Discover the Fun of Gardening

September 1, 2011   

Abby checking for weeds around some chives.

With September comes one of our favorite times of the year . . . Veggie Season. Vegetable plants and seeds are in at the nursery, and it is time to start preparing the soil and planting your garden. This Saturday at 10am, come out to Kerby's for the first workshop of the Fall season on Preparing Veggie Gardens. It is the first in a two part series on vegetable gardening and will help you have the best harvests ever. See below for more information on the veggie workshops and other fun events coming this fall.  

Joey and his niece Sawyer preparing the veggie garden

Every year, we try to find something cool to plant in our garden and we think we've found some fun vegetables for this season. See below for some of the things we are trying. It's always great to have something a little different in the garden and at the dinner table. What will you grow this season?   

In This Issue

Cool Vegetables

Upcoming Events
 

Fall Seeds &
Veggies are In

Jumpstart your garden with our garden design service.

Cool Vegetables

 This Saturday, Sept 3rd at 10am, we are having our first workshop of the season. It will give you great information about preparing your garden for planting some of the cool vegetables listed below. These are veggies that you often don't hear about but are absolutely delicious. Add a few to this season's garden and see how they do.

Bright Lights Swiss Chard - Highly ornamental and colorful, swiss chard is also extremely nutritious. This variety boasts colorful stems (which aren't eaten but look really cool.) Swiss chard leaves are often cooked like mustard or collard greens, but can also make a cool snack: chard chips. Dry the leaves and remove the stems. Chop into chip size pieces and toss with a little olive oil and seasonings of your choice. Bake at 400 for 5 minutes or so and you'll have a crispy little snack. Do you think the kids will like them?

Bok Choy - Probably one of the easiest vegetables to grow is bok choy. It grows quickly and leaves can be continuously harvested from September until almost April or May. Even better, Bok Choy is extremely low in calories but contains tons of great nutrients and antioxidants. Stir-fry in a little olive oil, garlic and soy sauce for a delicious side dish.  

Rutabaga - This was one of the first vegetables we cooked up for Abigail and she loved them! Steam or bake them like you would any root vegetable and they make a delicious alternative to potatoes with a lot more nutrients. They have a nice sweet flavor that is relatively mild, so everyone can enjoy them.

Snow Peas - There is nothing like eating fresh snow peas right off the vine. They are sugary and delicious. You can add them to salads, or cook them up in a stir-fry for a nice crunch. Best of all, they taste even better with the cold and don't seem to mind our frosts and freezes. 

There are so many cool vegetables out there. Which ones will you add to your garden this season?
 

Upcoming Events
 

Workshop: Prepare your Veggie Garden
Saturday, September 3rd at 10am
Preparing the soil for planting veggies is one of the most critical steps for growing tasty vegetables. In this workshop we'll talk about why soil is so important, and we'll share our favorite soil blends for growing great veggies with you. We'll also discuss starting veggies from seed. Come on out and get your garden started.

Workshop: Growing and Caring for Veggies
Saturday, September 17th at 10am
The second workshop in our fall veggie series, where we'll discuss planting veggies, and the care required to make them grow big and strong. We'll also show you some great natural options for fertilizing and spraying to make sure your great harvests are also safe and healthy. Come out and let Kerby's turn your thumbs green.

 Workshop: Fall Porch Pots
Saturday, October 8th at 10am
Your front porch is the first thing friends and guests see when they enter your home, so why not make a stunning first impression. Porch pots are an easy way to create amazing, colorful displays that will invite everyone into your home. We'll show you how to create and maintain an amazing porch pot. Come early to pick out your pot and we'll even help you plant it!

Workshop: Fall Fruits
Saturday, October 15th at 10am
This workshop will teach you all the basics about planting and caring for fruits, and focus on some of the hardy fruit trees that you can plant for our area. We'll also discuss techniques for protecting your favorite fruit trees from frost and freezes. Afterwards sample some of the delicious fruits and tantalize your taste buds.
 

Kerby's Pumpkin Patch
Coming in October

Bring the family out to select this year's jack-o-lantern while enjoying the beauty of fall at the Kerby's Pumpkin Patch. You'll find cool pumpkins and great ideas for decorating your garden for fall.

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