Contech's Home & Garden Blog

The Best-Ever Garden Salad Recipe (Also known as the Beyond Be-Leaf Garden Salad)

contechpetblog — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:37:18 +0000

From The Looneyspoons Cookbook by Janet and Greta Podleski

Ingredients:
5 cups shredded or torn lettuce — your choice, romaine, green leaf or mixed
1 cup chopped radicchio
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
1 cup grated carrot
1 small red onion sliced thinly into rings
8 cherry tomatoes cut into halves
24 thin slices of English cucumber (no need to peel it)
1 cup of Seasoned Croutons (recipe follows)
Tangy Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe follows)

If you have your ingredients assembled as discussed in the ingredient list, you have already done most of the work. The Looneyspoons cookbook recommends dividing the ingredients evenly onto four serving plates, drizzling the salad dressing over the salads and serving immediately.

Since I usually make this salad for potluck affairs, I usually prepare the ingredients and mix the lettuce, radicchio, sprouts, carrots and ontions together in my serving bowl. Then I put the cherry tomatoes and the cucumber slices in a second small container and the croutons in a third. When it is time to eat the salad, I throw everything into the bowl, add the dressing and mix.

This salad really is delicious. The recipe always wins rave reviews.

Serves 4.

My Father the Assassin

contechpetblog — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:31:39 +0000

Growing up with a wannabe hitman taught me a thing or two about getting rid of things that annoy you. He would spend countless hours crouched in postion waiting for the right moment to take the shot, Much to his dismay, he never actually hit his target. Fortunately for dad, the squirrels and crows couldn’t shoot back.

These crafty birdfeeder bandits were the bane of his existence until I bought him a SquirrelStop for Father’s Day.

June Gardening Tips

contechpetblog — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:27:00 +0000

Beware of the slugs! Check for slugs during rainy periods and handpick the little suckers (gross but necessary). Don’t forget to remove deadheads (and I’m not talking about the ones forming a drum circle around their VW camper van)

It’s important to remove dead flower heads at this time of year to allow new buds to bloom. Mid to late June is an ideal time to take softwood cuttings of shrubs to start new plants.

Once you’ve de-slugged your garden, you can take advantage of the cool, wet weather by planting lettuce and other leafy greens that do well in cool, moist soil.

See below for a great salad recipe!

Gardening Tips for May

contechpetblog — Mon, 30 May 2011 16:58:34 +0000

It’s starting to warm up and that means it’s time to get those veggies planted. Some varieties that are good to get into the ground in May are:

- Beetroot
- Onions
- Beans (all types)
- Fennel
- Carrots
- Salad Leaves

It’s also the right time to give everything a good feeding and to turnover your compost pile (especially if you haven’t tended to it throughout the winter)

Recent News

contechpetblog — Mon, 30 May 2011 16:52:34 +0000

RECENT NEWS: Contech wins bid to treat the Mountain Pine Beetle problem on Smuggler Mountain in Aspen, Colorado.

For more information the Mountain Pine Beetle and how pesticide-free Verbenone can help save valuable pine trees, visit us online at www.contech-inc.com

Guardin’ Your Garden

contechpetblog — Wed, 11 May 2011 20:46:17 +0000

When I bought my first home a few years ago, I wanted to see if green thumbs were a hereditary trait so I decided to start a garden. My parents were avid gardeners, but alas, this skill has seemingly skipped a generation. After spending a small fortune on annuals and perennials, shiny new gardening tools, and enough fertilizer to put me on the homeland security watch list, I spent the weekend planting my new garden. Much to my dismay, the only thing I accomplished was setting the table for an all-you-can-eat neighbourhood buffet. The local bunnies seemed to really enjoy the freshness of the offerings and the raccoons were thrilled to find an abundance of worms in the expensive soil I had purchased.

The average homeowner will spend close to $500 on garden plants and supplies this year. Fortunately there are effective ways to protect your investments this season.

Check out: http://www.contech-inc.com/products/gardenprotection/

5 Tips for Gardening in Cool Weather

contechpetblog — Wed, 11 May 2011 16:31:28 +0000

1. Plant summer bulbs such as gladiolus and dahlias;
2. Start weeding the garden (groan);
3. Plant early potatoes such as Yukon Gold and Pontiac varieties;
4. Plant cool weather veggies and flowers;
5. Plant fuchsias and red hot pokers to attract hummingbirds!

A Spring in Your Step

contechpetblog — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:18:46 +0000

Even if you are still digging out from the latest winter snowstorm, take heart…the official start of spring really is only days away. To celebrate the transition from winter to summer, we want to hear about spring where you live. What are the first signs? What blossoms, buds, or birds do you look forward to each year? Here in Victoria, it’s cherry blossoms – those wonderful tufts of pink and white cotton candy that signal the imminent arrival of spring.

Share your stories of spring and be entered to win a ScareCrow!

Share your stories or photos on our Facebook page and be entered to win a ScareCrow!

Wicked Bugs

contechpetblog — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:08:48 +0000

There are pesky bugs, there are icky bugs, and then there are downright wicked bugs – those that have crept their way into history by inflicting pain, transmitting disease, and causing mass destruction. In her sequel to Wicked Plants, author and best-selling garden writer, Amy Stewart examines how bugs like the chigoe flea, Spanish fly, and mountain pine beetle have plagued humans and shaped history for hundreds of years.

Visit Amy’s fascinating and creepy website and watch the book trailer for Wicked Bugs (if you dare).

Wage your own battle against wicked bugs this season with one of Contech’s non-toxic pest management products.

Wasps can be deadly to those who are allergic to their sting.

The tiny mountain pine beetle has wiped out over 30 million acres of forest in British Columbia alone.

Spring Ahead

contechpetblog — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:30:12 +0000

Last Sunday was one of my favorite days of the year. Daylight saving time…one of the first signs that spring has sprung and that evenings spent outdoors are just around the corner.

The ScareCrow motion-activated animal deterrent uses a harmless blast of water to keep deer, raccoons, cats, dogs and other unwanted animals out of gardens. Install the ScareCrow when the threat of frost has passed.

Yes, we lose an hour of sleep and dark mornings make it harder to get out of bed, but just knowing that we can squeeze a few more hours into the end of the day is worth the sacrifice. So, if you’ve been waiting for an excuse to tackle those outdoor chores that were neglected last fall, now you have it: that extra bit of daylight that makes the yard and garden so much more appealing.

As spring approaches, wildlife will find your garden appealing as well. Plan now to protect spring bulbs and vulnerable plantings from common backyard pests.