If you have been following this blog, please note we have moved our blog to a more public location. You can access our almost daily postings at www.backyardpatch.blogspot.com Wednesday we post the herb of the week, every other Tuesday we post a HOW TO, and in between we share recipes, growing tips and ideas. Check it out!
I love herbs and cooking with herbs.I can spend hours in the herb room blending and mixing to create just the right flavor combination. Cooking with herbs is not the difficult or dangerous activity many people believe it is, in fact using them everyday is as easy and having a properly filled cabinet. Through the years I have made and marketed more than 100 different herbal blends and I am always looking for a new way to promote the use of herbs in everyday cooking.
Sunday will be National More Herbs, Less Salt Day. In honor of this special day here are a few herbal salt substitutes you can create to use on this auspicious day!
The good news is, using less salt helps with cholesterol and blood pressure lowering as well as reducing water retention and can in many ways improve your skin. So why not try these flavor-filled treats and help yourself at the same time. Tomorrow I will give you a few recipes to go with these blends.
Oniony Salt Substitute
(Onion gives you the taste you are looking for without the salt so you can fool your taste buds)
I am always amazed at the new things I learn while stumbling through my regular day.I subscribe to a couple of internet groups and visit a number of herb related blogs and today I saw Peaches listed two different places as an herb.I thought that was odd so I investigated this is what I discovered:
Peach is indeed an herb, mostly because if you use it for medicinal purposes you are using the leaves and bark.It is actually quite good for you and the bark and leaves of a peach tree can be a great addition to your natural first-aid kit.
On one website that lists references back to some of the original 16th century herbals I located this:“Culpepper informs us that a powder of the leaves 'strewed on fresh bleeding wounds stayeth their bleeding and closeth them.' “
Medicinal uses from various sources:
The leaves, bark, flowers and kernels have medicinal virtue. Both the leaves and bark are still employed for their curative powers. They have demulcent, sedative, diuretic and expectorant action. An infusion of 1/2 OZ. of the bark or 1 OZ. of the dried leaves... [More]
I love home-made bread and our farmers market features two different bread vendors so I can get my fill.However, I also like to make bread at home, but I don’t always have the time (and this time of year who wants to turn on the oven), so I found a quick solution.I use my Crockpot.This is an unusual way to make bread, but it is so easy and you can use any combination of herbs to craft if.
MATERIALS:
1 Tbls. Yeast
¼ cup warm water
½ cup warm milk
1/3 cup quick-cook oats
1 ½ Tbls. olive oil
1 ½ Tbls. honey
1 egg
1/8 cup wheat germ
2 tsp fresh minced rosemary (or 1 tsp dried) - you can substitute savory if you grow it!
2 tsp fresh minced thyme (or 1 tsp dried) – try lemon thyme if you have it!
2 tsp fresh dill or parsley (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp salt
2 cups wheat flour, plus up to 1/3 cup more
STEPS:
1.Turn your Crockpot to high.Place a riser in the bottom.Two canning jar rims or crumbled aluminum foil will do. Add...
These recipes are quick and fun and can make a light supper or great appetizer for summer entertaining.
Sage Cheese Spread
1 cup dry cottage cheese
1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated and at room temperature
4 tsp. chopped fresh sage (or 2 tsp. dry)
1 tsp. prepared mustard
Mix all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.Store in crock in refrigerator at least 24 hours before using.You can place this in small crocks and give as a favor to guests to take home as well.
Dilly Shrimp Dip
8 oz. cleaned and chopped shrimp
8 oz. cream cheese
2 T. sour cream
1 Tbls. catsup, mayonnaise and mustard
2 dashes garlic powder & Worcestershire
1 cup celery, chopped fine
1 Tbls onion, chopped fine
1/2 tsp. dill
1 Tbls parsley (or you can substitute 1 1/2 Tbls Marcy's Dill Dip Herb Mix)
1/2 tsp. horseradish
Whirl everything in blender until smooth and creamy.Chill before serving.
This time of year I make many of my recipes with fresh herbs because they are so abundantly available. These two recipes are quick and easy and give you a chance to use what is in season. Even if you don't have an herb garden all of these herbs can be easily gotten at the market.
Herbed Cheese Spread 2 tablespoons fresh thyme - chopped fine 2 tablespoons fresh sweet marjoram - chopped fine 4 tablespoons green onions - sliced fine 8 ounce package cream cheese at room temperature In a small bowl add the herbs, green onions and cream cheese. Mix together until well blended. Cover the top of the bowl with aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve this delicious spread with an assortment of crackers and breadsticks.
Chive Dip
This dip is a wonderful accompaniment to fresh raw vegetables such as carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower and radishes. 1 cup plain yogurt 1 cup sour cream 1/4 cup fresh chives or garlic chives - snipped with scissors 1 tablespoon fresh sage - minced 2 cloves garlic - minced 1 ½ teaspoons garlic salt In a medium sized mixing bowl mix add all ingredients and...
I know it is summer, but we have had some really active weather lately.Between the wind, the rain and the heat, we are getting a compressed version of a whole season in a few days.All of the rain has helped the lawns and gardens grow, but has definitely been too much for some containers and other plantings.If your plants are looking a little tired, this is a great time to give them some fertilizer.Every time a plant gets watered, the soil gets rinsed or leached of valuable nutrients for your plants, so go ahead and help them out.Any type of water soluble fertilizer will do the trick.Just follow the directions and don't add more than recommended. Look for one that has 3 equal numbers, like a 10-10-10 or 15-15-15 or even a 20-20-20 formulation or something close to it.Your pots will thank you by greening up and blooming better for you.
