Thinking Outside the Container... Tips for Great Hanging Baskets

Just about anyone can grow a hanging basket brimming with blooms with a bit of creativity and some basic tips about baskets and what to put in them. A good container for plants is one that has sides and a drainage opening of some sort. Most of us think of the green or white plastic baskets that have a reservoir for water in the bottom - a good choice no doubt. However, there are millions of options for fun and creative hanging baskets. Create a drainage hole with a drill and add some wire or chains and just about anything can become a "hanging basket."

The beneath the scenes (a.k.a. "soil") of a hanging basket is the most critical part of a great looking basket. Successful baskets involve 3 main ingredients:

1. Good potting mix (I love Fertiloam brand!)

2. A slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote TM

3. A product to help the potting mix retain moisture, such as Soil Moist TM

A light weight potting mix is mostly comprised of peat moss and perlite. Both of these products allow good drainage so that roots can spread to develop full and sturdy plants. Osmocote helps reduce the need for fertilizing throughout the summer months. Soil moist on the other hand, is an excellent additive because it keeps the container from drying out so quickly. Lack of water is the number one cause of death or failure of beautiful hanging baskets. Simply follow the instructions on packages of Osmocote and Soil Moist for the best results.

Now it's time to consider the ingredients of a well-balanced basket. We talk in terms of thrillers, fillers and spillers. A thriller is the tallest plant in the basket and draws your attention via height. Examples include spikes, sun coleus and argyanthemum. The filler is the medium-height plants in the basket that fill the majority of the pot horizontally with its bushy shape. Sun plants on my filler list include melampodium, verbena, geranium and petunias. The spillers complete the look, pouring over the sides of the container to add trailing drama. Spillers with plentiful blooms include bacopa, tapien verbana and trailing lantana. The combinations are endless and if you are needing inspiration, just stop by the Garden Center to see some examples or to ask our garden experts to help you design the picture perfect basket. If you don't have the time or just don't want the mess, pick one of the hundreds of beautiful baskets that we have grown for you.

Happy Gardening!

Eckert's Frozen Custard Shop Opening Soon!

"You can have any flavor, as long as it's vanilla." -Henry Eckert

While its true that frozen custard was first introduced at Coney Island in 1919, it wasn't until this frozen treat was brought to the World's Fair in 1934 that its popularity gained serious momentum and became an adopted child of the midwest.

There are several keys differences between frozen custard and ice cream. Most notable is that frozen custard contains at least 10% butterfat, which is higher than that of typical ice cream. This increase in butterfat directly relates to the taste. To get an idea of this difference, think about the taste of skim milk compared to that of whole milk. Despite this increase in butterfat and the resulting richness of frozen custard, it is actually lower in calories than ice cream, including Ben & Jerry's and Haagen Daz.

The way frozen custard is made and stored also differs from its ice cream counterpart. Frozen custard is made fresh daily and served fresh daily. Ice cream machines, including soft serve, generally pump a lot of air into the ice cream mixture, resulting in a courser, harder ice cream. This process is called "overrun" and traditional ice cream can have as much as 100% overrun. Frozen custard typically only has between 20% to 25%. Furthermore, ice cream is usually kept in a freezer, at or below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, while frozen custard is usually made and served at 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The super coldness of ice cream can cause a numbing effect, affecting taste. Since frozen custard is served warmer, you are better able to enjoy its smooth consistency and deliciously rich flavor.

Eckert's Frozen Custard Shop will be opening for its 2010 season this Saturday, May 1st. In addition to authentic frozen custard, we will also have a wide array of menu items including sundaes and concretes featuring our own homegrown fruits and home baked pies!

Simple Soil Testing... See If You Hit Pay Dirt

Spring is certainly in the air and the planting urge is kicking in. When the first sunny days arrive, it is tempting to immediately plant anything we can get in our hands and shovels.

However, our plants would be a lot happier if we take just minute to think about their new home. After all, the more comfortable and nourishing their home becomes, the healthier they will be in the long run. Poor soil makes growing things much more challenging. So, if given the choice, start with good soil first to save yourself heartache and labor later.

A few techniques can help quickly identify general characteristics about your soil. Good soils are high in organic material (partially decomposing leaves, etc.) and are typically dark brown in color. New home sites often have been stripped of good, rich soil and consist of light brown soils. Unfortunately, lighter soils are typically higher in dense clay which impeded root growth.

