Moving Flowers From the Garden to your Plate

Many flowers are not only beautiful but also edible. Before eating any flower make sure you know where it came from and if it is chemical free. Never eat flowers from the florist, nurseries, garden centers or from the roadside, as they may have been treated with pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals. I recommend only eating flowers you grow yourself to be assured of their safety.

Many herb blossoms can be used just like the herb itself. The blossoms of chives, garlic chives, basils, arugula, burnet, chervil, cilantro, dill, fennel, sorrel, marjoram, mints, oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme may be sprinkled on a salad or used in cooking like the herb itself. The flowers give a salad vibrant color that dominate eye appeal. The petals of roses, gladiolus, day lilies, hibiscus, hollyhock, nasturtiums, pansies and sunflowers can turn a plain green salad into a burst of color.

The beautiful blue star shaped blossoms of the borage plant, have a cool cucumber flavor which goes well with dips, cold soups and sorbets. It makes a beautiful garnish for gin and tonics, lemonade and punches. The blossoms can be frozen in ice cubes for a decorative touch in the glass or punch bowl.

Everyone is familiar with peas, okra, radishes, squash and pumpkins. Many people are not aware that the blossoms of these poplar garden vegetables are also edible.

The flavor of flowers can run the full spectrum from bland to tart and spicy, so do a little research and expand the flavors and the colors on your plate. No matter if you are hosting a party or serving for only a few, adding edible flowers to your food will make each meal a little more special for you and your guests.

Why Planting Perennials in the Fall is a Good Idea

In the spring everyone gets into the spirit of planting but what many do not realize is that the fall is a perfect time to plant perennials. One must only make sure to allow the plants have enough time before freezing weather to establish their roots. In the north that would mean August to September and on into October for the southern states.

Planting in the fall is beneficial in a number of ways. The cooling weather does not stress the plants as much as hot weather does. There is usually more rain in the fall so it cuts down on having to water the plants as much. Perennials planted in the fall will have a head start in the spring due to an established root system. Spring planted plants have to establish roots and then try to catch up to the more vigorous fall planted ones.

So now is the time to check out perennial flowers and herbs to see what you may want to add to your garden this fall. Then in the spring you will only need add your annual flowers and herbs, filling in between the established fall perennials.

Home Remedies for Ants

I believe if you asked 200 people about their home remedy for ants you would get 200 answers and everyone swears that theirs works. Here are some that I have come across over the years.

There are many items said to repel ants if put in their path. Black pepper, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, catnip, chili powder, cinnamon, cloves, cream of tarter, mint, powdered chalk, salt and talcum powder are just a few said to disperse or repel ants. The ants do not like to cross these things. Cucumber peels are supposed to send them away for a while. Comet or Ajax cleanser is also said to work, but I would be very careful of these around pets or children. Borax powder is also a natural insecticide but should be kept away from pets and children.

Borax powder can be mixed with items such as jelly, honey, sugar or peanut butter to make a bait that the ants will take to the nest. Normally these are mixed in a 50% to 50% ratio.

Care needs to be taken to keep any bait out of reach of pets and children.

There are a number of liquid sprays that can be made to spray on ants. A teaspoon of liquid dish soap mixed with a pint of water is said to make an effective spray. Fill a spray bottle with cheap white vinegar and spray the ants. Another recipe calls for 1 clove of garlic, 1 small onion and 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper to steep in a quart of hot water for about an hour. Then strain and put in a spray bottle for use.

Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. This white powder will cut through the skins of many insects and cause them to dehydrate.

Catnip, tansy, pennyroyal and many mints are said to repel ants. Planting these plants around the house and yard will be beneficial.

As when using pesticides, insects sometimes acquire an immunity to some things, after a while, so change you strategy occasionally to keep the ants at bay.

A Beautiful Moth.

I found this moth at my house the other day ans wanted to share it's beauty.

The Hidden Cost of PVC Greenhouse Construction

About five years ago I was looking for a inexpensive way to build an additional greenhouse. I decided to use regular schedule 40 PCV plumbing pipe for the arches. The pipe is flexible so it was very easy to set up the greenhouse, and very cost effective also.

I covered the greenhouse with a polyethylene film covering made for greenhouses. It was a 6 ply 4 year plastic, meaning that it should last 4 years.

This worked fine for about the first 4 years. Then I had to replace the plastic. I replaced the plastic on 2 greenhouses that were 14 foot wide and 60 feet long at a cost of around $350.00. Having done this I thought I was set for another 4 years.

Well, I was In for a surprise. In July I began to notice the plastic was splitting above every PVC arch in both greenhouses. I assumed I had gotten a bad roll of plastic, possibly one that was old.
I called my supplier whom I had purchased it from and explained what had happened. My supplier asked what the greenhouse was made out of. I explained the details to him, and he told me it was the PVC pipe that caused this.

