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Tuesday, March 13, 2012

ROOTING AND STEWING

Hello everyone! We're having an early spring here.  It's so nice to go outside without piling on heavy coats and boots.  Certainly gives a person some pep!  The other day, we started cleaning out the flower beds.  How exciting it is to discover green shoots under all those dead leaves.  I even did a load of laundry and hung it outside.  Don't remember ever doing that in March!  The other thing I don't ever remember doing in March is watching for tornadoes.  Yesterday we had a tornado watch.  Strange weather!  

Noticing that there were little green buds starting to form on the rose canes, I decided to root some of them.  I have had so-so success with this in the past, but since it costs nothing, it worth a try.  Here's how:

Rooting Roses

Cut rose stems about eight inches long.  The bottom should be cut at a fourty-five degree angle.  Remove all the foliage from the cutting.  Now you can dip in rooting hormone, but I use an old-fashioned method of making a tea from willow branches that I will explain after these directions. place the cuttings in a pot with good potting soil or directly in the garden in a place that doesn't get the direct sun and stays cool.  Water well.  Place a bell jar or if you don't have one, a quart sized mason jar will do,  over the cuttings.  In a bout a month roots will start to form and hopefully you will begin to see green  beginning to sprout from the cuttings.

So there you have it.  What have you got to lose?  I read somewhere that a woman took the roses from her wedding bouquet and did this.  Wouldn't that be nice?   Well, here's how to make a "tea" from willow branches that helps plants root.

Willow Tea for Rooting

Gather up some thin pliable willow branches about the thickness of your little finger.  Cut into small pieces about an inch long.  You'll need about two cups to make a  half gallon of tea.   Just as tea, steep the cut up pieces in boiling water.  Allow to steep overnight.  Refrigerate. Will last for a few months.  But it's easy to just make up a batch whenever needed, which ensure it's effectiveness.

Now that you have your rooting tea you can either steep the cutting directly in the tea  or do as I do and use it to water the cuttings.  If I'm gathering cuttings from afar, I'll take along a quart size mason jar of this and keep the cutting in it.

The other thing I wanted to share with you today, is my recipe for good olde Irish Stew as we are nearing St. Patrick's Day.  It's so much fun to plan something special for these little holidays.  Helps to make the time pass until we can get busy outside in earnest. This is a recipe I clipped from a magazine decades ago, supposedly it comes from a genuine Irish Inn:

Three Chimneys Inn Irish Stew

2 lbs. lamb, cubed
1 C. celery, diced
1 C. carrots diced
1 C. parsnips, diced
1 C. onions, diced
1/2 C. turnips, diced
1/2 C. potatoes, diced
1 C. tomato juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 C. brown sugar
rosemary to taste
thyme, to taste
salt and pepper , to taste
coriander, to taste  (I skip it)
cardamon, to taste (only if I have some left over from Christmas baking)
1/4 C. oil

Lightly brown lamb in oil.  Add the remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat until meat is tender and the vegetables are soft.  For me that's about two hours, but the beauty of a stew is that there's no such thing as cooking it too long.  Just add water if the liquids evaporate.  Or you could experiment using the crockpot for it.  It's better to err on cooking too long than not stewing long enough.  No one wants to bite into tough meat!

I used to make this stew after Easter, when costly lamb would be in the reduced for quick sale at the grocery store.

31 comments:

  1. Good morning Jane ~ I hope your rose cuttings root for you. Not having any willows, I use a root promoting powder.

    Your Irish lamb stew sounds wonderful.

    Lamb has really gotten expensive. we only buy it at Easter and I roast it in the oven.

    Enjoy your nice weather, and I hope tornadoes stay away.

    FlowerLady

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    1. Oh, don't willows grow in the south, Rainey? We have plenty here. My sister used some rooting powder on some roses from my parent's house. She had good luck with it. We have one rose bush that's so hardy that I didn't use anything, just stuck a twig in the ground and now it climbs all the way to the roof. These cuttings are for Evelyn. Seeing that it's a newer breed, I'm not sure how it will work out. Seems the older ones do best. Yep lamb is expensive, that's why we make it into stew, to make it stretch! We were lucky, to the east of us the storms knocked out the power and uprooted some trees.

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  2. Do you have any rose cuttings you could share? I would love to have some roses :)

    I will have to look for some lamb and see how much it is! The stew sounds so good!

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    1. I'd be glad to share some cuttings with you Jane! As a matter of fact, I'd be honored to have one of my cuttings growing at your place. It will be several weeks before the roots are strong enough and I need to take some cuttings from the other bushes. I'll let you know when they're ready to be sent.

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  3. My willows are beginning to sprout - yay! and yes, right now, our temperature is 73 degrees, in March no less :)
    m.

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    1. Isn't it marvelous, Maria? I was reminded that one Easter my husband and I went to the beach and had a picnic, in northern Michigan! So I guess we shouldn't be alarmed by the strange weather. Just enjoy it while it lasts. It sure is nice to hang the laundry outside. Though I do worry about those poor people that live in Tornado Alley!