Another simple and fun soil analysis is call the "Ribbon Test."
1. Moisten a handful of soil in the palm of your hand until it is the consistency of putty.
2. Work the soil into a ball about 1/2" in diameter.
3. Press the ball between your forefinger and thumb to form a ribbon.

If the soil forms ribbons easily and feels mostly sticky and smooth, it is primarily clay. If the soil does not hold any shape, it is very high in sand. If the soil forms short ribbons and feels smooth with a few rough particles, it is a loamy soil. Loam consists of sand, silt and clay and is ideal for garden and landscape plants.

If you have sandy or clay soil, you can improve it by adding organic materials such as compost, peat moss or humus. Spread to a 4" layer of organic materials on the soil and work it in to a depth of 12 inches. A good soil is comprised of approximately 1/3 organic material. Because organic material decomposes over time, it is a good idea to retest your soil and occasionally topdress established beds with organic materials.

Now let's take a pop quiz... What's the secret to spectacular plants? Good soil! So take some time this spring to set the stage for a great growing season and you'll be reaping rewards before you know it!

Happy Gardening,
Angie Eckert

Spring Vegetables Fresh from the Field

Warm weather and sunny days have come early this year, and with it has come the harvest of spring vegetables. Rhubarb, artisan lettuce, and both green and white asparagus are now available, all with good volume and great quality.


Rhubarb: Selection, Storage and Tips
Look for moderately-thin, crisp stalks that are dark pink to red. Avoid green, thick stalks. If the leaves are still attached, make sure they are not wilted and that they are free of blemishes. Place rhubarb stalks in a plastic bag and store for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator crisper.

Rhubarb is pretty tart, so you will have to sweeten it when you cook it, but the redder the stalk and the longer it is cooked, the less sweetener you will need.


Asparagus: Selection, Storage and Tips
Homegrown white asparagus is a tradition at Eckert's. Local farmers were among the first in the nation to begin mass cultivation of white asparagus over 30 years ago. White asparagus differs from green, in that it is never allowed exposure to the sun, halting the production of chlorophyll, the chemical responsible for giving the stalks color. Farmers mound dirt around the stalks to block the sunlight and then must dig the spears out of the dirt during harvest. The work is labor intensive, but the resulting snow white asparagus is delicious.

Even though white asparagus tends to be milder in flavor and more tender than its green relative, all varieties and colors of asparagus may be interchanged in recipes.


Select stalks that are straight and are richly green in color with tightly-closed tips. Avoid stalks that are discolored or have ridges. Stalks should be firm, not limp. Try and purchase stalks that are about the same size, for ease of preparation. Do not wash asparagus before storing it. Trim the ends and either stand them in a jar with a inch of water, covered by a plastic bag, or wrap the ends with damp paper towels. Asparagus will keep in the refrigerator for 2 days.

To wash asparagus, simply move the stalk through cool water, using your hands to wash it. Never soak asparagus.

Asparagus needs to be cooked quickly, so sauteing and stir frying is a great prep method. When boiling, asparagus will cook even after being removed from boiling water. It is important that you don't overcook it. Serve asparagus either warm or at room temperature. Refrigeration dulls the flavor of cooked asparagus.

Asparagus can be frozen for up to nine months, by blanching the stalks in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes and then immediately chilling them in water.

Early plantings of lettuce and radishes are coming along nicely, as well. As long as temperatures stay reasonably warm, the harvest of tomatoes and sweet corn could come in as much as two weeks earlier than in recent years, with homegrown watermelon and cantaloupe right behind them. Of course, it's never good to count the chickens before the eggs hatch, so we will just keep an eye on Mother Nature, and patiently await the arrival of her bounty!

Redbuds... A Trophy for Your Landscape

Trees are a great way to create memories with your family and friends. You don't always remember that Uncle Bob gave you a Barbie or Transformer, but the memory of climbing or napping under a tree lasts a lifetime.

Jerry, the Garden Center manager, personally loves redbuds for their bloom and their ease of growth. "This makes redbuds one of the best choices for homeowners who want a small, ornamental tree to brighten up their landscape." Since redbuds are adapted to our climate, they are one of the few flowering trees that thrive in the wild in southern Illinois.

Redbuds thrive in partial to full sun and need ample water. They generally grow to be 15 feet tall and are just as wide, and are vase shaped with green spade-shaped leaves. Some varieties of redbuds do have varying leaf color. For instance, Forest Pansy redbuds have red leaves, while Silver Cloud redbuds have variegated green and white leaves.