As some readers may know, I work full-time in addition to running my herb business. I grow my herbs on a back acre of a commercial property, so it is not just a quick walk out my back door to pluck or weed herbs. As a result I have carefully prepared the soil in my 3/4 acre herb garden so that weeding is a task, not a chore. I maintain this unattended garden by mulching. Since I cannot water this garden with anything other than mother nature's rain, I also use the mulch to hold moisture.
For me mulching is part of the annual ritual, but when I started I spent a couple years augmenting the soil by tilling in compost and sand. I worked these down into the soil before any planting was done, and did so even around the perennials afterward. This created a very loamy and soft soil, so pulling the weeds that sprout is not difficult. Just doing this cuts weeding time by half. If you don't have to struggle to get the weeds out, you can linger over the plants instead.
You should mulch your garden even if it is right outside your back door because mulching...[More]
I found out after the fact that in England there is a week (actually 10 days) called Pickle Week. Among the many things I found searching the website about National Pickle Week was this recipe. I liked it because you make the dishes and the salad. Besides who does not love a salad on a long hot day! Try this one!
Dilly Black Bean Cabbage Salad in Tortilla Baskets
This cabbage salad will stand out from all the others at a potluck picnic. For the baskets: 1 (10-count) package yellow or white corn tortillas ¼ cup olive oil ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika ¼ teaspoon dried dill leaves ¨û teaspoon garlic powder 3 to 4 cups thinly sliced cabbage 1 large carrot, coarsely grated ½ cup thinly sliced red onion 3 Zingers spears, cut into matchsticks 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained ½ cup sour cream ¼ cup pickle juice from jar of Zingers 1 tablespoon sugar ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantroTo make the Tortilla Baskets, warm the tortillas in the microwave for 20 seconds to soften. Use kitchen scissors to cut each tortilla from outer edge just to...[More]
I just learned that May is Salad Month. Salads are popular food when the seasons get warmer. My husband made macaroni salad just yesterday to go with grilled burgers, while I made my dressed up Italian dressing to go on greens.
Here is that recipe that is made with Backyard Patch Italian Dressing & Marinade:
2 small cloves garlic
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp dry mustard
1Tbls onions grated
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 cup balsalmic vinegar
2 Tbls lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil (evoo)
1/2 cup sun flower or canola oil
2Tbls BYP Italian Dressing Mix
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp parmesan cheese
Directions:
Whisk garkic, sugar, mustard, onion, vinegars and lemon juice in a medium bowl.
Whisk together oil; add to vinegar in a streamm whisking to emulsify.
Whisk in herbsm celery seed, and cheese.
Refrigerate an hour before serving, keeps up to a week.
One of my favorite dressings (no I do not make a mix for this) is Green Goddess Dressing. Jim Long in his book The Best Dressed Salad, included this version along with 174 other dressings.
I’ve done blog entries on cleaning with herbs before, but I wanted to do one more with a few very simple recipes you can try easily at home with or without herbs.If you have respiratory issues or skin irritations and inflammations regularly you might want to look into changing to all-natural cleaners.The harsh substances and chemical scents in commercial cleaning agents can bother many people especially children.
Try these easy home-made naturals instead:
Window Cleaner – I have been using herbal vinegar for years to clean my windows and bath.You can make your own window cleaner by filling a 1 quart spray bottle half with water and half with white vinegar.You can use herbal vinegar if you have it.I like to use up the vinegar from last season and make a lemon window cleaner.
All-purpose Cleaner – Good on doors, refrigerators, counter tops and light switch covers.To a 1 quart spray bottle add 2 Tbls. Borax and fill with water.To the top add 1 tsp. castile soap and 15 to 20 drops of essential oil if you enjoy scented cleaners. (Purchase Borax in the grocery store,...
My husband loves herbs.He has to living with me, but he also likes body scents for himself that are not generally sweet and flowery.Many times I have created scents for him using my favorite herbs.I had to give up because what I think is wonderful he thinks is just --okay.Or maybe it reminds him of me and not himself.
I started to pay attention to scents in the body wash he would pick up at the store or the incense he would sniff while shopping for essential oils with me.My husband loves sandalwood.He will walk into an herb or scent shop and gravitate right to it.We have package after package of sandalwood incense, since that is the most common way to find that scent.With that in mind I started to try other similarly strong robust scents that I placed in a potpourri mix I put in his bathroom.I would change it once in a while and wait for a comment.Here are the results:
Lavender is okay for guys, but you need to blend it with other more masculin-rich scents like...
Cultivation of Tri-color Sage Site: All sage plants like full sun with a light, dry, alkaline, well drained soil.
Propagation: Garden sage can be easily started from seed. All forms take easily from cuttings, rooting time is about four weeks in summer, I recommend using a cutting from a plant you like the look of for this variety.
Growing: Plant 18 to 24 inches apart. Prune frequently to attain bushy plants. If leaves begin to yellow, roots need more space. Sage can be grown indoors if you have enough sun. Lightly prune plant back after flowering in June. Tri-color is not allways hardy above zone 6, so depending on protective snow cover you may need to treat it as an annual.
Harvesting: During the growing season, singular leaves can be picked straight from the plant after it has reached 5 to 6 inches. Branches can be cut after it is 8 to 10 inches tall.
Culinary Uses: Sage has a very strong flavor. Its main role is to accompany onions in the traditional stuffing for poultry. It is also a wonderful accompaniment to veal and pork and goes well with sausage, kebabs and some bean and tomato dishes. Be...
Site: This Basil, just like sweet basil needs a sunny location which receives at least 6-8 hours of bright light per day and moist but well drained soil conditions. Protect from heavy wind, frost and scorching. It does not do well with blaring midday sun.
Propagation: Sow seeds thinly in a warm location in pots or directly in the soil after danger of frost has passed. Sow evenly, covering with 1/4" of soil and keep moist and free of weeds. Germination will occur within 5 - 8 days. Once seedlings have developed, they can be thinned or transplanted to stand 6" - 12" apart. Seeds can also be sown indoors 6 - 8 weeks before planting outside. Avoid over watering seedlings.
