Home Breu

Habanada Peppers. A Habanero without heat. I tried growing them for the first time this year. The flavor is extremely bland and so its not for me. I love trying new plants! Some are wonderful and some are not. Have you tried a new-to-you food this year? What was the verdict?

Why plant a bunch of zinnias in your veggie garden?
1. They attract pollinators if they're in a clump. (A sparse one or two flowers won't work as well.)
2. They are tall and in full bloom at the end of the season. Exactly the same time you are harvesting and your garden is looking haggard.

Check out what my veggie garden looks like from the road (pic 1) and what it looks like up close (pic 2).

Why does cracking happen in tomatoes? Inconsistent watering; some varieties are more prone to it than others. Sometimes through no fault of the gardener. If you're in Rochester you may have noticed a deluge the other day followed by a forecast of no rain. You may want to pick all your blushing tomatoes now before they swell from the downpour. Once they crack on the vine they are very susceptible to pests and disease.

I delivered a jar of my homemade Spicy Dill Fridge Pickles to my next door neighbor and she texted me this AM asking if she could have the recipe! First of all, that is such an ego boost because I created this over a few iterations. But second, I briefly panicked because I've never written it down properly. I wondered if I just explained it to AI if it could make a coherent recipe out of my nonsense. It did! Now disclaimer, I don't love AI for MANY reasons, but for tasks that do not involve taking someone's job away, or disclosing personal info, then I think it has some functions as a pretty neat toy. Yay for organizing my thoughts while I enjoy a nice lil gin and tonic tonight!

A whole grain bagel with cream cheese and sprouts is a tasty way to eat the sprouts that we begin making tomorrow in the free Sprout Along. The process is very easy!

Here's an overview: day 1 is a rinse, then a soak over night. Day 2 is a morning rinse and evening rinse. Day 3, 4, 5 are exactly the same. Day 6 separate the duds from the sprouts and store in the fridge. And most importantly...eat them!

Materials needed will be a 32oz glass Ball mason jar, a mesh lid, and 2oz alfalfa/broccoli/clover mix of your choice.

I have 4 kits left ($10), or you can source locally or online. Pm me if you are local to the Rochester, NY area and would like a kit.

Why grow sprouts in our upcoming free Sprout Along beginning 6/23?
Fun salad toppings of course!! I love ALL the things on my salad: sprouts, croutons, feta, craisins, etc. What else do love on salad?

PM me if you are local and want to purchase a starter kit of sprouting supplies.

P.S. I grew this salad from seed and you can too. Stay posted later this season.

If you are joining the Sprout Along beginning Sun June 29th you will need just a few materials.
1. A 32oz glass jar (I prefer Ball)
2. 2 TBS of seeds to sprout (I like alfalfa/broccoli mixes)
3. A mesh top (I like the plastic type with little feet)

You can source these locally or online. I'll also have a kit available for pickup if you are local to the Rochester, NY area for $10. The kit is one jar, one lid and 4 TBS of sprouting seeds

Join us (from your couch) for a sprout along beginning next Sunday 6/23! Sprouting alfalfa seeds is an accessible way to grow food for people of all ages and abilities.
I will post all the necessary materials to gather as well as what to do when. No guess work!
We will start together on Sunday evening, post our progress and share ways to add sprouts to our meals. Can't wait to grow with you!

I love seeing my little tomato babies all grown in their new homes! I hope some of them are destined for her amazing spaghetti sauce!

Resident snapping turtle made an appearance today! Do you know how to move them if they need help? You must grab them at the back of the shell by each of its hind legs and lift part way. They will "wheelbarrow" for you and walk with their front legs. Fun right!?
Share with friends. They may come across a snapper who needs relocating!

I had the pleasure of attending Master Gardener Barbara Cummings presentation on composting today. Did I sit in front row to dork out about dirt? Absolutely I did.
Do you want to do it to? They are doing another one coming up! Click their link to find out more!

Today’s COMPOSTING 101 class was a huge success. Join us on June 25th for a repeat performance at the Webster Arboretum in the Curry Building from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. The presenter is Barbara Cummings from the Wayne County Master Gardener Program. She is an expert on this topic and has presented at various forums in our area. Please go to websterarboretum.org to let us know you will be coming. This opportunity was provided to us through a grant received from The Genesee Finger Lakes Chapter of the Air & Waste Management Association (GFLAWMA) and there is no charge for the class.

I got you a little something! 🎁 25% off your subscription to growveg.com when you sign up through my link: https://www.growveg.com/grow-promotion?referralcode=HPPDS6AZ
I do not receive any discounts or compensation if you sign up, I just wanted to share :)

Vegetable Garden Planner and Garden Design Software Vegetable garden planning apps to help you plan your vegetable plot, allotment or square foot garden.

Plant Rustlers!
Did you know that the Master Gardeners will come dig out and remove your unwanted (non invasive) plants for you??? They take them to be repotted and sell them at their plant sales, win-win!
Available late April-late May and again in Early Sept to October.
What an amazing service!
Details on what they can take and not take on their page:

Plant Rustlers Have some plants in your garden grown out of control? Are you a new homeowner and overwhelmed with the plant material in your garden? Are you too busy to maintain a garden right now? The Master Gardener Plant Rustlers are here to help!We will come to your property and remove the plants you n...

🌱Exciting News🌱
I'm excited to offer something new to those who want to begin a kitchen garden but feel overwhelmed, or for those who have tried with limited success.

Kitchen Garden Planning Sessions!
What to expect:
-on site visit to your garden/future garden
-10 pt garden check up
-Q&A
-actionable next steps
-optional add-on: custom garden layout design

It is my absolute dream to show others how awesome growing your own veggies and herbs can be!

Message me with any questions and to book a Planning session
Introductory Special $25
Plus! First 5 gardeners to book an appointment get their session free!!

Let's brew some garden magic together!!

I'm sold out of tomato plants (unless you reserved one waiting for pick up). I put together a list of local nurseries that you can check out.
I visited 5 of these today and "reinvested" my tomato proceeds on some fun plants 😍🪴(lemon verbena, lemon thyme, chocolate mint, marjoram, pineapple sage and clearance begonias!)

Need to raid your compost bin but only some of it is finished? Grab something like a tennis racket or mesh-style waste paper basket and strain out some into a bucket. This works if your compost is no longer "hot", but still has some larger chunks.