Beginning Gardening

Growing Herbs for a First-Aid Kit

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:56:32 +0000

Did you know that many of the drugs that you purchase in the pharmacy have herbs in them? Wouldn’t it be a lot easier and cheaper if you grew your own healing herb plants? I know I’ve saved countless dollars by raising my own little first aid kit in the garden.

Do you have any of these ailments? Try herbs!

For aching joints, try chervil, coriander and thyme. Lavender, marjoram, lovage, peppermint and oregano can be used as an antibacterial.

Do you have bad breath? Anise, mint, parsley and sweet cicely can do you a world of good.

Constipation can be serious. Both dandelion and fennel will assist in getting things going again.

I’m surprised that there are so many herbs that assist with flatulence, including beebalm, caraway, coriander, ginger, lemon balm, lovage, peppermint and summer savory.

There’s nothing more soothing to your frazzled nerves than a nice cup of chamomile tea at the end of the day. Some other herbs that might assist include dill, goldenrod, lavender and lemon balm.

There’s no better cure for a hangover than thyme. It works better than the raw egg/tomato juice concoction people might tell you to down.

Do you have a terrible case of hiccups that won’t go away? Try dill. It will be fabulous, and if you like dill, it can be a tasty cure.

Goldenrod, aloe, summer savory and hens-and-chicks are fantastic for taking the sting out of those insect bites, even mosquito bites.

Tossing and turning all night? A lot of the same herbs that can calm your nerves can help here too, but chamomile and dill are most likely to help you with your insomnia.

If you suffer from seasonal allergies or nasal congestion, sage, horseradish and violet are great options. To clean out your nasal passages fast, use a little horseradish.

Peppermint is great for indigestion and stomachache, but dill, lovage and fennel are also beneficial.

Among all these remedies you might think that herbs are the next snake oil. Don’t believe me? Experiment with it for yourself!

Aloe Vera: I have two different aloe vera herbs that are constantly suffering from me breaking off bits to treat burns (including sunburn) and mosquito bites. Be mindful not to over-water it. It is a succulent and does not need much water or any other special treatment. Just be sure that it gets a lot of light and that its well-drained soil keeps it firmly rooted in the pot or garden bed.
Chamomile: You may already be familiar with chamomile because it is well-known as a healing herb that will help with both mental and physical maladies. Chamomile comes in two kinds (German and true or Roman chamomile), and if you allow them, both of these plants can raise themselves next season in a process called self-sowing.
Horseradish: If you need to clean out your sinuses, just take a sniff of this one. Believe it or not, even though it has a peppery flavor, the horseradish herb is a member of the mustard family. Although the leaves can grow to 2 feet long, it is the root that is essential for the herb gardener.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Herb Garden Kits. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

Creating Your Own Herb Rock Garden

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:37:19 +0000

When I was a kid, I lived out in a rural community and we only had clay sod once you dug about 6 or 12 inches down. When you are planning your garden, you have got to put sunshine and soil quality at the top of the list of things to consider. Without the correct amounts of both sunshine and water, your garden won’t flourish. With the right combination of water, sod and natural light, you can grow just about anything.

Rather than trying to fix the dirt issues, I changed my garden plan and learned about rock gardening, which uses rocks and only a thin layer of nice earth.

If you have got a similar situation, you can grow your own rock garden. Some herbs truly love the rocky craggy sod that you have in areas like this all over the world. If you do not have the rocky soil and want the aesthetic of a rock garden, be sure you’ve got room for roots to grow and also some good drainage.

When planning your herb garden, be sure that you are choosing herbs that can stay compact, because with limited space you do not want anything taking over. Look at your reference books for the right herbs for rock gardens. A good rule of thumb are those that have silver or gray leaves. It is not a hard-and-fast rule, but it should help in making good choices.

