A beautiful herb garden is a great addition to your home but can be difficult if pests find your garden a good home to live in. With a little planning and maintenance, you can protect your garden and help it thrive. Here are 5 tips to help you out.
Use Strong Smelling Herbs
Take advantage of plants that repel pests for your herb garden. Planting pungent herbs like mints along with other herbs will help reduce the number of pests you have to deal with. Herbs like catnip are great for repelling ants, weevils, squash bugs, aphids, and Beatles.
Use Flowering Herbs
A great way to deal with pests in your herb garden is to plant herbs that will attract beneficial insects. Flowering herbs like lavender, basil and dill are a great way to attract butterflies and bees that will help pollinate your garden and make your plants stronger.
Use a Bug House
Place a bug house in your herb garden to attract insects like parasitic wasps that will deal with leafminers and hornworms and ladybugs that will help protect your garden from aphids. A bug house is an easy way to encourage beneficial bugs to come to your garden and stay to protect it from pests.
Use Salt
Snails and slugs can be a common issue in herb gardens. A line of salt along the garden bed edging is a great way to keep them out of your garden. Slugs and snails will back up and go the other way if they touch the salt instead of venturing into your garden beds and pots.
Use a Soap Solution
If aphids take over your garden you can save your herbs by spraying them with a safe and effective soap solution. A teaspoon of dawn dish detergent or liquid Castile soap in a spray bottle with water can help kill aphids when they take over your herb garden. Spray this solution on your plants getting the undersides of leaves in the evening so it has plenty of time to dry before the sun beats down on your plants.
With these tips, make your herb garden a great addition to your home garden. Besides fresh herbs are the best for cooking with!
Food is expensive. When it comes to making a budget for your family, you’ll notice that one of the highest costs you have is food. While it’s not possible to eliminate food from your budget, you can decrease the costs by growing your own food.
On that note, did you know that many of the scraps from foods you purchase on a regular basis from the grocery store can be regrown in your very own kitchen? Instead of throwing away food scraps, you can start thinking differently about them!
Below, I’ve listed 7 foods from the grocery store that you can regrow in the comfort of your home. If you already grow your own food right in your garden, you’ll have no problem growing your own produce from scraps.
Celery
One of the simplest foods from the grocery store you can grow from scraps, is celery.
Planting celery is very simple: Cut off the base or the bottom part of the vegetable and place it in a bowl with warm water. Place the container in a spot that has direct sunlight most of the day.
After a week, you’ll notice that there are leaves growing at the base of the celery. Once you see these leaves, it is now ready to be transplanted in the soil.
Romaine Lettuce
Romaine lettuce is easy to grow from leftover scraps. Instead of throwing the bottom of the full head of lettuce in the trash, place it in a bowl with a bit of water.
Keep this bowl in a place with direct sunlight. Mist the leaves with water consistently. After two to three days, you will see that there are shoots of new leaves appearing. Once you see them, your lettuce is now ready to be transplanted or simply harvested for salads.
Bean Sprouts
Growing bean sprouts is easy. Just soak a handful of dry beans in water then leave it overnight.
Drain the water and place the beans in a container. Cover it with a towel, leave it overnight, then rinse it again the next day.
Keep doing this until you see the sprouts growing, then you can transfer them to your garden.
Onion
Another easy vegetable to grow, whether it is indoors or outdoors, are onions.
Cut the root of the onions off and plant it in a garden plot or container. Cover the root with potting soil but leave at least half an inch of the onion exposed. In a few weeks, you will start to see leaves growing.
For Green Onions, use the top part of the onion and leave the bottom 2-3 inches with the roots attached. Place them in a container with water covering the roots. In no time you’ll see the tops of the green onions growing new green. You can keep them this way and just continue using the tops and allowing them to grow in the water. Just change the water periodically and rinse the roots.
Garlic
Garlic is an easy way to start growing scraps with fast results.
For garlic, choose a whole bulb or individual cloves that have started to send out green sprouts. Place the bulb or clove in a small amount of water and change the water daily.
Potato
Did you know that you can grow a potato out of potato peelings?
Check the peelings to see if there are eyes on them. Cut the peelings into two to three-inch pieces but make sure that there are at least three eyes on each peel.
