The Riz Team Blog

Posts Tagged ‘fall’

Fabulous Fall: Gardening Tips

Thursday, October 23rd, 2014

Fall is a feast for the eyes with red, gold and bronze hues. While enjoying the trees in their tawny splendour, consider these simple tips to prepare your garden for the upcoming winter.

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Grass
Although a carpet of leaves is part of autumn’s glory, don’t let them sit too long. Rake them frequently as grass needs oxygen and sunlight for proper growth.  This is also the time to seed your grass for a thick lush lawn in the spring, and to keep pesky weeds out.

 

Leaves
Put leaves to work! Small leaves from birch, beech and silver maple trees (or shredded larger leaves) spread under shrubs and over soil will degrade into mineral nutrients and worms will turn them into fertilizer.

 

Pruning/Re-arranging Plants
Pruning in the fall is important. With leaves cleared you have a better view of your plants. Cut off dead and diseased branches. Remove diseased leaves from under roses (blackspot) and dispose of in the garbage (not your compost heap) or they’ll re-infect plants the following spring. If you decide to re-arrange plants or shrubs, move them while the earth is still warm so that the roots can take hold.  Protect delicate shrubs with burlap.

Bulbs
If you want to see crocus, tulips and daffodils peeping through the soil in spring, now is the time to start planting.  Buy the very best quality bulbs and you will be rewarded with showy blooms in the spring. Check with a local horticulturalist for native bulb options and ideal planting conditions.

 

Container Gardening
Fill your balcony or patio containers with fall flowers.  Picture a pot filled with Vanilla Butterfly (marguerite daisy), with a background of Orange Sedge – this olive green grass turns orange in cool weather, finally fading to bronze.  Want an instant conversation piece?  Plant ornamental Kale (winter cabbage) in your container:  its quirky look is an attention-getter.

 

Every season has its beauty, but a Canadian fall is spectacular – enjoy!

 

Pumpkin soup

Friday, October 19th, 2012

By  Tara Ballantyne

Beat fall’s chill with a bowl of creamy pumpkin soup that is bursting with autumn flavour

Pumpkin soup

Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp curry powder
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 3½ cups fresh pumpkin purée
  • 1½ cups unsweetened condensed milk or cream
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Roasted pumpkin seeds and sour cream for garnish

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions
and garlic and cook until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Add the curry powder and the flour and stir until smooth. Cook until the mixture bubbles, stirring frequently.

3. Gradually whisk in the broth and cook until the liquid has thickened. Stir in the pumpkin and the condensed milk. Season the soup with the soy sauce, honey and salt and pepper.

4. Bring the soup to a boil; remove from the heat. Transfer to bowls, garnish with the pumpkin seeds and sour cream and serve.

Serves 8

  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp curry powder
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 3½ cups fresh pumpkin purée
  • 1½ cups unsweetened condensed milk or cream
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Roasted pumpkin seeds and sour cream for garnish

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions
and garlic and cook until the onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Add the curry powder and the flour and stir until smooth. Cook until the mixture bubbles, stirring frequently.

3. Gradually whisk in the broth and cook until the liquid has thickened. Stir in the pumpkin and the condensed milk. Season the soup with the soy sauce, honey and salt and pepper.

4. Bring the soup to a boil; remove from the heat. Transfer to bowls, garnish with the pumpkin seeds and sour cream and serve.

 


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