Relax and Soothe With Herbs

Using dried and fresh herbs to relax and soothe isn't just a trick the spas use. You can do that same thing at home! I keep dried chamomile to use in the bath and for tea, as well as lavender, rosemary and mint. Herbal bath teas and bath salts are very easy to make, and if you allow yourself to experiment a little bit you will find your perfect combination!  

HERBAL BATH TEAS 

These are very strong "teas" that you add to your bath. Remember that you can experiment with combinations as long as you follow the basic recipe on the amounts. If you are allergic to plants of any type do be cautious, but you also are not ingesting the tea, so you should be fine keeping with the guidelines. So much of the commercial bath products we buy are very harsh on our skin, and these will soothe you...  

Skin Soothing Bath Tea 

You will need: 2 tablespoons dried thyme 2 tablespoons dried calendula blossoms 2 tablespoon dried chamomile blooms 1 quart boiling water Add the herbs to the boiling water and steep for 10-15 minutes. Strain the infusion and add to your bathwater. NOTES: You can use just chamomile and double the amount. 

Spring Herbal Bath 

You will need: 1/4 cup dried lemon balm 1/4 cup dried chamomile blossoms 2 cups boiling water Cover the herbs with the boiling water and brew for 20 minutes. Strain and add to your bathwater. NOTES: You can use fresh lemon balm, but increase it to 1/2 cup. I also use mint with chamomile.  

Relaxation Herb Tea 

You will need: 1 cup rosemary 2 cups lavender 2 cups rose petals 1 cup mint Mix these dry ingredients together and keep in a sealed, dry jar. Use about 1/2 cup for each bath. Pour 1-2 cups boiling water over the herbs and brew for 15-20 minutes. Add to your bath.  

Herbal Milk Bath 

You will need: 2 cups cornstarch 2 cups dry milk powder 2 tablespoons of your favorite herb, crumbled Mix these dry ingredients together. For your bath tie about 1/2 cup of the mix in cheesecloth, or a muslin bag and tie very tightly. Add to your bath. You can tie kitchen string to the bag and float the bag in your bath as the water runs. Keep the bath mixture in a sealed container. 

 

HOMEMADE BATH SALTS 

Bath salts are so easy to make and there are SO many variations once you start making them yourself. The basic recipe is as follows: You will need: 1 cup Epsom salts 5 or more drops of essential oil Mix together and keep in a covered jar. Allow the salts to sit for a few hours or overnight. Add about 1/2 cup to running bath water.  

VARIATIONS: 

Add 1 cup baking soda which is a skin soother. Add 2-3 tsp. honey for a moisturizing. Add 1/4-1/2 cup of a healing salt such as Dead Sea salts Squeeze in 3-4 caplets of Vitamin E oil to moisturize. Add 2 cups of baking soda, and 1 cup of citric acid for fizzies. You can use any type of essential oil that is soothing. Nice choices are lavender, rose, calendula or patchouli oils. 

See more of Brenda Hyde's articles on FamilyCorner.com

 

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About the Author
Brenda Hyde is a wife and mom to three living in the Midwest United States. She is also editor of OldFashionedLiving.com.

 

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Harvesting and Storing Herbs

I am not going to pretend to know the proper technique for every herb out there - there are far too many! But, over the years I have gathered many harvest and storage tips that have worked for me and many other gardeners.

My first tip is to be brave! So many people that write me are afraid to cut back their herb plants. Herbs are very tough with the right conditions. It's often what you least expect that hurts them-such as overwatering, too much fertilizer or too rich of a soil. Many herbs, such as lemon balm, mint, chives, sage and oregano maybe cut within two or three inches of the ground and will grow back within no time for another harvest! If you are in doubt, you can cut back by half to be cautious.

Gather your herbs, using sharp kitchen or gardening shears, in the morning after the dew has dried. You will also catch the peak flavor if you harvest just BEFORE flowering, but don't let this deter you from harvesting if you have missed that time frame. You can dry the flowers for wreaths and dried arrangements and use the leaves for cooking. If you live in a zone that freezes be sure to allow your herbs a month and 1/2 or so before frost to grow after you harvest and before the first frost.

