Soil as Carbon Storehouse: New Weapon in Climate Fight? By Judith D. Schwartz
By Judith D. Schwartz
Yale Environment 360, March 4, 2014
Straight to the Source
For Related Articles and More Information, Please Visit OCA’s Environment and Climate Resource Center Page and our Organic Transitions Page.
In the 19th century, as land-hungry pioneers steered their wagon trains westward across the United States, they encountered a vast landscape of towering grasses that nurtured deep, fertile soils.
Today, just three percent of North America’s tallgrass prairie remains. Its disappearance has had a dramatic impact on the landscape and ecology of the U.S., but a key consequence of that transformation has largely been overlooked: a massive loss of soil carbon into the atmosphere. The importance of soil carbon – how it is leached from the earth and how that process can be reversed – is the subject of intensifying scientific investigation, with important implications for the effort to slow the rapid rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
According to Rattan Lal, director of Ohio State University’s Carbon Management and Sequestration Center, the world’s cultivated soils have lost between 50 and 70 percent of their original carbon stock, much of which has oxidized upon exposure to air to become CO2. Now, armed with rapidly expanding knowledge about carbon sequestration in soils, researchers are studying how land restoration programs in places like the former North American prairie, the North China Plain, and even the parched interior of Australia might help put carbon back into the soil.
Absent carbon and critical microbes, soil becomes mere dirt, a process of deterioration that’s been rampant around the globe. Many scientists say that regenerative agricultural practices can turn back the carbon clock, reducing atmospheric CO2 while also boosting soil productivity and increasing resilience to floods and drought. Such regenerative techniques include planting fields year-round in crops or other cover, and agroforestry that combines crops, trees, and animal husbandry.
Cinnamon and Honey’s healing properties
(NaturalNews) On January 17, 1995, an article written by Beatrice Dexter about the benefits of honey and cinnamon powder, appeared in The Weekly World News.
Please allow me to preface this article with a bit of information unbeknown to the writer and virtually everyone else: cinnamon is 26 percent sulfur based and honey is 33 percent sulfur based, making their combination 59 percent sulfur based and the reason why their combination is so effective.
Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot.
Honey will crystallize if it is left in a cool dark place for the long time, but do not mistake this crystallization for it turning into sugar. Honey never will become sugar. If it does crystallize, simply loosen the lid and let the honey jar sit in boiled water, as this will allow the honey to re-liquefy naturally.
It is important to note that you do not put a honey jar in boiling water while still be heated or in a microwave as these will kill the enzymes in the honey.
Obviously, you will never read about this in the mainstream media because they are hookers for BigPharma and could interfere with their drug pushing profits if too many people learned about the effectiveness of sulfur-based remedies.
Today’s science says that even though honey is sweet and when taken in the right dosage as a “medicine”, it will not and does not harm even diabetics.
Ok, all that being said, let’s get to healing qualities of the sulfur-based cinnamon/honey combination as researched by Western scientists, who by the way, are clueless about the sulfur effectiveness or the fact that cinnamon and honey are sulfur based:
HEART DISEASE
Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder and apply it on bread instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and could prevent a heart attack. If someone already had a heart attack and you take this combination, your next heart attack may never happen. The regular use of this combination relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heartbeat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as one ages, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; the cinnamon and honey combination revitalizes the arteries and veins.
ARTHRITIS
Arthritis patients should take, twice a day (morning and night), a cup of hot water with two tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder. When taken regularly, even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a research project conducted at Copenhagen University, it was found that when doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon of honey and a half-teaspoon of cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week 73 out of the 200 tested were totally relieved of pain. Within a month, most all of the people who had trouble walking or moving around because of their arthritis could walk without pain.
BLADDER INFECTIONS
Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It will destroy the germs in the bladder.
CHOLESTEROL
Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder mixed in 16 ounces of water were found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, when taken three times a day, chronic cholesterol is cured. The scientists also found that pure honey taken with food on a daily basis relieves complaints of cholesterol.
COLDS
Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon of lukewarm honey with one quarter of a spoonful for cinnamon powder daily for three days as this procedure will cure most chronic coughs, colds, and will clear the sinuses.
UPSET STOMACH
Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers for its roots.
GAS
According to the studies done in India and Japan, it is revealed that when honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.
IMMUNE SYSTEM
Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks. The scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in larger amounts. Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles, where the DNA is contained, to fight bacterial and viral diseases.
INDIGESTION
Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food is eaten relieves acidity and aids in the digestion of the heaviest of meals.
INFLUENZA
A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural “ingredient”, which kills the flu germs and will prevent the person from getting the flu. (I ain’t no learned scientist but I do know that the natural “ingredient” is sulfur and that those that take the organic sulfur crystals never get the flu).
LONGEVITY
Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Use four teaspoons of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of boiling water to make the tea. Drink one quarter of a cup three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and delays aging. Life spans increase and even those in their 90s plus, will have the energy of someone half their age. Allow me to inject some humor here: I play in two senior softball leagues. One of the guys, who is 87 asks me if the sulfur crystals are good for erectile dysfunction. I tell him that they are but they must be taken twice a day. About two weeks later I ask him if he is taking the crystals. He says he is. I then ask him if he is taking them twice a day. He says he is taking them once a day. I reminded him that their utmost effectiveness is by taking them twice a day. He says that he knows that but his wife can’t handle it when he takes them twice a day.
RASPY OR SORE THROAT
When the throat has a tickle or is raspy, take one tablespoon of honey and sip it until it is finished. Repeat this every three hours until the throat is without symptoms.
PIMPLES
Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon power paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it off the next morning with warm water. When done for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root (of course, eliminating sugar from the diet couldn’t hurt).
SKIN INFECTIONS
Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts to cure eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.
WEIGHT LOSS
In the morning and one half hour before breakfast and on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. When taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.
CANCER
Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon power three times a day for one month.
FATIGUE
Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts are more alert and flexible. A Dr. Milton, who apparently does not have a first name, has done research showing that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, even when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, when taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M., the vitality of the body increases within a week.
BAD BREATH
Gargling with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water first thing in the morning will keep the breath fresh all day.
HEARING LOSS
Allegedly, daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing.
TOOTHACHE
Make a paste of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and five teaspoons of honey and apply it to the aching tooth three times a day until the ache is gone.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
High blood pressure and its accompanying symptoms of chest pain and dizziness disappeared in many patients’ just weeks after an Italian researcher gave them regular doses of honey and cinnamon. Blood pressure improved and all 137 subjects felt better after a few weeks.
REGARDING CINNAMON
The cinnamon powder that you get in the super markets could very well be sawdust that has been colored and artificially flavored. I think it is better to get the bark and powder it yourself or but it from a reputable natural food store. Most spices are irradiated. This is supposedly done to eradicate bacteria, but spices are generally excellent bactericides so the irradiation is merely a way of destroying the precious properties of spices. Non-irradiated spices are available from most high-end health foods stores. Cinnamon can be confused for cassia and in fact many powdered forms use cassia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassia). It is also known as “bastard cinnamon”. True cinnamon is also known as “Ceylon” cinnamon. There are other variants such as Indonesian and Vietnamese so avoid anything that is from these countries. Specifically ask for Ceylon Cinnamon. Cinnamomum zeylanicum is the botanical name for the purest and most potent form of cinnamon.
Not long ago I wrote an article for naturalnews on the 21 Reasons To Try Organic Sulfur Crystals. See if you notice the similarities in benefits.
1. Organic sulfur is not a drug or prescription medicine, but rather a nutrient that the body is deprived of.
2. It increases enzyme production within the glands of the body, substantially increasing resistance to illness.
3. It increases flexibility in the tissues within the body and increases blood circulation.
4. It reduces muscle and joint inflammation, promotes healing in the muscles and joints and prevents them from becoming sore. To the degree there is soreness, recovery and return to normality is quickened. Athletes, in particular, benefit from this as the intake of OS dramatically increases their recovery time.
5. It eliminates “free radicals” in the body. Allergies to pollens ad certain foods can be eliminated or reduced by its use.
6. It promotes healthy, increased growth of hair and fingernails.
7. Because of the oxygenation of the cells and tissues that the OS facilitates, the body is kept in a constant aerobic environment making it so that cancer cells cannot survive or exist.
8. Studies have shown it can help reverse symptoms of osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
9. It aids in healthy skin production and the reduction of “wrinkles”. It is one of the main ingredients in moisturizing creams.
10. It helps the body properly regulate insulin production. Adequate OS in the diet may reduce the amount of insulin injections.
11. It helps alleviate chronic headaches and migraines. Increased circulation in the brain cells promotes proper blood circulation within the brain. Less pressure and pain result, reducing tendencies for headaches.
12. It helps alleviate emphysema by providing the body with material to manufacture new, healthy cells on lung walls.
13. Because of the ability to make cell walls more permeable. OS causes the body to rapidly release and reduce alcohol “hangover” toxins, removing them as waste from the body. The process quickens recovery time from a “hangover”, often as quickly as 20 minutes.
14. It helps in reducing and often eliminating diverticulitis. Parasites living in the intestines are unable to remain attached to the walls due to the slippery coating that the OS produces. Because of this, hatching parasitic worms are flushed out as well because they cannot attach to the walls.
15. It reduces hypoglycemia in the body because it has made it easier for the body to introduce blood sugar through more permeable cell walls. Less insulin is demanded for the process, resulting in less overuse of the pancreas. Within several months of constant usage, OS can reduce or eliminate hypoglycemia entirely.
16. It helps alleviate PMS. Glandular production is enhanced by OS to have more “normal” levels of production. Acid, enzyme, and hormonal levels are more evenly balanced facilitating reduction of cramps, headaches, and nausea associated with the monthly cycle.
17. It helps promote better kidney function more efficiently. Water retention problems associated with poor kidney function can be alleviated.
18. It can help alleviate eye problems. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of the sulfur crystals in 4 ounces of water and use as eye drops as frequently as you like.