Dry these peelings, then plant them in your soil, about three to four inches deep. In a few weeks, you will see a potato plant starting to grow.
Tomato
Don’t throw away the seeds from the tomatoes! Rinse them and allow them to dry.
Once dried, you can start planting the seeds in a rich potting soil. Once the seedlings are a few inches high, you can transplant them outdoors where there is plenty of sunlight.
Turn your food scraps into golden nuggets. Instead of throwing them away, use them as another source of food. You are not only saving money, you are also assured that your family gets better and healthier food.
Herbs are great plants to grow in your garden or home. They add flavor to food and leave your home smelling great. Growing your own herbs can be a bit stressful for new gardeners but the truth is some herbs are so easy to grow they make the perfect plants for beginner and not so green thumb gardeners. These are some of the easiest herbs to grow.
CHIVES
Chives are a great herb for even the newest of gardeners. This hardy plant can hold up well if forgotten for a while. You can choose onion or garlic varieties to accent your cooking or grow both. The delicate flowers add a great pop of color for this grassy herb.
MINT
Mint is a favorite herb for new gardeners. It holds up well as part of your potted herb garden out outside. Mint thrives even if you forget to water it from to time and is perfect for cooling summer drinks and sweet desserts.
BASIL
Basil is a great herb when you need an easy to grow plant for your collection. Basil can grow well in the garden or a sunny window and is very versatile in the kitchen. Basil comes in a large variety of flavors allowing you to customize your garden to fit your needs.
ROSEMARY
Rosemary is an easy to grow herb that leaves a fresh scent. It can grow well potted making it a great option for adding a delicate grassy green to your potted herb garden. Rosemary is very useful in the kitchen for savory dishes. If you are a less than mindful gardener this herb will do just fine with a bit of neglect.
GERANIUM
Scented Geraniums make a great option for growing at home. Scented Geraniums come in a variety of scents in everything from floral to chocolate. Choose a variety that will accent your space and help build the beautiful herb garden of your dreams.
When you put all that hard work into your garden it can be really depressing to watch the fruits of your labor rot away. With some planning and a bit of work, you can preserve your garden harvest and have fresh from your garden fruits and veggies all year long. These three easy ways to preserve the food in your garden will do the trick.
Three Easy Ways to Preserve the Food From Your Garden
Freezing to preserve your garden
Freezing the produce from your garden is the easiest way to preserve your harvest. Wash your fresh produce and lay it out in a single layer on a cookie sheet in your freezer. This will allow each piece to freeze individually making it easier to get the produce from the freezer bags that you will place them in after the initial cookie sheet freeze. A great way to save time later is to prep your fruits for your favorite smoothies and freeze in single serving packs. Chop your veggies for soups and stews, freezing them together and label well so you can grab and go for a meal on a busy weekday. A food saver is a great way to prevent freezer burn and make your frozen produce last longer.
Drying to preserve your garden
Drying produce takes up less space than the other popular preserving options. when drying your fruits and veggies you are taking out the water and much of the bulk of the food. A good dehydrator is a great way to make your food last longer, make treats for your family, and prep for long term storage. Fruits make a great snack dehydrated while veggies reconstruct better for soups and stews than eating as a side dish. It is vital you are sure all water is out before storing. To check this, place in a plastic baggy and let it cool. If there is condensation in the bag, your food is not ready to store.
Canning to preserve your garden
Canning is one of the most traditional ways to preserve food from your garden. While it takes up more space than drying, canned foods have a longer shelf life than frozen foods. Many of us have fond childhood memories of watching our grandmothers can produce from the garden but never really thought about doing it ourselves. The good news is, canning is easy to start, inexpensive and costs less with each round you do when you reuse the glass jars over and over. Quality jars are a great investment.
Which method should I use to preserve my garden?
When choosing which preservation method you must consider:
Space you have for storage.
What the end use of the food will be.
How long you need to store the food.
Supplies you have on hand.
Protecting your food storage from pests and environmental issues is vital to make preserving your garden worth your time and money. Make sure all stored food is air tight and sealed in rodent-proof containers. For most families, combining these methods of food storage gets the best results across the board and leads to more stability. Canning fruits and veggies so they are ready to go, freezing produce prepped for meals, and drying fruits and meats for snacking is a great way to balance it out.
