Garden Tiles

Photo by Dwight Lamb/SEPS

Materials

• Stepping stone concrete (sold 
at craft stores)

Tools

• Cooking oil spray
• Rectangular plastic tub
• Leaves
• Pebbles

Directions

1. Spray tub and underside of leaves with cooking oil.
2. Mix concrete, according to package instructions, and pour 2-inch layer into tub.
3. Gently shake tub to release air bubbles and ensure level surface.
4. Place leaf (sprayed-side down) firmly into concrete. Cover with pebbles to make clear impression. Wait 48 hours.
5. Remove stones, leaf, and tile from tub. Smooth sharp edges with stone or file.

Craft Magic: Garden Tiles The Saturday Evening Post

Homegrown tomatoes, the foundation of this recipe,
are truly a labor of love.

Tomatoes grow and ripen in the sun and on the vine in backyards, front yards, side yards, roofs, patios, and porches in countless cities, towns, and suburbs all across America. But what makes homegrown tomatoes so different (dare I say superior?) in taste and appearance than the store-bought varieties?

Small-scale garden and farm tomatoes are tended to by dedicated cultivators who provide the months of thoughtful attention it takes for these beguiling fruits to ripen to their fullest potential. And because they’re grown near or in the area you live, locally grown produce doesn’t have to commute across the continent, arriving pale and tasting weary on the plate of your already veggie-reluctant child or grandchild. It’s no wonder children aren’t eating their vegetables!

Have an over abundance of late harvest tomatoes or other garden produce? Visit the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s website for the most current, research-based methods for home-food preservation including: canning, freezing, drying, pickling, smoking, and curing, as well as important food safety considerations unique to the process of preserving and storing food in your home.

Forever-Fit Garden-Fresh Marinara The Saturday Evening Post

“Exercising outdoors frees the mind,” says Tyler Cooper, M.D., M.P.H., CEO of Cooper Aerobics Enterprises, Inc., and co-author of Start Strong, Finish Strong with his father, Dr. Kenneth Cooper. “Just get outside and start moving. Being active most days of the week in some form or fashion will really pay dividends in the long run.”

3 Steps to Shoes That Fit

Bad shoes can sideline the best walking program, warns health fitness specialist Kristen Davis.

“Impact forces from the ground travel up your legs,” she explains. “Proper shoes protect your feet and keep your knees and hips from hurting, too.”

Here is Davis’ game plan to find shoes that make you want to walk—and that’s the point, right?

Insist on Comfort

Try on different brands and styles and walk around in both shoes. Trained staff at 
a running store can test your gait and get you in 
the best shoe.

Return It

Check out the store’s return 
policy in case shoes no longer feel comfortable after walking two or three miles.

Set a Budget

Expect to spend $50 to $100 for walking shoes and to get a new pair every six months. “New Balance and Brooks have great walking shoes,” advises Davis.

Pick the Right Program

Outdoor fun should match your personality and fitness level. Consider these categories, then choose your favorites (after consulting your doctor, of course).

The Nature Lover: Plant a garden or flower bed. Spend extra time raking and weeding on especially nice days or offer to do yard work for others. Bike or hike on local nature trails, or plan a trip to state or federal parks.

The People Person: Set up a badminton net and arrange neighborhood games. Take a morning jog, lunchtime stroll, or evening walk with friends. Join a water exercise class or swim club at the local pool.

The Competitor: Train for a sprint triathlon (half-mile swim, 12-mile bike ride, and a 3.1-mile run); join a bocce or softball league; or devise a workout of lunges, push-ups, and squats utilizing outdoor railings and steps.

Start Small, Finish Stronger

Setting realistic goals and finding a fitness partner can help you stay motivated.

“The ideal goal is 30 minutes of exercise five times a week, but even three times a week adds years to a person’s life,” says Dr. Cooper. “Success breeds success, and any amount of exercise is better than none at all.”

Get Out, Get Fit The Saturday Evening Post

A to Z Soup (Avocado Zucchini Soup)

Avocado Zucchini SoupPhoto © the California Avocado Commission

(Makes 4 servings)
Ingredients

• 4 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 green onions, sliced into ½-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups zucchini, thinly sliced
• 2 large, ripe California avocados, seeded, peeled, and chopped

Directions:
In large pot with lid, heat 1 cup broth, onion, green onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. When boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for
15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add remaining broth and zucchini and bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove lid and allow to cool. In food processor, purée zucchini, broth, and avocado in batches. Return to pan; stir gently. Serve in soup bowls and garnish to taste.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving:
Calories: 200
Fat: 13 g
Protein: 10 g
Carbohydrate: 15 g
Fiber: 10 g
Sodium: 470 mg

Recipe © The California Avocado Commission

Dear Readers,

Do you have a family recipe that has changed your life, comforted you through hardships, or brought you closer together? 
We want to share your stories and recipes. Send them to Family Recipe, The Saturday Evening Post, 1100 Waterway Blvd.,
Indianapolis, IN 46202 or e-mail them to recipes@saturdayeveningpost.com.