Growing: Depending on the amount of regular rainfall, water deeply once every 7 - 10 days to insure the roots are receiving adequate moisture. Always watering at midday not in the evening. In hot weather, syringe leaves. As a smaller basil, this grows well potted in containers. Plants grown in containers will dry out faster than those in garden beds and therefore will have to be watered more frequently. Choose container with holes in the...
Site: Epazote is not fussy about soil, but wants full sun and good drainage. As with most herbs, a less-than-rich soil produces the best and most concentrated flavor in the leaves. It can grow fairly large, up to 2 to 3 feet tall, so give it a good-size pot.
Propagation: Sow a few seeds in the pot, and after emergence thin to the best plant. Germination rates are usually very good, and seedlings should appear within a few days of sowing the seed.
Growing: Epazote self-seeds readily and is considered highly invasive. You might want to consider growing it in a pot outdoors. It is usually described as an annual, but apparently can be perennial given warm winter temperatures so take care of your plant and it might last you some years.
Harvesting: To harvest, cut the center stem first, to encourage bushing. Prune the plant frequently to prevent flowering and assure a continuing supply of leaf, but don't harvest more than half the plant at a time. And, as with most herbs, don't fertilize it, lest you weaken the flavor.
Culinary Uses: Epazote is an unusual herb that is essential for any chef serious about authentic Mexican...[More]
Site: Grow Calendula in a fine loam in a sunny area. Calendula like rich, well drained soil, but are very tolerant of average to slightly poor soils. Improving your soil quality will produce much healthier plants and flowers, so add plenty of compost. Add a general purpose fertilizer once a month.
Propagation: Calendula are grown from seeds. Sow seeds early in the season and cover lightly with 1/4" of garden soil. They germinate easily and will grow quickly, producing their first of a continual display of blooms by mid-summer.
Select a location in your garden where they can grow undisturbed for years and years, as these flowers will drop their seeds and reseed your flowerbed each year. Space plants 15" apart. Growing: Once your Calendula is established, it should grow well, even if left unattended. Water during dry periods, once or twice per week. Add mulch around the plants to keep weeds down.
Early in the summer, the plants will begin to produce large flowers on long stems and will continue to produce flowers even after the first light frost.
Calendula is a somewhat hardy. It will not be harmed by a light frost either...
Site:Full sun, heat, and fertile, well-drained soil are all the plant requires. Average moisture is just fine.
Propogation:Although a trifle difficult to find commercially (one nursery source is G.S. Grimes Seeds; 800-241-7333), Mexican oregano couldn't be easier to cultivate. Propagation is also so easy from ripe tip cuttings.
Growing:Hardy in USDA Zones 10 and 11. Gardeners in Zone 9 might risk it outside all year, but heavy, cool, wet winter soils will be its demise. Farther north, try Mexican oregano as a container specimen outdoors in warm weather and overwintered indoors in a greenhouse or south-facing windowsill. Indoors it will relish the same conditions as bay or rosemary—cool temperatures and fresh, circulating air. Watch for spider mites, whiteflies, and mealy bugs.
Harvesting:Though not a true oregano, Mexican oregano is native to Mexico, as well as Guatemala and parts of South America. A somewhat ungainly shrub, it grows up to five feet tall and wide under ideal condition. Its brittle branches are very narrow, stiffly arching, and arranged in a seemingly haphazard manner. Its dark green, highly fragrant, corrugated foliage is minuscule—about 1/3-inch long by...[More]
Every year I scour the catalogs and websites of my favorite nurseries looking for something new to experiment with for a season.Sometimes it is an herb that dopes not grow well in Illinois and I need to prove that to myself.Other times it is one I have heard about but never grown.Sometimes it is a cultivar of a plant I love so I want to see what someone else has crafted into a new plant.When the Herb Companion magazine came up with a list of five plants to try in 2010, it got me thinking of my own list of plants to recommend.So here are 5 plants to try out in your garden this year.In the next 5 days I will give information of growing cultivating, harvesting, and using these same five plants.
Mexican oregano(Lippia graveolens) -While not actually a member of the oregano family it still possesses the requisite essential oils that provide oregano's heady, easily recognizable fragrance and piquant flavor. Mexican oregano has a sweetness and intensity that many gourmets prefer to the flavor of the true European or Mediterranean...
I’ve completed the main categories for Winter Interest, but in my research I also found a few other items of interest that can be placed in an herb garden to create Winter Interest, so I am including them here at the end of the series to round out the information I have provided.Winter interest is a concept employed by some gardeners in cold climates who still want to have something of interest in their garden when it goes dormant and when it’s covered in snow. Most often, winter interest is achieved by using architectural plants and elements that will remain standing all winter. Sometimes it is the outline of the form of the plant, such as a leafless dwarf weeping maple that provides interest. Evergreens are popular, not just because they remain green, but also because they look attractive holding onto snow. A few perennials, such as sedum and the stiffer ornamental grasses, also remain attractive throughout the winter season. In areas where snow cover is substantial, the outline of paths and structures like arbors and benches are the only means of defining the winter garden space.One plant largely left out of my series was grass. ... [More]
EVERGREEN Plant listsBroadleaf evergreen shrubs provide color year round, making winter interest in the garden easy. The following evergreen shrubs are all broadleaf shrubs with foliage in shades of green.
Mountain Laurel ‘Freckles’ (Kalmia latifolia ‘Freckles’) – A native evergreen shrub, the mountain laurel prefers acidic soil with good drainage and part shade to full shade. The mountain laurel is a broadleaf evergreen shrub and ‘Freckles’ has white flowers with maroon specks on the petals that truly look like freckles. ‘Freckles’ is a compact evergreen shrub growing only 3-6’ tall.
