Gardening on my mind, snow on the ground

Woke up to snow again this morning- according to forecasts, it is supposed to snow quite a bit this weekend.

I am so ready to start gardening! I am getting such an itch I am adding more herbs to my indoor kitchen garden! All my outdoor pots broke because I did not move them in during the first big freeze, so I may pick up some more today as well- If I find a good deal on some nice pots I will post pictures!

I am giving away Growing and Using Herbs Successfully by Betty Jacobs over at the Authentic Mama blog- head over and comment on the simple living challenge of the day- you just may win!

Dandelion Garden

Ok, I know everyone talks about dandelion this time of year but I just had to share. Our house is in a neighborhood, but we are lucky enough to have a 10,000 square foot lot. We have a good size approximately 300 square foot garden space that the previous owner grew vegetables in. We knew the previous owners gardened organically, and the soil is excellent!
The neighbor peeked over the fence and said," Wow you have a lot of work ahead of you, your garden is covered in weeds"! To his horror I'm sure, I started explaining how delighted I was to have soooooo many wonderful dandelions, my plans for dandelion wine, using the root for medicine, how we have been using the leaves & flowers for food, et. At first he laughed, but when I continued on and he realized I was serious, he had this blank look on his face, one of shock and surprise I guess. Before I could start talking about the blackberry, mullein, and various other "weeds" and my plans for their use, he interrupted with- "well I better get back to work ummm, nice talking to you"!

Going out with beauty good-by hen and chick

Hen & Chicks (Sempervivum sp) are among the easiest plants to grow, needing very little care, & usually difficult to fail. Yet now & then a new one will commit seppuku.

I bought a handful of unlabeled Semperviva & planted them here & there in pots and garden boxes. The habit most stores & nurseries have of selling mixed hybrids with no indication of what species or variety they are is a little annoying, but O well.

The one shown on this page loved its location & decided to bloom. Unfortunately, putting on such a fine display before having any chicks or developing a good root system will completely exhaust the plant & it will probably die soon after blooming.

Most of the time when a given rosette of leaves puts up one of these spectacular blooms, that particular hen dies when the task's completed, or gets so elongated & scruffy it has to be trimmed out of the mass. When there are lots of chicks coming along, & other hens, one faded rosette is hardly noticeable. But if it's just one hen, alas.

It's useless to cut off the stalk before it flowers because by the time the thick stalk erupts, the hen has already very likely passed the point of no return. So I will watch this beautiful display, and if the hen and chick passes, will have to say good-by.

When these plants do well, (as is more common than the fate of this particular example) it clumps into a ground cover with lots of chicks around the hen.

Old Time Medicinal & Other Uses

Sempervivum tectorum, Hen-and-chicks or Houseleek

The Latin botanical name has an historical reference. Charlemagne (742-814 A.D.) recommended that his subjects plant these hardy prolific plants on the roof of their houses to ward off lightening and fire. The leaves contain tannins and mucilage that are soothing to skin. It is used in the treatment of burns, skin wounds and infections.


The roman-greek scholar Dioscorides (Dioskurides) (~40-~90AD) mentioned the sempervivum in his work 'De materia medica' and recommended crushed leaves with wine to get rid of intestinal parasites. Cut leaves were used against warts, calluses, corns and insect stings - the juice was used to treat shingles and earache. As above the mashed leaves where used to treat burns and scalds.

'Naturalis Historiae' by Pliny the Elder is by far the best reference for uses of the Sempervivum. In countless passages he mentions the Sempervivum against articular gout, diarrhea, worms, stomach pain and more. The usage was either internal (juice), rubbing on the area of pain or simply applying parts of the plant on the body.

Pliny uses several names for one species, but comparisons with other ancient authors lead to a certainty for attributing to modern species names.

Resource: http://www.piam.com/mms_garden/plants.html
http://www.bryophyllum.com/b/antiquity/

One of the best remedies Gardening!

