Gardening
Extend Your Cilantro Harvest and Enjoyment
Cilantro ready to be harvested.
Photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com
Cilantro is a favorite ingredient in guacamole, tacos, rice dishes and of course salsa. But as summer temperatures climb, the cilantro quickly goes to seed. This can be frustrating but using all parts of the plant or growing a heat tolerant cilantro-flavored substitute can help.
Gardeners in cooler climates can sow seeds every three to four weeks throughout the summer for continual harvests. Those with hotter summers will have the best results growing cilantro in the cooler temperatures of spring, fall and even winter. Grow cilantro in full sun or light shade as temperatures climb and moist well-drained soil for best results.
Mulching the soil to keep the roots cool and moist will help delay flowering. Avoid overwatering that can lead to root rot.
Harvest the leaves when they are four to six inches tall and before the plants flower for the best flavor. Harvest as needed a third of the plant at one time to allow it to keep producing or cut the whole plant back to an inch above the ground and wait for it to regrow.
Store freshly cut leaves like a bouquet of flowers in a glass of fresh water. Place in the refrigerator to use for the upcoming week. Hang leaves upside down to dry or freeze. Just wash the leaves, pat dry and place in a freezer bag or air-tight container in the freezer. Or chop up the rinsed cilantro into smaller pieces, place in ice cube trays and top with a splash of water before placing in the freezer.
As temperatures rise, the plant will flower and set seed. Do not discard it but rather look at utilizing the other parts of this plant. Enjoy the beauty and flavor of the lacy white flowers that also attract beneficial insects to the garden.
After the white flowers fade, green seeds appear. Wait for the plants and seeds to turn brown when using them as coriander. Cut off the seed heads, place in a paper bag, and allow the seeds to drop to the bottom. The seeds are ground and used in breads, cakes, pickling spices, and Asian food. Store in sealed containers until ready to use.
Otherwise allow the seeds to drop to the ground in the garden and grow new cilantro plants to harvest and enjoy. Cilantro seeds sprout readily when soil temperatures are 55 to 68ºF and the plants can withstand a light frost.
Don't forget to harvest the roots and use them for seasoning Thai and Vietnamese food. These taste best when harvested in fall.
In the future, consider buying seeds of slow bolting cilantro varieties like Slow-Bolt, Leisure and the 2006 All-America Selections award winner Delfino Cilantro.
Or try growing Papalo, also known as summer cilantro, in next year's garden. It has a similar but stronger flavor than cilantro with a hint of citrus and mint and thrives in hot weather. You will only need one or two plants as this annual grows up to five feet tall and several feet wide. Harvest young leaves for the best flavor and use only 1/2 or 1/3 the amount of cilantro called for in recipes.
You may need to start your own plants from seeds if none of the garden centers in your area sell plants. Start seeds indoors or directly in the garden once the danger of frost has passed and the soil is warm.
Extend your cilantro harvest and enjoyment by utilizing every part of the plant. Adjust your cilantro growing techniques as well as plant selection to help beat the heat.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including The Midwest Gardener's Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses "How to Grow Anything" DVD series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda's Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Her web site is www.MelindaMyers.com.
Antiques
Civil War Memorabilia
The Civil War, which took place from 1861 to 1865, has been a focus area for historians and collectors alike for many years. The causes of the Civil War are well known and detailed by the History Channel as simmering tensions between the North and South "over slavery, states' rights and westward expansion." President Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860 caused seven southern states to secede from the Union. Four other states followed soon after.
Some Civil War historians refer to "brother against brother" battles in the Civil War. This references the fact that it was a war between two regions of the country, with brothers sometimes fighting against each other on different sides during the war.
A 2017 article in the Murfreesboro (TN) Post described the divided loyalties of the Crittenden brother of Kentucky. George Bibb Crittenden graduated from West Point. Just before the start of the Civil War, he accepted a commission as colonel in the Confederate Army. He was promoted to major general in 1861. Crittenden's brother, Thomas Leonidas Crittenden, was a major general of the Kentucky militia in 1860. According to the Murfreesboro, Thomas "was promoted to major general of volunteers and commanded the II Corps of the Army of Ohio during the Perryville campaign."
During one Civil War battle, two brothers literally fought against each other. James and Alexander Campbell emigrated together from Scotland to the United States. An American Battlefield Trust article stated that James settled in South Carolina where he found work as a drayman (delivery man for a brewery) and clerk. James settled in New York but found some work in Charleston as a brick mason. During the war, Alexander Campbell enlisted with the 79th New York Infantry Regiment of the Union Army while James Campbell joined a Confederate militia called the Union Light Infantry or 42nd, according to the American Battlefield Trust. Neither brother knew it at the time, but they fought against each other at the Battle of Secessionville.
Nearly all Civil war artifacts are sought after by collectors including rifles, bayonets, uniforms, caps, soldier photos and letters from soldiers. Letters provide a window into the war from a soldier's eyes. Close to 30 years ago, I sold a soldiers' Civil War Diary for over $500. The value could be double that today.
Some items can command huge prices. In 2006, a battle flag flown by Civil War General J.E.B. Stuart that was handsewn by his wife Flora sold for $956,00 at auction. A sword presented to Ulysses S. Grant when he commanded the Union forces brought $1.6 million in 2007. A pair of New Model Army revolvers which also belonged to Grant sold this year for $5.17 million, soaring above the $1 to $3 million estimate.
We will be offering Civil War letters and ephemera from two estates in our fall auction. We are still accepting other consignments for our fall multi-estate online auction. We have many additional events scheduled for the fall. I'll be teaching my "Evaluating your Antiques" course at the Bay Path Evening School on September 13th. I'll also be appraising items for the Townsend Historical Society on October 15th and for the Leicester Historical Society at the Leicester Senior Center on November 5th. Please visit our website https://centralmassauctions.com for links to upcoming events.
Contact us at: Wayne Tuiskula Auctioneer/Appraiser Central Mass Auctions for Antique Auctions, Estate Sales and Appraisal Services www.centralmassauctions.com (508-612- 6111) info@centralmassauctions.com