Organic Indoor Herb Gardening

I wrote an article for the Herb Companion some years back and still think this is a great way to grow and use herbs if you do not have the advantage of a yard or patio to grow in. This is a link to a pdf version of this article:    Herb Companion Article on Indoor Herbs



Spring Violets

The violet family has around 400–500 species distributed world-wide, with most found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The viola species (commonly called violets, pansies or heartsease) are also found in areas such as Hawaii, Australia, and the South American Andes. Sweet violet is the most highly scented and has long been cultivated for its perfume and color. In history the Greeks used Sweet Violet as their symbol of fertility and the Romans drank sweet violet wine.

Found in abundance here at Earth Magic, it is one of the first Spring arrivals in my gardens. I spend days gathering the tiny blossoms which I love to sprinkle on my salads, use in my vinegars, make candied violets, violet jelly or beautifully colored violet syrup. Oh, let's not forget to weave a little magic as well. 



To make violet syrup take approximately 2 oz of fresh violet flowers add 3 oz of boiling water. Cover and infuse for 24 hours. Strain and add 1/2 cup sugar and heat to dissolve. Do not boil or you will lose the color of the syrup. Cool and bottle.

Gallery of violet photography can be seen here:   Spring Violets Gallery of Photos

Hummingbirds and Habitat ~ Time To Go Native!

Everyone knows that we are faced with troubled times. With the effects of global warming on our doorstep, coal dependency destroying entire mountaintops and the development of land, wildlife habitat is disappearing at an alarming rate. From 1982 to 1997, North Carolina alone lost 1,001,000 acres of land or 5.9 percent of its total forest area to land conversion due to population growth and urbanization. While that might not seem like that much to some folks, it is predicted that by the year 2040 we will have lost another five and half million more acres of our forested lands. Think about that for a minute. It is alarming, but you can help by providing a natural and native habitat, an oasis of sorts, where hummingbirds can thrive. This means providing them with food and cover, something native plants will provide, and in turn will not only bring in hummingbirds but it will attract a host of butterflies, caterpillars, and other birds. What to plant? You can’t go wrong with any or all of these native plants in your garden: Trumpet Creeper, Bee balm or Oswego Tea, Trumpet Honeysuckle, Cardinal Flower, Spotted Jewelweed, Red Columbine, Canada Lily, Indian Pink, Red Buckeye and Mountain Rosebay or Catawba Rhododendron. Along with those great natives, hummers are also attracted to Columbine, Coral Bells, Foxglove, Hostas, Lupine and Yucca. Even if you have no yard space, you can plant a lot of these in containers, grouping several different ones together for a mini hummingbird garden! In addition to plants, it is always nice to have two or three small sugar water feeders on different sides of the house, preferably hung in the shade. The shade helps keep the nectar fresher longer, (but should always be cleaned and refilled every third day) and having more than one feeder helps to prevent any one dominant male from controlling the entire territory, as they are apt to do. The Spring arrival of hummers is usually around mid April and their departure from this area by the 15th of October. There are always some I call stragglers, so I leave one feeder up until Christmas, bringing it in at night if it is going to freeze and putting it back up in the morning. If you would like to help keep wildlife wild, you can become involved by providing that habitat through gardening with native plants. When planting with wildlife and habitat in mind, thinking native and natural and staying away from exotic and invasive species, and you will helping to nurture these beautiful flying jewels for future generations to come.

 

Star Chickweed

Considered a weed by most and an obnoxious one at that by traditional gardeners, it is also known as starweed, starwort, tongue grass, winter weed, passerina, chick wittles, clucken wort, skirt buttons, and stitchwort. Cultivation is unnecessary, as plants self-seed themselves freely especially in dry weather. The flowers open on sunny days, but they may close on rainy or cloudy days. Chickens, hogs and rabbits dote on its succulent, foliage and seeds, but it is said that sheep and goats won’t touch it. If you raise rabbits, it would be a great, cheap and easy way to add to their diet. Historically Chickweed has been used to treat both internal and external inflammations. Poultice of stems and leaves can be used to ease arthritis and pains of the joints, cuts, and skin irritations. It may soothe severe itchiness and is often used to relieve eczema, varicose veins and nettle rash. An infusion of the fresh or dried plant may be added to a bath, where the herb’s emollient properties will help reduce inflammation, in rheumatic joints for example, and encourage tissue repair, something we could all use! As far as being a culinary herb, Chickweed can be eaten raw in salads and sandwiches but be certain to harvest only the young tender stems and leaves since the greens are at their best during this stage. Just another way to utilize those so-called "pesky weeds" you can find in your garden. And Remember ALWAYS be certain that when you are picking herbs for consumption that you KNOW they have not been doused with chemicals or pesticides.

Basil and The Magic of Pesto

Did you know that :
Basil's flavor intensifies during cooking?
The flowers are edible and can be used as a garnish.
It Blends very well with garlic, thyme & lemon.
You can add several leaves to liquid when you poach fish, shellfish or chicken or throw whole leaves into salads for a peppery bite.
Here is my basic pesto recipe that you can alter to taste, naturally.
Basic Pesto

2 cups fresh packed Basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano
1/4 cup Pine nuts (Pignola) or Walnuts
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine basil, garlic, cheese and nuts in a food processor or blender. Process/blend on medium high to mix. Turn off processor. Scrape sides with a rubber spatula. With processor running, slowly add olive oil in a trickle until blended.
Yield: 4 servings, 1cup of Pesto
Preparation time: Approximately 15 minutes