19. OS delivers the essential omega-3 throughout the body and also allows the body to produce vitamin B-12.
20. It has amazingly reversed countless cases of asthma and 18 cases of autism that we know about so far.
21. Last and certainly not least, it eliminates the continued need for Viagra or Cialis by reversing erectile dysfunction.
This is by far the ONLY substance that can remove the poisons from pesticides, heavy metals, radiation, and other toxins. You can find out more by going to www.healthtalkhawaii.com and going to Products and Services.
Oh yeah, the Opti product does not work because they add the synthetic silicon dioxide, whereby all synthetics kill all the benefits.
Aloha!
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/039963_cinnamon_honey_healing.html#ixzz2pgFZUlIX
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Sprouting on the ‘Sill: Growing Salad in Windowsill Gardens
Because lettuce and other salad greens germinate so quickly, it’s easy to grow a salad garden inside on a sunny windowsill. What I like to do is grow a mix of “baby greens,” which means I harvest the leaves before the plant matures. I mix these baby greens in with store bought lettuce for a flavorful salad or snip off a few leaves to top off sandwiches.
Growing baby salad greens and micro greens couldn’t be easier. Simply sow the seeds in sterile potting soil, cover them with a dusting of soil and keep the seeds moist by lightly misting them with water daily. Keep the pots in a warm location until they begin to sprout and then move them to a sunny window. If the plants look spindly or anemic, they need more light. The baby salad greens may require as much as 12 hours of light for healthy growth. A grow light is an easy remedy for this problem. Hang the lights about 6 to 12 inches above the plants.
Baby Lettuce Greens Micro greens are ready to harvest in about 14 days. Clip the seedlings off close to the soil. Baby salad greens will be ready in about 3 to 4 weeks. Trim them off at the base, starting with the outside leaves first.
P Allen Smith more at link here
Sprouting on the ‘Sill: Growing Salad in Windowsill Gardens
“My students live in a community with little access to affordable fresh fruits and vegetables,” explains Gioya Fennelly, a teacher at Eleanor Roosevelt IS 143(M) in New York City. “100 percent of our population qualifies for free lunch. I developed the windowsill salad garden project to teach students how to grow their own gourmet-quality microgreens with minimal effort and at a fraction of the cost of purchased produce.”
Using recycled containers such as gallon milk jugs, soilless potting mix, compost from a classroom worm bin, and a few packets of seeds, her class begins its exploration into the world of agricultural production. They start plants in an ingenious indoor ‘greenhouse’ – a discarded doughnut display case — that’s large enough to hold 10 to 15 containers of seedlings. It gets the plants off to a good start by providing light and a steady 75° to 80°F temperature. Once the seedlings are mature enough to leave the ‘greenhouse’ they’re moved to a classroom windowsill, or given to students with a sunny window at home. By the end of the project, every family has enjoyed a share of the harvest.
“My students love trying new things. Most have lived in a city all their lives, and have had no opportunity to experience gardening.” Gioya’s windowsill salad garden is an 8- to 10-week unit. “With a little planning, you can harvest the tops in about 3 weeks when the plants are 2″ tall, and continue harvesting every 2 to 3 weeks thereafter. I recommend staggering plantings to lengthen harvest time.”
Dill ~ Anethum graveolens ~ Lao coriander Plant Care Guide
An essential ingredient in pickling, dill is also commonly added to soups, stews, and salad dressings. This easy-to-grow annual herb is not only beautiful, but it also attracts beneficial insects to the garden.
Toxicology
- Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus[11]
- Antimicrobial activity against Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Dill (Anethum graveolens), also known as Lao coriander,[1][2] depending on where it is grown, is either a perennial or annual herb. It is the sole species of the genus Anethum.
When used as a companion planting, dill draws in many beneficial insects as the umbrella flower heads go to seed. Fittingly, it makes a good companion plant for cucumbers. It is a poor companion for carrots and tomatoes.[8]
more information here at original source
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Planting, Growing Harvesting Dill
Botanical name: Anethum graveolens @ Old farmers
Plant type: Herb
Sun exposure: Full Sun
Soil type: Loamy
Dill is an annual, self-seeding plant with feathery green leaves. It is used most commonly in soups, stews, and for pickling. Dill is easy to grow and attracts beneficial insects to your garden, such as wasps and other predatory insects.
Planting
- Sow dill seeds about 1/4-inch deep and 18 inches apart in rich soil, then gently rake the seeds into the soil. The soil should be around 60 to 70ºF for best results.
- Dill does not grow well when transplanted, so start the seeds fresh in the garden in early summer. Make sure to shelter the plants from strong winds.
- After 10 to 14 days, the plants should appear in the soil. Wait another 10 to 14 days, then thin the plants to about 12 to 18 inches apart.
- In your garden, plant dill next to cabbage or onions, but keep the dill away from carrots.
Care
- Water the plants freely during the growing season.
- In order to ensure a season-long fresh supply of dill, continue sowing seeds every few weeks. For an extended harvest, do not allow flowers to grow on the plants.
- If the soil remains undisturbed throughout the growing season, more dill plants will grow the next season.
Pests
- Leaf spot and occasionally a few other types of fungal leaf and root diseases
Harvest/Storage
- As soon as the plant has four to five leaves, you can start harvesting. Pinch off the leaves or cut them off with scissors.
- If you have a lot of plants, you can pinch off entire stalks.
Recommended Varieties
- Fernleaf dill, which is good in potato salads, cucumber soup, and fish dishes
Recipes
Wit & Wisdom
For sweeter breath, chew dill seeds.
Lawn herbicides detected in dogs
Homeowners often apply herbicides to their lawns to control weeds, but sometimes pets can be unintentionally exposed to those pesticides scientists say. In a new study published in the July 1, 2013 issue of Science of The Total Environment, scientists found detectable levels of commonly used herbicides in the urine of dogs. At the very least, they recommend that homeowners follow label instructions and allow any pesticide residues to dry completely before allowing pets onto lawns that have been treated.
Scientists from Purdue University and the University of North Carolina tested the urine of 25 dogs that lived in households where the homeowners applied herbicides to their lawns. They looked for and detected three commonly used herbicides (2,4-D, MCPP and dithiopyr). The herbicide levels were about 1.5 to 12.5 times higher in the dogs 24 hours after applications. By 48 hours, herbicide levels in the dog urine had decreased somewhat to near pre-treatment levels.
Ollie the dog. Image Credit: Chris Parfitt via Flickr.
In experimental grass plots that were sprayed with herbicides (2,4-D, MCPP and dicamba) the scientists were able to detect a substantial amount of pesticide residue up to 48 hours after treatment. At the very least, they recommend that homeowners follow label instructions and allow any pesticide residues to dry completely before allowing pets onto lawns that have been treated. They also suggest that homeowners wash their dog’s feet if they come into contact with a recently treated lawn and to consider alternating the treatment of a front and back lawn by one week so that pets have an untreated area available to them.
Surprisingly, the scientists also detected pesticides in the urine of dogs from homes where no pesticides were applied. They suspect that these dogs may have been exposed to herbicides on lawns in other areas away from the home or that the home lawns were contaminated by pesticide drift from nearby areas.
A pesticide warning sign. Image Credit: Austin Valley via Flickr.
While the exposure levels found in this study were not high enough to cause concern for acute poisoning, some studies have found that low level pesticide exposures may increase the risk for developing cancer in certain types of susceptible dog breeds.
Deborah Knapp, lead author of the study, is a professor at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. Her and her colleagues conducted the study out of concern for both pet health and the health of people. She explained to Discovery News how both people and pets can be exposed to lawn care chemicals:
Dogs can pick up the chemicals on their paws and their fur. They can then track the chemicals inside the house, leaving chemicals on the floor or furniture. In addition, if the dog has chemicals on its fur, the pet owner could come in contact with the chemicals when they pet or hold the dog.
Co-authors of the study included Wendy Peer, Abass Conteh, Alfred Diggs, Bruce Cooper, Nita Glickman, Patty Bonney, Jane Stewart, Lawrence Glickman and Angus Murphy. Funding for the research was provided in part by Purdue University Center for Cancer Research and private donations in support of bladder cancer research.
Bottom line: In a new study published in the July 1, 2013 issue of Science of The Total Environment, scientists found detectable levels of three commonly used herbicides in the urine of dogs after lawn applications. At the very least, they recommend that homeowners follow label instructions and allow any pesticide residues to dry completely before allowing pets onto lawns that have been treated.
Bee brain study reveals pesticide effect
Syrian Rue ~ Peganum harmala Plant Care Guide
Peganum harmala, commonly called Esfand,[1] wild rue,[1] Syrian rue,[1] African rue, or harmal, is a plant of the family Nitrariaceae. It is native from the eastern Iranian region west to India. Its common names refer to its resemblance to rue (which is not related).
It is a perennial plant which can grow to about 0.8 m tall,[3] but normally it is about 0.3 m tall.[4] The roots of the plant can reach a depth of up to 6.1 m, if the soil where it is growing is very dry.[4] It blossoms between June and August in the Northern Hemisphere.[5] The flowers are white and are about 2.5–3.8 cm in diameter.[5] The round seed capsules measure about 1–1.5 cm in diameter,[6] have three chambers and carry more than 50 seeds.[5]
Peganum harmala was first planted in the United States in 1928 in New Mexico by a farmer wanting to manufacture the dye “Iranian red” from its seeds.[4] Since then, it has spread invasively to Arizona, California, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Texas and Washington.[7] “Because it is so drought tolerant, African rue can displace the native saltbushes and grasses growing in the salt-desert shrub lands of the Western U.S.”[4]
(due to invasive nature of this plant in certain climates, Arizona, for one, has prohibited this plant, check your location if planting)
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Physical Characteristics @ Plants for a Future
Peganum harmala is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in).
It is hardy to zone 8. The seeds ripen in September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Habitats
Cultivated Beds; East Wall. By. South Wall. By.
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Oil; Oil.
Edible Uses: Condiment; Oil; Oil.
