Herb and Herbal Matters » Herb Garden

My friends say that my 'dream' in life is old fashioned, am I strange?

pano — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:13:34 +0000

Hi there,

Sometimes I find myself repressing some of my true desires in life from my friends or family. They all seem to think I’m strange or old fashioned. I guess it’s because my friends and family are all metropolitan of sorts or raised in cities. I was too but I have a different view.

This is what I desire: I want to live on a piece of land with trees and a small holding farm. Nothing big, just maybe some chickens, a HUGE garden and all kinds of fruits and veggies. I fantasize about spending warm summer afternoons canning fruit with the kids, picking herbs from the garden, showing the children how carrots are grown. I dream of sitting on a porch looking at beautiful nature and letting the breeze run though the house. I want to get AWAY from generalized society. I don’t want a fancy car, I don’t want a huge house, I don’t want the latest purse or sunglasses. I just want to get back to basics. I’m embarrassed when I go for lunch with my lady friends and they talk about what their husbands purchased for them, and all I can think about is "gosh I wouldn’t want that.." I can appreciate that they have different views, and that’s what makes life interesting, but I feel compelled to ‘fit in’ so to speak.

How do I let myself be me, and be okay with my goals and dreams even when they don’t fit into the societal goal of more accumulation and material goods = wealth, scheme of things?
I already have some land that belonged to my great grandparents when they settled here – it’s completely over grown and undeveloped, but it’s true, it’s quite difficult to establish ones self in that manner these days…isn’t if funny how we’ve made it so difficult on our selves to keep it simple?
re: "sexaliciouslatina" – I don’t understand how living closer to one’s means and closer to nature is considered unrealistic. Isn’t living beyond your means with a stuffed double car garage with a Starbucks franchised mind-set a little unrealistic? Sooner or later the blatant unsustainable illusion will collapse like a sand castle in the tide, that’s what I believe anyhow.

Do you know a herb that smells like Ivory soap?

pano — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:47:00 +0000

A few days ago I was at a nature preserve and they had a herb garden, most of the stuff was dead because of the winter, but decided to smell the stuff, I smelled mint etc.

but one herb I found smelled exactly like ivory soap… do you know what it could of been?

http://www.bettymills.com/shop/product/view/Procter%20&%20Gamble/PGC30044.html?referer=search

How to dry homegrown herbs?

pano — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:49:21 +0000

I’m growing mint and lemon balm in my garden and it’s about ready to harvest some. How can I dry it for tea and such with no special equipment?

Herb Gardening?!?

pano — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:36:59 +0000

I am living in an old house and where the original back "porch/stoop" was its open to the dirt below and I am wanting to put an herb garden in that little spot. {its about 2ftx3ft}. How do I go about starting an herb garden and what herbs are best to plant and can be used regularly for cooking and other things around the house?

What is the best way to build an inexpensive fence for a vegetable garden..?

pano — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:45:05 +0000

We just want to make a small garden maybe 8X10 feet to plant 3-4 tomato plants and a couple other herbs like basil etc. We live in a subdivision where people will be uptight about a fence unless it looks nice but we back up to a nature preserve full of deer, rabbits racooons etc.

Looking for chart with vegetable nutritional values.?

pano — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:37:32 +0000

I want to grow a garden that provides most or all of my food. I have limited space 66ft x 66ft (1/10 acre). So I’d like to grow the most nutritious plants.

Does anyone know where to find a chart with nutritional values of all food plants? (vegetables, fruits, nuts, herbs, fungi)

I’m looking for food plants that are highly nutritious, low maintenance, disease resistant and have a high yield.

I live in zone 10, but I also need to know about plants that are in zone 8.

Maybe you can suggest some food plants.

Thanks

Brown thumb?

pano — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:49:13 +0000

I absolutely love to garden! It relaxes me and I enjoy getting my hands dirty. The problem is, once my plants have grown, they quickly die. I’ve even killed an aloe vera plant! I follow all the directions and never neglect my plants. I’ve subscribed to gardening magazines and have searched the internet on plant care. No use! The funny thing is, when someone else takes over tending my plants, they suddenly blossom and bloom! When I take over again, they wilt and die….Does anyone have any gardening secrets they want to share? Anything would be appreciated! I am currently growing an herb-kit (parsely, basil, thyme, etc. Got it at Wal-Mart) and a chamomile plant. Both of which are wilting and turning brown…*sniff*

I had a potted herb and pepper garden in Phoenix that just about died while I was away for 4 days.?

pano — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:36:54 +0000

Mostly, my jalepenos, red bells, and red hot chiles are just pitiful…the leaves are all wilted and crispy, all flowers and pepper buds have fallen off and shriveled up. I gave them an intense watering, which my basil, lemon basil and sage took to and perked up a little (these too had shriveled leaves but they seem to have rehydrated in some areas) but none of the peppers have changed. My rosemary is fine as usual. Should I consider these dead? Any tips?

I eat a leaf instead of a herb, i know its stupid, is it dangerous?

pano — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:23:03 +0000

Please help, i was picking herbs in my garden and i just got confused, and i ate a leaf. Is it dangerous?

Any tips on cleaning an overgrown garden?

pano — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:09:14 +0000

I have this new garden that was left alone for 2-3 years and now i want to plant flowers and herbs but i am worried that all that weed is going to suffocate whatever i plant there no matter how much i clean it. Do i need new topsoil? i dont want to use weedkillers (chemicals) Any ideas are appreciated.