Today in Our NJ Garden

August Monarch - photo by Diana Wind

Today in Our Garden

August 17, 2025

Hello, so sorry for the GardenCuizine blog posting delay! I still love this blog and hope to add more posts soon including a fun snack energy ball recipe that I just made for kids in Vineland. Today's post will focus on what's growing in our garden.

This August has been the best for milkweed and Monarch butterflies! This season has been the worst for us in growing heirloom tomatoes. The main reason why we're struggling with growing vegetables is clearly lack of sunshine. Vegetables need lots of sun. A nearby Kwanzan Cherry tree, that I planted, has grown so big and tall that it is casting too much shade upon the garden. Sigh... even arugula and catmint didn't grow; hopefully, we can have the tree trimmed back at some point.

What is growing well in our backyard garden? Well we do have enough sun to grow a few basil plants, jalapeno peppers, garlic chives, black-eyed peas and Petite Moineau tomatoes. I think our tomatillos are a bust (sorry Leslie!); I must have saved hybrid seeds thinking they were heirlooms. Hybrid seeds can NOT be saved and planted; they will grow, but unfortunately, will not yield any fruit. In my opinion growing heirloom plants are the best - that way you can save free seeds for the next growing season.

Bright yellow, cheery, daily-like blooms surround our huge, bending over cup plants. The patch has grown taller and wider and choked out the sunchokes. Interesting how mother nature works.

We have lots of hummingbird activity now too. The hummers love tubular shaped blooms such as cannas, salvias, Florida shrub and trumpet vine (albeit invasive).

Happy Gardening!

Diana 

Photos and blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved. 

Black Bean Veggie Patties - Jersey Fresh recipe

Ingredients:

• Canned black beans
• Green pepper
• Onion
• Garlic cloves
• Egg
• Chili powder
• Bread crumbs
• salt and pepper to taste 

Recipe link: https://findjerseyfresh.com/JerseyFresh/recipes/black-bean-veggie-patties

For gluten-free, simply use GF breadcrumbs! Enjoy!

Highlights from the Philadelphia Flower Show 2025

 Gardens of Tomorrow

Philadelphia Flower Show 2025

Harry and I enjoyed our visit to the largest flower show in the world - the Philadelphia Flower Show at the Philadelphia Convention Center! The show's theme highlighted hopes for the future, Gardens of Tomorrow. As always, there was so much to see and do; we only experienced a part of the beautiful floral arrangements, exhibits, landscapes and garden designs. Ideally, one would need to attend at least two or more days to get a chance to see everything. For example, I can't believe I missed the aquaponics display by Philadelphia Lankenau school students! 

The entrance, Futura Florentia, was bright pink and colorful with hanging glass balls filled with red roses under rainfall. Special effects blue and purple lighting highlighted blooming Okami cheery trees. All the walkways were wide to accommodate the large crowds of people. 

Below are a few more of my pictures from the show. We saw lots of orchids and roses!

PHS Color Pop

PHS Rose Rain - Futura Florentia

PHS Orchid Rain

 

 

One of our favorite parts of the show has become the photography exhibit! We didn't get in this year, but admired all those who did. The photographs were terrific! This year I especially loved the still life category, and classes: 193 (Rooted - portrait of a tree - winner photo shown below), 195 (Eternal - portrait of a bird - winner photo shown below), and 197 (Contemplate - photo of a reflection in water). 

Congratulations to all of the winners!

 

Another show favorite experience for us was was buying garden seeds at the end in the retail marketplace! We selected lots of flowers and also some heirloom tomatoes and peppers from Hudson Valley Seed Co. This is a great time to start your seeds indoors, which is just what I plan to do this weekend here in New Jersey.

Happy Gardening! 

Blog post and photos Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.

Lentils, Beans and Peas in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Legumes - Plant-based Protein

The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) are underway! Nutrition experts on the DGA Advisory Board have been busy over the past few years with researching the updates that aim to promote better health to prevent disease. The DGA gets updated every five years by the US government's Health and Human Services and the US Department of Agriculture. Public comments have already been received. In fact, they received the most comments ever so far in DGA history with greater than 9,900 comments to date. Another public comment period is still open until February 10, 2025.

At the DGA last recorded meeting in 2024, the nutrition team were discussing considerations for reclassification of beans, lentils and peas from the vegetable subgroup to either their own category or perhaps to the protein food group. Personally, I think the shift to the protein food group in MyPlate would be good because it will highlight plant-based protein options. 

Legumes like beans, lentils and peas are full of vitamins and minerals, especially iron, zinc, potassium, folate and dietary fiber. Legumes are also known to be sustainable foods, which is helpful for the environment; a win for public health and a win for the planet!

Below is a video about the many varieties of lentils that can add nutrition to your meals.

#haveaplant

 

Related Links

Scientific Report of the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines

How to Cook Lentils

Nutrition benefits of Peas 

Power Packed Proteins all about Beans

Blog post Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved.