by Herb Exchange | Jan 27, 2017 | Gardening, Growing |
Probably.
Most of the landscape plants found in local nurseries are “alien species”; they are usually non-native plants also referred to as “exotic species”. These plants can become invasive, competing with our native species and doing real damage to habitat.
Now, I realize that this is beginning to sound a bit political ~ ‘non-natives’ and ‘invasive’ sound like “fighting words” but I promise I am only referring to plants, folks. And, my end game is to make sure I do what I can to educate, not “build walls”.
I want to be clear about one point: not all non-natives are invasive. There are plenty of “exotic species” plants that do not cause any environmental harm. Lots and lots of common garden plants, like the friendly petunia, wouldn’t hurt a fly. On the other hand, if you are in the South, think KUDZU and you get the point. (more…)
by Briscoe White | Nov 11, 2016 | Containers, DIY Gardening, Gardening, Growing, Herbs, Miscellaneous, Urban Gardening |
To keep our test garden growing strong through the winter, we’ve moved some of our favorite herbs indoors. Our sun porch has become a haven for potted herbs and one of our favorite places to take a break or eat our lunches. Receiving lots of sunlight, our potted garden has been thriving throughout this mild winter here in zone 7. Watering about once a week, our plants are showing lots of healthy new growth and it’s not even spring!
What started as a project to see what temperature and lighting worked best for these potted herbs, has now developed into a lovely place to relax and find a moment of peace during the day. Having these plants close at hand makes cooking and crafting even more enjoyable. Bring natural beauty and energy to your home with two of our favorite fragrant and functional potted herbs!
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by Herb Exchange | Jul 13, 2016 | A Year in the Life.., Flowers, Gardening |
With over 35 years of growing plants under our belts, we began to focus on herbs in 2008. We’d always loved growing them, but honestly, the demands for perennials and annuals in our local market meant that herbs only accounted for about 20% of the plants we grew. Once we hopped onto the world wide web, and were able to really use data to research what people wanted to grow, but couldn’t get locally, herbs became our focus. For the past 8+ years, we had added more and more herbs to our lineup. Now, we are offering over 160 different types of herbs for you, our customers!
But, since we are growers and addicted to growing a variety of plants, we’ve been ‘toying’ with the idea of introducing a closely related group of plants. Of course, you don’t need to have a garden to grow plants. You can start with growing your plants in a container and transitioning, or just have house plants instead. You can even check out a website similar to gardenersdream.co.uk to get more information if this is something you’re interested in doing. Just remember that there are many different ways to achieve your garden dream, so, drum roll, please… (more…)
by Briscoe White | Jun 11, 2016 | Flowers, Gardening, Herbs, Inspiration, Life on the Farm |
The sadness of summer fading can only be cured by the excitement of fall.
Cooler temperatures and the bountiful harvest draw our attention away from what was, to the beautiful changes before us. It feels good to bundle up in a favorite fleece for a morning jaunt into the garden. I hope you are making that little jaunt each morning; even ten minutes of trimming, weeding and piddling will brace you for the days work. Think of it as a kind of yoga or meditation practice. After a few weeks of practice, you get flowers and veggies. All that squatting down, reaching around, and scratching in the ground does kind of limber you up, and a few quiet moments looking over your plants does clear your mind, and those veggies will nourish your body and soul. Flowers brighten your day!
Fall is our favorite time to garden
Why would we not start the day in the garden? I don’t know because all of the above is true and we all know how busy and complex life is today. I try to visit my little home herb garden each morning, my excuse is to let the chickens out, but I always piddle and pull a few weeds or pick a little something to leave in the kitchen for dinner. This is a nice start for me because I also know that during the day, through some intrusive media source, word of mouth, or just something I see walking down a city street will give me pause. And I will truly wonder how the human race has gotten thus far. Since there is not much to be done about the world at large, one needs some means of maintaining sanity. The only salvation is a sanctuary, and home with a garden has the deepest roots. Whatever goes on elsewhere, it is grounding to know that the garden is there, orderly and bountiful. (more…)
by Herb Exchange | Mar 12, 2016 | Basics, Flowers, Gardening |
Gardeners are creatures of habit, it is only the changing seasons that give our garden activities variety. And like all creatures of habit, we collect favorite tools, seeds, and even favorite methods and motions as we happily plod through garden chores. To the casual observer, we may not appear locked into our set ways. But there is one favorite that always gives us away, our favorite plants! Using our Charming Bench Company products, we love to sit and watch our favorite plants and flowers blossom, creating a beautiful and tranquil outdoor space. I must add, different furniture styles pair well with different types of plants. Wooden furniture pairs well with light-colored plants and shrubs and dark pieces of furniture work well with boldly colored plants as there is a significant contrast between the plants and furniture, making the plant’s beauty stand out.
There is those few plants a gardener plants year after year. One of those plants, for me, are my most cherished moonflower vines. For moonflowers to grace my patio rail in summer, the young plants must first scale a four feet high brick wall to reach the railing. They cannot do this alone, and this wall must be crossed and covered will foliage before the summer sun makes the bricks too hot for vines and leaves. For moonflowers to grace the patio rail in summer, the planting should be soon after night temperatures are over fifty degrees. Ipomea alba is a tropical plant and cool nights will stunt or kill young moonflower plants. (more…)
by Kenan White | Nov 16, 2015 | Herbs, Miscellaneous |
When many people think of herbs, they think of cooking. There are so many other uses for them! For example, herbal extracts like CBD oil from companies like GoldBee.com are useful in treating mental health issues, skin care problems and even reduce chronic pain symptoms. Take the list of herbs below and you have several natural ways to solve your everyday ailments. Go ahead and treat your acne with basil, clean your toilets with thyme, and build your bones with marjoram. Have fun exploring new ways to use herbs!
Rosemary: Mosquito Deterrent and Hair Rinse
To keep mosquitos away from your porch or other areas where you like to entertain guests, try growing rosemary in close proximity. Mosquitos do not like rosemary and so they will stay clear of that area. Another great use for rosemary is as a hair rinse. To strengthen your hair and eliminate pesky dandruff, rinse your hair in a cooled solution of boiled rosemary leaves and water.
Buy the plants online
Lemon Balm: Fatigue Treatment
To reduce your fatigue, make a tea out of equal parts lemon balm, raspberry leaf, mettle, and oat tops. Add ¼ part each of sliced and sifted ginger and licorice. Re-boost your energy by drinking 3 cups every day.
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