Green Gem Hardy Boxwood (Buxus ‘Green Gem’) – One of the hardiest broadleaf evergreen shrubs, the ‘Green Gem’ boxwood is hardy to zone 3b with protection or zone 4 unprotected. A fragrant shrub, this boxwood is a compact 2’x2’ and keeps its rounded shape with little to no pruning. Glossy evergreen leaves and inconspicuous but fragrant white blooms are added features of this broadleaf shrub. Protect the shrub from drying winter winds.Evergreen shrubs add color to the garden year round and can become the planning foundation for an entire garden design. The best thing about these plants is they provide stunning color accents because...[More]
In the winter, more than any other season, the basic structure and outline of garden and plants takes on a greater importance. The rest of the year poor silhouettes can be hidden with masses of color and blooms, but in winter, with so little activity in the garden they become more noticeable.
Pleasing or interesting silhouetted plants include:
Weeping Trees and Shrubs
Unusual Branch Patterns
Pyramidal/Upright Growth Habit
Rounded/Horizontal Growth Habit
Adding Weight Generally speaking, evergreens and deciduous trees with stout, heavy limbs add weight to a garden space. Contrast that with thinner branched, deciduous trees whose structure and silhouettes are more delicate and light. Try to maintain a pleasing balance in the garden by taking these tendencies into consideration. If you planted one small deciduous tree in front of a mass of large evergreens it might end up looking pathetic and sickly in the winter. On the other hand, a group of them together could create a pleasing interlacing of delicate branches that compliment each other.
Focal Points Be aware of the surrounding sky line when it comes to focal point silhouettes. Some plants, such as a beautiful weeping tree, or the twisted branches of the ‘Harry...[More]
When the leaves fall in autumn, some shrubs and trees reveal what might be their most ornamental and beautiful element; their bark. So easily overlooked when first selecting a tree or shrub for your garden design, this is an important aspect to consider when looking at a year-round garden. After all, with fewer flowers to distract, every element in a winter garden is on display.
Texture: Some bark is lovely because of its unique texture like the Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) which is a large stately shade tree growing 60-75' tall and 50-60' wide. It is hardy in zones 4-8 and the bark ages to a dark gray-brown that contrasts nicely with the snow and adds texture with its long, deep furrows and ridges. Bright golden leaves in the fall make this a lovely addition to the landscape.
The Heritage Birch Tree (Betula bigra 'Heritage') is hardy in zones 3b-9 and grows 40-60' tall and 40-60' wide. The texture of its bark is unique with the beautiful silvery outer bark peeling back in large patches to reveal a creamy tan inner bark. It is also another tree with brilliant fall foliage.
Berries are a great addition to your winter landscape.Yesterday I gave you a list of plants with red, blue and black berries to prove that there is more than red on the winter landscape.Today are a few examples of Berries of white and yellow. At the end I also included plants with cones even though that would go more to texture which is my next topic.
WHITE BERRIES
One of the most well-known berry producing plants gets its common name from the stunning white berries that adorn it fall and winter each year; the Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus). It grows 3 to 5 ft. tall and is hardy to Zone 3. The Common Snowberry tolerates shade or sun equally well and is tough enough to handle most soil conditions as well.
Newer cultivars show a nice range of berries like the blush pink hues in the Charming Fantasy Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus 'Kolcharm') and the green "nipples" (the small tag left on the berry from where the flower was) on the berries of Bright Fantasy Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus 'Bokrabright') making for nice specimens in any planting. Very hardy, this...
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Berries are a great addition to your winter landscape.And beyond the expected red berries of winter, there are other colors you can have as well, even in the colder climats of the Midwest.I have provided Red, Blue and Black today and will continue with other color tomorrow.
RED BERRIES
Fendler's Barbery ( Berberis fendleri) is plant with beautiful sprays of red berries. In this picture you can clearly see the dangling berries that add so much interest to a winter garden. The spreading branches are lovely in their own right and all along each stem are delicate strings of red berries. Like all Barberry, this cultivar has spreading, thorny branches, dangling stems of blooms in the spring that create a showery effect in the garden, and of course, the edible red berries in the late fall and winter. Hardy in Zones 4-8 Barberry prefers part shade and loamy soil.
The Spindle Tree (Euonymus europaeus) is a pretty shrub or small tree with dangling clusters of reddish-pink, lobed fruits. The berries are poisonous so if you have children be aware of that, however the display is spectacular. A native in the UK it...
Just picture one of the classic winter icons, the holly (Ilex spp.), with its bright red berries set against deep green leaves and you will realize why berries are a perfect addition to a winter landscape.Using berry producing plants in a year-round landscape goes beyond a simple holly plant however.
Some tips for keeping your berries longer through the winter and avoiding giving them up for the birds to enjoy are simple. First plant your berry accented plants in a busier area of the garden where birds are unlikely to linger for a meal; near the entrance way, a path where people walk often or by the mailbox for example. Another thing to consider is that most birds are naturally attracted to red berries first so planting cultivars with white, yellow or orange berries may help you keep the berries from turning into snacks.
Another thing to be aware of to get the best berry production, is that some plants will need a male and female plant. Evergreen hollies and Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) need a male plant nearby for pollination and berry production. Native Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) is another species...[More]
Is your winter garden dull and dreary? Or full of beauty and interest no matter what time of the year? Want to learn to increase the winter beauty in your landscape?Beauty in the winter landscape can be found in:
Winter Blooms -- Yes, flowers in the winter are possible.
Seeds & Seedpods -- Beautiful snow catching, and eye catching additions to the winter garden.
Berries -- Sometimes seeds are in the form of brilliant berry clusters.
Shapes & Silhouettes -- Even without leaves plants can be beautiful or unique.
Barks -- From subdued to fiery, there are plenty of choices.
