August 2012

Avoiding West Nile Virus and Other Mosquito-borne Diseases with Herbs

August 25, 2012 // 0 Comments

Mosquitoes carry a lot of nasty diseases, including West Nile Virus. The WNV is carried by birds, that are bitten by mosquitoes, who then transfer it to humans and other animals. The trick to avoiding all these mosquito-borne diseases is not to have them bite you in the first place. Many aromatic herbs such as mint, [ ...click to read more ]

A Sweet Smelling Home

August 23, 2012 // 0 Comments

A clever way to use up surplus, dried herbs Herbs lose their flavor after about a year, instead of throwing them away, simmer them in a crockpot. Toss in a handful of the dried herbs, mix and match, add one thinly sliced whole lemon. Fill the crockpot with 6 cups of water, and adjust the crockpot setting on low. Your [ ...click to read more ]

Pesky Pantry Pests

August 15, 2012 // 1 Comment

In the next few weeks, the kids will be heading back to school, and the insects will be heading indoors. Even though summer is in full swing, the insect world can sense cooler nights and shorter days. Now would be an excellent time to give the kitchen shelves, pantry area, and drawers a good “once over.” [ ...click to read more ]

Lovely Lemon Balm – Part Two

August 10, 2012 // 0 Comments

Not only is lemon balm used in cooking, baking, crafts, in teas, it is also a powerhouse of anti-viral, antispasmodic, and contains natural sedative properties. Lemon balm, when brewed as tea promotes a gentle sleep and acts as an anti-anxiety aid. The plant leaves and essential oils contain caffeic acid and ferulic [ ...click to read more ]

Lovely Lemon Balm

August 9, 2012 // 0 Comments

One of the easiest and most prolific herbs to grow, lemon balm has a fragrance much like lemon-flavored lollipops. Best climate and site: Zones 4-9. Full sun is best for the development of essential oils. Ideal soil conditions: Sandy to loamy soil high in organic matter. Lemon balm prefers well drained soil. Lemon [ ...click to read more ]

Harvesting Herbs ~ Storage Techniques

August 8, 2012 // 0 Comments

Freezing- Cut stems or leaves of the herbs, rinse, pat dry with paper towels and freeze in zip-loc bags. Label the contents and freeze. Pull out what you need for recipes and place the unused portions back in the freezer. You can also freeze chopped herbs in ice cube trays with water. After the cubes are [ ...click to read more ]

Harvesting Herbs

August 7, 2012 // 0 Comments

Herbs should be harvested when the oils that produce flavor and aroma are at their peak. Herbs grown for foliage should be harvested before they flower. An example would be chives- if allowed to flower, this can cause the foliage to develop a strong odor and flavor. Collect flowers such as borage and chamomile before [ ...click to read more ]

Propagating Rosemary and Other Herbs from Cuttings

August 2, 2012 // 0 Comments

Instead of buying a rosemary seedling from your local nursery, you can grow some yourself fairly easily by taking cuttings from an existing plant. Choose branches that are green and lush, with healthy-looking young leaves pushing out at the end. Cut off about a 5 inch long sprig (the stem should be springy and [ ...click to read more ]