Hen-and-Chicks: I cannot imagine cutting open a hen or chick and rubbing it on a wart, but this perennial succulent herb, which is also known as St. Patrick’s cabbage, has a long history of healing them. The leaves of this herb store water for periods of drought. Your hen can get up to 4 inches across pretty fast. Soon small off-shoots, or chicks, will sprout up from the edges of your hen. You will enjoy the reddish-pink blooms that can appear atop a 9 inch spike that shoots straight up from the center of each hen in the summer. The herb will continue to add chicks and grow into a colony of herbs.

Wild Oregano: This perennial from the Mediterranean region will grow energetically up to 30 inches tall with its oval leaves and purple blossoms that come out late in the summer. Although you certainly may eat this variety of oregano, it will not quite be the same as the Greek oregano you are familiar with from Italian meals.

Marjoram: You can cook with marjoram, but you can use it to landscape your rock garden. It’s a perennial that has a delicate scent with oval gray-green leaves and tiny white flowers. For marjoram to retain its shape and form, keep it trimmer back (use the clippings in your Italian meals) so that it will keep growing well—full sun and the good drainage in your rock garden will help too.

Thyme: The shiny, little leaves of the thyme plant are clustered along woody stems that are adorned with numerous white or pink blossoms and grows to a height of up to 12 inches. Thyme grows best when the earth is sandy, well-drained and gets a whole lot of light. You’ll want to keep this herb trimmed back to maintain its shape and to help it remain hearty.

The contrast between the rocks and the herb plants will dazzle the eyes, without losing any of the other sensations, including smell and taste.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Herb Garden Designs. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

Your Balcony Herb Garden

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:55:16 +0000

Does your balcony need a new image? Try potted herbs! Having your herbs in pots makes it a cinch because you can move them around (as you figure out the amount of sun your balcony gets). Their portability also helps for bringing your herb plants indoors at the end of the growing season—you do not want to leave your herbs on the balcony all winter.

Balconies are all about natural light and you will want to go with herbs like morning glories that grow well with a lot of sun. Morning glories are fantastic because they can handle the bright reflection from your windows and also all the heat that a metal balcony can generate. Observe the amount and type of natural light, heat and intensity on your balcony during a regular day. You will also want to know which way your balcony is facing—will you get more morning or afternoon sun?

A good rule of thumb for balcony herbs would include any plant with a thick leaf or a velvety texture as well as any plant that is gray or silver. They will do well because they lose less water in evaporation.

Try a few of these great herbs on your balcony:

Aloe vera: Aloe vera is an easy herb to grow. It doesn’t need much water and it tolerates a lot of sun and heat. It is also very helpful for burns, just clip a small piece off and rub it on the burn. It’s sticky, but you’ll feel better in no time!

Cayenne pepper: If you grill out on your balcony, imagine being able to break off a pieces of cayenne pepper to add to your next meal. This herb should do very well on your balcony and add some color too.

Cucumber: A trailing vine, like a cucumber, will provide an added touch to your balcony. Cucumbers are wonderful for facials, ladies. You can also grab a few cucumbers to slice for your salads, straight from the balcony!

Hens-and-chicks: These are among my very favorite plants. Because they are succulents, they can hold water very well (less watering for you) and they will handle the bright sun and hot temperatures you may have on your balcony. They are adorable to look at too!

Lavender: Because lavender is a fragrant plant, you will be able to breathe in the soothing smell of lavender when you put it on your balcony. It is also a beautiful plant that provides a nice pop of color.

You can select a few nice-sized pots to put on your balcony or use a hanging balcony basket that has an inside layer from a coconut liner. I once made my own balcony basket with chicken wire and moss. It was my first attempt at something like that. That basket was not the best thing since sliced bread, but it was functional. It will work better if you carefully consider the drainage when you are buying your basket or container.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Windowsill Herb Garden. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

Asiatic Lily – Answers To Common Questions About Asiatic Lilys

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:36:23 +0000

Searching for info regarding asiatic lilys? Then you have come to the right place. Here is a listing of the top frequently asked questions about asiatic lilys.

Are Asiatic lilys a good flower to grow?
Asiatic lilys are usually a marvelous flower to raise. As a matter of fact they are actually one of the most common lilys planted in the north. They are a very hardy flower and they survive tremendously in well drained soil.