Evergreens -- The classic staple of the four-season garden.
I have to admit that for me, thinking of my garden from a year-round perspective took a bit of time to learn. Even though I am not one to buy plants that are blooming and I like perennials which have staggered bloom times, I still had a habit of planting what would look good at the height of the season, say June and July, leaving me with nothing but a bed mounding with shrub-like herbs, no flowers and an snarl of plants by August and September.Learning to pre-plan... [More]
Besides watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas while putting up my tree, or reciting ALL the words to Its' a Wonderful Life over the telephone with my sister. I love entertaining. I have had midnight Christmas Eve receptions at my home so we could visit the farm animals (to see if they speak at midnight) or simple breakfast gatherings on the day after Christmas with my close friends.
But no matter what I do I love to serve some food. Nothing fussy or fancy because I want to enjoy the time with friends, but definite seasonal and special.Over the years I have packaged up some of the best and most enjoyable and now I make them available to customers of the Backyard Patch. Here are just a few of my suggestions to use in your home this holiday:
Wassail Blend -- I crafted this for my Sister-in-Law as a wedding favor but the smells and flavors it imparts to Apple Cider still remind me of Christmas.
Dill Dip -- I am a big vegetable snacker. This dip is so fresh tasting and flavorful that I can make it with no-fat sour cream and light mayonnaise and kept at...
With the help of several herb freinds of mine and some programs I have done int he past I created this list of things you can do to add the aroma and fun of herbs to your holiday! Enjoy
1. Since much of the holidays are spent indoors, it makes sense to use essential oils to diffuse in the air. Not only can your home smell of wonderful aromas such as cinnamon, clove, sweet orange, fir, or even exotic frankincense, you’ll be protecting your family and guests by inhibiting airborne germs that cause many wintertime illnesses. Take it one step further—wipe down countertops with your favorite fragrance and mix.
2. When it’s time for you to open your house to your holiday guests, don’t forget to throw a log or two in the fire. A few drops of an essential oil, such as sandalwood, on each log will impart a lovely atmosphere for guests.
3. Fragrant Sachet Ornaments – cut felt, linen, hemp, or even wrinkled paper ribbon into fun shapes, fill with Rose Petals, Lavender Flowers, Peppermint Leaf, Cinnamon Bark, or Cloves, and sew closed to make fun and fragrant ornaments. If you use paper ribbon you can glue...
Once you cut your herbs you must decide if you are going to dry them or preserve them. Drying changes and intensifies the flavor. Preserving allows you to hold onto the fresh herb flavor in some fashion.
There are three basic preservation methods:
Herbal Vinegar – Using fresh air-dried herbs you place them in a glass (non-reactive) container. I use glass corn syrup jars with plastic lids.Cover the herbs with plain white vinegar or white wine vinegar. Bruise the herbs with a spoon or other implement.Then you can use one of two methods:
·Cold infusion – you allow the herbs to simply rest in a cool dark place for at least 4 to 6 weeks before straining and using the vinegar.
·Warm infusion – you microwave the container with herbs and vinegar for 2 minutes then cap and place in a cool dark place. This will only need 2 weeks before it can be strained and used.
Once the herbs have infused the vinegar with their flavor you want to strain and rebottle the vinegar for use. You can keep it in any...
I have used four different methods to dry the harvest from my garden.All are easy and I have listed them in order of energy and attention needed.Those that need the most attention are listed last.
Before you begin:
Always pick herbs just before the plant flowers to insure the strongest flavor.
Cut only healthy herbs.Don’t worry about a few dead or damaged leaves; just pluck them off before the drying process.
You can cut quite a bit from the herb plant (more than you expect). For perennials you can cut up to half their height in the fall, but as much as 2/3 to 3/4 the height in the summer season. With annuals you can cut as much as you want.
Ways to dry:
Hang Drying – this is ideal for any long-stemmed herbs, tarragon, lavender, sage, rosemary, mints, lemon balm, etc.
Take stems and bundle together, tying them or holding them with a rubber band.Depending on the size of the stem 10 to 12 stems is a good size bundle.Choose a hanging location that has good...
This time of year I get asked numerous questions about what to do with herbs in the garden as the seasons move toward winter. There are several ways to preserve your herbs which I will discuss in the next couple of days. First I want to mention how to harvest.
There are several rules you should try to follow:
Always pick herbs just before the plant flowers to insure the strongest flavor.
Cut herbs in the morning if possible just adter the dew has lifted. The flavor will be the strongest.
Cut only healthy herbs. I mean wilting, withering, etc. Don’t worry about a few dead or damaged leaves; just pluck them off before the drying process.
You can cut quite a bit from the herb plant (more than you expect). For perennials you can cut up to half their height in the fall, but as much as 2/3 to 3/4 during the main growing season. For annuals you can cut as much as you want, they are going to die at the first front anyway.
When harvesting you want to cut with nice sharp, clean utensils. Use scirrors (even regular scissors work fine) or a sharp...
The next newsletter will contain a long article on cleaning your home with herbs but if you are gearing up for that I thought you might enjoy three of the general recipes I will be including in that article.
These three recipes can clean almost anything and are easy to create from scratch with materials avaialalbe in most store. Keep an eye out for our news newsletter for the full article.
CLEANING SOLUTION
For cleaning bathroom fixtures, kitchen counters, lightly soiled walls, appliances, and painted woodwork you want to work with a solution that is slightly warm. Making a tea (technically a tincture) by steeping 1 cup of herbs in 4 cups of boiling water for 15 minutes, then straining and adding to it Borax or baking soda and you can sponge clean your way around the kitchen and bathroom.
Herbs that work best here are Lavender (scent); rosemary & thyme (germ fighting); sage (fungicide); and lemon verbena (scent and grease cutting). You can use a single herb or a combination of as many as you like. Dip your sponge into the warm liquid and wipe on, then rinse lightly. This is gentle enough to use on glassware and...
