WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD VOLUME 34 AUGUST 23, 2013

Free Republic | 8/23/2013 | greeneyes

[sockmonkey]

You mentioned Burpee earlier..did anyone see the "Super Sauce" tomato on the cover of one of this year's Burpee catalogues? It was huge, and it said, "actual size" - one tomato fills a jar. A Roma that weighs 2.5 lbs.

I'm not sure how I resisted ordering it.

[Ellendra]

A “glug” is one of my dad’s favorite measurements.

[Marcella]

Somewhere I found how to use Stevia (the plant whose leaves are many times sweeter than sugar):

STEVIA
Step 1
Pick off the leaves only of the stevia plant, and lay them between two paper towels to create a drying rack.

Step 2
Place the drying rack in the sun for several days until the leaves feel completely dry and crispy to the touch.

Step 3
Grind the leaves with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder until you have a fine stevia powder.

Step 4
Use this stevia powder in recipes as a substitute sweetener for sugar, starting with 1 tsp. to replace 1 cup of sugar and increasing as desired. Adjust the amount to taste as sweetness depends on the time of year harvested, the variety of plant and the local growing conditions.

Step 5
Alternatively, steep one or two fresh leaves in the hot water for your tea, and remove the leaves when you strain the tea or pull out the bag to sweeten a cup of tea.

[Marcella]

Here are more directions to use Stevia:

1
Gather branches of stevia plants, bind them using string or rubber bands, and hang them in a dry, cool place on hooks or nails. The leaves will become dry and crisp after about a week. Strip the dry leaves from the branches, grind the stevia leaves using a coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle, and then store the leaves in a covered container, such as a glass jar.

2
Use ground stevia leaves in place of sugar in your food recipes. According to Kansas State University Research and Extension, you can substitute 3/8 tsp. of dry, ground-leaf stevia for 1 tbsp. of sugar, and you can also use 2 tbsp. of ground-leaf stevia to equal 1 cup of sugar. Sprinkle ground stevia on your cereal or in your coffee or tea as a sweetener. The Food and Drug Administration approved stevia for use in the U.S. as a sweetener as of 2008.

3

Eat stevia leaves right off your stevia plants. You can also eat stevia leaves along with mint leaves for a treat.

4
Make stevia tea with fresh or loose, dried stevia leaves. Some people claim stevia helps with digestion and soothes stomach upset when consumed in tea form.

5
Mix ¼ cup ground stevia leaves with 1 cup warm water in a glass jar to make your own stevia liquid concentrate. Jan London, author of “Coconut Cuisine, Featuring Stevia,” suggests you allow the ground stevia and water mixture to sit for 24 to 48 hours, and then strain the solution through cheese cloth. Keep the liquid concentrate refrigerated.

6
Apply stevia liquid to your face as a mask. Although not yet supported by scientific studies stevia might be able to help treat premature aging, acne and other skin problems. Rub a few drops of the whole-leaf stevia liquid concentrate on your skin, leave it on for 30 to 60 minutes, then rinse off. You can also put a drop on a pimple or mouth sore and let it dry.

7
Use stevia plants safely if you have diabetes. Stevia has a low glycemic index, meaning stevia releases glucose slowly into the bloodstream. According to the National Institutes of Health, a 1986 three-day study of 16 normal volunteers at the Universidade de Maringa in Brazil showed extract from stevia leaves significantly reduced blood glucose levels.

8
Use stevia if you have hypertension. Two long-term studies—one a year in length and the other two years long—at Massachusetts General Hospital in April 2010 revealed stevia may effectively lower blood pressure, according to the National Institutes of Health.

[sockmonkey]

You can also eat stevia leaves along with mint leaves for a treat.

I think I'd rather eat a York Peppermint Patty. Thx for posting the ways to use stevia.

[mlizzy]

Too cute! Our sunflower is winking... :)

[rightly_dividing]

We got 3/4in of rain total in two showers yesterday! :)

Wife"s corpul tunnel surgery went according to plan this morning. Was done in 25minutes after starting. We left the place at 9:15. Thank you Lord.

[TEXOKIE]

Thanks for the instructions on stevia use and prep!

[TEXOKIE]

“You can also eat stevia leaves along with mint leaves for a treat.”

“I think I’d rather eat a York Peppermint Patty. Thx for posting the ways to use stevia.”

LOL!

[TEXOKIE]

“You can also eat stevia leaves along with mint leaves for a treat.”

“I think I’d rather eat a York Peppermint Patty. Thx for posting the ways to use stevia.”

LOL!

[Marcella]

25 minutes - that is terrific. Treat her gently so she doesn’t have to move that hand much. Remember the hand will be strong when it heals and can swing an iron skillet.

I only had a few drops yesterday and about five minutes ago it started raining heavily and is still doing that even though it is bright outside, didn’t get dark. When it stops, I’ll check the new rain gauge to see what I got.

[Marcella]

sockmoney named the Stevia plant she sent me and his name is Mr. Stevia. Mr. Stevia is now in a 5 gallon grow bag with fresh potting soil mix. His leaves were drooping due to being in a box but I think he will straighten up his leaves, hopefully by tomorrow.

I took off one tiny leaf and bit it and oh, my goodness, the sweet will take over your mouth just with that little bit. Much sweeter than sugar.

I measured Mr. Stevia and he is about 21 inches tall after his small branches straighten up, from where the plant goes into the soil.

When thinking of TSHTF, a Stevia plant would give you sweetener for sure.

Thank you so much, sockmonkey!

[Marcella]

There are a few drops coming down now and the gauge says I got 1/4 inch in that short time.

[sockmonkey]

Thank you so much, sockmonkey!

You're welcome. Glad he's gone to a good home. That little 6" piece of Mr Stevia that I accidentally broke off, and just stuck in the ground in my garden was droopy last night, but after two little rain showers, it's perked up. I wonder if it will root?

[sockmonkey]

I got 1/4 inch in that short time.

Sheesh, if we got a 1/4" up here, we'd be hoopin and hollering like it was 2"..

[rightly_dividing]

The mortgage lifter is growing well, it's about 6-8" tall or so. The cuttings we took from out mater plants and sprouted are looking good too, but it's only been 4 days. We bought rooting hormone and a quality grade of potting soil at Mrs. Henderson's Seed and Feed Store in downtown on Sat. to start them.

We are still picking maters here at the end of Aug, that is amazing. We have had maters producing for almost 3 months. Usually they are done by the early part of July.

[Sarajevo]

Sorry to hear about the loss of your flock. I've been relatively lucky this year (knock on wood). The last dog attack my flock suffered was in 2011, when two dogs massacred half of my birds. I shot one of the dogs and litigated against the owner of the second dog.
I frequently see 'possum, raccoon, and skunk, but haven't had any losses to them. Neighbors tell me that they've seen fox, and there is rumor of a cougar in the area.

I think I'd be setting some traps or engaging in out-of-season fox and otter hunting.

[Sarajevo]

Unless you are a guy who needs it. :o)

I'm giving you the Raspberry! :)

[greeneyes]

Thanks. I made it back from the windy city. Learned a lot. Suddenly all the rest of the year is going to be crazy busy trying to get set for all the beauracratic nonsense we have to do preferablly yesterday.

Worn out and going to bed. Will catch up with everyone tomorrow sometime. The prayers worked-I made it back home alive. LOL. Thanks again.

[greeneyes]

excuse the bad spelling. Forgot to spell check. Too tired to figure it out.