Seed – used as a spice and purifying agent[105, 177, 183, 238]. Some caution is advised because the seed has narcotic properties, inducing a sense of euphoria and releasing inhibitions[169]. An edible oil is obtained from the seed[46, 61].
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Abortifacient; Alterative; Aphrodisiac; Digestive; Diuretic; Emmenagogue;
Galactogogue;Hallucinogenic; Miscellany; Narcotic; Ophthalmic;
Parasiticide; Uterine tonic; Vermifuge.
Alterative[46, 169]. The fruit and seed are digestive, diuretic, hallucinogenic, narcotic and uterine stimulant[192, 238]. They are taken internally in the treatment of stomach complaints, urinary and sexual disorders, epilepsy, menstrual problems, mental and nervous illnesses[238]. The seed has also been used as an anthelmintic in order to rid the body of tapeworms[240]. This remedy should be used with caution and preferably under the guidance of a qualified practitioner since excessive doses cause vomiting and hallucinations[238]. The seeds contain the substance ‘harmine’ which is being used in research into mental disease, encephalitis and inflammation of the brain[192]. Small quantities stimulate the brain and are said to be therapeutic, but in excess harmine depresses the central nervous system[192]. A crude preparation of the seed is more effective than an extract because of the presence of related indoles[192]. Consumption of the seed in quantity induces a sense of euphoria and releases inhibitions. It has been used in the past as a truth drug[169, 187]. The oil obtained from the seed is said to be aphrodisiac[192]. The oil is also said to have galactogogue, ophthalmic, soporific and vermifuge properties[192]. The seed is used externally in the treatment of haemorrhoids and baldness[238]. The whole plant is said to be abortifacient, aphrodisiac, emmenagogue and galactogogue[240]. A decoction of the leaves is used in the treatment of rheumatism[240]. The root has been used as a parasiticide in order to kill body lice[240]. It is also used internally in the treatment of rheumatism and nervous conditions[254].
Other Uses
Dye; Incense; Miscellany; Oil; Oil; Parasiticide.
A red dye is obtained from the seed[46, 61]. It is widely used in Western Asia, especially as a colouring for carpets[192]. The ripe seed contains 3.8 – 5.8% of the alkaloids harmine, harmaline, harmalol and peganine[240]. Ineffective as a contact poison, they are active in vapour form where they are effective against algae, in higher concentrations to water animals and lethal to moulds, bacteria and intestinal parasites[240]. The seed is used as an incense[145].
Cultivation details
Prefers a light well-drained but moisture retentive soil and an open position in full sun[200]. Prefers a dry soil[187] and succeeds in poor soils[238]. Although this species comes from dry desert areas, it responds well to cultivation so long as the soil is very well drained[238]. It can tolerate temperatures down to about -20°c if the soil is dry[187]. There is speculation that this plant was the sacred ‘Soma’ plant, which was used by the ancients of India and Persia as an hallucinogenic aid to understanding the deeper meaning of life[238].
Propagation
Seed – sow late spring in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a sunny part of the greenhouse for their first winter. Be careful not to overwater, especially when the plants are dormant. Plant out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer[K]. Division in late spring[238].
GROWING TECHNIQUES
The peganum harmala seeds germinate fairly reliably by scattering them thinly over the surface of normal, moist seed mix and tamping them in. Keep in a little bit filtered sun and maintain moisture. Temperature should be kept warm. We let them stay put for awhile, even if crowded, since disturbing young seedlings can be fatal.
Once they seem like they have solid bases at the stem, carefully transplant with attention to the fine root hairs and adhering soil, so as not to unduly break them or bare-root the seedlings. Repot by burying a little deeper then before. Place out of full sun for awhile and water them but don’t overdo it. Seeds will continue to spontaneously sprout even years later from the sowing mix.
There seems to be a narrow niche this species requires to be happy, and we have never quit found it. In the wild, despite mother bushes casting of thousands of viable seeds all summer and fall, relatively few take hold. Those young plants seen in the habitat are in specific micro climates: indentations of livestock hooves in the soil, perhaps offering more moisture and a bit of sun shadow in the print. The seeds often sprouts magnificently, only to succumb to uncertain cultivation needs. Best to use sandy mix, only water when they are obviously needing, offer a partial filter from direct mid-day sun and make sure they are warm.
In natural habitat it get’s pretty cold at night, but it is during a dry season and we are told some people have great success storing their plants over winters by letting the plants actually dry up in the pots, put them in a dark, cool spot and bring them back to life in spring. We have a few old mother plants who sometimes skip a whole year without any sign of life, only to make green leaves at unpredictable times.
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Germination: Syrian Rue likes a well-drained not too damp and not too rich medium. The seed flat must be kept in the dark for the seeds to germinate. The temperature should be about 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit).
Growing: Syrian Rue needs full sun and a well-drained to dry, poor soil. If you are growing it too wet, the roots will die causing the top to go limp and die because the remaining roots can’t keep up with evaporation. If you are growing the plant too rich, the growth will be too lush and soft and become very susceptible to fungus infection and bug damage. If you grow the plant in too low light, it will produce thin stretched out soft growth that gets knocked over by any wind and also dries out too quickly during droughts.
Thyme: Planting, Growing, Harvesting ~ Varieties
Thyme /ˈtaɪm/ is any of several species of culinary and medicinal herbs of the genus Thymus, most commonly Thymus vulgaris.
Important species and cultivars
For a longer list of species, see Thymus (genus).
- Thymus citriodorus — various lemon thymes, orange thymes, lime thyme.
- Thymus herba-barona (caraway thyme) is used both as a culinary herb and a ground cover, and has a very strong caraway scent due to the chemical carvone.
- Thymus praecox (mother of thyme, wild thyme), cultivated as an ornamental
- Thymus pseudolanuginosus (woolly thyme) is not a culinary herb, but is grown as a ground cover.
- Thymus serpyllum (wild thyme, creeping thyme) is an important nectar source plant for honeybees. All thyme species are nectar sources, but wild thyme covers large areas of droughty, rocky soils in southern Europe (Greece is especially famous for wild thyme honey) and North Africa, as well as in similar landscapes in the Berkshire and Catskill Mountains of the northeastern US. The lowest-growing of the widely used thyme, it is good for walkways.
- Thymus vulgaris (common thyme, English thyme, summer thyme, winter thyme, French thyme,[12] or garden thyme)[13] is a commonly used culinary herb. It also has medicinal uses. Common thyme is a Mediterranean perennial which is best suited to well-drained soils and full sun.
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Botanical name: Thymus vulgaris
Plant type: Herb
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Sun
Thyme is a small perennial shrub with lots of branches and light purple to pink flowers. It’s aromatic and has a pleasant, pungent, clover flavor. There are over fifty varieties used in cooking and gardening. English thyme is used most often in cooking.
Planting
- It’s hard to grow thyme from seeds because of slow, uneven germination. It’s easier to buy the plants or take some cuttings from a friend.
- For a head start, plant the seeds/cuttings indoors 6 to 10 weeks before the last spring frost.
- Plant the seeds/cuttings 2 to 3 weeks before the last spring frost in well-drained soil about 9 inches apart. For best growth, the soil should be about 70ºF.
- The plants should grow 6 to 12 inches in height.
- In the garden, plant thyme near cabbage.
Care
- Water normally and remember to trim the plants.
- Prune the plants back in the spring and summer to contain the growth. You can take some cuttings and plant them indoors in pots, too.
- If you have cold winters, remember to lightly mulch around the plants after the ground freezes.
Pests
- Gray mold
- Root rot
Harvest/Storage
- Throughout the summer, leaves and sprigs can be harvested at any time.
- To dry the sprigs, hang them in a dark, well-ventilated, warm area. You can also just dry the leaves by placing them on a tray. Once dried, store them in an airtight container.
- Freezing is another method of storage.
Recommended Varieties
- Lemon thyme, for a hint of lemon
- Caraway thyme, for a nice fragrance of caraway and thyme
Recipes
- Ricotta and Lemon Thyme Souffle with Raspberry Sauce
- Carrots with Brown Butter and Thyme
- Lemon Thyme Bread with Lemon Glaze
Wit & Wisdom
Burning thyme gets rid of insects in your house.
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See Also …
How to Care for a Thyme Plant
Thyme: A Growing Guide
Thyme Plant Care Guide
Scavenger Hunt in the Garden ~ Father’s Day Idea for Kids :)
Sarah Pounders
Looking for a fun (and easy) summer time activity? Try a scavenger hunt!
Although the garden provides many opportunities for exploration and discovery, I have found my daughter needs a little more encouragement to get her observation skills up and running. To help her pay attention to her surroundings, I developed a scavenger hunt chart. I put the chart on a clipboard, grab a pen and off we go to our garden, a park, or some other type of a community green space.
The chart includes pictures of things commonly seen in the garden and in nature (leaves, birds, butterflies, etc) and she checks off each item as she finds them.
Click here to download our chart as a pdf file.
More continued at original link here
Garden Myth ~ Citronella Geranium vs 5 Easy to Grow Mosquito-Repelling Plants that Work
The “citronella plant“ is a geranium plant marketed as “Pelargonium citrosum“, but according to the American Botanical Council, ” ‘Pelargonium citrosum’ is not a valid taxonomic designation.”[1] “Pelargonium citrosum” is marketed as a mosquito plant, or citrosa geranium in stores in the United States and Canada, but research indicates Pelargonium citrosum is ineffective against Aedes aegypti mosquitos.[2] “Not only was the plant ineffective at protecting humans against Aedes mosquito bites, the mosquitoes were seen landing and resting on the citrosa plant on a regular basis.”[1]
It is not related to true citronella. It contains some essential oil isolates that also occur in mosquito repellent plants. It is sold in this capacity .
It is claimed that P.citrosum may be a genetic bonding of the African geranium with genes from cymbopogon grass[1], but there is no scientific basis for this claim.
The citronella geranium is not to be confused with other mosquito plants, nor with the grass also known as citronella. Also, citronella oil does not come from P.citrosum.