Garden Party of Four The Saturday Evening Post

Here comes summer, and with it, your garden’s biggest growth spurt. Get ahead of those extra inches by pinching back new growth on annuals and perennials to encourage more branching and blooms. Use your garden shears or thumb and forefinger to remove the plant’s tips just above the uppermost pair of leaves.

Tall, bushy, and vining plants (e.g., delphinium, peony, or clematis) benefit from support, so get plant cages, bamboo stakes, and trellises into the soil now. Old fence posts, shovel handles, or sections of snow fence make economical plant reinforcements.

Amend garden soil while there’s space to work around your plants. Add in 2 to 4 inches of compost, aged manure, or peat moss to the top 8 inches of soil and follow up with a fresh layer of mulch. Fallen pine needles, grass clippings, or even shredded leaves will do the trick in a pinch.

Primp the Patio

Spruce up outdoor furniture for spring with a quick clean up. Whisk away dirt and cobwebs with a broom or soft-bristle brush, then sponge down chairs, tables, and cushions with a solution of 1/4 cup mild dishwashing detergent and 1 gallon of warm water and wipe dry with a clean rag. Use fine grit sandpaper to remove peeling paint, mold, rust, or even bird droppings and follow up with touch-up paint as needed. Treat wood furniture with a coat of water repelling wood sealer, metal furniture with liquid or paste auto wax, and aluminum furniture with a one-to-one mixture of vinegar and water. (Check the manufacturer’s care instructions.)

Close Companions

By planting your veggies with the right partner, you’ll keep pests at bay and encourage growth. Cheerful nasturtiums deter squash bugs and whiteflies (their edible flowers also make a tasty addition to fresh salads) while marigolds repel nematodes, tomato hornworms, and bean, cucumber, and asparagus beetles. Peppers thrive alongside carrots, onions, parsnips, and peas, and tomatoes flourish near basil, bush bean, chive, lettuce, and cucumber.

Notes from the Field: Summer Growth Spurt The Saturday Evening Post

Today homeowners are rediscovering the advantages of a backyard pool. While a pool can cost anywhere from $100 to $3,500 or more depending on materials and plants, a small water garden can still come in under $100. Follow these 10 simple steps and create your own sensory experience that only water can bestow.

1 – Decide on the type of water garden you want

With flexible liners, you choose the dimensions that suit your needs, then cut the liner to fit. Liners made of PVC or EPDM rubber are more durable than polyethylene. You can find them at home-improvement stores and garden centers.

2 – Determine the location and size:

The best spot is one that is fairly level, somewhat open, and receives at least five hours of direct sun. Choose an area away from trees and any runoff from rain that might affect the pool’s ecosystem. Select a site near the house for easy access to an electrical outlet equipped with a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). Most backyard pools range in depth from 8 inches to 3 feet. Plan on 3 to 4 feet deep in colder regions of the country. Deeper pools also stand up to summer heat and winter freezes.

3 – Dig in:

Using a garden hose or rope, mark the outline of your pond on the ground, then excavate the site to the desired shape. Slightly slope the sides inward to the desired depth, or dig a shelf (about 12 inches wide by 8 to 12 inches deep) around the inside perimeter to accommodate potted water plants. Check to confirm that the outer edges are level.

4 – Prep the space:

Remove any rocks or tree roots from the sides and bottom of the hole so they won’t puncture the liner, then rake the area smooth and tamp the soil firmly in place. Cover the bottom and sides of the excavated area with an underlayment such as a commercial underliner or 2 to 3 inches of damp sand. This will help cushion and further protect the pond liner.

5 – Install the pond liner:

To determine the size liner 
you’ll need, measure the pool’s length and width, then add twice the maximum depth plus 2 feet. For example, a pool that is 10 feet long by 7 feet wide and 2 feet deep will need a 16 x 13-foot liner (length is 10 + 4 + 2 = 16; width is 
7 + 4 + 2 = 13). This will allow for a 12-inch overlap around the pool’s perimeter. Center your liner loosely over the hole and unfold it, leaving an even overlap around the pool’s perimeter. Stretch out and smooth the liner into place so 
that it fits snugly on the bottom and up the sides. Minimize the wrinkles, but leave a few folds where the sides curve to allow for slack.

