Philadelphia Flowers

Anyone who gardens has encountered problems from the local bird population. Nothing is more irritating than knowing that the birds sampled you hard work before you did. Here is a little advice for those who seek to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Spend time bird watching. Watching your garden this season will give you an idea of which crops have garnered the attention of our fine feathered enemies. Do not seek to eliminate all of the birds; even though they can be a pest, there are some benefits to their presence. The same birds that torture you by tearing up your seedlings are the same ones who eat the bugs and slugs that can cause even more damage. The ultimate goal is to reach a mutually beneficial arrangement between you and the birds.

Birds are fonder of wild grown berries than cultivated ones so let those wild bushes grow around the perimeter of your garden. This gives the birds a preferred choice while helping you keep other pests out of the garden.

When planting your garden be tidy. Try to avoid leaving seeds on the surface uncovered. All it takes is for one bird to see a single seed to discover the whole row and let his friends know.

Cover newly planted corn seeds with mulch. Pull the mulch aside as the heads poke though. At this point crows are no longer interested.

You can also plant your corn in a shallow trench and use fine mesh poultry wire as a covering.

Drape ordinary nylon netting over strawberry plants, berry bushes, and dwarf fruit trees to deter the birds in their efforts.

For those with grape arbors, use nylon stockings to cover grape bunches thereby protecting them from eager beaks.

A tried and true method of keeping birds from your strawberries that is generations old is to string aluminum pie plates above the plants. The catching glare and movement are unappealing to birds.

Hopefully, these tips will help you enjoy a full harvest free of bird bites. Sometimes the simplest of methods generate better results than the most elaborate of gadgets.

All pumpkins and squash produce large, yellow blossoms that are completely edible. Squash blossoms have a rich and varied history as a delicacy on tables reaching back to Native American tribes. Most of us have grown some type of squash in our backyard gardens whether it was more common ones like zucchini and acorn or more exotic varieties like bitter melon or calabaza.

All squash are warm weather crops that mingle well with other plants in our vegetable gardens. Plant your squash seeds in the spring after the last frost has passed. It is best to plant squash in soil filled with well-rotted manure in an area with plenty of sunshine. Bush types of squash can spread out three to four feet while winter squashes will stretch to lengths of twelve or more feet. Try to keep soil moist and well fertilized with fish meal or emulsion. Be aware of squash borers and cucumber beetles as they will demolish your blossoms and squash.

The best time to gather your blossoms is in the early morning before they close. Place the blossom stems in water and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. The blossoms come in both male and female flowers. The female flowers have a small immature squash at their base where it meets the stem. Male flowers end directly at the stem. When picking your blossoms it is advisable to gather mostly male blossoms leaving a few to pollinate the female blossoms resulting in a healthy squash crop.

Squash blossoms have a mildly sweet nectar taste that varies slightly with different types of squash. Before preparing blossoms, gently wash and allow to dry. Squash blossoms can be stuffed or frittered; in this case leave the stems on. Blossoms are often stuffed with mixtures of cheeses, bread crumbs, couscous, or diced meats. The blossoms can then be baked or deep-fried.

Squash blossoms can be used in other types of cooking; simply remove the stems, stamens, and stigmas. Some cooks even remove the veins as they do in celery. Once cleaned the flowers can then be cut into thin strips and creamed into soups and sauces. The strips can also be sautéed into eggs for soufflés and omelets. The strips are often added to pastas or sprinkled on salads accompanied by a nice vinaigrette and pumpkin seeds.