Feverfew

Feverfew

 

 

 

Feverfew plant also know as tanacetun parthenium is a plant very well known for it's natural cure of migraine headaches. It grows into a small round bush usually 18 inches high and has daisy like flowers with citrus scented leaves.

 

 

 

This plant falls into the 4 main Herb categories: aromatic,ornamental,culinary and medicinal. It attracts bees and butterflies and is an excellent companion plant for enhancing growth of the plants around it.

 

Aromatic: The flowers are used in potpourri, it's essential oils are used in perfumes and the leaves help deter moths

Ornamental: The double blossom variety is beautiful used in your landscape and they will provide color all year long. They are the first to blossom in the spring and as long as the winter is mild, it will stay green.They will continue to blossom all summer as long as you dead head them, if you let the blossom go to seed, they will re-seed themselves and spread very very quickly.

Culinary: The leaves are usually eaten with honey or even sauteed in oil. They are bitter so this helps prevent mouth ulcers. You can add the blossoms fresh or dried to salads.

Medicinal: Be very careful with this and do not take if you are on blood thinning medication, pregnant or nursing. It helps reduce the pain of migraine headaches, lowers fevers and helps dilate the blood vessels. Used as an anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic. It aids in digestive stimulation and is used as a relaxant.

 

Feverfew can be grown indoors and as long as you keep it pruned back so it grows out and not up. It is a very easy plant to grow and can be grown in any soil without fuss. When planted close together they will block out and suppress weeds making it suitable as a ground cover.

 

 

 

Propagating is done by seeds, cutting or dividing.

 

Seeds: start seeds indoors 6 weeks before the last frost or directly into the ground when danger of frost has passed.

Cuttings: this should be done in the summer. Cut the shoot at an angle just below the leaf node. Use sharp scissors and be sure the cutting is 4-5 inches long.Remove the leaves from the very bottom and dip in root stimulant and plant it in a light soil mix. Water very well and keep protected during the winter months.

A good light soil mix for cuttings is

2 parts soil

2 parts peat moss

2 parts sand

 

To encourage new growth, prune after the last hard freeze in the spring and remove any damaged areas. Pinch back tips where you want it to bush out. It can be pruned back at anytime to keep it under control.

Another great benefit is they don't have problems with pests or disease due to their bitter taste.

 

Once your plant has had a chance to establish you can begin using them. The leaves and flowers can be harvested anytime. Gently snip the leaves and sprigs off with scissors. Use them fresh or dried.

 



The Cayenne Pepper Plant



This is by far my favorite plant to grow. We grow them in the garden and grow them in containers.
Cayenne peppers are one of the favorite hot peppers grown today. They are medium-hot, colorful and spice up most any recipe.
Cayennes, like most peppers, are very easy to grow. They usually stand about three feet tall and two feet wide at maturity, making them ideal for containers or fence row planting. Most pepper plants also bear abundantly, so the average household will need no more that two bearing plants for as many peppers as they, and their neighbors, can use.

Outside their native hot climate, peppers are annuals and prefer full sun. They should be slightly shaded from the most intense afternoon sun, to avoid sun scald. Cayenne pepper plants usually bear fruit from 70 to 80 days after planting. They should be set out after danger of frost has gone. Cayennes like moist, but not soggy, soil. They should be planted in a container or bed with good drainage and can be mulched with straw or something similar. As a rule, peppers are hardy plants and the gardener can usually plant them in most climates with confidence.
The peppers are ripe when they are four to six inches long, feel firm and the stems come easily off the plant stalk. Cayennes may be green or red when mature.

 

 

 

Cayenne peppers are wonderful for making many dishes including salas. It can be used fresh or dried out and ground up. You can use a coffee grinder or mortar and pestel. Some cooks crush dried peppers by placing them in a plastic bag and rolling them with a rolling pin, then crushing the bag in their hands.