In our opinion, redbuds are under-used in the home landscape, but they are definately not your only option when it comes to a flowering tree. Dogwoods are nice, too. These are white blooming trees that stand 10-12 feet tall and 8-10 feet wide. Dogwoods do need shade or a half day of sun. They like water, but don't want to stand in it all the time.

Landscaping is an accessory to your home, and trees are the trophy. Why not choose the most beautiful ones that do well in our area? They are sure to give you years of memories and a nice place to call home.

A Picture is Worth a Billion Blossoms

If you've driven by any apple orchards in the last day or two, you've probably noticed that apple bloom is well underway. Thanks to these warm temperatures, it's a little earlier than we first anticipated, but we're not complaining. The sooner we get to eat an apple fresh off the tree the better.

Not only is it an early bloom, but it is a heavy bloom. Judy Eckert described walking through the Millstadt orchard as "divine this spring." Farmers refer to a bloom of this magnitude as a "snowball bloom." Unfortunately, no matter how beautiful, the more the merrier doesn't hold true for apple orchards. Since blossoms essentially turn to fruit, there is a risk of overcropping. When there are too many apples on the tree, the size and quality of the fruit is sacrificed. This is why the farm crew will be working diligently the next couple of weeks to thin the blossoms, which will ensure successful fruit production.

What you probably haven't noticed is all the bees buzzing around the orchard. Bees are needed to successfully pollinate the apples. Unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn't guarantee the amount of bees required to pollinate an entire apple orchard, so we have beekeepers come in to help us. The bees are responsible for transferring pollen from one blossom to another. In order to successfully produce fruit, cross-pollination must occur between apple trees. In layman's terms, this means that a bee cannot transfer pollen from one Golden Delicious blossom to another Golden Delicious blossom, but rather must transfer it to another variety of apple tree. This is why it is an absolute necessity to plant two different varieties of apple trees in close proximity to one another.

As the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, but here on the farm, it's worth a billion blossoms...

Azaleas... The Royalty of the Garden!

"I love azaleas for their color and practicality in the landscape. The Girard and Hershey azaleas are a couple of my favorites. I also like the new Encore, a repeat blooming azalea." -Jerry Hearn, Garden Center Manager

As a child growing up, I always thought that azaleas were just another plant that my Grandpa had to replant every year, not realizing that they were a perennial shrub. When I was nine years old, I decided to help Grandpa "clean up" the flower beds in the back of the house. I think you can see where this is going. Yes, I cut down the azaleas! Instead of pulling out the belt, Grandpa, bless his heart, just smiled at me and said, "I guess we'll have to buy Grandma a new one." Because of this, I will always remember Azaleas and treasure them as one of my favorite flowering shrubs.

About Azaleas

Azaleas generally do well on the east or north side of a house. They like early morning sunlight to dry the dew off their foliage, but they do not like afternoon sun. Azaleas like acidic soil, ranging on the pH scale from 5.5-6. There are soil amendments that you can use to accomplish this pH level. They don't like wet feet, so make sure you plant them in a well-drained spot.

Evergreen vs. Deciduous

Are azaleas evergreen or deciduous? Azaleas can be both. Deciduous azaleas drop all their leaves in the fall. If the weather is dry, they may drop their leaves earlier than usual. Their leaves grow back in the spring. In warmer climates or unusually warm winters, deciduous azaleas may retain some of the their leaves through winter.

Evergreen azaleas also drop their leaves, but appear to be evergreen, because they grow two sets of leaves each year. Their spring leaves are thinner, larger and grow along the stems. These leaves drop off in the fall. Their summer leaves are thicker, small, grow crowded at the branch ends and remain through winter. In colder climates or extremely cold weather, evergreen azaleas may drop most of their leaves in the winter.

Pruning Azaleas

The best time to prune your azaleas is before they send out new growth for spring. The only problem is that you will be cutting off this year's blooms, so be careful. The next best time to prune is during or right after bloom. This will maximize the time the plant has to fill out before winter.

So, if you want a beautiful shrub that will give the color and grace of a rose without the thorns, try an azalea!

The Essence of Wine

"The progression of smells and tastes we enjoy with wine is like that of no other beverage. Wine fans call these "essences" and these are what make wines special." -Glenn Boeker, Eckert's Wine Manager

Some will tell you that the soil where the grapes are grown has a history of producing other plant life. They will say that the scent and taste of these previous plantings finds its way into the wine grapes. Some Europeans believe their "old world" wine has more terroir, or flavor, from the soil than "new world" wine. While this is one possible explanation for the complexity of wine flavors, we don't believe it to be correct.

