All about garden herbs

[GoinCountry]

What do you do with it? I have never used it before. I've seen it in soda drinks, etc but I don't drink stuff like that so I've never had it

just search for it. I use firefox, google if I have too. anytime you want to know medicinal uses, put in: ginseng medicinal uses and start reading. it's a great immune builder, and adaptogen, meaning it goes where it's needed. great for reducing stress

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92776/

i rigorously avoid webmd.

 

[GoinCountry]

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....

i have a glass distiller. would NOT recommend it but it was affordable. it takes a LOT of biomass aka plant material to distill eo's A LOT.

 

[TJAnonymous]

welllll. I had an herbal skin care business for 29 years. Haven't done any of it since 2019 when I closed the biz. I have moved from the west to the east, zone 7, middle of virginia.
It's taking me time to acclimate to zone 7 from zone 11, Phoenix. I had a smokin garden in phx, struggling now to figure out this dirt, climate. I should have a better handle on it next year.

this year I grew/is growing:
Lemongrass, distill for eo, put in cold process soap. use in tea, 1 gram makes ..well, go read it: https://www.israel21c.org/fresh-lemon-grass-fields-in-israel-become-mecca-for-cancer-patients/
it's good as a sleep inducing aid, calming.

Lemon verbena, omgosh it smells divine and lasts for YEARS. tea to relax, stomach cramps, calming, relieves stress, also as flower essence. Seasoning, salads, ice cream.

Lemon balm, tea, flower essence for dog as he's afraid of loud noises, it helps calm him down. Sleep inducing, calming, ani-viral. anti-gas. relaxant.

Echinacea - just cause I always grow it, but here, plants get mold on them. all plants. it's basically the amazon rainforest/jungle here. it did and I pulled it. Already have a flower essence from it from Idaho.

basil for pesto, dry for my seasoning jar cause I want fresh stuff. Good for skeeter bites, I like the smell.

Holy basil - excellent for calming for ptsd, sleep inducing, relaxing. the smell is awesome. eat one leaf a day and boost your immune system.

choc mint for hydrosol distilling. the best cold tea around. also make it into hot tea and let cool.

sage, great as tea for headaches, good for seasoning. good support for memory, gas, stomach bloat/pain.

rosemary, MEMORY, helps to focus, good for concentration. great seasoning. had tunisian rosemary in phoenix, can't find it anywhere out here. it has less camphor in it.

oregano, seasoning, exc to just smell to help immune system.

had parsley for the smell, but pulled it cause i don't use it. made the flower essence already.

lemon thyme, great for headaches, sinus issues, in scrambled eggs, in tea. smells divine.

we had a forester come out and he said the forest is the healthiest one he's seen in a long time. said we have pawpaw and sassafras, but I wasn't there, so I don't know which ones they are. there's sumac berries, that I didn't get cause i didn't know when to get them. Just picked striped wintergreen with the berries yesterday.

Might try neem tree, moringa, they'll die at first cold.
Will try to plant loofah, green beans, tomatos. tried tomatoes this year and they were miserable.
HOPS I wanna plant hops. good for so many things.
And plant or find cramp bark.

I HAVE to find comfrey plant that isn't $20 for a 2 inch plant. SOMEONE MUST have some growing around here.

I've got a ton of bulbs to plant, as soon as Ian's gone, the ground will be super soft and I'll plant them then.

mint anything will help tremendously for stomach aches. mint and chamomile tea for inducing sleepiness.

oh and plantain, will take itching and inflammation away in minutes.

oh and mimosa tree, aka silk persian tree. bark infused in oil for pain, WORKS, tincture I can't remember for what, and tea from the flowers for happiness. tea from bark for I can't remember, but you can look it up. I made flower essence, [brings joy, helps with depression], tincture and oil.

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.

 

[GoinCountry]

What do you do with it? I have never used it before. I've seen it in soda drinks, etc but I don't drink stuff like that so I've never had it

You go get some roots. I'll tell you how to make a 'cure what ails ya' pot. I'll do that anyway, but you go get some roots. go. now.
I gotta go to tractor supply before they close so I can have a stove pipe. go get some. unless it's too wet from ian, then wait a bit. take armed hubby with you if there's meth heads in your forest.

 

[GoinCountry]

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.

OH MY GOSH DID YOU SMELL IT? IT SMELLS LIKE plumeria and cukes! I GOTTA get off here and get to tractor supply. later

 

[Happy Novogens]

Lots of mint- spearmint, peppermint, orange, chocolate and apple.

Where do y'all find your chocolate mint? I used to have some when we lived back east. I can't find any here and I love choc mint.

I try to keep all my mint (spearmint and pineapple mint) in containers since it can be invasive. However I've noticed that the plants start to look ragged after the first year.

Was just going to say that cutting/pruning it down helps tons.

I have a pot with spearmint buried in my garden and it managed to escape. in winter it grows well but we have no or very little frost.

I had the same issue with my outdoor potted mint. I ended up putting a saucer underneath to prevent those roots from spreading out beyond the pot. Persistent little plant!

I'm going to start pruning it down and see if that helps

Many mints are good for herbal teas or to flavor ice-water.

I seep fresh mint leaves in boiling water to make mint iced tea. Husband loves it just like that (no sugar). Easy and free tea!

Does basil not like the cold?
Does anyone have it come back on its own the following year? Or do yall replant each year?

Basil loves the heat and thrives even in Phx summer. It dies back once it gets cool. I've had some types of basil come back in Spring. Some just re-seeded themselves. I don't recall which particular types come back. Whenever I pinched off seed heads during growing season, I'd leave them tossed in the garden.

 

[Happy Novogens]

My pullets will ignore basil but they go crazy for mint leaves.

 

[chickengr]

My pullets will ignore basil but they go crazy for mint leaves.

my chickens do the opposite, lol.

 

[TooCheep]

My pullets will ignore basil but they go crazy for mint leaves.

Don't know why, but that is very individual. I have mints and comfrey and my girls ignore them. They do free range, so there are plenty of other options.

 

[Happy Novogens]

Don't know why, but that is very individual. I have mints and comfrey and my girls ignore them. They do free range, so there are plenty of other options.

Funny how they can be.

Mine get to free range for an hour or so before sunset but in our climate, it is slim pickin's. You'd think they'd be happy with anything green, but no. They want mint or whatever overhanging elephant's food they can reach from the pot on the patio.