Essential Oils in the Garden

Tags

companion plants, Essential oil, health, insect repellant, Pest control

Essential oils play several roles in the garden. They are a natural pest deterrent and as pests carry disease in the form of bacteria and viruses, the oil’s antibacterial and antiviral properties act as a form of preventative medicine for your garden. Fungi and mould are other problems essential oils can deal with quickly and effectively.
Strong healthy plants resist disease, and essential oils build up the health of plants, an example being that roses love to be in the company of garlic, basil or thyme and you can either plant them around the bush or use their essential oil when watering them. Add 2 drops of each essential oil to your watering can, mix well and water.
Essential oils not only control pests and make your crop stronger, they improve the taste and fragrance of the plant. Ants can be deterred by peppermint. To clear a nest just put 2 neat drops of peppermint oil directly onto the nest. If ants are coming into your house put 1 or 2 drops of oil where they enter. Thyme and lavender oils protect all vegetables and can be used in your watering can.
Of course, certain insects are essential for pollination, including bees, wasps and butterflies, and using essential oils in your garden will attract these useful insects. Bees especially like coriander.
Sprays can be used as insect deterrents, to banish fungi and mildew, or to encourage growth. Use 4 – 6 drops of essential oil in 4 litres of water for spraying onto flowers, fruit and vegetables. Treated with the antifungal essential oils the mould and fungi do not survive very long and simply disappear. Patchouli, Tea Tree and Cinnamon are recommended.
Slugs can be easily deterred using essential oils. They have an acute sense of smell and hate the smell of garlic. Add 1 teaspoon of oil to your watering can, mix well and water the area where the slugs and snails are causing damage.

NATURAL PEST REPELLANTS
Insect Essential Oil
Ants – peppermint, garlic, citronella
Aphids – peppermint, cedarwood, hyssop
Black Fly – lavender, tagetes
Caterpillars – peppermint
Fleas – lemongrass, citronella, lavender
Flies – lavender, citronella, peppermint, basil
Gnats – citronella, patchouli
Lice – peppermint, cedarwood
Mosquitoes – lavender, citronella, lemongrass
Slugs – garlic, cedar wood, pine
Snails – cedarwood, pine, garlic, hyssop
Ticks – thyme, citronella, sage
Weevils – sandalwood, citronella, sage

GOOD COMPANIONS
Vegetable Essential Oil
Asparagus basil
Green beans lavender, basil
Beetroot marjoram
Broccoli basil, thyme
Cabbage peppermint, sage, thyme
Cauliflower thyme
Celery geranium
Cucumber sage
Leeks hyssop
Lettuce tagetes
Onions chamomile
Peas geranium
Potatoes basil, sage
Tomatoes basil

Lemongrass

Tags

Bee, food, garden, green tips, health, honey bee, Insects, Intercropping, Lemongrass, medicinal herb, organic, tea, Whitefly

Sweet Pickled Lemongrass

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon Citratus) , are commonly cultivated as culinary and medicinal herbs because of their scent, resembling that of lemons.

Lemongrass is usually planted in home gardens to ward off insects such as whitefly adults. Its cultivation enables growing some vegetables (e.g. tomatoes and broccoli) without applying pesticides. Intercropping should include physical barriers, for citronella roots can take over the field.

Lemongrass is widely used as a culinary herb in Asian cuisine and also as medicinal herb in India. It has a subtle citrus flavor and can be dried and powdered, or used fresh. It is commonly used in teas, soups, and curries. It is also suitable for use with poultry, fish, beef, and seafood. It is often used as a tea in African countries such as Togo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Latin American countries such as Mexico. Lemongrass oil is used as a pesticide and a preservative. Research shows that lemongrass oil has antifungal properties. Despite its ability to repel some insects, such as mosquitoes, its oil is commonly used as a “lure” to attract honey bees. “Lemongrass works conveniently as well as the pheromone created by the honeybee’s Nasonov gland, also known as attractant pheromones. Because of this, lemongrass oil can be used as a lure when trapping swarms or attempting to draw the attention of hived bees.

Health Benefits of Lemongrass Essential Oil

Analgesic, Antidepressant, Antimicrobial and Antibacterial, Anti-pyretic, Antiseptic, Astringent, Carminative, Deodorant, Diuretic, Febrifuge, Fungicidal, Galactogogue, Insecticidaland Nervine.

A Few Words of Caution: It is likely to irritate the skin and produce other types of irritations too. Hence it should be avoided during pregnancy, and kept away from the eyes.

 

The “GREEN” House

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Cape Town, flowering plants, Flowers, garden, nursery, organic, plants, shade plants, South African endemic plant, The Green House, traditional garden plants

The Greenhouse at Montebello is anything but your average commercial nursery. Hidden away in the picturesque Southern suburbs of Cape Town, the Greenhouse is a boutique nursery offering a spectacular array of flowering plants, shade plants and traditional garden plants, arranged in a unique and distinctive style which is at once inspiring and comforting – like taking a walk through an exquisite private garden. The Greenhouse is grown and managed as a completely organic nursery. This means that the ecosystem is in perfect equilibrium encouraging squirrels, frogs and other small creatures to take up residence here.

July in Ariston

Tags

Cape Town, environment, Flowers, food, garden, health, herbs, home grown, organic, South African endemic plant

This gallery contains 13 photos.

Lemongrass

Tags

athletes foot, brinjals, companion plant, Cymbopogon citratus, fleas, food, gardening, herbs, home grown, insect repellant, lemon grass, marinade, Mosquitoes, organic, plants, skin ailments, stirfries, sweet potatoes, Thai cooking, ticks, tomato

Lemongrass – Cymbopogon citratus

Lemon grass originates from Southern India and Sri Lanka. It has long been characteristic of Far Eastern Cuisines. It has found it’s place in Gourmet dishes as well as fragrant toiletries around the world. Apart from culinary and cosmetic uses, Lemon grass has an array of medicinal properties.

