Air Dates: 2 & 5 | 9 & 12 | 16 & 19 | 23 & 26 | 30 & 8/2
Monthly Program Listing

 

Episode #1801
Air Dates: 7/2/09 and 7/5/09

On this edition of Volunteer Gardener, Marty DeHart demonstrates how to protect tomato plants from damaging summer winds. Sheri Gramer mixes up a potpourri filled with garden blossoms. Annette Shrader explains what is needed to determine pink blooms or blue blooms on the hydrangea.

For blue blooms on a hydrangea bush: Mix 4 TBSP of aluminum sulphate to one gallon of water and pour around the base of the plant. Repeat in one month.
For pink blooms on a hydrangea bush: Sprinkle 3-4 cups of lime (powdered or pelletized) around the base of plant. Cultivate into the soil. Repeat in three months.
The next growing season should show signs of the desired color.

Summer Garden Potpourri
Mix 2 cups of each of these dried flowers in a ceramic or glass bowl:
Rose (buds or petals)
Hollyhocks
Lavender
Globe amaranth
Strawflowers
Larkspur

Mix together and then add to flowers: ¼ cup cut (chopped) orris root and 1 TBSP rose geranium essential oil. Seal mixture in zip lock bag and keep in warm place for a week. The top of the refrigerator is a good spot for this.

 

Episode #1802
Air Dates: 7/9/09 and 7/12/09

On Volunteer Gardener, join Sheri Gramer as she tours a beautiful spring- time garden and learns what secrets it holds for summertime color. Sally Reynolds shows us how to dig and divide some of our favorite perennials. Jeff Poppen shares his tips for growing onions in our Tennessee soil. Annette Shrader creates a beautiful focal point against a garage wall with a combination of low maintenance containers featuring evergreens.

 

Episode #1803
Air Dates: 7/16/09 and 7/19/09

On this episode, Julie Berbiglia visits a Nashville city government campus that is setting a green example for storm water management. Andy Sudbrock tours a front yard garden that is a pleasant sight for neighbors and a haven for happy birds. And Sheri Gramer adds green to the great indoors with a collection of low maintenance terrariums.

Julie’s segment was taped at the Richard H. Fulton Complex on Second Avenue South in Nashville with Carol Ashworth, ASLA of Ashworth Environmental Design.

Email carol@ashworthenvironmental.com
www.ashworthenvironmental.com

Find out more about Rain Gardens and suitable plant material: www.nashville.gov/stormwater/docs/pdfs/other/BarrRainGardens4pg.pdf www.nashville.gov/stormwater/LIDResources.htm

Sheri's Terrarium
A terrarium is a tightly closed clear glass or plastic container fitted with small plants in a growing medium such as potting soil, explains David Trinklein at the University of Missouri Extension. Terrariums are most useful for small plants that don’t adapt well to normal home atmospheres. When properly planted and located, they provide a way to grow many plants with minimal care. Sample plants for a terrarium with warm temperatures and medium light are:

- Asparagus fern, Asparagus plumosus 6-12” high; open dish container

- Baby tears, Helxine soleirolii vigorous ground cover; closed or open container

- Bird’s Nest Sansevieria, Sanevieria trifasciatahahnii 3-6” high; open, dish container; very tough plant

- Earth stars, Cryptanthus spp 1-3” high; open, dish container; foliage may be colorful

For more information: http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/hort/g06520.htm

 

 

Episode #1804
Air Dates: 7/23/09 and 7/26/09

Tammy Algood tours an herb and vegetable garden located right on the grounds of a favorite Nashville restaurant, Ellendale’s. Tomatoes, peppers, beets, lemon cucumbers and a variety of squashes serve as inspiration for chefs creating new menu fare. Herbs such as lemon grass and rosemary combine with fresh fruit juices and spirits to create new and exciting cocktails too.

Ellendale’s Restaurant
2739 Old Elm Hill Pike
Nashville, TN 37214
615-884-0171
www.ellendales.com

Recipes featured from Ellendales:

Stuffed 8-Ball Squash and red potatoes with fresh tomato puree
4 8-ball squash
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups feta cheese
3 cups tequila peppers, sliced
8 medium tomatoes or equivalent of your choice, mix and match
3 cups fine breadcrumbs
20 small red potatoes
1 tsp garlic, minced
4 TBSP fresh mint, chopped
8TBSP fresh oregano
12 TBSP butter, melted
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil

Halve and hollow out squash. Cook squash sells in boiling water for two minutes. Saute onion and tequila peppers in a drizzle of olive oil for about one minute. Remove from heat. Place into mixing bowl and add feta cheese, breadcrumbs, oregano, melted butter and a splash of olive oil. Mix to bind together. Stuff the mixture into squash shells. Bake at 325 degrees for ten minutes.

