It’s that time of year to celebrate the birth of our country and what is more of a tradition on the 4th than an outdoor BBQ with family and friends? This week we would like to talk about outdoor cooking and grilling.
Outdoor cooking has come a long way since man first started cooking with fire in the Stone Age! After World War II grilling began to catch on like wild fire and by the 1950’s and 1960’s, backyard grilling became an American tradition.
Over the years grilling has gone from basic cooking over simple wood, charcoal and gas grills to much more elaborate and sophisticated outdoor kitchens.
There is a continued trend towards taking the indoor dining experience to outside spaces. This is only limited by one’s imagination. One thing remains the same, however and that is the bonding of family and friends over sharing a meal outdoors. The smells, the fresh air and the ambience of family and friends all contribute to this wonderful American tradition.
(click on images for larger view)
Grill Added to Existing Patio
Outdoor Kitchen with Bar Stool Seating
Grill Added to Existing Deck
This week is a good time to check for the following on your property:
- Keep your lawn lush and “barefoot ready” by setting the mower blades now at 4” during the hot summer months to avoid scalping and brown spots. Keep blades sharpened.
- It is time to cut back Catmint and Salvia to enhance a second bloom. Cut back old fashioned Bleeding Hearts to the ground and keep those Daylilies cleaned up as the blooms begin to fade.
- The Japanese Beetles may have already arrived to feed on your plants. A well known way to address this is to shake them from the plant into a bowl of soapy water. A few terrific resources for information about this:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/dg7664.html
http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/chemung/agriculture/publications/beetles-japanese.pdf
- Look for White Prunicola Scale outbreaks on Lilacs and stone fruit trees such as cherries, peach, apricots and nectarines which occur from mid-June to mid-July.
- Keep trees and shrubs watered and add a watering cycle to your irrigation system for extreme heat situations.
- Keep vegetable garden hygiene at its best by removing any dead leaves or plants preventing pests and diseases.
This week could be an excellent time to plan a tour of the NY Botanical Gardens before watching the Macy’s Fireworks. Catch Mario Batali’s kitchen garden tour, Monet’s Garden exhibition or take an edible cooking class while your kids enjoy the children’s gardens. For more info. click here: http://www.nybg.org/
http://www.nycinsiderguide.com/July-4th-in-New-York-City.html#axzz1zUgXD0Lv
Best wishes for a wonderful July 4th holiday from Statile & Todd!