Is it needed to mulch Asiatic lilys?
It may be best to mulch Asiatic lilys when fall arrives. A person will need to leave this mulch on top of the plants until frost is no longer a danger.

What may be the best way to plant an Asiatic lily?
One would need to plant Asiatic lily bulbs three or 5 at a time with a minimum of eight inches between them. Apply natural compost from a compost pile on the Asiatic lilys. This can offer any nutrients that your plants should have.

How much do Asiatic lily bulbs cost?
Bulbs from Asiatic lilys are not very expensive. It is possible to purchase ideal bulbs from the flowering plant variety for approximately 4 dollars per bulb.

What shades are Asiatic lilys?
A lily comes in a array of colors such as orange, yellow, pink, and even cream.

How much sunlight will an Asiatic lily need to thrive?
It is most appropriate to raise Asiatic lilys in direct sunlight. They need as much as eight hours of sunlight per day.

Are there additional sites that include information on asiatic lilys?
There are not many of sites that are devoted to asiatic lilys. One site that I do suggest for asiatic lily “frequently asked questions”, nonetheless, is http://asiatic-lily.bidandblog.com . It’s a tremendously vigorous, free forum about asiatic lilys where users have almost certainly already posted every possible question that you could have. And the site has realtime asiatic lily auctions and a no cost asiatic lily email alert service. And, there is practically always a user in the forum that will answer virtually any asiatic lily question.

Mulch Alternative? Try Ground Cover

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:31:21 +0000

One of the many problems for a new garden is the glaring space between young plants. Young gardens need time to grow and fill in and in the meanwhile can look pretty barren. Get to work and plant some ground cover! The more the merrier. Use ground cover to help fill in between plants, fountains and garden decor, or around stepping stones.
Before you start planting just anything you need to choose your ground cover based on the light, water, and traffic conditions in your garden. Here are just a few of the many ground cover ideas a gardener in a northern climate garden might want to consider.
If you have a sunny garden you might want to consider planting some sedum. It comes in a variety of color shades and growth habits. Sedum will thrive in hot sun and poor soil. Sedum is used on “green roofs” which are very inhospitable to highlight the kind of conditions it can take: hot, dry and horrible. The hotter the better! It is not a good choice on a path, though, as it can not take being disturbed at great length.
Thyme, the beloved kitchen herb, is another excellent ground cover choice for a sunny garden. Thyme is great for an area that gets some foot traffic because it smells good when you step on it. Give your landscape a cottage garden feel with this herb that also comes in a variety of growth habits and color choices such as creeping thyme, woolly thyme or lemon thyme…there are so many types.
Pachysandra can be a great ground cover for your shady landscape. Pachysandra is a good deep shade ground cover that can handle some partial sun. Pachysandra is nice because it will hide the ugly browning leaves of spring bulbs which you are not supposed to remove. Pachysandra always looks good and is easy to maintain.And it is less invasive than it’s popular nemesis called vinca: vinca is a garden no no because of its rampant invasiveness into woodland areas-so when in doubt choose pachysandra.
If you have a native plant garden and a lot of shade then wild ginger is the ground cover you have been looking for. It has handsome dark green circular leaves and forms a dense matte with little ground hugging flowers that are popular with toads and woodland critters. Plant it around the base of a [bird feeder|recycled glass bird feeder] to hide the cast off seeds. It is rumored that there are some evergreen types in more southern climates.
The right ground cover selection is always going to enhance the look of your garden. They cover up all the unattractive areas in your garden and also improve the health of existing plants by shading their roots. Ground cover can be a unifying element in your garden design for many years to come. Put some [recycled glass gazing globes|gazing balls] in a patch of ground cover for an easy garden decoration idea and just enjoy!

The Growing Herb Industry and the Green Campaign

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:39:01 +0000

Nowadays, green is an in thing. Due to the alarming environmental issues, a lot of careers and industries have been shifting to the green paradigm. The growing herb industry is one of the key players in making the earth greener than it has ever been.

