bell at the imported cabbageworm party. Very few gardeners can say they've never had these velvety green, chewing pests dining on their cole crops. Entire broccoli plants can be devoured in a day or two in bad cases of infestation. But there are a few ways you can minimize or even alleviate the damage: At the first sign of smallish white butterflies flitting around your cabbage, get out the row cover. The lightest weight of cloth is preferable, unless you're experiencing a cold snap. The fabric will provide a barrier against the butterflies laying eggs on your veggies and will therefore halt the entire lurid cycle. (Sticky traps are also effective in catching the butterflies, but you might end up catching beneficial insects as well.) Spot check your plants often on the underside of the leaves; this is where the caterpillar form of this pest likes to hang out...and munch out. Handpick them if you're not too disgusted by doing that — and if there aren't too many. For more serious infestations, spray with a food-safe pesticide such as Safer Caterpillar Killer. Use only as directed. Since these nasty critters stick around for pretty much the entire growing season, keep a continual eye on your plants and keep the spray within arm's reach.

'A' Is For 'Anna'

By Tamara Galbraith Until newer heat-tolerant cultivars were discovered over the past few decades, gardeners in the southern USDA Zones could only dream of growing peaches, plums and apples, due to the fruit trees' commonly required "chill hours" for proper growth. Dreams can come true, as evidenced by one of the more popular new southern-friendly apple cultivars called 'Anna.' Obtained from Israel in 1967 along with another low chill type called 'Ein Shemer,' 'Anna' prefers cool winters but will produce a nice crop even if temperatures are warmer. The period from late December through February is the optimal time for apple tree planting. Choose a site with fertile, sandy loam soil and good drainage or amend your site with Kelloggs Gromulch before planting. Make sure the plant gets adequate water. Do not fertilize the tree at planting time. Topping out at around 12' tall, 'Anna' is categorized as a semi-dwarf size, making it ideal for the residential garden. Considered a "tropical" apple, 'Anna' produces a large (2-2½ inches in diameter) sweet, crisp fruit with a skin of light green and a pink blush, and is delicious whether eaten fresh or cooked. Although 'Anna' is self-fruitful, to get the best output of fruit you should plant another apple variety for cross-pollination. Plant them side by side and watch them go to town.

What You'll Need: 2 lbs. skinless chicken thighs 1 red bell pepper, chopped (or a poblano chile) 1 lg onion, chopped 2 stalks celery, diced 1 15 oz. can stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped 3 cloves garlic (or more if you like) 1 tbsp. granulated sugar 1 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper 1 lb shelled shrimp, deveined and cleaned 1 tbsp. lemon juice Louisiana hot sauce to taste 2 cups prepared rice

Step by Step:

Place the chicken thighs in the botton of the crock pot. Add the remining ingredients except for the shrimp, lemon juice, hot sauce and rice. Cover; cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. In the last hour of cooking, add the shrimp, lemon juice and hot sauce. Serve over hot rice.