Herbal Tea is the whole reason I began growing herbs back in the late 1980s. At that time herbal tea was not available in stores and if you wanted Green tea you had to go to an oriental restaurant. I was tired of single herb teas like chamomile and peppermint, so I began to grow my own herbs for tea.
Culinary herbs like rosemary, sage, lavender, thyme and lemon balm not only liven up a garden though scent and texture they can also add amazing flavor to herbal tea. Herb teas are refreshing and especially good in the summer months as ice tea. In addition to herbs you can add rose hips, leaves of fruit bushes, like raspberry, blackberry, strawberry and blueberry for a tasty treat. Flower petals, like hibiscus, add a tangy zip.
The other nice aspect of tea herbs is they have a variety of colors and textures and especially scents that lend themselves to any garden situation. Tea herbs work well in a mixed border or bed and if your space is limited you can grow most in pots and other containers.
Now for a theme bed of their own, tea herbs are...
My favorite culinary herbs -- Greek oregano, thyme, dwarf lavender, winter savory, common sage, tarragon, and exotic mints -- have as many uses in the garden as they have in the kitchen. These are mounding plants that have gree or gray-green foliage and grow between 6 inches and 2 feet tall. All of them fit nicely among annual flowers, perennials, vegetables and even evergreens.
Here are some attractive mates to these and other herbs:
Annuals: alyssum, dwarf nasturtiums, calendulas, zinnias, and marigolds.
Perennials: coreopsis, purple coneflowers, and all sorts of dianthus, geraniums, and yarrow.
Vegetables: peppers, eggplants, and bulbing fennel.
Evergreens: low shrubs, such as germander, and dwarf forms of boxwood, myrtle, and barberry.
Maybe you don't want an entire herb garden but the flavor and look of herbs appeals to you.... Then here are some tips you can use for incorporating herbs into a floral landscape.
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Mounding Habit
Herbs with small green-to-gray-green leaves and a mounding habit-namely, Greek oregano, sweet marjoram, French thyme, creeping winter savory, common sage, tarragon, and spearmint-work well as background plants that complement brighter colored flowers.
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Color and Texture plants
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Herbs with unusual colors and forms-such as common chives, with its tubular, grasslike foliage and lavender flowers, and Chinese chives, which has straplike leaves and white flowers-make showy accent plants. I'm especially partial to one of their relatives: society garlic, which has straplike leaves and bears tall spikes of lavender flowers from May through October. This plant is bulletproof in my Los Altos, California, garden (USDA Zone 9), and its flowers taste great in salads. I also gravitate toward the ornamental sages 'Icterina,' 'Tricolor,' and 'Purpurascens', which make lovely stand-alone plants .
Nutrient levels and pH in soil are also something you should try to know about your soil.The local Agricultural Extension service with offer information on soil testing to determine basic nutrients.There are also some over the counter tests available from high-end garden supply stores.
pH is the condition of acidity or alkalinity in units.Some plants thrive only when the pH is optimum for the plant.A 7 pH is neutral, higher numbers are more alkaline lower are more acidic.To neutralize acid one can add agricultural lime.The optimal pH for most herbs is 5.5 to 6.8 pH.
Creating a good soil should be an important task in any garden.The next step in planning your garden is to examine your soil structure and determine the needed amendments to create your good soil.You may have to wait until the ground thaws, but if you can get a handful of soil you can get a look at its structure.
If it crumbles easily and runs through your hand it is sandy.If it holds tighter firmly it is clay.
Ideal garden soil is loam which is about ½ sand (medium particles) and ½ silt or clay (fine particles) with some organic matter mixed in.If the hand test doesn’t work or your soil is too wet. Place a hand shovel full in a quart jar and fill up to the top with water.Shake the jar and set it to rest.The larger particles will settle out first, the smaller last with the organic material floating on the top. You can then easily determine the ratio of silt to sand.
The good news is the solution to too much clay not enough sand or the opposite is to add...
The seed catalogs and plant catalogs should be arriving now so you can continue to create your plant list or begin to finalize your plant list. Below are some issues and questions you need to ask when narrowing down your list of plants.
Things to consider when choosing plants –
Are they good for the zone you live in? KNOW your hardiness zone and check the plants to see if they work well int hat zone (Northern Illinois where I am is Zone 5, smaller the number colder the winter)
Will you need to treat them differently if they are not for your zone? (sometimes you can plant a Zone 6 in Zone 5 and do just fine, but a Zone 7 will probably not make it through our winter, but if you expect it to only live one year you will not be disappointed.
How many plants do you want or need of each varieity? Plan for no more than 3 plants of any single kind unless your family is larger than 6 people. Nice groupings of three are attractive and you can mix and match -- like two lemon basil and one purple basil for...
I mentioned this before, but I thought I should repeat it before I went forward with garden planning
Choosing a location –Winter sun is different than summer sun but you can get an idea of where the sunniest locations in your yard are by taking a walk around the property about midday.Most herbs need full to part sun so choose a sunny location pace it off and make notes about landmarks, trees, buildings, etc.Pay attention to low spots and those that will hold water.Herbs do not like to sit in water.They prefer a well drained soil.In a few days I will talk about soil needs and discovering what your soil may need.
Once you have chosen your location you can draw your garden layout—
Orient the drawing so that you know which way is north.Run rows or beds east to west for better lighting.Locate taller plants to the north to keep them from shading the lower ones.
Beds are best suited for backyard gardens where most of the work will be done by hand.Remember not to make them more than...
Okay have you started a wish list?Then let’s begin to refine.If you are not a wild dreamer, then use these tips to get you started on that plant list.
