Comments on: Saturday Sides: Sassy Cuke (Cucumber) Salad

By: wellsphere

wellsphere — Wed, 28 May 2008 00:29:53 +0000

Great recipe, thanks for sharing it! Would love to feature you on Wellsphere.com, a site that helps people to live healthier. Can’t find a contact form so thought I’d comment; look forward to hearing from you. Thanks, Larisa

By: Kelly

Kelly — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:03:08 +0000

I’m a horrible container gardener (everything always dies), but a halfway decent in-the-ground gardener. I’d suggest that – it’s more forgiving, especially if you tend to forget to water. If you have a local lawn and garden store (not a big box chain, but a little store), go there and talk with the salespeople – they’re usually really good and will know what generally grows well in your area, what typical problems are (have rabbits that you need to keep out of your garden? or bugs that attack your tomatoes? they’ll be able to warn you about this), etc.

I’d suggest peppers and carrots, as well as beans and maybe cucumbers. They’re all pretty hardy. Squash are fun, but they require a lot of ground space and you have to have enough to cross-pollinate, so you might want to avoid that first time ’round. Strawberries are nice but most varieties don’t give fruit the first year, so they’re actually pretty disappointing for a beginner gardener. Lettuce is easy too, though hard to find seedlings for. If you need a confidence-booster, I hear that growing alfalfa sprouts right in your kitchen is super easy (and doesn’t require dirt). I’m pretty good at killing herbs and flowers, and haven’t had any problems with the above-mentioned veggies.

I suggest buying seedlings, not seed packets, especially since most everywhere in the northern hemisphere it’s considered pretty late in the growing season. I live in Minnesota and we can finally plant as of this weekend, but everywhere else has been fairly safe for a while.

If you’re really worried about your brown thumb, you could try planting more than you think you need, in case they die, but this will more likely result in a surplus of veggies (though perhaps not with your family). All in all, I’d just give it a shot – what do you have to lose, except for the initial investment and a few hours of time?

By: patsyk

patsyk — Sun, 11 May 2008 23:34:10 +0000

I don't have any gardening tips, as I have a brown thumb. But, this recipe is bookmarked because it reminds me of the cucumber salad my mom used to make when I was growing up. I can't wait to give it a try for some of our summer get togethers. patsyks last blog post..Decadent Outrageous Oreo Brownies

By: Kathy

Kathy — Sat, 10 May 2008 21:11:18 +0000

EVERYBODY spends tons on the grocery bill. And it’s always the fresh stuff that’s costly. Makes no sense, I know, but there ya go. I guess the gov’t would rather we all eat boxed mac&cheese rather than good healthy fresh food! Gardening does not take any great amount of skill, truly truly truly. And all you die hard gardeners out there are not to come after me with your garden tools. Find a sunny spot to plant, a place that won’t get flooded, and dig in. Rhubarb is good. There’s not much you can do to kill it except transplant it when it’s not fall. I’ll save a clump for you and this fall we’ll find a place to plant it. It should come back year after year. Potatoes are easy. Do you have eyes growing out of the current bag sitting at your house? Slice off a chunk of tatie with the eye still there, and pop it into the ground. Dig’em up anytime in the summer for tender, tiny taties (yummy with lots’o'butter and salt) or let’em grow bigger for fall digging. Tomatoes we buy and plant, they’re too hard to start from seed. Make sure you have tomato ‘cages’ or strong stakes for when they are tall and heavy with tomatoes. Early Girl brand is good if you don’t want to wait until August for the fresh taste of home-grown tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes are fabulous. Green beans are easy–spinach is easy–cilantro–chives–green onions I can give you some onions if you want them. My green onions keep coming back too, so I don’t have to plant new every year. Pumpkins need lots and lots of space to sprawl, they’re very viney. Follow the directions on the seed packets/info. card for each plant/seed. Spacing is important so each plant gets enough sunlight to grow and produce. We fertilize now and then if we think of it (miracle gro) but otherwise it’s not a concern. Keep deer & rabbits out by fencing the garden in. Weed and water regularly. Ask neighbors in your area how long the growing season is. Up north where we used to live, we didn’t often plant until 1 -2 week into June. Further south now, memorial day is a good time to start with plants/seeds that grow above the ground. You can put turnips, carrots, potatoes, etc. in ahead of time, before memorial day–spinach, as well. Never tried asparagus. When you’re ready, call me and I’ll bring my shovel

Kathys last blog post..1

By: diva@theSugarBar

diva@theSugarBar — Sat, 10 May 2008 18:17:34 +0000

that looks awesome. oh yea, i alone purchase so much a week every time at different grocery stores it’s so bad. also, i got rhubarb today too!

diva@theSugarBars last blog post..Green Tea Rice with Almonds