How to Grow a Loofah Sponge in Israel

Today was a big day nine months in the making. Today we picked and processed the loofah sponges that we planted back in April. Anyone who wants seeds to plant their own loofahs next summer should be in touch. I want to turn Ramat Beit Shemesh into the Loofah Capital of the World! (Yes, I…

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Homemade Fruit Leather: You MUST try this!

If you only try one food preservation project this year – this is the one! It’s ridiculously simple, requires no special equipment and you will be amazed by the scrumptious results! Homemade Fruit Leather Recipe Ingredients: 1 kg of summer fruits – eg. plums, peaches, mango, nectarines. A mix is best. Add a bit of…

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Why I never planted peanuts before – and why I did now

My peanuts sprouted! I have wanted to grow peanuts for such a long time but I never did. Since they are legumes (kitniyot). there is a halachic imperative to leave a big space between them and other vegetables (48-60 cm, depending on which halachic opinion you follow) Beans are also kitniyot – another summer favorite…

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Recipe: Bloomah’s Zucchini Lasagna

My two youngest kids and I wait for the big zucchinis to grow and then save them for this recipe, which we make once a week during the summer.We prefer it to “real” lasagna! It’s also perfect for people eating gluten free or low carb. Ingredients: 1 liter marinara sauce (we make it at home…

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How to help plants survive a heatwave

It’s the third day of Israel’s heatwave and our plants are really suffering from the temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celcius. The best solution is extra watering and creating shade for more vulnerable plants, as well as adding a layer of mulch over the soil, to minimize evaporation. The sun is burning the leaves until…

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The No. 1 Vegetable to Plant Right Now

Everyone keeps asking me what to plant now, so I made a list of my favorite summer vegetables to grow. I ordered it from least practical, easy and rewarding – to the most! Can you guess what will be my #1 recommendation? All these are fairly easy to grow in the Israeli summer but some…

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6 vegetables from your kitchen you can plant and grow

It’s spring time! Do you wish you could grow some vegetables – but can’t visit the nursery due to lockdown? That’s why I created this list of 6 vegetables from your kitchen you can sprout and grow These plants are all ideally planted in spring – i.e. right now. 1. Sweet potato Plop a sweet…

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