We've moved all of our blogging to another home! No, no, it was nothing you did, we just found a nice place, and a more convenient place, to create our verbal messages.
But, we'd love to have you follow along and chime in. So click here to see where we are now!
Sincerely, (and we mean that)
All of us at Brent and Becky's Bulbs
Hi! I'm Cleo, and I'm the Official Office Cat for Brent and Becky's Bulbs. The humans here say they are a little busy for blog writing, so I am taking over...something about me "earning my keep for a change" or something like that. Anyway, I spend my days stretched out on a computer, phone, window sill or in an empty box of computer paper absorbing what is being said and done. So if you have questions, email me at cleo@brentandbeckysbulbs.com!
Friday, August 30, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
Macerated Peaches with Monarda
I just had to share! I just quietly made a run outside and Monarda is EVERYWHERE and doing quite well!
Monarda, also known as bee balm, horsemint, bergamot and oswego tea, is a wonderful plant loved by butterflies and hummingbirds and hated by deer! It is terrific for a meadow garden or as a backdrop for the flower border. It blooms from the early Summer all the way through the late Summer! It is mildew resistant and can grow a little prolifically! But, if it spreads to much, just 'yank' it out!
It's also tasty! The blooms have a floral, tea-like fragrance and pairs well with all kinds of food. But since it's Summer now, nothing is quite as nice as a cold, Summer peach! So, here's a recipe from our General Manager on how to pair these two flavors for a bright and yummy dessert!
MACERATED PEACHES with MONARDA
Ingredients:
8 - 10 ripe peaches
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. sugar (more if the peaches aren't sweet enough)
4 Tbs. monarda flowers (petals only! We use the Jacob Cline pictured above)*
vanilla ice cream
Slice peaches and place in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, the sugar, and half or more of the Monarda petals. Save a few of the flower petals as a garnish. Stir let it to stand for 35 - 45 minutes in the refridgerator.
Spoon the fruit and juice into a your serving bowl. Top with a scoop of ice cream and garnish with fresh Monarda flower petals. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings
*Around here, we know that our blooms have not been sprayed with chemical pesticides. So picking and eating right out of the garden is second nature! Make sure yours are not covered in nasty chemical sprays before eating them. We'd kinda like to keep you around for a while!
 | |
| Monarda 'Petite Delight' |
It's also tasty! The blooms have a floral, tea-like fragrance and pairs well with all kinds of food. But since it's Summer now, nothing is quite as nice as a cold, Summer peach! So, here's a recipe from our General Manager on how to pair these two flavors for a bright and yummy dessert!
 |
| Monarda 'Jacob Cline' |
Ingredients:
8 - 10 ripe peaches
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. sugar (more if the peaches aren't sweet enough)
4 Tbs. monarda flowers (petals only! We use the Jacob Cline pictured above)*
vanilla ice cream
Slice peaches and place in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, the sugar, and half or more of the Monarda petals. Save a few of the flower petals as a garnish. Stir let it to stand for 35 - 45 minutes in the refridgerator.
Spoon the fruit and juice into a your serving bowl. Top with a scoop of ice cream and garnish with fresh Monarda flower petals. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings
*Around here, we know that our blooms have not been sprayed with chemical pesticides. So picking and eating right out of the garden is second nature! Make sure yours are not covered in nasty chemical sprays before eating them. We'd kinda like to keep you around for a while!
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Lily Beetles
(YAWWWWN,.....stretch) Hello. Cleo the Office Cat here...
Ok, bugs are NOT my forte. I just know that they're fun to chase, and with the exception of stink bugs, occasionally fun to taste! But, the staff here has asked me "carry my weight" and to share some information with you regarding Lily Beetles. It seems that someone contacted them on their Facebook page with a question about how to deal with them in a safe and natural way. Since I don't know anything about these creepy crawly things, I have done a little research.
According to Wikipedia, "Lily Beetles (Lilioceris lilii), or red / leaf lily beetle, is a leaf beetle that eats the leaves, stem, buds and flower of lilies, fritillaries and other members of the family Liliaceae. They mainly lay their eggs on Lilium and Fritillaria species. Observed in absence of Lilium and Fritillaria species, the numbers of eggs laid were significantly less and the survival rate of eggs and larvae were lowered. It is now a pest in most temperate climates where lilies are cultivated. Lily leaf beetles overwinter in the soil and come out early in spring whereas adults stay in moist environments."
As far as how to eradicate them, it seems my owners have a customer named Carolyn who offered a successful and earth friendly way to rid your Lilies of Lily Beetles. Carolyn says to try this:
1 - Hose the lilies down with water.
2 - Absolutely cover them with wood ashes, top and bottoms of the leaves covered.
3 - Wait 15 minutes.
4 - Hose off with water again.
5 - Watch, if you see them again, do it again.
It seems Carolyn has done this on two separate occasions and had 100% success. Now, it's your turn to try. Then, if you don't mind, let us know what you think of how it works! Just send me an email and I'll forward it on to my owners. I'd reply directly, but I'll probably be napping. Even though I'm a beautiful feline, I still need my beauty sleep to stay this way!
All the best,
Cleo
Ok, bugs are NOT my forte. I just know that they're fun to chase, and with the exception of stink bugs, occasionally fun to taste! But, the staff here has asked me "carry my weight" and to share some information with you regarding Lily Beetles. It seems that someone contacted them on their Facebook page with a question about how to deal with them in a safe and natural way. Since I don't know anything about these creepy crawly things, I have done a little research.
As far as how to eradicate them, it seems my owners have a customer named Carolyn who offered a successful and earth friendly way to rid your Lilies of Lily Beetles. Carolyn says to try this:
1 - Hose the lilies down with water.
2 - Absolutely cover them with wood ashes, top and bottoms of the leaves covered.
3 - Wait 15 minutes.
4 - Hose off with water again.
5 - Watch, if you see them again, do it again.
It seems Carolyn has done this on two separate occasions and had 100% success. Now, it's your turn to try. Then, if you don't mind, let us know what you think of how it works! Just send me an email and I'll forward it on to my owners. I'd reply directly, but I'll probably be napping. Even though I'm a beautiful feline, I still need my beauty sleep to stay this way!
All the best,
Cleo
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