Garden season is off to a strong start! If you planted any herbs this year, you may already be seeing an abundance of the tasty things since they can grow with a vengeance. Wondering what you can do with all the herbs you have without letting them go to waste? This post should definitely help you decide what to do with them!
Using herbs in your home is a wonderful way to incorporate not only the beauty they provide but the health benefits. You can use them for so many things. From making potpourri and sachets to making herbal remedies and of course cooking.
If you are new to using them and need a little help, here are 10 tips to help you dry and store herbs that will make it easier on you and help prevent you from ending up with non-usable product.
Getting herbs ready for drying
But first, here’s the two step process to get your herbs ready for drying:
Step 1: Gather your herbs. The best time to do this, is in the morning before the sun is shining on them. It’s also best to pick the herbs before the plants start to flower.
Step 2: Wash your herbs and pat them dry with a towel. Or, if your herbs look pretty clean, you can just shake them gently to get rid of any dust or dirt. At this point, you can also pick off any leaves that are yellowed, spotted, or discolored.
Now on to the drying and storing tips:
1. Find a nice, dark place to dry them.
They will need good ventilation and air, but if they are exposed to too much light, they will dry out too quickly and can become too brittle and fall apart too fast on you. You can use a fan on a low setting or put them near the air conditioning vent for the ventilation, but just not in a window. Another suggestion for location is to place them in an attic type space if you have it. The top of the refrigerator works too, if you are limited on space and just drying a few. Or on the top of a water heater. Those closets make a good ventilated place most of the time.
2. If possible, use drying screens to lay them on.
The drying screens will catch the smaller, loose pieces if they lose any and they get good air flow from both sides this way, which is ideal. Using the screens for thicker herbs, like rosemary that are more woody in nature, is perfect.
3. Hang them upside down, in bunches
Hanging them upside down, in bunches is another alternative to the flat screens. Use a rubber band around the stems and keep the bunches fairly small. The thicker they are, the longer they will take to totally dry. The ones in the center can still be damp, even when the ones on the outside look fully dried. Thicker herbs, like lavender for example, can take a couple of weeks to totally dry.
4. Using an oven to dry them will speed the process.
Put them on a baking sheet and set the temperature as low as your oven will go. You will need to move them and turn them every so often to keep them drying evenly, so the best way is to set the timer for about 30-40 minutes and then flip them when it goes off. Repeat until you feel they are dry enough, which may take up to 6 hours, but could be done in 3.
5. Use a food dehydrator.
A food dehydrator is especially beneficial if you tend to grow a lot of herbs. It’s even great for drying other produce like tomatoes, apples, pears, bananas and so much more. Dehydrators are great because the trays allow for great airflow that results in an even drying without overheating ensuring the perfect long-lasting dried herbs.
6. When storing them, avoid letting them get dusty.
One way to do this is to use a paper bag hanging over them, when they are in bunches, with the stems poking out of one end. Or if they are loose, use a thinner weight cardboard box, and punch holes in it. Cut flaps in the sides to help air flow and ventilation but folded in enough to cover and keep off the dust particles.
7. Use airtight containers.
For storing your herbs, you can use airtight containers, like glass jars with seals, similar to a mason jar or ones that have the locking lid and rubber seals. Make sure the containers are very clean and sterile. Any other chemical residue can contaminate the herbs and affect their scent and health benefits.
8. Freeze them.
You can also freeze herbs as an option for storage instead of glass jars. Use Ziploc bags that have a tight seal, and be sure to push out all the air before sealing them tight.
9. Storing for culinary use.
For herbs that are for cooking and culinary uses, crush the herbs well before storing. For herbs that will be used for teas, use the whole leaf and any blooms and do not crush them.
10. Create flavored oils
Another great option for storing herbs is to create flavored oils for cooking! Place your desired herbs in a glass jar that has a good seal, cover them completely with olive oil and keep them stored in a dark place. The herbs will infuse the oil with delicious flavors, creating a perfect addition to your dish.
I’m pretty certain that these tips will help you use up your abundance of herbs that you will see this year! I’d love to know how you use the herbs that you grow. Let me know in the comments!