For more on freezing, drying and storing your herbs go to FamilyCorner.com

Autumn Garden Chores

Autumn is the time for garden clean-up! I know it seems like a droll chore, but it really isn't. Any work you do now, while it's cool, will make for an enjoyable spring and summer.

Clean all of your garden and yard tools, then wipe them down with some 3 in 1 type oil on an old rag. Store them in your garage or shed together where you will easily locate them in the spring.

As your potted plants finish up, rinse out your pots and set them out to dry-then store them together for the winter in a sheltered location. If you want to clean any that may have had disease or just look a little rough, use a solution of water and bleach. Do use gloves and do this outside though! Dump the dirt from the pots in a pile and add chopped up leaves, plants you've pulled up and grass clippings. Even if you don't normally compost you can do this in a corner of your yard without much effort! The items will decompose if you dampen them now and then, and turn them with a shovel. You can add vegetable and fruit peelings too!

Gather up your lawn ornaments that you think won't weather well, and store them as well, again cleaning them first.

Take one flower bed at a time, and cut down anything that has finished blooming. If you don't do this you'll have a mushy mess in the spring. Some exceptions are plants you want to reseed, but many of them have scattered seeds, so even they can be cut down. Also any plants that are still blooming should be left to enjoy! Remember too, you still have time to move daylilies, oriental lilies, irises, peonies, and many other plants.

Planting bulbs and moving plants is a good thing to do at the same time so you can visualize where you want everything as you plant. Also, compare bloom times and try to stagger these if possible.

I like doing these chores as we get into fall instead of waiting and having to rush to get it done all at once. It makes for an enjoyable autumn season, and it's a great excuse to get outside in the yard!

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Dill-Licious Recipes!

Dill is one of the most popular homegrown or store bought herbs around. Whether you harvest fresh dill from your garden or purchase fresh or dried dill at your local grocer, you'll enjoy these Dill-licious recipes!

BREAKFAST
--------------------

Baked Egg Scramble

6 large eggs
1/2 cup evaporated milk -- or cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 large tomatoes -- diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon fresh dill -- finely chopped
1 cup grated cheddar cheese -- plus 2 tablespoons, divided

Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly grease quiche dish or shallow baking dish. In large bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, salt, and pepper. Stir in green pepper, tomatoes, basil, and dill. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese over bottom of prepared dish. Pour egg mixture over cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake for 5 minutes, or until cheese melts and a knife inserted in center comes out clean.


APPETIZERS
---------------------

Cucumber Dill Dip

1 medium cucumber
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped OR
2 tsp dried dill, crushed
1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced

Peel, seed and finely dice the cucumber. Using a colander, squeeze out any excess water from the cucumber chunks. Place in a bowl and blend will with the pepper and dill. Blend in the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cover and chill. Makes about 3 cups of dip.

Dipper suggestions: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Radishes, Carrots, Onion Crackers


Dill Snack Crackers

1 package ranch dressing dry mix
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon dill
1 box oyster crackers

Stir together all ingredients except crackers. Add crackers, mix well and bake at 200 degrees for 2 hours.

To see the rest of these great dill recipes click here.

Growing Butterfly Bushes

What is a butterfly bush? Does it really attract butterflies? Buddleia does indeed attract many varieties of butterflies including Fritillaries, Western Tiger Swallowtails, Tortoiseshells and Red Admirals. The bush has blossoms in white, red, pink, yellow, purple, blue and maroon that cover the entire bush. They look much like lilac blooms and are honey scented. Red varieties may attract hummingbirds!

The butterfly bush was brought to England in the 1700s. It is a native of China where it's called summer lilac. Butterfly Bushes come in many varieties and blooms from midsummer through September. It grows best in fertile, well-drained soil. However, it's very drought tolerant and will survive in some pretty tough situations. In fact, in some places it's considered invasive, so it's recommended that if you live in a natural, wilder area it's best to pull up any volunteers rather than let them spread. The bush can grow from 5 -10 feet and it has a wide, arched branching. You'll need about 6 foot between bushes when spacing.