Not to be confused with Citronella mucronata (Chilean Citronella), which is a tree.
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5 Easy to Grow Mosquito-Repelling Plants @ earth easy.com
As the outdoor season approaches, many homeowners and outdoor enthusiasts look for ways to control mosquitoes. With all the publicity about the West Nile virus, mosquito repelling products are gaining in popularity. But many commercial insect repellents contain from 5% to 25% DEET. There are concerns about the potential toxic effects of DEET, especially when used by children. Children who absorb high amounts of DEET through insect repellents have developed seizures, slurred speech, hypotension and bradycardia.
There are new DEET-free mosquito repellents on the market today which offer some relief to those venturing outdoors in mosquito season. But there are also certain plants which are easy to grow and will have some effect in repelling mosquitoes from areas of your home and garden.
Here are five of the most effective mosquito repelling plants which are easy to grow in most regions of the US:
1. Citronella
Citronella is the most common natural ingredient used in formulating mosquito repellents. The distinctive citronella aroma is a strong smell which masks other attractants to mosquitoes, making it harder for them to find you. Although citronella is used in many forms, such as scented candles, torches and citronella ‘scented’ plants, the living plant is more effective because it has a stronger smell.
Citronella is a perennial ‘clumping’ grass which grows to a height of 5 – 6 feet. It can be grown directly in the ground in climate zones where frost does not occur. If grown in the garden or near the patio, it should be planted in the ‘background’, behind small decorative flowers and shrubs. In northern climate zones citronella can be grown in a large pot or planter, ideally with casters, so it can be rolled indoors during winter.
Gardening centers usually sell citronella as small plants in pots, ready to transplant to a larger pot or into raised garden beds on the ground. Once established, new plants can be propagated in early spring by splitting large clumps into smaller sections and replanting the new ‘starts’ in pots or other areas of the garden. Citronella plants are considered low maintenance, like most grasses, and they do best in full sun and well-drained locations. Periodic applications of nitrogen-rich fertilizers will ensure vigorous growth, but this treatment only needs to be applied once a year, preferably in early spring.
When purchasing citronella, look for the true varieties, Cybopogon nardus or Citronella winterianus. Other plants may be sold as ‘citronella scented’, but these do not have the mosquito repelling qualities of true citronella.
2. Horsemint
Also known as Beebalm, Horsemint is an adaptable perennial plant which repels mosquitoes much the same as citronella. It gives off a strong incense-like odor which confuses mosquitoes by masking the smell of its usual hosts.
Horsemint is a fast growing, shade-tolerant and drought-resistant plant which reaches a height and width of 2 – 3 feet. It does well in dry, sandy soil and can tolerate salty conditions, which is why it is often found in coastal and beach areas. Horsemint seeds can be sown indoors in trays for later transplanting, or sown directly into the ground in late summer in colder climate zones. Midwest and Eastern growing zones are favoured for growing horsemint.
Mature horsemint plants can be divided in spring and fall by dividing into small sections and transplanting into permanent locations. Horsemint can also be planted in pots for moving indoors in cold climate zones.
Horsemint leaves can be dried and used to make herbal tea. Its flowers will also attract bees and butterflies to your garden.
3. Marigolds
Commonly grown as ornamental border plants, marigolds are hardy annual plants which have a distinctive smell which mosquitoes, and some gardeners, find particularly offensive. Marigolds contain Pyrethrum, a compound used in many insect repellents.
Marigolds prefer full sunlight and reasonably fertile soil. Although marigolds can be planted from seed, starter plants are inexpensive and readily available at most garden centers. Although an annual, marigold will often reseed itself in favourable conditions, or the gardener can easily collect seeds for future germination. Established plants will need to be thinned, and flowers should be dead-headed to promote additional blooms.
Potted marigolds can be positioned near entrances to your home and any common mosquito entry points, such as open windows. The smell may deter mosquitoes from going past this barrier. While marigolds can be used as border plants around the patio, we do not advise putting marigolds on the patio table since the bright blooms may attract wasps.
Besides repelling mosquitoes, marigolds repel insects which prey on tomato plants, so you may want to plant a few marigolds in your tomato bed for added protection.
4. Ageratum
Also known as Flossflowers, Ageratum emits a smell which mosquitos find particularly offensive. Ageratum secretes coumarin, which is widely used in commercial mosquito repellents.
Ageratum is a low-lying annual ornamental plant which reaches heights of 8 – 18”, and is easily recognized by its blue flowers, although there are varieties with pink, white and violet blooms. This plant will thrive in full or partial sun and does not require rich soil. It is often displayed in rock gardens where low-lying plants are favoured.
Although the leaves of Ageratum can be crushed to increase the emitted odor, it is not advisable to rub the crushed leaves directly on the skin.
5. Catnip
Catnip is a natural mosquito repellent. In August 2010, entomologists at Iowa State University reported to the American Chemical Society that catnip is ten times more effective than DEET, the chemical found in most commercial insect repellents. According to Iowa State researcher Chris Peterson, the reason for its effectiveness is still unknown. “It might simply be acting as an irritant or they don’t like the smell. But nobody really knows why insect repellents work.”
In the laboratory, Peterson put groups of 20 mosquitoes in a two-foot glass tube, half of which was treated with nepetalactone, a biologically active characteristic constituent of catnip. After 10 minutes, only an average of 20 percent – about four mosquitoes – remained on the side of the tube treated with a high dose (1.0%) of the oil. In the low dose test (0.1%) an average of 25% – five mosquitoes – stayed on the treated side. When the same tests were conducted using DEET (diethyl-meta-toluamide), approximately 40 to 45% – eight to nine mosquitoes – remained on the treated side. A ten-fold higher concentration of DEET was required to obtain results similar to those of the Catnip.
Catnip, Nepeta cateria, is very easy to grow. This perennial herb is related to mint, and grows readily both as a weed and a commercially cultivated plant in most areas of the US.
While catnip will repel mosquitoes in close proximity to the plant, some people apply crushed catnip leaves or catnip oil for more robust protection. Bear in mind, however, that cats will respond to you similarly as they would respond to the plant itself. Cat owners may want to choose an alternative plant for repelling mosquitoes.
While the plants mentioned in this article have been shown to have mosquito-repelling properties, there are environmental variables that can mitigate their effectiveness. A breeze may direct odors in the opposite direction if advancing mosquitoes, reducing the plant’s effectiveness. Recommend :
Wellness Mama Essential Oil Bug Spray
Wellness Mama Bug Spray Ingredients:
- Essential oils: choose from Citronella, Clove, Lemongrass, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Cajeput, Eucalyptus, Cedar, Catnip, Lavender, Mint
- Natural Witch Hazel
- Distilled or boiled Water
- Vegetable glycerin (optional)
How to Make Homemade Bug Spray:
- Fill spray bottle (I used 8 ounce) 1/2 full with distilled or boiled water
- Add witch hazel to fill almost to the top
- Add 1/2 tsp vegetable glycerin if using
- Add 30-50 drops of essential oils to desired scent. The more oils you use, the stronger the spray will be. My personal favorite mix is: Rosemary, Clove, Cajeput, Lavender, Cinnamon and Eucalyptus… it works great and smells good too!
Make Bug Spray From Dried or Fresh Herbs
Fresh or Dried Herbs Bug Spray Ingredients:
- Distilled water
- witch hazel or rubbing alcohol
- dried herbs: peppermint, spearmint, citronella, lemongrass, catnip, lavender, etc. I recommend using at least one herb from the mint family.
How to Make Bug Spray From Fresh or Dried Herbs:
- Boil 1 cup of water and add 3-4 TBSP of dried herbs total in any combination from the above. I use 1 TBSP each of peppermint, spearmint, catnip and lavender, and also throw in a couple of dried cloves.
- Mix well, cover and let cool (covering is important to keep the volatile oils in!)
- Strain herbs out and mix water with 1 cup of witch hazel or rubbing alcohol. Store in a spray bottle in a cool place (fridge is great because then its nice and cool!)
- Use as needed. Added bonus: it smells great and is very refreshing to the skin!
Super Strong Insect Repellent Recipe
Fair warning: this stuff stinks when it is wet, though the smell disappears as it dries. It works incredibly well though, and this is the one I use when I’m going to be in the woods or in tick infested areas. It is based on a recipe that was supposedly used by thieves during the Black Plague to keep from getting sick. They used it internally and externally to avoid catching the disease and to keep the flies and other pests away. According to legend, it worked and they survived… but it definitely makes a great insect repellent these days! Its also very inexpensive to make and you probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen!
Vinegar of the Four Thieves Insect Repellent Ingredients:
- 1 32 ounce bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 TBSP each of dried Sage, Rosemary, Lavender, Thyme and Mint
- At least quart size glass jar with airtight lid
How to Make the Vinegar of the Four Thieves Insect Repellent:
- Put the vinegar and dried herbs into large glass jar.
- Seal tightly and store on counter or place you will see it daily. Shake well each day for 2-3 weeks.
- After 2-3 weeks, strain the herbs out and store in spray bottles or tincture bottles, preferably in fridge.
- To use on skin, dilute to half with water in a spray bottle and use as needed.
- Use whenever you need serious bug control!
[Note: This mixture is very strong and has antiviral and antibacterial properties. It can also be used as a tincture for any illness. For adults, dose is 1 TBSP in water several times a day,for kids over 2, dose is 1 tsp in water several times a day.]
Other Simple Insect Repelling Ideas:
- Add vanilla extract to either of the above recipes, or just rub on the skin. You can also mix vanilla with witch hazel and water for a spray version.
- Rub lavender flowers or lavender oil on your skin, especially on hot parts of body (neck, underarms, behind ears, etc) to repel insects.
- Rub fresh or dried leaves of anything in the mint family all over skin to repel insects (peppermint, spearmint, catnip, pennyroyal, etc or citronella, lemongrass, etc) Basil is also said to repel mosquitoes and I’ve used fresh basil leaves in the garden with great success before!
