FEATURED IN THIS SPECIAL:
Edible Gardens
Create your very own edible garden that will last all year long. You can transform your front yard, back yard and even side yard into an attractive, productive and low-maintenance landscape that produces fruits, vegetables and herbs. Espaliered fruit trees like fig, pear and apple are great paired with chamomile, oregano and mixed thymes for a functional garden. Blueberries, currants and huckleberries work nicely with yarrows, lavenders and other pollinators to set a vibrant tone to your yard.
Website: http://www.starappleediblegardens.com
Garden to Table
The Garden to Table movement is a trend growing nationally and is about eating locally and sustainably. It's dedicated to food culture centered on fresh, locally grown vegetables, fruit and meat. It's about learning where your food comes from and how it is produced.
Farmers' Markets create communities that value diversity, honesty, seasonality, locality, sustainability, and beauty. A popular item at the Farmers' Market right now is asparagus, which is in season. It is packed with nutrients like potassium, zinc, Vitamin C, E, A and K. Plus it's low in calories and is very low in sodium.
Asparagus Soup Recipe:
From La Folie Restaurant
Website: http://www.lafolie.com
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 2 bunches or 1 lbs. asparagus cut to a medium dice (reserve the tops for garnish)
- 1 cup chopped green garlic
- 2 oz. unsalted butter
- 1 cup asparagus stock
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups cream
- 3 oz spinach picked or 1 bunch
To make the stock use the peel of the asparagus and add water until it is barely covering it and salt to taste. Boil for about 5 minutes and strain. In a large pot melt the butter and begin sweating the green garlic. When the garlic is translucent add the asparagus. Heat through and add the salt, pepper, and cream. When the asparagus is tender add the asparagus stock and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the spinach, and blend immediately. Strain and cool the soup right away in order to preserve the green color. Excess exposure to heat will cause the color to fade from bright green to brown. For more information on Agricultural Institute of Marin, visit www.agriculturalinstitute.org
Yield: 5 cups
Hydroponic Gardening
Hydroponic gardening is becoming more and more popular. The concept of soil less gardening or hydroponics has been around for thousands of years. Scientists started experimenting with soil less gardening around 1950. Since then other countries, such as Holland, Germany, Australia have used hydroponics for crop production with amazing results.
The growth rate on a hydroponic plant is 30-50 percent faster than a soil plant, grown under the same conditions. The nutrients in a hydroponic system are mixed with the water and sent directly to the root system. Hydroponic plants also have fewer problems with bug infestations, funguses and disease. Hydroponic gardening uses considerably less water than soil gardening, because of the constant reuse the nutrient solutions. Fewer pesticides are used on hydroponic crops. You can learn more at http://www.hydroponics.net. Learn how to grow your own hydroponic garden by visiting, http://www.3rdsthydroponics.com and http://www.technicalindoorgardens.com.
Plant Lab Project, UC Berkeley
The Plant Lab produces vegetables in an indoor garden that does not rely on traditional methods of planting embedded in the earth. Rather than constructing a new ground, the garden is formed by a cloud of more than 1,000 suspended crystalline tubes and water distribution systems. Each recyclable clear plastic tube will contain a plant, an inorganic growing medium, and a connection to the drip irrigation system, which will circulate nutrient infused water. These interconnected systems will be suspended from a light steel frame that will also support a custom array of UV lights.
Sustainable Gardens
Discover simple ways to develop a sustainable garden by using water-wise and low maintenance plants. Create your very own oasis with minimal upkeep by using plants, grass, gravel and stone that will last for years. Planters work well for your yard or patio area. They add depth and design to your outdoor space and are easy to maintain.
Sustainable Plants:
- Mow Free Lawn (Festuca rubra Molate – Red Fescue)
- Stipa gigantean (Giant Feather Grass)
- Salvia clevelandii (California Blue Sage)
- Euphorbia myrsinites
- Native Bentgrass (another mow free grass) – used as a meadow grass
- Lomandra longifolia 'Tropic Belle'
- Arbutus marina
- Achillea millefolium 'Moonshine'
- Lavendula angustifolia 'Alba'
- Euphorbia characias wulfenii
- Echeveria. Hybrids
- Euphorbia x martini
- Lomandra longifolia nyala
- Aeonium urbicum
Event Information:
The San Francisco Flower & Garden Show
March 23 - 27, 2011
Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
San Mateo Event Center
1346 Saratoga Drive, San Mateo CA 94403
Phone: 415-684-7278
Website: http://www.sfgardenshow.com