Puree tomatoes with some salt and pepper.

Boil red potatoes and then drain. Mix with mint, garlic, olive oil (4 TBSP), salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, ladle each serving plate with tomato puree. Top with two squash halves and arrange 5 potatoes on puree. Serves four.

Baked Chicken and Rice
Whole chicken or equivalent chicken pieces
1 cup coarse salt
10 teabags steeped in water
½ lime, sliced
1 cup basil, chopped
½ TBSP garlic, minced
Olive oil
Salt
2 cups dry rice
2 cups Lady peas

Brine chicken by adding salt plus 3 cups water into large plastic bag. Soak in brine for 2 hours in refrigerator. Add strong tea and lime to chicken and reseal. Marinade. When ready to bake, drain and pat chicken dry and arrange in baking dish. Mix basil, garlic and olive oil and spoon over chicken. Drizzle olive oil over all. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.

Bring 4 cups of water, 2 tsp of salt, 2 TBSP olive oil, rice and peas to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

Wilted turnip greens with fairy eggplant
15 Fairy eggplants, halved lengthwise
2 large green tomatoes, cored and cut in wedges
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced
2 TBSP cornstarch
½ cup soy sauce
4 TBSP Saki or white wine
2 TBSP sesame oil
2 TBSP rice wine vinegar
Turnip greens, sliced thin

In hot skillet with 1 TBSP of olive oil, brown eggplant, green tomatoes and the jalapeno. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix cornstarch in ¾ cup water. To skillet, add soy sauce, saki or wine, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar. Stir in cornstarch mixture to thicken. Wash turnip greens and slice thin lengthwise. Place in serving dish. Scoop finished stir fry on top of greens. Serves four.

Cocktails featured from Ellendales:

Tangtini
Place rosemary sprig with 8 round slices of ginger into a bowl and press to release flavors. Prepare simple syrup using equal parts sugar to water, 2 cups each. Add rosemary and ginger and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved and slightly thickened. Cool syrup. This can store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. For one cocktail, begin with a shaker full of ice. Add juice of ¼ fresh grapefruit, 2 TBSP of simple syrup and 2 ounces of Tanguerey 10. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

Hot and Sweet
Place two sliced habanero peppers along with the peel of a half of lemon and 6 spears of coarsely chopped lemon grass into bowl and press to release flavors. Prepare simple syrup using equal parts sugar to water, 2 cups each. Add the peppers, lemon and lemon grass and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved and slightly thickened. Cool syrup. This can store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. For one cocktail, begin with a shaker full of ice. Add 2 TBSP simple syrup, juice from a half of lemon and 2 ounces Grey Goose vodka. Shake and strain into cocktail glass.

Madyjito
Place 1 TBSP of sugar directly into tall serving glass. Add 12 fresh mint leaves (single type or combination of mints) into glass and mash. Squeeze juice from half of lime into glass and half the lime again and add to glass. Fill glass with ice. Add 2 ounces black cherry rum and a splash of soda. Stir and serve.

 

Episode #1805
Air Dates: 7/30/09 and 8/2/09

Troy Marden visits the Nashville Music Garden where he meets up with a country music legend whose namesake rose was the inspiration for this tribute rose garden. The roses, tea roses and daylilies are included in the Nashville Music Garden because they are named for famed country music artists or hit country songs. Included in the tribute are Barbara Mandrell, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Lynn Anderson, Elvis, Amy Grant, Minnie Pearl, Pam Tillis, Ring of Fire, Tennessee Waltz and Rocky Top. Although the majority of these flowers have been in existence for quite some time, this is the first time they have ever been housed together in one place. Also on this episode, Sheri Gramer creates a Sweet Dreams wreath using hops and lavender from her own garden.

The Nashville Music Garden will be formally dedicated on September 29, 2009 at 10:30am at the Hall of Fame Park. It is located directly in front of the Country Music Hall of Fame in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The ribbon cutting is expected to be well-attended and star-studded. The public is invited to attend.

www.barbara-mandrell.com

 

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