Sage ~ Salvia officinalis Plant Care Guide
Sage ~ Salvia o. Plant Care Guide
Botanical name: Salvia officinalis
Plant type: Herb
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Sun exposure: Full Sun
Sage is a hardy perennial with soft, grayish green leaves. Its flower colors vary; they can be purple, pink, blue, or white. Common sage is used most commonly for cooking; it’s a classic in stuffing.
Planting
- Sage can grow from seeds, but the best way to grow high-quality sage is from cuttings from an established plant.
- You can start the seeds/cuttings indoors 6 to 10 weeks before the last spring frost.
- Plant the seeds/cuttings in well-drained soil 1 to 2 weeks before the last spring frost.
- Plant the seeds/cuttings 24 to 30 inches apart. For best growth, the soil should be between 60º and 70ºF. Plants should grow to be between 12 and 30 inches in height.
- In the garden, plant near rosemary, cabbage, and carrots, but keep sage away from cucumbers.
Care
- Be sure to water the young plants regularly until they are fully grown so that they don’t dry out.
- Prune the heavier, woody stems every spring.
- It’s best to replace the plants every 4 to 5 years to ensure the best quality.
Pests
- Rust
- Powdery mildew
- Stem rot
- Fungal leaf spots
- Whiteflies
- Aphids
- Spider mites
Harvest/Storage
- During the first year, harvest lightly to ensure that the plant grows fully.
- After the first year. be sure to leave a few stalks so that the plant can rejuvenate. If fully established, one plant can be harvested up to three times in one season.
- Sage’s flavor is best when fresh, but it can be stored frozen or dried. To dry, leave the branches in the sun; once dried, remove the leaves and store them in an airtight container.
Recommended Varieties
- Tricolor sage, for a bit of color in the garden (yellow, mauve, and sage green)
Recipes
- Bagged Roast Turkey With Cornbread, Chestnut, and Sage Stuffing
- Ravioli in a Sage and Brown-Butter Sauce
- Cheese Crackers with Sage
Wit & Wisdom
Anyone who has sage planted in their garden is reputed to do well in business.
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- ‘Alba’, a white-flowered cultivar
- ‘Aurea’, golden sage
- ‘Berggarten’, a cultivar with large leaves, which rarely blooms, extending the useful life of the leaves
- ‘Extrakta’, has leaves with higher oil concentrations
- ‘Icterina’, a cultivar with yellow-green variegated leaves
- ‘Lavandulaefolia’, a small leaved cultivar
- ‘Purpurascens’ (‘Purpurea’), a purple-leafed cultivar
- ‘Tricolor’, a cultivar with white, yellow and green variegated leaves
‘Icterinaand ‘Purpurascens have gained the Royal Horticultural Society‘s Award of Garden Merit.
Herb Companions in the Garden and Kitchen
Herb Companions in the Garden and Kitchen
Herbs are great companions to food in your culinary masterpieces, and they are great companions in the garden, too.
Herbs in Almanac
Basil
In the garden: Plant with tomatoes. Repels flies and mosquitoes.
In the kitchen: Use in tomato dishes, pesto, sauces, and salad dressings.
Chives
In the garden: Plant with carrots.
In the kitchen: Related to the onion, chives enliven vegetable dishes, dressings, casseroles, rice, eggs, cheese dishes, sauces, gravies, and dips.
Dill
In the garden: Plant with cabbages. Keep away from carrots.
In the kitchen: Use seed for pickles and also to add aroma and taste to strong vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, and turnips. Use fresh with green beans, potato dishes, cheese, soups, salads, seafood, and sauces.
Mint
In the garden: Plant near cabbage and tomatoes. Deters white cabbage moth.
In the kitchen: It is common in Middle Eastern dishes. Use with roast lamb or fish and in salads, jellies, or teas.
Oregano
In the garden: Good companion to all vegetables.
In the kitchen: Of Italian origin, its taste is zesty and strong, good in any tomato dish. Try oregano with summer squash and potatoes, mushroom dishes, beans, or in a marinade for lamb or game.
Parsley
In the garden: Plant near asparagus, corn, and tomatoes.
In the kitchen: Use fresh parsley in soups, sauces, and salads. It lessens the need for salt in soups. You can fry parsley and use it as a side dish with meat or fish. It is, of course, the perfect garnish.
Rosemary
In the garden: Plant near cabbage, beans, carrots, and sage. Deters cabbage moth, bean beetles, and carrot fly.
In the kitchen: Use for poultry, lamb, and tomato dishes, stews, soups, and vegetables. Try it finely chopped in breads and custards.
Sage
In the garden: Plant near rosemary, cabbage, and carrots; away from cucumbers. Deters cabbage moth and carrot fly.
In the kitchen: Use in cheese dishes, stuffings, soups, pickles, with beans and peas, and in salads. Excellent for salt-free cooking.
Tarragon
In the garden: Good companion to most vegetables.
In the kitchen: Great with meat, eggs, poultry, seafood, and in salad dressings, marinades, and sauces.
Thyme
In the garden: Plant near cabbage. Deters cabbage worm.
In the kitchen: Use in casseroles, stews, soups, ragouts, and with eggs, potatoes, fish, and green vegetables.
More Herbs
Anise
In the garden: Plant with coriander, which promotes its germination and growth.
In the kitchen: Use in cookies, cakes, fruit fillings, and breads, or with cottage cheese, shellfish, and spaghetti dishes.
Borage
In the garden: Plant with tomatoes, squash, and strawberries. Deters tomato worm.
In the kitchen: Use leaves in salads; flowers in soups and stews.
Caraway
In the garden: Plant here and there. Loosens soil.
In the kitchen: Use in rye breads, cheese dips and rarebits, soups, applesauce, salads, coleslaw, and over pork or sauerkraut.
Chervil
In the garden: Plant with radishes.
In the kitchen: Use with soups, salads, sauces, eggs, fish, veal, lamb, and pork.
Fennel
In the garden: Plant away from other herbs and vegetables.
In the kitchen: Use to flavor pastries, confectionery, sweet pickles, sausages, tomato dishes, soups, and to flavor vinegars and oils. Gives warmth and sweetness to curries.
Garlic
In the garden: Plant near roses and raspberries. Deters Japanese beetle.
In the kitchen: Use in tomato dishes, garlic bread, soups, dips, sauces, marinades, or with meats, poultry, fish, and vegetables.
Lovage
In the garden: Plant here and there to improve the health and flavor of other plants.
In the kitchen: It’s a great flavoring for soups, stews, and salad dressings. Goes well with potatoes. The seeds can be used on breads and biscuits.
Marjoram
In the garden: Good companion to all vegetables.
In the kitchen: Excellent in almost any meat, fish, dairy, or vegetable dish that isn’t sweet. Add near the end of cooking.
Summer Savory
In the garden: Plant with beans and onions to improve growth and flavor.
In the kitchen: Popular in soups, stews, stuffings, and with fish, chicken, green beans, and eggs.
Related Articles
More on Companion Planting With Vegetables and Flowers ~ Three Sisters Garden Here
A “three sisters” garden consists of corn, pole beans and squash. The crops form a cooperative association in regards to light and root space.
ELAYNE SEARS
Chives, Leeks, Ramps, Spring Onions
Chives: A Growing Guide
Easy to grow, chives are among the earliest and freshest spring herbs.
Allium schoenoprasum
Chives are bulb plants, although the bulbs are so tiny that you might not realize they’re there. These plants produce beautiful, globelike pink and lavender blossoms. A perennial, chives grow to about 18 inches high and thrive in Zones 3 to 9.
Growing Guide
- Soil preparation: Chives prefers well-drained soil. Add aged compost to the soil before planting.
- Planting: In spring, plant seedlings in full sun. Keep mulch away from the bases of the plants to improve air circulation and prevent disease problems. Chives compete poorly with other plants, so weed diligently.
- Spacing: Plant clumps of up to six chive bulbs 5 to 8 inches apart. Divide large clumps of chives about every 3 years. Dig up the plants and divide them into small clumps with four to six bulbs each.
- Fertilizing: Avoid heavy applications of nitrogen.
Harvesting Hints
Use scissors to cut chives about 2 inches above the soil. Before the plants flower, harvest from the outside edges of the clumps. After flowering, cut back the entire plant to remove the spent flowerstalks.
Trivia Tidbits
Chives have been added to foods for nearly 5,000 years. Native to Asia, they were probably first used by the Chinese. Colonists brought chives with them to America.
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Leeks ~ Allium Ampeloprasum (Spanish Allium)
Detailed Description
Spanish alliums are statuesque beauties, towering a full 4 feet tall on strong, straight stems. The blooms are larger than softballs and reminiscent of sparklers, with dozens of tiny purple magenta florets. If you like the look of alliums but prefer plants with more movement, these are a good choice. The stems are flexible and allow the flower heads to sway in the breeze. Spanish allium bulbs are hard to find in this country, but widely grown in the Mediterranean and very popular as cut flowers in Israel. These plants are wonderfully tough. Good naturalizers, these bulbs split every year or two (depending on conditions), with each new half being of flowering size. Spread them around your garden or give some to friends.
| Common Name: | Spanish allium |
| Botanical Name: | Allium ampeloprasum |
| Exposure: | Full sun |
| Hardiness: | Zones 7-10 |
| Height: | 48″ |
| Color: | Purple magenta 7-8″ blooms with subtle color variations |
| Bloom Season: | May to June |
| Bulb/Plant Size: | 10/12 cm |
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Cultivating Ramps: Wild Leeks of Appalachia
Jeanine M. Davis and Jacqulyn Greenfield
INTRODUCTION
Ramps, (Allium tricoccum or Allium tricoccum var. burdickii, Alliaceae) also known as wild leeks, are native to the Appalachian mountain region in eastern North America (Fig. 1). Ramps can be found growing in patches in rich, moist, deciduous forests as far north as Canada, west to Missouri and Minnesota, and south to North Carolina and Tennessee. As one of the first plants to emerge in the spring, ramps were traditionally consumed as the seasons first “greens.” They were considered a tonic because they provided necessary vitamins and minerals following long winter months without access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Ramps are pleasant to eat and taste like spring onions with a strong garlic-like aroma. They are often prepared by frying in butter or animal fat with sliced potatoes or scrambled eggs. They are also used as an ingredient in other dishes such as soup, pancakes, and hamburgers. They can also be pickled or dried for use later in the year.