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  4. Our weather has been strange as well, last Thursday we were outside in 65 degree weather working in the garden in short sleeves, last night it snowed a couple of inches on the valley floor and quite a bit up in the mountains. Tornado watch would be scary, we do have them here very occasionally, and of course much smaller than most, but still pretty destructive and the weather is always eerie when a storm is brewing.

    I love the idea of rooting roses, I should give that a try with my favorite, and only, Rose bush. I have been looking forward to making an Irish stew sometime this spring, my husband loves lamb, your recipe sounds delicious, I bet the cardamon would give it an interesting taste, I will have to give that a try. :)

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    1. Well it certainly is beautiful down your way, April! Just noticed yesterday that my field of daffodils are starting to emerge. Like I said, while the results are just so-so,what have you got to lose when it comes to starting roses this way. Takes little time and no money.

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  5. Ok. I have a wild rose bush in my yard. I'm going to try this and I'll let you know how goes. Yard plant stuff isn't something I've done well in the past. This sounds rather fascinating though. I love celebrating St. Patty's day with stew and irish whiskey.

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    1. It is kind of like a grade school science experiment isn't it? The old farm behind our house has a field of tiger lilies and wild roses. It's just beautiful. I always think about taking some cuttings from those bushes, but then always get distracted. Maybe this year. I like to celebrate any holiday! I like to celebrate,period. Lot's of Chieftain music for St. Pat's day. And of course we must watch The Quiet Man!

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  6. I've rooted cuttings from houseplants and I've encouraged perennials to spread by taking a lateral stem and pinning it down with some soil.
    I'd like to try rooting a rose--wondering if this works with hybrids or only with older varieties on their own roots? Also wondering if willow tea would be related to disolving an asprin in water--I know willow bark [salix] was used as a febrifuge.

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    1. I've done hybrids before, so I guess it doesn't make much difference. The cuttings I'm doing now are a Graham Thomas hybrid. They have little green buds, so I think they are making roots. Too early to tell yet. I was thinking the opposite as I made up the tea. If it would make a good headache medicine? But decided against trying it because who knows what the dosage would be. The other thing I'm going to experiment with is if this concoction would make better root vegetables. Let you know hoe it works out!

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  7. I just love the wild roses which grow along the roads around my area. I'll have to try that with them. I love roses...especially the older shrub roses. Right now, I have no garden. The previous owners didn't landscape at all. It's nice to have a clean slate, but overwhelming to start from scratch as well! It's a lovely idea to gather cuttings from others and have a bit of their garden in yours!
    Hugs,
    Courtney

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    1. It is daunting to start from scratch, but exciting too. This little cottage had been a rental house for years so the gardens were really neglected. It's been quite a chore to dig out all the old landscaping barrier and rid it of some plants that we didn't want. I'd start with a few bushes at first. This flower gardening can quickly get out of hand! The quintessential cottage garden is based upon taking rootings and extra plants from friends gardens. Such sweet sentimentality.

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  8. That sounds good. Lamb is very hard to find here. We often resort to beef.

    The worst thing about where we are now is that we are allowed one flower bed. I haven't started anything yet and it doesn't look like this spring will be the time. I think the Lord is trying to teach me patience. :-)

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    1. I pray the Lord never teaches me patience that way, Shara! Lamb is hard to find here too. That's why I wait until after Easter to make this stew. When I can find a few chops in the reduced for quick sale bin. I rarely use the whole two pounds in the recipe. Just add more vegetables.

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  9. They don't even SELL lamb at my grocery store... but I can get it if I drive to Bend. Thanks for the willow tree recipe. I hadn't heard that and I love anything that tells me how to do it myself without the investment of another plastic jug in the potting shed! :)

    Blessings, Debbie

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    1. Yeah, I like to go the natural route whenever I can too, Debbie. Marqueta told me that sage is an anti-fungal so I'm going to experiment with making a spray with some for the hedge roses which are prone to powdery mildew. I'll let you know how that works.

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  10. Hi Jane! It sounds like you are embracing spring with arms wide open! It was beautiful here yesterday with temps in the high 70's. Azaleas are blooming everywhere. It is a wonderful site to see especially in Savannah, they line every street and park surrounding the historic district. I even saw some wild wisteria yesterday. Most of the tree are still bare though and just have the tiniest of buds. I loved your post today. Thanks for the great tips! I am pretty excited because a friend of ours who is a landscaper is digging some flower beds for me with his rototiller machine and put in a white picket fence in the front yard. He is also doing some odd jobs for us that we have been putting off like installing a rain cutter and a new storm door. We also had guests earlier in the week. So it has been a beehive of activity around here. I am looking forward to a quiet day and a little rest.

    I know my husband and mother-in-law would love your stew recipe. They love lamb. It is not one of my most favorites though. I just have a lot of trouble eating lamb, rabbit or deer. I never had it growing up. Tony on the other hand comes from a very big and has loving, Armenian family on his mother's side, that is very similar to that movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (If you have never seen it, it is a must! It is hillarious.) The fact that I didn't eat lamb was quite a controversy when we first got married. Every time we went to a family gathering, they would always have a little shishkabob of chicken for me! Even relatives I had never met. The word got passed around, and was spoken everywhere in hushed or not so hushed tones. "What! She don't eat lamb!"