Dried ground peppers are great for use in a shaker, where they can be used on pizza, pasta, refried beans, Spanish rice, or for stir-frying. The heat will last for months, and considering how many peppers most plants produce, they are a real bargain over buying the dried pepper in stores.
My favorite thing to do is make Capsicum Tincture. It has some many health benefits and I make it all year round.
I encourage you to research it and find so many more benefits of this wonderful plant. Here are a few examples....

Conditions and Herbal Remedies for Cayenne pepper tincture taken directly from the book "Herbs to the Rescue" by Kurt King M.H.

"Bleeding - Apply pressure to the wound to help stop blood flow. Internally, use Cayenne Tincture 10-12 drops every few minutes until blood flow stops. Topically, use Cayenne powder directly on wound.

Blood Pressure (High or low) - Cayenne Tincture: 10-15 drops 2 times a day.

Bloody Nose - Put pressure on both sides of nose with cold compress. If is doesn't stop within 5 minutes, moisten a piece of cotton or gauze with water and dip it into Cayenne powder and snuff into nose. Internally, take Cayenne Tincture 10-15 drops every 5-10 minutes until bleeding stops.

Circulation (Poor, cold hands & feet) - Cayenne Tincture 10-12 drops 2-3 times a day.

Exhaustion (Fatigue) - Cayenne Tincture 10-12 drops 2 times a day.

Heart (Heart attack, palpitation) - Cayenne Tincture 1 dropper under tongue.

Hypothermia - Cayenne Tincture 1 dropper under tongue

Pneumonia - Cayenne Tincture 5-10 drops, 3 times a day."

 

 

 



Let's Talk Lavender

 

 

I Love Lavender!!!

But, I lost a couple of my lavender bushes this year and haven't figured out why.

I would say it was due to our freezing weather but out of 15 bushes we lost only 4. In the beginning of April, I had decided to cut those 4 bushes back because I could still see a few sprig of green and thought if I got rid of the dead branches it could concentrate on the new growth. Unfortunately I don't think I was able to save them. They are now just brown stumps. It probably didn't help either that the chickens love to lay under them, but who could blame them. They smell so good and have such a calming effect.

Luckily I have several plants in the greenhouse just waiting for a spot in the garden.

 While trying to figure out these beautiful plants, I thought it would be a great opportunity to write a little about them.

 

There are a lot of different varieties of lavender; each having it very own special quality. It can be the size of the plant or flower, the color of the leaves, and different fragrance and hardiness. Even though we are most familiar with the shades of blue we see most in lavender, it does come in different colors such as purple, lilac, white, pink, mauve and yellow.

 

 

 

Planting and Growing Lavender:

This plant is pretty easy to grow. It is tough, hardy and pretty drought resistant once established. It will tolerate many growing conditions but it thrives in warm, well drained soil with full sun.

The soil should be well worked, well drained and loose enough to dig your bare hands in easily.Some sand and good compost will get the plant off to a great start. A lean soil will encourage a high concentration of oils. An alkaline and chalky soil will enhance lavenders fragrance.

Lavender does not like wet roots. A raised bed is a good choice in soil with less than prefect drainage.

 

I have heard that starting lavender from seed can be difficult, with that said we have had good success with seeds. But if your new to lavender, starting with an established plant may be best.

When you remove the plant from it's pot. spread the roots and place it in a hole that accommodates the roots. The root system is a lot bigger than the plant itself.

Place your plants so that they will have plenty of air around them when they are grown and flowering.

Although lavender plants get regularly pruned simply by harvesting the flowers, to keep them well shaped and encourage new growth, a bit of fall and spring pruning is a must!Aggressive annual pruning will keep a beautiful shaped plant and maximize flower growth. Leave about 1 inch of green foliage on plant when pruning.

 

Harvesting:

Lavender can be harvested for many uses.

If your looking for a fresh bouquet of flowers, harvest them when the half the flowers have opened. If your looking to dry a bundle for crafts,harvest when three quarters of the flowers are open.

 

I hoped this has helped and you will give lavender a try. It really is a wonderful rewarding plant that deserves a spot in every garden.

 

Happy Planting!!