This industry could boast of its immediate and across the board growth. Private homes, associations, large-scale and small-scale farms, virtual communities – all these have jumped in the wagon to grow herbs for assorted reasons.

Private herb growing

Herb gardens now adorn both indoor and outdoor spaces of most homes. A lot of small household have at least six herbs growing in small pots, which are strategically placed in indoor spaces - nearby window and door openings, and outdoor spaces - rooftop and porch areas. Other homes that have wide stretches of lawn and backyard spaces engage into high-maintenance gardening styles – potager or kitchen herb garden which could be classified into different styles, the elaborately patterned knot garden or the rustic freestyle cottage garden.

These home gardens also differ in which herbs are grown. Most have perennials for medicinal purposes. Most have annuals for culinary purposes. Either purpose includes the aesthetic and ornamental value of herb plants.

Green Associations

These associations have participation ranging from holistic medical practitioners, botanical council members, herb growers at home and from commercial producers/farmers, to landscapists. In the USA alone, there are over fifty national associations, and they have satellite offices spread generously among fifty states and sister cities in other countries.

These associations are formed to popularize the use of herbs as integrated in current lifestyles. The growers' association are the most popular ones, which are also trade groups for private and commercial markets. Other associations include conservation of native herbs, scientific research and education about how herbs could be sustained for future uses and proving the medicinal qualities of herbs.

Virtual spaces for herb growing

Technology has paved a way for this cause to become widely held and spread. There are various websites that host a diverse assortment of giving out information about the herb industry.

HerbWorld Online, from the Herb Growing and Marketing Network, is one website that hosts web links focusing on herbs. Its main page called HerbNET gives a selection of twenty three venues dedicated to herbs. They also have their own search engine that will help you narrow down your search when you are researching about herb topics.

This site includes links to herb online magazines; green associations; herb fast facts; herb trading; online shops and links for gardening reference books; herbal and herb gardening products; services like herbal retreats, spas, yoga centers and vegetarian restaurants, among others.

There also other websites offering online blogs for people growing herb garden plants. A lot of virtual communities have established networks which provide quick helpful tips for beginners, reviews of gardening tools, and exchange of any information about herbs. Some of these virtual communities have become actual clubs where herb enthusiast get together and trade secrets on herb growing.

The growing herb industry would not desist as it apparently augments the campaign for improving the earth’s condition and helps human lives to be healthier.

Related Blogs

Technorati Tags: growing herb, herb garden, herb garden plants

Juniper Bonsai Tree – Five Questions Regarding Juniper Bonsai Trees

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:22:00 +0000

If you re contemplating buying a juniper bonsai tree, there are a number of questions that may perhaps come to mind. This article should answer your questions about juniper bonsai trees.

Would a Juniper bonsai prosper inside?
Juniper bonsai trees are open-air kinds of bonsai and will not prosper inside. Ideally, you should place the Juniper bonsai in a location where it can obtain morning sun as well as afternoon shade. Water your Juniper plant on a daily basis and be cautious not to let it dry out. Numerous plant shows feature Juniper bonsais inside, giving the deceptive notion that this is an inside tree, which it is not.

When must I wire the Juniper bonsai tree?
Juniper bonsai trees respond fairly well to being wired in the fall or the start of the winter season. Branches that were newly wired will expand in the path of the wire during the months of winter. You should transfer the pot the Juniper bonsai as soon as spring arrives. This sort of care shall be needed by more youthful Juniper bonsai plants annually. Older Juniper bonsais must have this method completed each three years.

What are the different kinds of Juniper bonsai trees?
Juniper bonsai trees are available in different types. These consist of Green Mounds, Shimpaku, Chinese Junipers, Japanese Garden Junipers and Sargent’s Needle.

