How NOT to Dry Herbs
One thing I love about my little garden shed is the great area for hanging herb bundles. Since herbs need to be dried properly to avoid becoming moldy after cutting, we usually bundle the herbs and hang them to dry. I try to get them hung right away because it’s so humid here in the summer, if I don’t they will just sit and rot.
Continue reading
Growing Herbs With Grow Bags
Have you been seeing grow bags all over the place? I think they are a great idea -especially with so many people growing urban gardens.
For years gardeners have been slitting open bags of soil and using them as a small garden beds, and they worked very well. Appearance-wise they lean to the far side of ugly, but they work!
Then someone got smart. They invented growing bags. They are much more attractive than a ratty old bag of potting soil, and are said to have other benefits as well.
Continue reading
Gourds and Everlasting Herbs
We grow gourds and often pair them up with everlasting herbs in dried arrangements.
Gourds are simple to grow, but they do have a fairly long growing season-so if you live in Alaska and try to grow them, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I usually grow hard shell or Lagenarias, although luffas are pretty entertaining to grow, too.
Fertile soil, plenty of sun, somewhere to sprawl or climb, and enough water are all a gourd plant needs. After the plant is about 6 or 7 feet long I usually take off the growing tips and let the laterals -or side shoots- grow as long as they like. That keeps my vines shorter overall and seems to produce more gourds. Continue reading
Marshmallow and Comfrey
Marshmallows produce their seeds in a wheel or “cheese” and have a tendency to reseed all over the place. I use the root and sometimes the leaves for teas… Continue reading
Favorite Herbal Cold Remedy
What’s mine?
When my gang gets sick I break out the Buck Tea!
I know that doesn’t sound very herbal.
It is, and I’ll share the easy recipe below. It’s really a lemony hot, spicy herb tea.
So why do we call it Buck Tea?
Years ago my older kids gave it that name in order to terrorize their younger siblings.
We raise goats and know very well the gross behaviors that bucks(intact male goats) engage in. Continue reading
Herb Lore
The Herb of Oblivion, or Herb of Forgetfulness.
Rumored to be found in parts of Switzerland, France and other areas in Europe. Continue reading