Fig. 1. Ramp plant with bulb and flower bud.
Traditions evolved around the annual gathering and preparation of ramps and in many communities in the Southern Appalachian region annual spring ramps festivals are held. These festivals are major tourist attractions and are actively promoted by the communities in which they are held (Fig. 2). The large volumes of ramps consumed at these festivals are gathered from wild populations in public and private forests (Fig. 3). In recent years, celebrity chefs have been promoting ramps as a gourmet food item and “white-table cloth” restaurants have begun serving ramps. This has created a rising demand for large supplies of ramps. As a result, native populations of ramps are dwindling. In response to the increased harvests, and in light of studies showing a ramp population needs many years to recover from a single harvest (Rock 1996), the Smoky Mountain National Park, in North Carolina and Tennessee, banned the harvesting of ramps in 2002. There is no indication that the demand for ramps will decrease. In fact, the medical community has also shown an interest in ramps especially since Whanger et al. (2000) showed that selenium enriched ramps reduced cancer in rats.
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| Fig. 2. Waynesville, North Carolina ramps festival. | Fig. 3. Ramps being sold in Richwood, West Virginia. |
Ramps are a spring ephemeral of deciduous forests in eastern North America. They can be found in cool, shady areas with damp, rich soil high in organic matter. New leaves emerge from the perennial bulb in early spring, usually late March or early April, before the tree canopy develops. By late May, the ramp leaves begin to die back and a flower stalk emerges. Thus, the annual photosynthetic phase is limited to a few weeks between when the plants emerge and the tree canopy closes. The flower blooms in June and the seeds mature atop a leafless stalk. Eventually the seeds fall to the ground to germinate near the mother plant.
In an effort to conserve native populations and meet the rising demand for ramps, we are developing cultivation practices for ramps. Harvesting ramps from easily accessible, concentrated plantings would not only benefit festival participants, chefs, and consumers, but also create a new marketable product for the commercial grower. A series of studies were initiated in a collaboration with the Department of Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Plant Industry Division. Funding is provided by the Golden Leaf Foundation. This paper describes two of our current studies on ramps.
SEED GERMINATION STUDIES
Spring versus fall seeding is being studied at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station in Fletcher, North Carolina. Ramp seeds collected in fall of 1998 in Madison County, North Carolina (Fig. 4) were sown in fall 1999 and spring 2000 at five sites: an open field, a mixed deciduous forest, under four polypropylene shade cloth structures providing 30%, 47%, 63%, and 80% shade, and under a wood lath structure providing an average of 63% shade (Fig. 5). The experimental design at each site is a randomized complete block with four replications. Each plot is 323 cm2 and contains 50 seeds planted 2.54 cm × 2.54 cm apart. The plots are kept mulched with approximately 5 cm of leaf litter and irrigated when necessary. Data are being collected on germination, plant growth, and survival.
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| Fig. 4. Ramp seeds still on seed heads. | Fig. 5. Shade structures for germination studies at the reseach station, Fletcher, North Carolina. |
There was no germination of any of the seeds sown in fall 1999 until March 2001. This was not unexpected. C. Baskin (pers. commun.), reported that ramp seeds have a dormant, under-developed embryo. The seed requires a warm, moist period to break root dormancy and a subsequent cold period to break shoot dormancy. Some years there is enough warm weather after sowing in late summer or early fall to break root dormancy. The following winter cold breaks shoot dormancy and the plants emerge in spring. If there is not an adequate warm period after sowing, the seed will not germinate until the second spring.
There were dramatic differences in emergence and plant stand over time depending on when seeds were sown and where. Total emergence was significantly greater for the fall sown seeds (43%) compared to the spring sown seeds (35%). In the shade treatments, the highest emergence rates occurred in the forest and under the 30% shade structure (Table 1). The poorest germination occurred in the open field setting. There were no interactions between when seeds were sown and where.
Table 1. Ramp seed germination in response to location and seedling life over the 2001 growing season.
| Location | Maximum germination (%) |
Live seedlings (% of total plants emerged) |
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| April 19 | May 7 | May 14 | May 26 | ||
| Open field | 10 | 88 | 69 | 37 | 0 |
| Shade house | |||||
| 30% shade | 52 | 88 | 43 | 19 | 1 |
| 47% shade | 44 | 47 | 26 | 7 | 1 |
| 63% shade | 42 | 93 | 66 | 55 | 11 |
| 80% shade | 35 | 89 | 87 | 79 | 10 |
| Lath house | 32 | 92 | 92 | 82 | 21 |
| Forest | 57 | 96 | 95 | 77 | 20 |
| LSD (5%) | 7 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 7 |
| LSD (1%) | 10 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 9 |
Location also affected the length of time the seedlings lived. This could have an effect on the size of the plant the following year. Seedlings lived the longest in the forest setting and under the wood lath structure (Table 1). Seedling life was shortest in the treatments receiving the most light.
Germination rates obtained here were similar to those reported by Nault and Gagnon (1993) under natural forest conditions in Quebec, Canada (35%–60%). They obtained much higher germination rates (70%–96.4%) when seedlings were sown in large wooden boxes and provided with favorable growth conditions. In this study, the best germination and seedling life were obtained in a natural forest setting. The open field setting was probably too dry and exposed for germination. For the artificial shade structures, the best germination occurred under 30% shade, however, the plants did not have a long life. This indicates that some light is beneficial for germination but too much light may be detrimental for seedling survival.
CALCIUM AND pH STUDIES
In March 2001 a study was established in a mixed deciduous forest at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station to examine the influence of soil pH and soil calcium levels on survival, growth, reproduction, and bulb yields of ramps. The experimental design was a randomized complete block factorial with four pH × four calcium treatments with four replications. The native soil pH is 4.9. The pH levels compared were 4.9, 5.5, 6.0, and 6.5; calcium treatments were 1121, 3363, and 5605 kg Ca/ha. Materials used to create pH and calcium treatments, and keep magnesium balanced between calcium treatments, were gypsum (CaSO4), MgO, and olivine (MgSiO3) (Fig. 6, 7). Individual plots were 1.4 m2 and each contained 50 bulbs planted on a 15 cm × 15 cm spacing. Plots were kept mulched with 5 cm of leaf litter and irrigated when necessary. Data were collected on plant emergence, survival, growth, flowering, and decline.
 |
 |
| Fig. 6. Preparing research plots for calcium and pH study in forest. | Fig. 7. Ramp bulbs used to plant forest research plots. |
On April 2, there were no differences in plant growth in response to lime or calcium applications. This was probably because all nutrients used by the plants until this time were provided from storage tissues, i.e., the bulbs. On April 18 there was a late freeze that damaged leaves on plants in all plots. This caused some plants to die back earlier than usual, but it was across the entire study. By April 24, there were significant differences within pH and within calcium treatments and these differences were even greater by May 16. For both dates, plant stands decreased as soil pH increased (Table 2). In contrast, plant stands increased as soil calcium levels increased. There were no interactions between soil pH and calcium.
Table 2. Percent stand of ramp bulbs in response to soil pH and calcium, 2001.
| Treatments | Stand (%) | ||
| April 2 | April 24 | May 16 | |
| Soil pH | |||
| 4.9 | 99 | 77 | 36 |
| 5.5 | 98 | 74 | 31 |
| 6.0 | 99 | 70 | 25 |
| 6.5 | 98 | 66 | 27 |
| LSD (5%) | NS | 8 | 8 |
| Calcium (kg/ha) | |||
| 0 | 98 | 63 | 23 |
| 1121 | 99 | 70 | 26 |
| 3363 | 99 | 75 | 34 |
| 5605 | 98 | 78 | 35 |
| LSD (5%) | NS | 8 | 8 |
| LSD (1%) | NS | 11 | 10 |
Soil from healthy, native ramps populations in western North Carolina have high calcium levels, often in the 1760–4515 kg/ha range (J. Corbin, unpubl.). Ramps also seem to favor soils with high calcium:magnesium ratios. Our results are consistent with those findings. Native ramp populations are often found in areas with an average soil pH of 5.5. Results of first year growth in this study is contradictory to those findings. In this study, the best plant stands were obtained at pH 4.9.
CONCLUSIONS
Results from the studies described here and other studies we are conducting, along with experiences of the few people growing ramps, indicate that ramps can be cultivated successfully for commercial purposes in a forest setting. Site selection is critical to ensure healthy populations necessary for commercial production. These studies indicate that amending the soil may improve production. Preliminary results suggest that raising calcium levels is beneficial for establishment. Fall planting of seeds resulted in higher germination rates than spring planted seeds and a forest setting provided better seed germination and seedling life than an artificial shade structure or an open field.
REFERENCES
- Davis, J.M. and J. Greenfield. 2001. Cultivation of ramps (Allium tricoccum and A. burdickii). Dept. Hort. Sci., North Carolina State Univ., Hort. Information Leaflet 133.
- Davis, J.M. Herbs, Vegetables, Specialty Crops, and Organics. http://ncherb.org.
- Nault, A. and D. Gagnon. 1993. Ramet demography of Allium tricoccum, a spring ephemeral, perennial forest herb. J. Ecol. 81:101–119.
- Rock, J. 1996. The impact of harvesting ramps (Allium tricoccum Ait.) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. National Park Service, Gatlinburg, TN. (unpubl. manuscript).
- Whanger, P.D., C. Ip, C.E. Polan, P.C. Uden, and G. Welbaum. 2000. Tumorigensis, metabolism, speciation, bioavailability, and tissue deposition of selenium in selenium-enriched ramps (Allium tricoccum). J. Agr. Food Chem. 48:5723–5730.
