Oak and Dagger (30 page)

Tips from Casey's
Fall Gardener's Notebook

Grow the Tops of Your Carrots

This is a quick and fun gardening project that anyone can do. When you are preparing your fresh carrots, cut off the top of the carrot (about a half inch will do). Remove all but a few small leaves from the top.

Fill a glass or bowl with water. Set the carrot in the water so that it is partially submerged.

Place the glass or bowl in a sunny window. Change the water every few days. In a few weeks the carrot will sprout roots and new leaves will grow.

Plant the rooted carrot in a pot or in your garden.

You won't grow new carrots from the plants, but swallowtail butterflies will enjoy feeding off the nectar from the flowers.

Grow the Bottoms of Your Onions

Did you know you can grow a new onion from just the bottom part with the roots? Well, you can! Here's a fun gardening project to try.

Cut off the bottom of your onion, the part with the dried roots. Leave about an inch to an inch and a half of onion with the roots.

Dry for a couple of days in a well-ventilated area. This will allow it to form a callus and help prevent it from rotting.

You can get the roots started by soaking them in water for a few days. (It's fun to watch.) Or plant the onion root-side-down in a pot or directly in the ground, burying it about a half-inch deep. Within a few weeks the onion will sprout.

About the Author

A lover of puzzles and perhaps a bit too nosy about other people's lives, Dorothy St. James lives a charmed life at the beach just outside Charleston, South Carolina, with her sexy sculptor husband.

She earned her bachelor of science degree in aquaculture, fisheries, and wildlife biology from Clemson University's School of Agriculture and her master's degree in public administration from the University of Charleston with an emphasis on environmental urban planning. Most recently, she gained entrance into the highly competitive Master Gardener program run by Clemson University.

Dorothy has put her educational experience to use, having worked in all branches and all levels of government including local, regional, state, and federal. She even spent time during college working for a nonprofit environmental watchdog organization. She's a tried-and-true career bureaucrat who intimately witnessed the democratic process at work. And she hasn't gone screaming into the marshes . . . yet.

Berkley Prime Crime titles by Dorothy St. James

FLOWERBED OF STATE

THE SCARLET PEPPER

OAK AND DAGGER