After a short time, the PVC pipe begins to leach the ultraviolet protection out of the greenhouse plastic causing it to disintegrate at an accelerated rate. My $350.00, 4 year plastic, lasted only 6 months.

So if you are thinking of using PVC in a greenhouse as a part of the structure, take precautions. After my mistake, I found that there is a plastic that you can get to cover the PVC pipe with, keeping it from touching the greenhouse plastic. This keeps the PVC from leaching the UV protection from the greenhouse plastic.

Please don't make the same costly mistake I made.

Herbal Teas: The Basics by Sarah White

For centuries, herbal teas have been used for various maladies by all different cultures. Many of these concoctions have been continuously passed from generation to generation and have therefore been forged into our cultural history. Because of this unbroken tradition, most of the bought teas today are still organically grown and hand cared for. China, India and Japan are just a few tea countries that remain constant with their age-old customs.

But you do not have to rely on the passing down of traditions to brew teas. That is the magic of it. When you experience the new flavors and intensity of homemade teas, you will never again look back at the store bought substitutes. When you make your own teas, you know exactly what goes into them and what to expect of them.

Herbal teas are an infusion made from the leaves, flowers, roots, seeds or bark of plants. They are made by steeping 1-2 teaspoons of the tea material in 6 to 8 oz of lightly boiled water for 3-5 minutes. An infusion like this will keep refrigerated for 24 hours.

Some herbs often used in herbal teas include: Lemongrass, Spearmint, Peppermint, Rose hips, Hibiscus, Angelica, Anise, Basil, Large Sweet Italian Borage, Burnet, Catnip, Chamomile, Cicely, Red Clover, Dill, Fennel, Fenugreek, Horehound, Hyssop Lavender, Vera, Mugwort, Pennyroyal, Rosemary, and Thyme.

Sometimes certain combination's of herbs sharing the same properties can help increase its' effectiveness. The following are just a few suggestions. Keep in mind that one should always read up on the herbs and talk to a professional before using them in infusions.

Upset Stomach: Peppermint, Lemon Balm, Fennel Seeds, Ginger, Cloves, Cinnamon

Monthly Cramps: Lemon Balm, Spearmint, Lemon Grass

Colds and Sore Throats: St. Johns Wort, Thyme, Sage, Fennel

Headache Relief: Anise, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Rosemary, Chamomile

Understanding the herbal properties and the ways of herbal teas can help a lot when you finally decide to make them. There is a tea for everyone, you just have to find it.

Herbs of the Worlds Cuisines

Say you find a recipe for authentic Thai curry. While shopping for the ingredients, you find the store only has regular basil, the recipe calls for Thai basil. Well that should be fine right? No, not if you want authentic Thai curry. This is one of the many reasons to grow your own herbs. Growing your own herbs allows you to have access to the herbs that are needed for the type cuisine that appeals to you. Sure you can substitute but subtle differences in the flavor of substitutes can alter the final outcome. It may never taste quite as good as it did when fixed with the original ingredient.

Here we will cover some of the herbs, seasonings, and ingredients for different cuisines. Keep in mind these are only some of the main ingredients, not all.

Italian Cuisine
The following are herbs stand out as essential in Italian cuisine; basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme. These are the foundation of Italian cooking.


Thai Cuisine
The essential ingredients for Thai cooking are lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, Fish sauce, garlic, Thai Chile peppers, Coconut milk, Galanga ‘a type of ginger’, palm sugar, Thai basil, and Jasmine rice.

Mexican Cuisine
The herbs and spices used in Mexican cooking are anise, bay leaf, cilantro, cinnamon, clove, cumin, epazote, marjoram, Mexican saffron, spearmint, sweet basil, thyme, watercress. There are also many peppers that are used.

Indian Cuisine
The herbs and spices for Indian Cuisine are; black pepper, cardamom, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, green or red chilies, Tamarind and turmeric. The classic Indian curry often contains a combination of some of these ingredients.

Moroccan Cuisine
The following herbs and spices are among the most commonly used in Moroccan cooking; anise seed, basil, black pepper, cayenne, cinnamon, coriander leaves, cumin, garlic, ginger, marjoram, paprika, parsley, sesame seed and turmeric. Allspice, caraway, cloves, coriander seeds and licorice are used to a lesser degree.

French Cuisine
In France all recipes for herbs de Provence include thyme, oregano, marjoram and rosemary. Then each chef may add basil, chives, chervil, fennel, lavender, mints or tarragon to mix their own special blend.

Spanish Cuisine
Two main ingredients of Spanish food are olive oil and garlic but onions and herbs such as oregano, rosemary and thyme may be used also.