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See Also ….
Chives
Allium ampeloprasum
Allium ampeloprasum – L.
Allium tricoccum
Rhubarb Planting, Care and Harvesting Guides
Rhubarb
Botanical name: Rheum rhabarbarum
Plant type: Fruit
Sun exposure: Full Sun
Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable, though it is generally used as a fruit in desserts and jams. You only eat the stalks, which have a rich tart flavor. The leaves of this plant are poisonous, so be sure that they are not ingested. Rhubarb is easy to grow, but needs cool weather to thrive.
Planting
- Before planting, eliminate all perennial weeds.
- Choose a site that is well-drained, fertile, and preferably in full sunlight. It does best where the average temperature falls below 40ºF in the winter and below 75ºF in the summer.
- Plant rhubarb roots (not seeds) in early spring well before the first light frost so that root development may take place.
- Dig large bushel basket-size holes. Space rhubarb plants about 4 feet apart and plant the roots 1 to 2 inches below the surface of the soil.
- Be sure to mix compost, rotted manure, or anything high in organic matter in the soil. Rhubarb plants are heavy feeders and need this organic matter. Don’t add a chemical fertilizer when planting rhubarb or during the first year of growth. Direct contact with nitrates can kill your rhubarb plants.
Care
- Mulch generously with a heavy layer of straw and cow manure to provide nutrients for the plant, retain moisture, and discourage weeds.
- Water your plant well. It needs sufficient moisture during the summer.
- Remove seed stalks as soon as they appear.
- After the first spring, apply a light sprinkling of a high-nitrogen fertilizer (25-3-3 or 10-6-4) when the ground is thawing or has just thawed, so that the fertilizer will go into the ground and not harm the roots.
- Insects and diseases won’t bother rhubarb plants as long as you keep the plants weed-free.
- Dig and split rhubarb roots every 3 to 4 years.
Pests
- Crown rot
Harvest/Storage
- Do not harvest any stalks during the first growing season so that your plants can become established. (Side note ~ took a clump last year from friends garden and you can see how well it has done. what i did was remove the entire clump and leave in original sod, dug a quick hole double space needed for root ball and filled around original root ball with good garden mix of topsoil, peat moss and compost. it should be fine as long as roots are not disturbed in transplant.)
- Harvest the stalks when they are 12 to 18 inches long. Usually after 3 years, the harvest period runs 8 to 10 weeks long. If the stalks become thin, stop harvesting; this means the plant’s food reserves are low.
- Grab the base of the stalk and pull it away from the plant with a gentle twist. If this doesn’t work, you can cut the stalk at the base. Be sure the discard of the leaves!
- Always leave at least 2 stalks per plant to ensure continued production. You may have a bountiful harvest for up to 20 years without having to replace your rhubarb plants.
Recommended Varieties
- Red rhubarb varieties, which are more tender. Some include ‘Valentine’, ‘Crimson Cherry’, and ‘Canada Red’.
Recipes
- Rhubarb Crunch
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Rhubarb Grilled Chicken
- Rhubarb Pudding (An old recipe)
- Blueberry-Rhubarb Jam
- Rhubarb Punch
- Cold Rhubarb Soup
- Stewed Rhubarb with Spiced Whipped Cream
Wit & Wisdom
Rhubarb has many other uses, from medicinal to cosmetic. See how to naturally lightening your hair with rhubarb.
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How to Harvest Rhubarb ~ Photo Guide
Grandma’s Rhubarb Crunch
Rhubarbanana Bread
Honeysuckle Extract ~ Japanese Honeysuckle: Lonicera japonica
Other Names Chin Yin Hua, Chin Yin T’Eng, Honeysuckle, Japanese Honeysuckle, Jen Tung, Jen Tung Chiu, Jen Tung Kao, Sui-Kazura, Yin Hua, Hall’s Honeysuckle, White honeysuckle, Chinese honeysuckle, Halliana
Habitat
Perennial herb Native to E. Asia – China, Japan, Korea, now naturalized in Britain and the US from southern New York and New Jersey south to southern Florida and west to southwestern Texas. Inland it is distributed from Pennsylvania and West Virginia west to Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Widespread in the eastern and southern United States. Japanese honeysuckle is an important white-tailed deer food and is often invasive.
Cultivation: prefers partial shade to full sun and moist soil. Prune back hard in winter to prevent the build-up of woody growth, provide a trellis. Climbing Vine, Shrub, it has a dense root system that may extend laterally for a distance of 7 to 10 feet, and attain depths of 3 to 4 feet. The simple, opposite, pinnate leaves are oval to oblong in shape and are semi-evergreen and may persist on vines year-round, up to 3 inches in length. The extremely fragrant, two-lipped flowers are borne in pairs in the axils of young branches and are produced throughout the summer. Flowers range from 1 to 2 inches in length and are white with a slight purple or pink tinge when young, changing to white or yellow with age, they are edible. The fruit is a black, berrylike drupe with three to five one-seeded stones. (See harvest times for various parts of the plant below).
Properties
Japanese honeysuckle is edible and medicinal. High in Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium, the leaves can be parboiled and eaten as a vegetable. The edible buds and flowers, made into a syrup or puddings. The entire plant has been used as an alternative medicine for thousands of years in Asia. The active constituents include calcium, elaidic-acid, hcn, inositol, linoleic-acid, lonicerin, luteolin, magnesium, myristic-acid, potassium, tannin, and zink. It is alterative, antibacterial, antiinflammatory, antispasmodic, depurative, diuretic, febrifuge, and is also used to reduce blood pressure. The stems are used internally in the treatment of acute rheumatoid arthritis, mumps and hepatitis.
The stems are harvested in the autumn and winter, and are dried for later herb use. The stems and flowers are used together a medicinal infusion in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections (including pneumonia) and dysentery. An infusion of the flower buds is used in the treatment of a wide range of ailments including syphillitic skin diseases and tumors, bacterial dysentery, colds, and enteritis. Experimentally, the flower extracts have been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels and are antibacterial, antiviral and tuberculostatic. Externally, the flowers are applied as a medicinal wash to skin inflammations, infectious rashes and sores. The flowers are harvested in early morning before they open and are dried for later herb use. This plant has become a serious weed in many areas of N. America, it might have the potential to be utilized for proven medicinal purposes. Other uses include; Ground cover, Insecticide, Basketry, vines used to make baskets. The white-flowers of cultivar ‘Halliana’ has a pronounced lemon-like perfume.
How to Make Honeysuckle Extract
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- 1
Purchase 80 to 100 proof brandy or vodka. This proof will ensure a good balance of alcohol and water in the final extract as opposed to a higher-proof alcohol.
- 2
Calculate how many honeysuckle flowers you will need. Herbal extracts can be tricky to make with fresh material because of the guesswork in deciding how much liquid the petals contain. In general, use 1 part fresh plant material to 2 parts alcohol. In practice, 4 oz. (dry weight) of honeysuckle flowers would require 8 oz. (liquid measure) alcohol.
- 3
Pick the honeysuckle flowers. The buds, stems and opened flowers all contain special properties.
- 4
Fill a glass jar loosely with the honeysuckle flowers.
- 5
Pour the alcohol over the flowers, making sure to saturate all the plant material.
- 6
Securely cap and set the jar to steep in a dark place for two to six weeks.
- 7
Label the jar with the date the extract was made and the ingredients.
- 8
Shake the honeysuckle extract as often as possible during the steeping process.
- 9
Uncap the mixture after it has steeped for the proper period of time.
- 10
Strain the liquid through cheesecloth, firmly squeezing the cheesecloth to release all the extract.
- 11
Decant into small bottles or vials with tight stoppers or corks.
- 12
Make a new label, again noting the date when it was decanted, the contents and dosing recommendations.
- 13
Store in a cupboard or refrigerator.
- 14
Take when needed at a dose of five to 15 drops per 8 oz. glass of water or orange juice.
- 1
Tips & Warnings
- Honeysuckle extracted with other mediums can also be used therapeutically. Steep the flowers in olive, sweet almond or jojoba oil for massage oil to help increase circulation in the hands and feet, according to “The Complete Book of Herbs.”
- Rose recommends honeysuckle flower syrup as an effective gargle for sore throats. Make your favorite simple syrup recipe, but replace plain water with water in which fresh honeysuckle flowers, or honeysuckle tea, has been infused in simmering water for 10 minutes.
- If you can’t tolerate alcohol-based medicines, substitute the same amount of vinegar for the brandy or vodka.
- Consult with your doctor before trying any herbal remedies.
Natural Sunscreen Recipe ~ Wellness Mama
SOURCE
Most sunscreens contain toxic ingredients or endocrine disrupting chemicals that in many cases may actually promote skin cancer growth and free radical production in the body. In fact, in the years since sunscreen use began, skin cancer rates have actually risen, and a 2007 document from the FDA stated that: “The FDA is not aware of data demonstrating that sunscreen use alone helps prevent skin cancer” In fact, many reports show that most sunscreens actually raise skin cancer risk.
Even natural commercially available sunscreens often have toxic ingredients! Check out your brand here!
Considering many people these days are actually Vitamin D deficient, I consider lack of sun exposure to be a much bigger problem than too much exposure. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to many types of cancers including the most deadly types of breast cancer. Lack of Vitamin D has also been linked to problems during pregnancy including pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, premature labor and more.
As a society, we’ve literally cut off our nose to spite our face when it comes to sun exposure. To avoid skin cancer, which is not a particularly deadly cancer, especially if caught early, we’ve shunned the sun and the Vitamin D our bodies produce with sun exposure.
On top of that, sun exposure itself is not conclusively linked to skin cancer, and many other factors, such as Omega-6 Vegetable Oil consumption can have a big impact on skin health!
In most cases, my approach to sun exposure is to get adequate daily exposure, without getting close to the point of burning. Since most of us don’t work outside these days, it actually takes effort to get daily sun, rather than to avoid it.