6 – Cover up:

Cover the pond liner with a 2- to 3-inch layer of pea gravel, or use smooth rocks with pea gravel poured in-between. This will lengthen the life of the liner and give your water garden a more natural appearance.

7 – Finish edges:

Place stones or boulders around the outer edge to hold the liner in place. For a more natural appearance, strategically graduate the stones up to and over the rim of the pool. Trim any excess liner around the edge so that a 12-inch overlap remains.

8 – Fill with water:

Place a garden hose in the center of the pool and fill with water to within a few inches from the top. As water flows in, smooth out the liner by folding and pleating portions of the material.

9 – Add plants:

Tuck in moisture-loving plants (see sidebar for suggestions) around the outer edges to soften the rocks, then add any aquatic plants to help filter the water and keep algae under control. Water lilies and other floating aquatic blooms should ideally cover 50 percent to 65 percent of the pool surface. Want to add a little life to your project? Goldfish are most suited to a small pool. A koi pool, however, needs to be larger in size—at least 10 feet by 10 feet and ideally 3 to 4 feet deep.

10 – Create a balance:

Maintenance is minimal if you establish a balance of plants, fish, and other aquatic life. In addition to floating plants, each square foot of water surface should support one bunch of submerged (oxygenating) plants, small fish (about two inches in length), and one pond scavenger, such as snails and tadpoles. Add water during summer as needed to maintain the proper level.

Don’t have the time or space to build an outdoor water feature? Bring it indoors with a tabletop fountain. These self-contained fountains come in a variety of soothing designs, and many 
include space for plants. Prices start at under $100. Available at home-improvement and garden-supply centers or online at sites such as amazon.com or simplyfountains.com.

Just Add Water The Saturday Evening Post

Some flowering plants require early planting, and depending on where in the country you live, February may be the time to get going and gain a jump-start on the growing season. Some flowers, such as larkspur, definitely require planting as early as possible if you plan to enjoy their spectacular blossoms at all.

The following is a partial list of flower seeds that can be planted directly in the soil if your ground is thawed and workable:

• Abronia
• Ageratum
• Alonsoa
• Alyssum
• Amaranthus
• Anagallis
• Anemone
• Antirrhinum
• Aquilegia
• Arctotis
• Baileya
• Bloomeria
• Brachycome
• Browallia
• Calendula
• Callistephus
• Carnation
• Celosia
• Centaurea
• Charieis
• Chrysanthemum
• Clarkia
• Cleome
• Collinsia
• Convolvulus
• Coreopsis
• Cosmos
• Cynoglossum
• Convolvulus
• Coreopsis
• Cosmos
• Cynoglossum
• Dahlberg Daisy
• Dahlia
• Diascia
• Dimorphotheca
• Emilia
• Eschscholzia
• Exacum
• Flax
• Forget-me-not
• Gaillardia
• Gilia
• Godetia
• Gomphrena
• Gypsophila
• Helichrysum
• Hunnemannia
• Immortelle
• Impatiens
• Kochia
• Larkspur
• Linaria
• Lobelia
• Lonas
• Lupine
• Malcomia
• Mallow
• Marigold
• Maurandya
• Mentzelia
• Mimulus
• Nasturtium
• Nemesia
• Nemophila
• Nicotiana
• Periwinkle
• Petunia
• Phacelia
• Phlox
• Poppy
• Primula Quamoclit
• Salpiglossis
• Salvia
• Scabiosa
• Schizanthus
• Stevia
• Stocks
• Strawflower
• Sweetpea
• Thymophylla
• Verbena
• Zinnia

New Flower Varieties for 2009 from the National Garden Bureau (ngb.org)

Poppy ‘Jelly Beans’
Eschscholzia californica
Double flowered California poppies.
2 to 2½-inch flowers in orange, salmon, rose, and gold. 10 inches tall Full sun.

A. maritimum
Seven unique colors that flower simultaneously.
Compact, 3 to 4 inches tall. Full to part sun.

Z. hybrida
2- to 3-inch hot pink flowers that bloom summer through fall.
Full sun.

Tagetes erecta
Dwarf African marigold with large, 3-inch flowers.
6 to 8 inches tall. Bloom in 45 days. Full sun.

Early Bird Planting The Saturday Evening Post

Here are some of the best new varieties for 2009 picked by the National Garden Bureau, a nonprofit organization of growers and horticultural companies from around the world.

Brave New World of Vegetables for 2009 The Saturday Evening Post