    Have a great day ahead Jane! Delisa :)

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    1. Your plans sound wonderful, Delisa. I'd love to have a white picket fence, but Ran says it would be too hard to dig the posts with all the roots from the maple trees. When we had the new porch built they broke their auger machine twice trying to dig the holes for the footings. Anytime I want to plant something in the front yard I have to work around the roots. Oh well! If we ever have an earthquake, I hope all those roots hold our little yard down! I'm not terribly fond of lamb,rabbit or venison either, but if you throw enough garlic, onions and spices at them they are tolerable. The addition of the tomato juice disguises the gamey flavor of the lamb. We used to have a close family friend that loved to go rabbit hunting, so he would always bring some for my mom to cook up for him. It was always so tough. I think that would be something I would only eat if times got really bad.

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  11. Hi Jane! That is the down-side of warm weather..bad storms possible! It is in the lower 70's here. I planted my veggies and flowers from seed. Hopefully they will take. I need to water them, as it is a bit dry here....maybe this could be a drought year for us...we haven't had one here for quite a few years. I love your cupboard. The recipe looks cozy and the rose cuttings are a good idea! And your post prior...it takes hard work to not have debt. I think the hardest part was not the sacrifice, but the resolve of just staying on track when everyone around you are spending in oblivion! love,andrea

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    1. Hello Andrea! It's so wonderful to hear from you. Hope all is well at your place. Since we have such a short growing season, we have to give our peppers, tomatoes and eggplants a leg up on the season by starting them inside. Hope you don't have a drought. Just remember consistent watering is the key to a productive garden. The rose cuttings are coming along nicely. As both of us were young wives during the era of conspicuous consumption, we both know that what you said is true. I remember one guy that bought a new car every year because he said his money would be worth less next year. Didn't make sense to me then and it will never make sense to me!

      PS: MY son and daughter-in-law are expecting! She's 8 weeks along, and the doctor says everything looks great. So keep them in your prayers, please. Her due date is the day before Erik's birthday. Lot's of baby Zs born on or around that date, so we are taking that as a good sign from Above.

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    2. How wonderful! congrats! You will be getting busier and busier with your grandchildren. Glad the tornado didn't hit you! I saw that on the news. love,andrea

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    3. Maybe soon you will have that good news too, Andrea! I know how much you want to become a grandma. Working on knitting a bunting. So much fun to make things for babies!

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  12. Hi Jane, I was just watching the news and heard about the tornado hitting Michigan today, I sure hope that it missed your area. I just wanted to let you know that I was thinking about you and that I am hoping all is well. With Love, Delisa

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    1. Hi Delisa! I responded to your comment on your blog. All's safe here.

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  13. Your stew looks yummy. Sadly I have never found lamb here, maybe a specialty place. Of course we have sheep all over the place here in the country.

    My rooting roses thumb does not work, my mom on the other hand is very good at it and she has the loviest roses. She takes cuttings and roots them when she has moved and they always turn out so pretty.

    I hope you have a lovely day

    Erika

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    1. Well,maybe your mom will root some for you, Erika. Like I mentioned, I just have average success with it, but since it doesn't cost anything, I figure it's worth a try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained! Hope you have a lovely weekend.

      PS: I started saving bottles for a bottle border liked you showed on your blog.

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  14. Hi Jane! I hope you are having a wonderful Saturday. As always thank you for all the kind comments you leave on my blog, they are much appreciated! :) You asked if I thought the different cast on methods on some of the newer patterns made any difference to the finished project? That is a good question. I think in this instance with this particular tam, since the center was the focal point of the design, the crochet cast on made the stitches look nice and stay tight. There are other patterns I have seen that ask for a provisional cast on. I have found that to be very helpful too when it comes to seaming the pieces together later. Other than that, this is really the first time I have come across such an unusual cast on method. But I still have a lot to learn when it comes to knitting. I had some basic instruction when I was first starting but now I have to figure it out myself as I go along since the nearest yarn store is 40 miles away! :) Thankfully there are so many instructional videos on youtube and other places on the web. That is the one thing you can say about the knitting and crocheting community, they are usually always ready to help and share their knowledge. I started a new afghan yesterday for our guest room. It is a pretty, lacy pineapple design made with ivory colored yarn, it is a fairly simple pattern that I have made before. I usually like to have one hard project and one easy project going at the same time. That way if I'm not feeling up to deeply concentrating, I can still have something to work on. I hope you have a fun and restful weekend ahead! Delisa :)

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  15. when you mentioned willow tea here, I thought of Sassafrass tea. Have you ever had any? We used to have a Sassafrass tree and as kids, we'd break off a soft, green branch and chew on it.

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    1. Pretty tasty! That would be wonderful to have a tree. We had to settle for chewing on pine pitch. (we really were a wild bunch weren't we?) It would be fun to make some sassafras soda. Guess I'll just have to settle for store bought for now.

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