Although the word herb usually refers to edible plants there are other kinds of herbs so although you do not want to grow more herbs than you can use in the kitchen that does not mean you should restrict yourself to herbs that can be eaten.You may even have herbs in your floral landscape already.
When choosing plants keep in mind several things:
Did you grow plants last year?
What plants did well?
What plants did not do well?Do not grow plants that failed last year no matter how nice the picture in the catalog looks!
Do you want them for fresh eating, medicine, dried projects, tea, etc?
What varieties are suitable for your locality?This will include knowing your hardiness zone, but also what is winter like, does snow cover the ground most of the winter or does it snow and melt or get very cold and windy without snow.
I wrote this particular blog entry more than once over the last two weeks.But this morning as I put fingers to keys I realized where I wanted to start the New Year.
January is the most optimistic month for Gardeners.I believe we suffer from a short-term memory loss over the holidays.That’s the only plausible explanation I have for being so eager to start all over again on the herb garden. It seems like only yesterday that I was utterly exhausted from making repeated trips to the compost pile with the wheelbarrow. Work did not end when daylight failed as I harvested into the dark with a miner’s light on my forehead.But here I am basking in the joy of preparing for a new year.I can’t wait for the flood of catalogs to begin arriving so I can pour over them for hours and plan for the New Year!
January is a time to make decisions about what you want to grow in your herb and vegetable garden.And this can be the most fun you can have indoors with a garden!
I am going to avoid blogging, not that I did it that much anyway --- until after the NEW YEAR. Beginning January 1, I will start walking you through the steps of preparing an herb garden from planning to planting to harvesting. Check back after January 1 for the first installment. Until then enjoy the recipes in the archives.
In my home town this time of year there is a celebration of the flavor and scent of fresh grapes.The Grape Festival in Geneva, Ohio is a long-standing tradition with a carnival, food and craft booths and the best parade in the county.And the foods they serve made with grapes—perfection.Once one of the major producers for Welch’s, Geneva is now home to many local wine producers who use the Lake Erie climate to produce flavorful grapes and great wines. There is a recipe contest each year for grapes and one year I developed this recipe using my favorite cooking herb.I am not keen on honey, but after several tries we realized if you drizzled the roasted grapes with honey the favor just burst forth and so I recommend you try it.
Thyme Roasted Grapes
Delicious as a simple appetizer paired with sliced cheese, roasted grapes also work well when served as a side dish with chicken or turkey or with angel food cake and whipped cream for dessert. They're quick and easy to prepare, yet elegant enough for company.
You can make iced or hot tea with any combination of herbs.For 20 years I have been making herbal teas with rich flavors that keep you from noticing you are avoiding caffeine at the same time.Herbs are crisp and fresh in flavor when made into tea with a refreshing added benefit of many anti-oxidant properties as well.Here are a couple recipes to try.The second one uses green tea.I just saw on the news that Green Teas anti-oxidant properties are being touted again, so take this opportunity to see how flavorful it is as well and enjoy both benefits. ( Remember Green tea does have caffeine.)
Iced Mint Tea
4 or 5 tea bags
8 to 10 fresh apple mint or spearmint leaves (6-8 dried)
1 1/2 - 2 cups of sugar
Boiling waterPour boiling water over (about 2 quarts) the tea bags and mint leaves with sugar and steep 10 minutes.Then strain and add to a large pitcher 4 quarts that is half full of cold water.Press any extra goodness from tea bags and leaves and add to pitcher.Add ice and serve....[More]
In the midwest right now the rain is abundant. Almost too abundant. and int he Southeast it is dry, more htan 27" of rainfall too dry according to my father. As a result of those extremes, I wanted to give some wet and dry weather tips for herb care.
When the weather and the ground are wet the biggest care you have with herbs is surface mold. Also known as powdery mold as it looks like flour has been sprinkled on the leaves. There are two things you can do to reduce the occurance of this mold. Good air circulation is key. Cut a few of the banches closest to the ground. They are usually muddy, and yellow or brown anyway. This will allow air to help dry the too moist soil and get air moving around the plant. Also you can thin out the branches of your plants. This selective cutting gives you fresh herbs to cook with in the early season and lets air move through, drying leaves and keeping away mold and mildew. It will also result in a bushier plant later in the season. Remember that plants with "wet feet" will suffocate from lack of oxygen, so try to...
A number of weeks ago I posted descriptions of my favorite Lemon Herbs.Now that I have gotten you interested in lemon herbs, how about some recipes with the same flavors.I have collected thousands and thousands of recipes in the last 20 years. With my husband taking up cooking as a hobby, we are getting to taste test more and more.I am still partial to a recipe with lemon in it and have hundreds to share.Over the next few posts I’ll give you a number of them to try.Lemon Chicken (Only about 100 have this title)
8 boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup milk (enough to soak chicken)
1 cup bread crumbs seasoned with Italian seasoning (you can also buy Italian Bread crumbs)
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Olive oil to brown chicken
1 cup wine
1 cup chicken broth
¼ cup lemon juice
1 lemon sliced thin
1 tsp to 1 Tbls. mixed lemon herbs (lemon basil, lemon balm, lemon thyme are perfect)
Salt & pepper
Soak chicken in milk for 10 minutes.While waiting, mix bread crumbs and cheese together. ... [More]
Not all perennial herbs are good in containers.Some grow too large or too vigorously for the confining space.Others do well in a pot or window box.
When choosing perennials for the container, try dwarf varieties or hybrids which generally have all the flavor and scent of the original cultivar, but often have a more decorative leaf and generally a smaller growing habit.
Here are a few of my most favorite:
Tricolor Sage -- a smaller version of sage with a variegated leaf of gold and green with a red stem that has smaller leaves and a less woody stem.Nice in a large window box or as a focal point in a round pot.If you are planting it in a container 12 to 18 inches in diameter, you must plant it alone as it will have a large root system that will choke out other plants if the pot is too small.They are shorter, growing only 8 to 10 inches the first year.