What is the Juniper bonsai tree?
A Juniper bonsai tree is also known as a Juniper Procumbens tree. A Juniper bonsai tree is really a classic for bonsai hobbyists. A Juniper tree has a beautiful shape and lush green foliage. You can manipulate the form the branches grow in through wiring. This is a wonderful bonsai tree for novice bonsai tree makers, as Junipers are fairly uncomplicated bonsai trees to develop with proper care and maintenance.

I still have a need for more infomation. Where can I locate other information about juniper bonsai trees?
Web forums on juniper bonsai trees are few and far between. One forum that I do suggest for juniper bonsai tree info, though, is http://juniper-bonsai-tree.bidandblog.com . Bid and blog’s forum is a free of charge website where users make available many answers about juniper bonsai trees. Additionally the site provides live juniper bonsai tree auctions and a no cost juniper bonsai tree email alert service. Additionally, Bid and blog’s forum also has a couple of additional search tools that make locating juniper bonsai trees a breeze.

A Guide to Growing Roses From Cuttings

admin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:20:00 +0000

If you’re hoping to learn how to grow roses without too much investment or commitment right at the beginning, then you might have a friend who can help you use a different method. If you start your flower gardening more slowly, beginning with just a few cuttings, you may get a more gradual, less time and money intensive picture of your abilities before you go wholeheartedly into the endeavor. It’s worth a try to discover whether or not you can succeed.

It’s best not even to try this with hybrid tea roses or those you get from florists. Floribunda roses grow well from cuttings, as do miniatures, but others don’t have as much success. People with a lot of experience, such as experts in how to grow roses, might manage growing even hybrid teas using cuttings, but someone who’s just starting out and doesn’t know all the ins and outs of rose growing is unlikely to have the same success. Better at least to begin with a type of rose that everyone agrees can be started with a cutting.

You ought to do rose pruning in the first part of spring, taking a few six-inch stems (or three inch stems for miniatures). Cut them on a slight diagonal, in the morning before the stresses of the day.

At one time, folks knew how to grow roses with cuttings safeguarded by Mason jars, and the procedure still does the trick. So as soon as you have your cuttings, take off the lower foliage, with only several at the top, and dunk the stems into a rooting powder. Then position them either into your garden soil or into containers of potting soil. At this point, place a Mason jar over each stem and water occasionally during the next few weeks.

In milder climates, you may be able to grow rose bushes from these cuttings just by putting them in your garden soil during the summer and forgetting about the Mason jar. On the other hand, in cooler regions, you might start them in containers indoors with a heating pad beneath them to help stimulate the roots. There are some general tips for how to grow roses from cuttings, but these need to be adapted to your particular situation. If you can induce your cuttings to root and start growing, then it might be a good, gradual way to start your rose growing hobby.

Rose gardening can definitely be challenging to those that are not blessed with a green thumb. But growing roses isn’t impossible if you have the right tools and choose the right type of roses for their environment.

Related Blogs

Technorati Tags: Growing Roses, rose gardening

Orchids Are Among The Best Indoor Plant For Color.

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:49:00 +0000

Orchids are some of the best and beautiful indoor plants for color. There are shades of orchids unmatched in the man-made world. Colors only Mother Nature can mix on her pallet. Orchids at one time were very rare and difficult flowers for people to grow and purchase, however cross breeding and hybridization has made many orchid species hardier and very stunning. Some of the easiest and most popular commercialized orchids are Phalaenopsis or the moth orchid, Paphiopedilum or the slipper orchid, Dendrobium or literally translated means tree life orchid, and lastly Oncidium or literally translated it means swelling . All of these orchids offer so much in shape and size but especially the plants are some of the best indoor plants for color.

There are so many species under each genus of orchid it makes thousands of different flowers and the more hybridization that goes on the more diverse the colors and patterns get.There are very few indoor plants like orchids which are near to the richness, diversity and sensuality. To best put it the color of this indoor plant is magnificent.