It's recommended that you cut back the bush each year in winter-in cold climates this would be around November. How close you cut it depends on where you are. If you have a lot of heavy snow it's better to trim back to around 3 foot or so and mulch. If your snow if light then even a foot is okay. It will grow back the next season, and it helps keep it under control. If you do not do this, then at least prune well each year and remove the old woody branches. In warm climates you may cut it back after blooming to encourage a second bloom. Deadheading the blooms can also extend the bloom time, so it's worth the effort.

The butterfly bush needs full sun but will grow in light shade if that is what's available. They are great grown on their own, or in the very back of a border. Of course they are perfect for a butterfly or hummingbird garden. It can be grown from seed though it is a challenge. Pre-chill the seeds for 4 weeks before sowing. They need light to germinate so very lightly cover. They will take up to 90 days to germinate. The easiest way to obtain is from a purchased plant, or stems that have been cut and rooted.

A note if you've never grown butterfly bushes. They do look dead first thing in the spring and some branches die, but wait until May and June to see how it's done over the winter. If there are some dead branches, simply trim them off. In climates like Michigan and other Midwestern states it dies back, and growth only comes from the new wood, so you will have pruning to do in the spring.

Buddleias also make pretty cut flowers. Cut when half the flowers on the stem are open, but before they begin to fade. These should last about a week in a vase, with a conditioner and the water refreshed now and then.

QUESTION & ANSWER
I planted my first butterfly bush this spring. It was growing beautifully, now in the last few weeks it is turning yellow in stem of the leaf.I have giving it plant food 2 time this season, it is in full sun, mulch is around the plant, and the plant looks ready to bloom, but I think leaves will be dead before that. Any advice would be appreciated. ~Hummingbirdcole

It could be spider mites, and if so, try spraying the leaves, especially the underside, with a soap spray. Catherine, the Herb Lady, had shared her spray method and I put it here: spray.html.

Also, make sure it's getting water, but not TOO much-- you don't want it wet all the time, but don't let it get bone dry either. I wouldn't feed it any more this season, just try the spray.

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Basic Herb Gardening

Everyday in grocery stores across America, people are standing in the herb aisle in amazement! How could such a little bottle of something cost so much! If you do decide to buy the herbs you find in the stores, chances are the taste is not what you had hoped for. Today, herbs are very popular and consumers have to dig deep to afford the herbs they need for tasteful healthier cooking, medicinal needs and crafts. Still, what other choice do you have?

Grow your own! They taste great, smell great and have many uses. It's easier than you think and with spring coming now is the time to started.

The First Step
Most herbs can grow just about anywhere. I remember many summers as a child chewing on wild mint from the yard. You too, probably have wild herbs growing in your backyard. Some herbs do well anywhere but others need specific climates and care to thrive. Choosing herbs for your climate helps ensure a successful garden. You can find your correct zone by looking at gardening websites or on your next visit to your local library. You can also call your local county agricultural office or 4-H extension agent. Other things you will want to decide is what kind of herbs do you want to grow? What kind of herb garden do you want? Inside or outside? Formal? Informal? How do you choose plants? What methods of planting should you use?

Let's Get Started
There are many types of herb gardens. Many gardeners use them all. Heres a look at a few to see what kind you would like best.

Read the rest of Basic Herb Gardening on FamilyCorner.com

Butterfly Herb Gardens

Have you ever watched a butterfly? I mean really truly watched a butterfly? It dips and swirls through the air in an almost magical way. Sometimes you can almost feel your heart and imagination soaring along with their colorful wings.

All to soon they flit here and there and then are gone. If only they would stay!

They will! You can help them do just that with a butterfly herb garden.

What Do Butterflies Need?

Butterflies need several things in any kind of butterfly garden. Providing those things is up to you if you want them to stay.

Please go to Butterfly Herb Gardens on FamilyCorner.com to read the rest and to access a printer friendly version.