Recyling Basics

Chef, author and contributing columnist to Edible Santa Barbara, Janice Cook Knight was kind enough to join us on the show yesterday. She had recently done an article for "Edible" on recycling so we asked her to give us the low down on recycling basics. Here is what we learned.

1. Paper or cardboard food containers (to-go boxes, pizza boxes, paper plates, napkins, etc) CANNOT be recycled! That was big news to us.  If the paper goods have touched food, they gum up the works in the recycling process. These items must be COMPOSTED.

2. Plastic bags (the kind you get at the grocery store, either for veggies or as a carry bag) CAN BE RECYCLED at any grocery store. The State mandates that stores must take them back. They are then used to make decking material. That's good news. A tip on that, if the bags are gooey or greasy, rinse them out before returning. The bad news is only 5% of the plastic bags distributed are being recycled.

3. Milk cartons. Bad news, these are not recyclable in Santa Barbara County. Nor are those "boxes" that contain soy milk, almond milk, etc.

4. Styrofoam, this is a complicated subject. It can not be recycled and it leaches stuff into food.

5. The good news is that all metals can be recycled.

Those are some basics, I highly recommend reading the full article in the most recent Edible Santa Barbara for the full story.

What Can You Do?
1. Tell the shops you frequent to stop using Styrofoam.
2. Recycle and reuse your plastic bags. 
3. Compost paper goods that have touched food.
4. Take your own reusable bags everywhere.
5. Spread the word.

It's our planet and it's the only one we have at the moment, so it's up to all of us to protect it. If we all do are part it's not such an overwhelming task.
 Click here for recycling basics in latest issue of Edible Santa Barbara

Summer's Here!

There is a tradition at Garden Gossip that as soon as I write an article about the lack of sun, it comes out and once again, it worked! The sun came out yesterday and this morning was a bright, beautiful morning! Yippee! I check the garden yesterday and though everything is a couple of months behind schedule, the cukes are starting to grow and the green beans are coming along (finally). My Kumquat trees are loaded with fruit and they are getting ripe. It is time to start preserving them. Next time pickled Kumquats and preserved whole Kumquats..Yum.

June Gloom leads to Chilly July

Anyone in the center of the country who wants to get out of the heat only needs to head to the coast of California where it is a chilly 61degrees this morning with a mist that is sitting on the hills like a cotton blanket. We haven't seen much of the sun since June 1st and now that it is ten days into July the prospect doesn't look too bright. I checked the weather forecast this morning and we are supposed to have another week of this. So, what does that mean for your garden? It's one of those good news/bad news scenarios.

The good news is that the air is moist and the plants aren't stressed from heat and dry air. The bad news is that this type of weather can lead to sooty mold and fungal diseases. The best way to combat this is to keep your plants clean. The best way to do this is to wash them off with soap and water. This applies to everything, Roses, fruit trees, veggies, everything will benefit from a washing off every week or two. Here's how: Using a hose-end sprayer (the standard sprayer is called a Gilmour sprayer-see photo) squirt some organic dish soap in the bottom, fill with Kelp extract and if you like some fish emulsion, set the dial to 3 T per gallon and wash everything off thoroughly. Kelp extract is a natural plant booster and the soap washes off the dirt, fungi, mold, etc. This can be done weekly to keep things clean and happy. If you can get hold of some compost tea put it in a watering can or a pump sprayer and wash everything down. Even if all you do is spray with soapy water (1 tsp. in 5 gallon bucket is sufficient) that will keep everything clean and will help to combat disease.

Here's my much-used Gilmour sprayer and seaweed extract..

Your soil is alive!

Gardening is the nurturing of plants, it's all about improving or enhancing living things. That includes the soil. The soil is alive with micro-organisms (at least it should be). Chemical fertilizers, fungicides and pesticides disturb the natural order of things creating dead soil. This creates a dependency on more fertilizer and so the cycle goes. Using mulches and compost greatly reduces the need for fertilizers. Do you see anyone scattering fertilizer out in the forest? Food for thought. Compost tea, organic fertilizers, mulches all help to increase the life of your soil. For more check out Soil Foodweb.

What to do in your garden this week

July is right around the corner and around here there's plenty of summer yet to come. Here's what to be doing in your garden now.
1. Mulch, mulch, mulch. There are plenty of sources for good mulch, Agri-Turf and Goleta Building Materials for example. A thick layer of mulch will help keep weeds down, conserves much needed moisture and protects the roots of your plants.
2. The trees on your property drop leaves continuously, use them as a natural mulch. Don't rake them and throw them away! Good heavens, no! Sweep them off your patio and walkways and into the planting beds.
3. If you have a lawn, adjust your mower (or your gardener's mower) to the tallest setting. Your lawn should be 3-4 inches tall for optimum health, water conservation and beauty.
4. Summer is late in coming this year, so it's not too late to plant warm season veggies; peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, squash all have plenty of time to mature.
5. Culinary herbs can be planted as a separate herb garden or as a border in your ornamental garden. Perennial herbs such as Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, Fennel, Marjoram, Lemon Grass, Chives, Bay, etc. can be integrated into any garden, I am sure you can think of others. Plant the herbs you use frequently.
6. Have your irrigation system checked on a regular basis (preferably weekly) to ensure you are watering efficiently. If you have questions about your watering system and live in Santa Barbara County, your local water agency (Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Montecito, Goleta) will do a FREE inspection of your irrigation system and recommend ways to cut back on your water usage.
7. Most importantly, get out and enjoy your garden this summer!

It' been one cool spring and summer

Brrr....it's still a bit chilly here...a few days of sun since June arrived, but not many. I actually had to replant bean seeds as the soil temperature just wasn't warm enough. Had a tour at McGrath Family Farms in Camarillo a couple of weeks back and was told that this past winter and spring have been the coldest on record for Ventura County and as a result the crops are all 4-6 weeks behind schedule. It sure is true in my garden, cucumbers mere inches high, beans just starting to break through the soil. In fact I have one more Tomato seedling to put in the ground and it's nearly July! I just hope the weather warms enough to get a good harvest.
Speaking of harvest, I pulled up my Garlic yesterday and have it curing in the storage shed. According to Rodale's Encyclopedia or Organic Gardening, you should "cure" the freshly harvested Garlic in a hot, dry and airy place for 2-4 weeks and then braid it. Well, hot is going to be a challenge..let's hope the sun comes out soon..

Creative garlic curing...among tax records and canning jars

Happy Summer!

"Summer 

is the time when one sheds 

one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world."

Ada Louise Huxtable