Give Special Care To Get Best Indoor Plant For Color

Orchids hail from unique destinations and hybrid plants although hardier than their original parents need some special care.Gardening of orchid depends on temperature and humidity. They enjoy early morning or late midday sun and do enjoy some 14-14-14 fertilizer of the slow release variety. Some variations of the many species of orchid have particular needs but the above description is typical of the four above genus of orchid especially the very popular moth orchid.
Speckled, Spotted, Or Striped?

Hybrid orchids are very unique and offer up many different variations. There are lavenders, crimsons, white, yellows, oranges, browns, speckled, striped, spotted, and the blooms can be two inches and as big as five inches in diameter. With such a pedigree one can see how the orchid is the best plant for indoor color and decoration when asking enthusiasts.Difficult cultivation and challenging nature has made the plantation of orchid very challenging for gardening enthusiasts. The reward of such overwhelming beauty and color by your nurturing hand is something only an orchid grower can testify to.

The indoor brilliance and color of this plant ranked it among the best by far for many years and made it a popular flower amongst powerful and wealthy people. Expeditions were sent just to search for rare unsought orchid s at one time in history, a search for the best indoor plant, so to speak. At one time to own an orchid was a status and to maintain it in your home was a testament to your skill as a gardener. Now you too can own a piece of nature s beauty.

Theme Herb Gardening for Your Kitchen

admin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 06:03:22 +0000

I collect cookbooks and like to experiment with interesting meals from other culture like a Mexican mole. How about you? Like me, you raise many of the ingredients if you begin your own themed kitchen herb garden.

You can cultivate the major herb plants in your own garden and have the freshest ingredients to add to your recipes, or experiment on your own.

You do not have to have a special place for your themed kitchen herb garden. You can raise them in containers or in your usual garden bed.

Look no further than these recommendations for your own themed kitchen herb garden:

Asian: From Thai and Vietnamese to Indian and Chinese, Asian cuisine has a lot of tastes and spices to choose from. Some wonderful herbs to grow in your Asian-themed garden are lemongrass, cayenne pepper, cardamom and anise. Try the licorice taste of anise in your next Indian meal, or try its warm sweetness in your baked goods. You can also use it in tea and in baking a savory-sweet cookie. Although it used to be pretty popular in American cooking, it kind of died out, but in the last few years has been growing in popularity in the kitchen.

Mexican: Not a week goes by when I do not chow down on a Mexican meal. I love to eat my favorite Mexican meals, such as burritos, fajitas or quesadillas at least once a week. The best Mexican recipes usually include these: Cayenne pepper, Cilantro and Garlic.

Italian: Just about everybody I know has their favorite Italian dish. Mine is baked ziti with grilled herbed chicken. Among the best herb plants to try in your Italian meals are basil, fennel, parsley, garlic, marjoram, oregano, rosemary and thyme. You can add garlic to all your favorite Italian dinners and savor the oniony flavor! You can add garlic to your mashed potatoes and even roast it with some olive oil to eat it by itself. Be warned, the longer you cook it, the milder the flavor becomes so don’t overcook it!

Middle East: If you have not tried any of the exciting and flavorful foods from the Middle East and Northern Africa, you are missing some fabulous dishes. The flavors are so varied and the recipe items are so out of the norm for most of what I usually have in my recipes, such as chick peas, figs and couscous. Try these herbs to spice up your Middle Eastern dinners: cardamom, garlic, parsley, rosemary and saffron.

German: You can have your own Oktoberfest any time you like if you have got all the right German herbs. These are a few of the best and most often used in authentic German dishes: chives, dill, horseradish, sage and thyme. As a relative of mustard, horseradish is a condiment herb that you can use for extra taste. It can also clear up your sinuses! Use horseradish to add an extra twang to beef, fish, cream cheese spreads, potato salad, mayonnaise and meat loaf.

One of the wonderful things about herb gardening it that herbs are a gift that keeps on giving. Once you lop off some lemongrass for your pad Thai, it will grow back. Oftentimes it will grow back bigger and fuller than it was before.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Fresh Herb Gardening. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

Technorati Tags: fresh herb gardening, gardening, growing theme kitchen herb garden, Herbs, kitchen, themed gardens