Prostrate Rosemary – Usually the genus name is Rosmariius Irene, long arms with flexible stems and a habit that causes it to fall over...
Here are some step-by-step instructions for creating a patio container full of herbs. Tomorrow I will give some information on plant heights and numbers.
What you need:
Assorted 4" annual herbs
Contianer Pot Soil
Time release fertilizer (optional)
Gravel or broken crockery
Large ceramic or plastic container (rectangle or round)
Add about a 1/2 inch of gravel to the bottom of the container to aid with drainage. Next, fill the container about 3/4 of the way up with soil. (I suggest that you create your own mix od 6 parts top soil, 1 part compost, and 1 part peat moss) Arrange your herbs in the container to finalize a layout. Keep low growing varieties towards the front of the container (thyme, prostrate or dwarf varieties) and more vertically growing varieties towards the back (dill, basil, fennel, lemon grass, etc.).
Water all the plants thoroughly and remove them from their nursery pots.
Using a soup spoon or your fingers, open an shallow hole for the root ball of each plant. Do not dig a hole, as you still need to fill another 1/4 of the contianer, just make a spot for this plant to live. Position each plant so that the...
Growing your own culinary herbs in containers is quite easy. Some herbs are best started from seed as they do not transplant well, others are quite forgiving and can be grown from seeds, cuttings, or transplanted from nursery stock. Nearly all herbs prefer six hours of full sun or more per day, so take this into consideration when planning your container herb garden. A sunny location is a must.
Herbs can be planted several to a container or individually. I prefer growing each herb in its own container if I have space, as this allows me to move them easily and create cooking groupings by the grill for easy use. I tend to pick containers which will mimic the eventual shape of the plant – tall pots for tall herbs such as sage, upright rosemary, or dill, short wide pots for flat growers like marjoram, winter savory, thyme, and corrsican mint. Add a few containers of edible flowers -nasturtium, viola, pansy, calendula (pot marigold), or lavender for added beauty of both your garden and your cooking.
If you like to combine herbs in containers, remember to place taller growers int he center and lower growers on the outside edges. Thyme is a great...
Gardening with Lemon Herbs -- Lemon Gem and Tangerine Gem Marigolds
February 29, 2008
I first discovered this plant at FOPCON (Freinds of the Oak Park Conservatory) herb sale back in 1990. They are small fragile looking plants, but flower profusely and for a long time. I like the lemon best, but the tangerine are a great traditional orange shade.
Called Signet marigolds (Tagetes tenuifolia) the small, showy, single 5-petaled flowered plant has a pungent lemon or citrus flavor and aroma that is present in the leaves and flowers in the lemon gem and tangerine gem varieties.In the family Tagetes which has few edible varieties, these are a great plant as the ferny foliage releases scent at the slightest touch.In the formal Victorian era they were used as bedding plants, as they are suitable for mass plantings.I grow them as filler in pots with foliage pants as they seem to flower constantly from mid-summer to first frost.Slightly hardier than regular marigold it only grows 6 to 12 inches, but has the same ability to control soil nematodes and other insects making them a great companion plant.They need a long growing season, so if you use seed, it is best to start indoors. ...
Gardening with Lemon Herbs -- Lemon Scented Geranium
February 28, 2008
I have previously sung the praises of scented geraniums, but it is worth repeating.
Pelargonium plants are in a different family from true geraniums, but they are known commonly as scented geraniums.I love this plant as the variety of colors, leaf shapes and scents is almost limitless.However the lemon-scented varieties are my favorites.These native South African plants grow wild and can reach 10 feet.But in the areas north of Zone 9 they are gown as annuals and fit well in small pots as houseplants.I always bring mine in for the winter, being careful to wash the leaves thoroughly to not bring in whitefly.They prefer a sandy soil.I usually add an extra part of sand to my traditional potting soil mix. (6 parts top soil, 2 parts compost 1 part sand).They can withstand heat and dry conditions so they are a great sunny patio plant.The flowers of these plants are small and relatively insignificant, but the foliage has a rich scent that activates by touch, I always set them near doorways and stairs so you brush against them releasing the scent.As...
Sorry these are all bunched, I thought I posted them and wnet in to check and they were missing!
Lemon Grass is an architectural as well as culinary herb.The lush tall grass has narrow green leaves with a bluish cast. It can grow up to 6 feet tall in the right conditions (in the Midwest don't expect more than 3 feet).It has a sweet lemony perfume and flavor and is a common additive to Thai dishes.There are actually two version to choose from Cymbopogon flexuosus (East Indian lemongrass) and Cymbopagon citratus (West Indian lemongrass).Lemongrass should be grown as a tender perennial.You can bring it in in a pot to winter over, but I usually grow it in a raised bed and harvest the entire plant before frost and use or dry it.The base of each stem of C. Citratus is fleshy like a scallion, so I remove the heart to cook with.It can keep in the refrigerator for up to a month or be frozen.The grassy portion dries very well and can be cut with scissors once dry.The plant, as I mentioned,...
Finally truly chilly times have arrived. When it is too cold to go outside, too frozen to garden and too dark to watch the squirrels, I begin my garden planning. Last fall I ordered catalogs from all the herb nurseries and seed companies I could find to restart the winter delivery of fun gardening materials. The catalogs started to arrive yesterday. Now I can curl up with a cup of herbal tea and begin to plan what I will plant, try and experiment with next season. I have not done any major overhall to my production garden since the move to Elmhurst 6 years ago. The itch to experiment can be held back no longer. In the next couple weeks I will share with you some new herbs as well as seasoned favorites that I have discovered or rediscovered searchng the catalogs. I will also share the links and address for the seed and nursery companies for you to look at as well. Stop back!