Well I made my order to Horizon herbs. Can't wait for it to arrive! Here is what I ordered

	Dragons Head, Siberian Seeds
	Poppy organic
	Sage, Chinese Red seeds, organic
	Gunnera, Giant seeds OK, Not medicinal but medicinal to the soul, huge whimsical looking plant.
	Kidzerbs Garden Kit This is an ideal hands-on educational gift for kids 5 to 12, and for the young at heart of any age. Designed to inspire children to garden medicinal herbs in a backyard plot or in pots on the windowsill. Contains: * The delightful book "Kidzerbs" written by Sena Cech, featuring Cheesie Herbalmouse. * 13 packets of organically grown seeds (Basil, Borage, Calendula, California Poppy, Catnip, Chamomile, Sage, Fennel, Feverfew, Flax, Johnny-Jump-Up, Lemon Balm and Love-in-the-Mist.) This part of the garden is going to be for Ella, she is going to get her own little sign and everything! I am also going to put a fairy castle and gnomes. She will have her own mini tools and watering jug. If you haven't noticed I am also a kid at heart, I will have fun with this plot! * 13 row markers Black Elderberry seeds Gift Blend Packet Calendula, Echinacea purpurea, Elecampane, Feverfew, Motherwort, Wood Betony and Yarrow. Organically grown 500 seeds/pkt. Just the anticipation for my seeds to arrive has gave me a new passion! Can't wait to tend to my plants and get started. Growing season is late up here, it is cool this week so I should be safe. I really believe growing, Harvesting and tending to your plants is one of the best overall remedies. There is really nothing like it. Great exercise, great stress relief, great for the soul, and the plants love it too! One bummer, they were all out of Osha plants and I really wanted some! I will have to wait for fall and order the seeds.

Broccoli Sprouts vrs Full Grown Broccoli

Above Picture from Martha Stewart Magazine 3/03

In a 1997 study at John Hopkins University, it was found that broccoli sprouts contained as much as 50 times more of the anti cancer compound sulforaphane than fully grown broccoli. The sprouts hit their highest amount of concentration when they were 3 days old, when the shoots have their 2 baby leaves. Sulforaphane prompts the body to make an enzyme that has been shown to prevent tumor growth according to the study. Sulforaphane levels varied greatly in the full grown broccoli when tested.

Sprouts are easy to grow any time of year & they taste great! Place a plant light inside the top of a book shelf (as shown in the picture above), grow them right in your house! Add them to your salads & sandwiches, make a stir fry, place as a garnish.

To Sprout
Put 2 to 3 beans, seeds, or grain in a screw top mason jar, half fill the jar with luke-warm water. Leave to soak overnight.

Bean sprouting tops can be bought at your local wild foods store or you can make one from some muslin, cheesecloth or gauze and a preserving ring or rubber band.

Poor off the water, use the water for your plants.

Rinse once or twice and stand the jar upside down until the water drains out completely. Keep the sprouts in a dark area or cover them with a kitchen towel until you see they are germinating. At this stage, bring them into the light to develop their green tips.

Rinse once or twice daily until the sprouts are about 3 cm long or have 2 baby leaves. Do not leave them standing in water or they will quickly rot. They increase their size rapidly, don't sprout too many at once. Wash jar thoroughly between sprouting.

Prepare as much as you will use in 2 or 3 days.



If you would like to view the study go to www.hopkinsmedicine.org/1997/SEPT/970903.HTM

New House, New Garden

This is going to be so fun! We are buying a house out here in Sandy, we live on Mt Hood so the garden season starts late, Mothers day at the earliest. My Garden is going to be different this year. As a new mom I was tempted to just do pot herbs. But.....Let's think about this winter. Will I really feel like cooking exquisite meals? NOT! So my garden this year is going to be all about preserves. Ella is not walking yet and Grandma is here to help. I have a ton of green beans so much I am sick of them, ditto on the garlic. I'm thinking baby food frozen in ice cube trays, same with parsley, basil, oregano, and other culinary herbs for cooking. I have to have fresh tomatoes, I will preserve some of them as well. I love tomatoes so I will have at least 3 varieties. My husband loves to fish, smoked salmon sandwiches will be great with some cream cheese with dill, capers, lemon zest. Ditto on the herb butter, all this stuff can be frozen, so I can look like I am some great chef this year! As far as the medicinal herbs I am all about de-stressing and relaxation. Hey birth is tuff on my 33 year old body, Ella is a great baby, she is also a morning baby (I am not) and I have not slept in for a year. I am thinking Valerian, catnip , chamomile, lemon balm. Sage for my over production of milk (careful with that, don't want to stop it all together) and I am sure I will go hog wild with other medicinals. This is a nice size garden. I am going to love getting dirty all summer, I am sure Ella will too! I will take pics of the before and after and post them here. Any comments and ideas would be appreciated!