We believe that the vessels and processes used to produce the wine are a major factor in the earthiness or smoky taste in old world wines. Most of the old world wines use wood and concrete tanks, which cannot be cleaned as well as the stainless steel tanks used in the new world.

It is a fact, that wine grapes are blessed with more than 20 components of flavor, while ordinary fruits generally have less than 10. Hence a wine made from pears, for example, will not be as complex as one made from grapes. In other words, it won't have as many essences.

There are distinctive essences associated with most varietals of wine grapes. Grass, gooseberry and grapefruit, for example, are used to describe the essences of Sauvignon Blanc wine. If grown in a warmer climate, from 35 to 40 degrees latitude, the wine will show grassy essences. However, if the same grape varietal is grown in a cooler climate, from 50 to 55 degrees latitude, the gooseberry and grapefruit essences usually prevail. Maritime climates can adjust this latitudinal effect, which would explain why many good wine regions are close to water.

In our Essence of Wine class, we experiment with six wines produced from different grapes varietals and try to identify the essences they contain. Essences are distinctive to your individual perceptions and we may not agree on all of them. Obviously, your perceptions are most beneficial to your own wine drinking pleasure.

So why are wine essences important? Suppose you like Sauvignon Blanc and want one to enjoy with your favorite white lasagna recipe. This dish has the usual lasagna cheeses, but asparagus and maybe other greens instead of meat. When you ask a wine specialist for a recommendation, they may ask if you prefer the grass or grapefruit essence. There are grassy wines from California and citrusy ones from New Zealand. Obviously, you will want to pick a wine that displays the essence you most enjoy.

Other varietal wines have similar stories, but different essences. Find out what essences you like and look for them in the wines you buy. If you would like to learn more about the essence of wine and a chance to identify your own preferences, please join us for our wine essence class on Thursday, April 8th from 6-8 pm. Spaces are limited, so please call (618) 233-0513 to make your reservations.

Fresh Herbs: From Garden to Plate

Did you know that Eckert's has its own herb garden? We sure do. The Garden Center grows fresh herbs and we use them in our prepared foods. Since becoming a culinary gardener, we've been rewarded with flavor, fragrance, and a variety of texture, color and leaf shapes.

If you have never grown herbs before, but are considering it, let us encourage you by telling you that they are super easy to grow and very tolerant plants. In fact, they often thrive and even produce the best flavors when kindly ignored (just keep them free of weeds). Herbs require well-drained soil or potting mix and about six hours per day of full sun. If you don't have space for a traditional garden, not to worry, as herbs will do excellent in containers, too.

If you are a beginning herb gardener, we recommend the following perennials: chives, marjoram, English thyme, sage and Italian oregano. These herbs will come back year after year. Basil is another great herb to try, but it is an annual, so it will have to re-planted each year.

We all know that kids like to help and gardening is a fun way to show them where their food comes from. Once you reap the benefits of your garden, cooking up some snacks with your fresh herbs will be both fun and delicious! Some favorites herbs for kids include chocolate mint (finely mince and add to your favorite brownie recipe), pineapple sage (actually tastes like the fruit) and French tarragon (tastes like black licorice)!

Once you begin to use fresh herbs in your favorite recipes, you'll never want to go back to using dried herbs again. But remember, a little goes a long way. You do not need much to make an extraordinary impact in your cooking.

Here are a just a few of our favorite recipes using fresh herbs, but let your taste buds guide you.

Crusty Tomato Basil Bites
4 medium sized tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp. finely chopped green or red bell peppers
1 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion
2 garlic clove, pressed
8 large, fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and ground pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese
1 small sourdough break loaf

In a medium bowl, combine tomato, bell pepper, onion and garlic. Stack basil leaves, cut into long thin strips. Add basil leaves to tomato mixture and add oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand 1-2 hours to let flavor blend.

Diagonally cut bread into long, thin slices. Broil or grill on both sides until golden brown. Spoon tomato mixture on to bread slices, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and add ground black pepper. Serve immediately!

Mom's Mint Punch
5 lemons
4 oranges
1 small grapefruit
1 6oz. can of pineapple juice (3/4 cup)
2 cups sugar
1 quart water
Two handfuls fresh mint leaves, washed

Squeeze lemons, oranges and grapefruit juice into a gallon pitcher or large container. Add rinds. Add pineapple juice. In medium saucepan, combine sugar, water and mint. Bring to boil, stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour the hot liquid over the juice and rinds. Let cool. Squeeze out rinds and discard. Add enough water to make one gallon. Refrigerate.