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What's Currently Growing in Your Garden or Yard? Herbs or Weeds -? August 06, 2018 |
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Current Herbs in Favour in My GardenLet me tell you about the current herbs in favour in my garden. Sometimes certain plants fall out of favour with us and then new ones come along that we learn to love. That happens in my garden too. Last year I was saving the portulaca that sprang up all over my garden. I read that it had many good properties. I harvested buckets full, washed and spread them out in my basement to dry. But when I looked at the dried herbs some time later, I realized that I had NO interest in them any more. I couldn't even bring myself to make a cup of tea with the dried portulaca. So I threw them out. (Not saying you have to do that!) Portulaca is thriving in my garden this summer, but now I go around pulling it up root and all where I can, and drop it into a pail, and then later into a garbage bag so I can eradicate this plant more and more. Never mind that I read one woman harvests portulaca and turns it into a remedy for diabetes, selling it for about $38 a small bottle of capsules. This summer I see a fine crop of plantain coming up everywhere, and I know that I like that for tea, so I've already taken one harvest off, and hope to pick more leaves again and again this summer. I used to have a large plant or two of comfrey right beside my front door steps. Its large leaves were more than a foot long, and about 6 to 8 inches across. But thinking it would do better in my sunny garden, I dug it up and transplanted it. That was at least two years ago. But it seemed to wilt and die there. When I was picking plantain leaves though, the other day, I discovered a nice bunch of small comfrey plants, no larger than the young plantain. When I felt the raspy burr on the top of the comfrey leaves I was happy to leave them alone, knowing that later this summer I will have a patch of about 2' by 3' with maturing comfrey. I can only imagine that the comfrey roots stayed in the ground until this year, ready to come up and thrive. I don't see any calundula this year, but other years I've harvested quite a bit, so I am not too worried about it. It has yellow flowers akin to French marigolds, but not nearly as many layers of floral petals. Calendula is especially good for skin conditions, so I harvest those plants for making ointments. Basil is doing well this year, but staying in the row where I seeded it. Then there is the malva. I had bought the package of seeds for the pretty mauve trumpet flowers on it a few years ago. At first I didn't notice much in the area where I seeded them, but in the fall they began to thrive and burst into bloom, even beyond the seeded area. A few got pulled up, mistaken for weeds; then I stopped myself, went into my house and looked them up on the internet. What a surprise! Malva is an old English herb and has many healing properties! I've described them in more detail here: Malva Goat's Beard is NOT welcome in my garden or flowerbeds, Nor is Creeping Charlie or that dainty, but invasive chickweed! Goat's beard is NOT welcome in my garden or flower beds. Nor is Creeping charlie! However,I'm pleased to see my spring or green onions spreading and the chives are thriving too. I often dash out to the garden snatch a handful for a salad or dish. Sometimes I even put some away in the freezer for the winter. Which plants are your favourite herbs this year? Have some ended up on your weeds list?
Picking Berries this SummerI've got in several sessions of picking Saskatoon berries (and chokecherries) this summer. I've already written up these experiences for my weekly The RoseBouquet, which I publish on Tuesdays as a blog, an ezine, and for the XML feed reader. The RoseBouquet is for friends and followers who find my weekly adventures interesting enough to want such glimpses into my personal life. But you might especially enjoy the article posts about the berry picking times - so, I will give you the links to find these on the blog. Below I'll explain how to subscribe if you would like The RoseBouquet to show up in your email inbox every Tuesday. Fighting the Winds for Saskatoons
I Recommend - The RoseBouquetYou may like to read more such pieces as above on a more weekly basis. You can easily subscribe to the ezine edition by using the subscribe form on this page: Subscribe to the Ezine Edition Please note that this is a double optin list - just as this one for the Aloe Vera Tips & Solutions is, so you are familiar with that. You will need to click a link in a confirmation email to indicate that yes, you really want to be subscribed. This is a good way of ensuring that no one subscribes your email by mistake, and that I didn't try to subscribe you by listing your address without your knowledge. But of course, if at any time you get bored with my personal adventures, or you just don't have time for this any more, there is always an unsubscribe link at the bottom of every ezine email that allows you to escape without having to even say good bye. Contact & Policies - Constant CONTACT INFO: Ruth Marlene Friesen (306)856-7785 Ruth@aloe-vera-and-handy-herbs.com
POLICIES: I am definitely against S/p/a/m! I Will NOT share your COPYRIGHT (c)2018 Ruth Marlene Friesen
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