I started growing regular yarrow last year. It's still doing well and has actually spread via seed dispersion to my EWO bed next door to the yarrow bed. I also seeded 2 new yarrow beds (Fruitbowl and Love Parade from Bakers). Neither has been successful.
However I felt just as excited when I...
I saved a lot of dried basil and butterfly pea from last year in mason jars. I will cut some lemon balm and dry it in the same manner. There's just so. much. of. it. Sheesh.... I'm glad I put it in a raised bed or it'd be taking over. I already know it's in the mint family and so prone to...
How is everyone's herb garden coming along?
My lemon balm is going CRAZY. It's an enormous bush right now. I'm not sure what to do with it... 😂
Parsley, Pineapple mint, spearmint, Oregano, Sesame, Flax, and Lemon Thyme are all doing well. Very healthy.
The Basil, Chamomile, Dill, and Sage...
Last spring I dumped an entire seed packet of lemongrass into a tire bed. It grew this giant pampas-grass-like swell of grass. Then we got a freak polar vortex over the winter (-20 below) which killed off pretty much everything. The lemongrass turned dead brown. This weekend I finally got around...
I'm hoping that my Rosemary will regrow but I'm really worried that the polar vortex nuked it... 😕 The only other herbs out there right now are the mint (pineapple and spearmint), curly parsley, lemon balm, and lemongrass. Everything looks dead. I did save a cutting of sweet basil which is safe...
Why not try Amaranth?
I don't know why someone would claim butterfly pea is toxic to ducks. I've never heard that and don't know of any compounds in it that could lead someone to that idea... I've never tried to see if my ducks would eat it. I've given some to my goats, rabbit, and chickens...
Pretty sure they are. They are edible and safe for people so I'm guessing they are safe for chickens too. However my chickens aren't interested in them at all...
I use mine for tea. They have some awesome nutritional value.
My garden is too big to use hardware cloth. So next year I'm going to plant them in a container instead of in the ground. I will just need to be very particular about what gets put into the ground until I can dispose of the goobers.
I've always struggled with chives. They hate me. (So does lavender and chamomile for that matter.) I've tried to grow it from both seed and started plants. This year I THOUGHT I was going to get a good, healthy section of chives inside my hoop house....until my dreams of fresh chives were dashed...
I have a concrete floor, but it is covered by 4" of sand which absorbs moisture and odors so smell isn't a problem. However, I do have some girls who LOVE roosting in the nesting boxes and poop in them. 😒 They are filled with shavings & straw. That smells. So maybe I should put some dried...
Same... Herb seeds don't do well for me either. I quit wasting money and just bought some small starts.
Sadly I did not get time to really dry anything except some basil and butterfly pea. I really wanted to dry some lemon balm, mint, and make some essential oils from lemongrass. Oh well...
Mimosa grows like crazy around here. I don't have any on my property but the wooded lot across the street has one so I'm going to steal a limb and root it. I also have some seed pods.
I'm trying to learn how to make my own essential oils... This was supposed to be my first attempt this week but the Chinese took a pot shot at my operation... 😂 I ordered a home distiller and all the instructions were in Chinese. Sent it back....
Basil does not like cold. I believe you are supposed to bring it indoors if you keep it through winter.
I took cuttings from mine to propagate. Supposedly seeding produces different plants from the parent, I think. I may be remembering a different herb...
I saw a recipe this evening that looked really good. They infused some basil in olive oil, put it on a sliced baguette with some seasoning. Looked absolutely delicious.