In the event that I’m going to be out in the sun for much longer than my skin is used to, it is often easy enough to just put on a hat or shirt to shield my skin.
If none of these options are available, for instance, on a day at the beach in early summer before I’ve been in the sun much, I will very occasionally use natural sunscreen. I’m yet to use it this year, and hope not to at all, but I wanted to share my recipe so that if you are in the sun for extended periods of time this summer, you have a natural option.
This would also be a more natural alternative for really young children, those taking medication that increases sun burn risk, or those who burn very easily.
Just to clarify, even though this natural sunscreen smells great and is naturally moisturizing, I don’t recommend using it daily since the Vitamin D you get from the sun will be more beneficial in the long run!
Natural Homemade Sunscreen Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup oil (coconut, olive, almond or grapeseed are good-I get mine here)
- 5 tsp Zinc Oxide (available online
or in many stores on the diaper aisle, just make sure it is pure zinc oxide- For those concerned about contaminants or nano-particles, this version has larger particles)
- 1 TBSP Beeswax or emulsifying wax (I get mine here)
- 3 TBSP natural aloe vera gel (not the kind with alcohol or propylene glycol- I get mine from Mountain Rose Herbs and my husband also uses it for hair gel)
- 1/2 cup distilled water or brewed green tea (strained)
- 2-3 capsules of Vitamin E oil (optional)
- 10 drops Grapefruit Seed Extract (optional)
- Essential Oils or Coconut Extract for scent (optional) [Note: do not use citrus essential oils since they can actually cause burning]
How To Make Natural Sunscreen:
- Heat Oil and beeswax on double boiler until just melted.
- Remove from heat, and add vitamin E and essential oils.
- Put into bowl that will not be used for food, and add zinc oxide powder, set aside.
- In small pan, heat water or tea and aloe vera until just warm.
- Add the water/aloe mixture slowly while whisking vigorously or use an immersion blender.
- Add any additional essential oils or fragrances (except citrus)
Additional Notes:
- This sunscreen is not completely waterproof and will need to be reapplied after sweating or swimming
- Make sure not to inhale the Zinc Oxide- use a mask if necessary
- This recipe has an SPF of about 20, though adding more Zinc Oxide will increase the SPF
- Add more beeswax to make thicker sunscreen, less to make smooth sunscreen- adding about 3x the amount of beeswax and removing the water/tea will make a “sunscreen bar” that rubs on like stick deodorant
- I recommend coconut or vanilla extract or lavender essential oils for fragrance
- Store in a cool, dry place or in the fridge
- I prefer to store in a small canning jar and apply like a body butter. It will be thicker, especially if you use coconut oil in the recipe.
- remove the Zinc Oxide and this makes an excellent lotion recipe!
An Even Faster Way To Make Sunscreen:
- Get a bottle of your favorite lotion (that doesn’t contain citrus oils!)
- Add a couple Tablespoons of Zinc Oxide
- Mix well
- Use as Sunscreen
What do you think? Avid sunscreen user or Vitamin D junkie?
Here are a list of ingredients you should look out for. If you see these in so-called natural sunscreens, you should not buy them, because they are not natural at all.
- Menthyl anthranilate
- Dioxybenzone
- Avobenzone
- Oxybenzone
- Sulisobenzone
How to Grow Cherries
Do you crave the taste of sweet cherries despite their steep price? Do you love hot cherry pie or the sight of a cherry tree in full bloom? If so, grow your own sweet and tart cherries, and you’ll enjoy a hearty harvest that is sure to satisfy your cherry craze.
Selecting trees
Tart cherries (Prunus cerasus), also called sour or pie cherries, are easy to grow. Use the tangy fruit for baking, or let it overripen on the tree for fresh eating. Sour cherries are self-fertile and will set fruit alone. They grow only 20 feet tall and bear fruit at an earlier age than sweet cherries. Sour cherries are hardy in Zones 4–6.
Sweet cherries (P. avium) do best in mild, dry climates, but some cultivars will do well in other climates with a little special care. Most sweet cherries need a second compatible cultivar for pollination. Certain sweet cherries can’t pollinate other specific cultivars, so check before you plant. If you can only plant one tree, buy one grafted with two cultivars, or try a self-fertile cultivar such as ‘Compact Stella’ or ‘Starkcrimson’. Sweet cherries can grow into trees 35 feet or taller, but they’re also available on dwarfing rootstocks that will keep the trees as small as 10 feet. They are hardy in Zones 5–7 and also thrive in Zones 8 and 9 in the Pacific Northwest.
Sweet cherries come in purple, red, and yellow. There are firm-fleshed types and soft-fleshed types. Soft-fleshed types tend to be less prone to cracking.
Duke cherries are hybrids between sweet and tart cherries, and tend to be sweet/tart.
Bush cherries (P. besseyi, P. tomentosa, and Prunus spp.) bear small cherrylike fruit and grow well in areas with harsh winters where cherry trees will not.
Rootstocks
Tart cherries are small trees no matter what rootstock they are grafted on. Standard sweet cherries are grafted on seedling rootstocks such as ‘Mazzard’ (P. avium) and ‘Mahaleb’ (P. mahaleb). If your soil is heavy, try ‘Mazzard’. For lighter soils, choose ‘Mahaleb’ for a smaller tree that bears in 2 to 4 years. ‘Mahaleb’ also adapts well to irrigation and slightly alkaline soil. ‘Damil’ rootstock makes a sturdy dwarfed tree and appears even more tolerant of wet soil than ‘Mazzard’, but some of the dwarfing rootstocks available give disappointing results.
Planting and care
Tart cherries grow well throughout much of the United States. They need about 1,000 chill hours below 45°F in winter. This limits their range to the Carolinas and northward through Zone 4. Although all cherries need well-drained soils, tart cherries tolerate moderately heavy soils better than sweet cherries. Space tart cherries 20 to 25 feet apart, sweet cherries 25 to 30 feet apart. Dwarf trees can be planted with closer spacing.
Sweet cherries are not as winter hardy as tart cherries. Early autumn frosts also can damage sweet cherry trees. Commercially, sweet cherries grow best in the West, where summers are dry.
Cherries bloom early and are susceptible to frost damage. Sweet cherries bloom earlier than sour cherries.
Once the fruit sets, watch soil water levels. Cherry fruit matures early and fast. It is particularly sensitive to moisture availability in the last two weeks of ripening. If the soil is too dry, the swelling cherries will shrivel. If it is too wet, they will crack and split. If you live in an area prone to heavy summer rainfall, choose cultivars that resist cracking. Spread a thick organic mulch out to the drip line to help maintain soil moisture at a constant level. Irrigate as necessary to keep the soil evenly moist.
Healthy cherry trees will grow about 1 foot a year. If your tree’s progress is slower or the new leaves are yellow, have the soil and/or foliage tested for nutrient deficiencies. See the Soil entry for instructions on taking a soil sample. Mulch each spring with a thin layer of compost out to the drip line. Don’t fertilize after midsummer. This could encourage new growth that won’t harden before fall frosts.
Pruning
A central leader form is best for dwarf tart cherries. Use a modified central leader form for semidwarf and standard cherry trees. Spreading the branches while they are young will help control height and encourage earlier bearing. After the trees reach bearing age, prune to let light penetrate to the interior of the tree. Prune tart cherries lightly each winter to stimulate new growth and thin tangled branches. Prune sweet cherries less frequently, only every third or fourth year. Cut back heavy tops on overgrown sweet cherry trees to force new fruiting wood to develop on lower branches.
Problems
Fruit cracking and hungry birds are two of the biggest problems when raising cherries. Most insect and disease problems are less severe on tart cherry trees than on sweet.
Birds can strip all of the cherries off a few backyard trees in very little time. Covering trees with netting before the fruit starts to ripen is the most effective way to stop bird damage. You can also try planting a mulberry tree nearby that fruits at the same time as your cherries to lure birds away from the harvest. See the Animal Pests entry for more ways to discourage feathered scavengers from stealing your cherries.
Cherry fruit fly, green fruit worm, peach tree borer, mites, and plum curculio all attack cherries. Aphids and scale can also cause problems. Sawfly larvae (pearslugs) sometimes skeletonize cherry leaves; see the pear entry for description and controls.
Shothole borers can attack cherries and other fruit trees. They makde small holes in the bark of twigs and trunk. The holes are often covered with gum. The larvae are pinkish white and about 1/8 inch long. Prevent the tiny black adults from laying eggs by painting trunk and large branches in spring, summer, and fall with white latex paint diluted 1:1 with water. These pests most often attack wounded or diseased trees, so their appearance may be a sign that your trees are in trouble and you need to consider removing them.
Pear thrips can cause disfigured leaves and blossoms. Naturally occurring predatory mites usually provide control, but if your trees become severely infested, spray with insecticidal soap.
Diseases can be a serious problem on cherries. Watch for these:
- Brown rot and perennial canker attack cherries and other stone fruit.
- Black knot can attack cherries.
- Cherry leaf spot appears as small purple spots on upper leaf surfaces. The spots later turn brown, and their centers may fall out. Leaves turn yellow and drop before autumn. Clean up and dispose of fallen leaves each winter. Plant resistant cultivars. If leaf spot is a problem in your area, plan a preventive spray program with lime sulfur or sulfur. Lime sulfur may discolor fruits, so don’t use it after young fruits begin to develop.
- Powdery mildew can be a problem on cherries.
- A number of viruses attack cherries. Buy virus-free stock and avoid planting in old cherry orchards or near wild chokecherries.
Harvesting
When the fruit begins to drop, it is ready to pick. Tart cherries can be left to sweeten on the tree for a day or two.
To pick cherries, gently pull off clusters, keeping the stems on the fruit. Be careful not to tear off the fruit spurs (small woody twigs to which the cherry stems are attached).
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Types of Cherry Trees ~ Zones click here
Auntie Dogma's Garden Spot 
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