To increase your stock of Lemon grass, divide it by pulling apart sections. Potted Lemon grass should be divided every two years. It makes a good companion plant with sweet potatoes, peppers, brinjals and tomatoes. Lemon grass requires full sun.

Uses :

Culinary :

• Delicious as a tea.
• The chopped base of the leaf cluster is used in Thai cooking.
• Delicious with cheese, egg and fish dishes
• Flavouring for marinades, oils, sauces and stir fries.

Medicinal:

• Lemon grass stimulates cell regeneration.
• Soothes intestinal infections
• A strong infusion can be used as a deodorant.
• Soothes fever, colitis, digestive upset, muscular pain,poor circulation,skin ailments and stress related conditions.

Cosmetic :

• Useful for treating most skin ailments.’
• Athlete’s foot
• foot bath and massage.
• Essential Oil diluted in carried oil, will deter mosquitoes, ticks, fleas.

Gardening : 

• Lemon grass insect repelling spray can be used on insect infected plants.
• Watered over beds where seeds will be sown, to protect them from predators.
• Soak pea and bean seed in  Lemon grass tea to have bumper crops.
• Rub the inside of your hive when baiting bees.

 

 

 

Rosemary – Dew of the Sea (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Tags

antimicrobial, antiseptic, Aromatherapy, colds, coughs, flu, Greek, Latin, Mediterranean, Mediterranean Sea, Middle Ages, rosemary, Tunisia

The name rosemary has nothing to do with the rose or the name Mary, but derives from the Latin name rosmarinus, which is from “dew” (ros) and “sea” (marinus), or “dew of the sea”— apparently because it is frequently, found growing near the sea.

Rosemary is a symbol for remembrance and originally comes from the Mediterranean but is now grown world-wide. It is cultivated for oil production in France, Spain and Tunisia. It is an easy herb to grow and is a popular flavouring ingredient in many countries. It is a favourite in scented and herb gardens. Planted alongside a path it is delicious when people brush past it. It is a small bushy shrub with scented needle like grey green aromatic leaves. The flowers are small and a pale greyish blue. Rosemary has been used in herbal medicine for centuries and also has religious and spiritual significance in some countries. In several cultures it is believed to ward of “Evil spirits”. In medieval times it was used as a fumigant to ward off the plague. It is used to treat digestive, skin, respiratory and nervous complaints and is still recommended as a stimulant.

In the Middle Ages, rosemary was associated with wedding ceremonies – the bride would wear a rosemary headpiece and the groom and wedding guests would all wear a sprig of rosemary, and from this association with weddings rosemary evolved into a love charm. Newly wed couples would plant a branch of rosemary on their wedding day. If the branch grew it was a good omen for the union and family. In ‘A Modern Herbal’, Mrs Grieves says “A rosemary branch, richly gilded and tied with silken ribands of all colours, was also presented to wedding guests, as a symbol of love and loyalty.” Another example of rosemary’s use as a love charm was that a young person would tap another with a rosemary sprig and if the sprig contained an open flower, it was said that the couple would fall in love. Rosemary was used as divinatory herb-several types of herbs were grown in pots and assigned the name of a potential lover. Then they were left to grow and the plant that grew the strongest and fastest gave the answer. Rosemary was also stuffed into puppets (cloth dolls) in order to attract a lover or attract curative vibrations for illness. It was believed that placing a sprig of rosemary under a pillow before sleep would repel nightmares, and if placed outside the home it would repel witches. Somehow, the use of rosemary in the garden to repel witches turned into signification that the woman ruled the household in homes and gardens where rosemary grew abundantly. By the 16th century, this practise became a bone of contention; and men were known to rip up rosemary bushes to show that they, not their wives, ruled the roost.

Rosemary has particular benefits for the circulatory system easing cold extremities. The fragrance stimulates the mind, helping concentration, improving memory and relieving mental fatigue. It is said the ancient Greeks wore a garland of rosemary to achieve this effect. Rosemary helps tone the muscles and prevent strain. Rheumatism and Arthritis can also be relieved using Rosemary.

The pain relieving properties make it useful for headaches and revitalises the spirit when fatigue sets in from over work. It stimulating effects will work for the benefit of the digestive system, relieving flatulence, colic and irritated colon. Massage has a detoxifying effect on the body which stimulates the lymphatic drainage.

Rosemary is antiseptic and antimicrobial and can be used to treat colds, flu and bronchitis. It is used to treat oral and throat infections.

Rosemary is popular in hair-care is it counteracts greasy hair, seborrhoea and dandruff and might benefit some case of hair loss. It is used to treat lice and scabies as well.
Rosemary is extremely high in iron, calcium, and Vitamin B6

 

Butternut grown from scraps

Tags

butternut, Cape Porcupine, earthworms, Flowers, food, home grown, organic, plants, pollination, Red Wriggler, vegetable garden, Vegetables from scraps

A few months ago I conditioned my Grow Zone with lashings of Worm Compost. As usual I had the normal tomato and Paw Paw seeds spout, which I weeded out, as I had enough already. These sprouts may also be transplanted into more suitable locations, to grow into mature plants. I had this butternut which sprouted and I moved it.It soon started growing lushly. I started to notice that all the female flowers just dropped off. So I when I noticed a female flower open, I would pollinate it from a male flower by hand. I managed to successfully pollinate 2 flowers.  This is the result. This butternut weighs in 1,1 kg. I have harvested it a little early because  Our resident Cape Porcupine (Mrs Schnoof) is finding it very hard to resist. She is gnawing away at my grow zone.

Rocket – Eruca vesicaria sativa

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Cashew, cashew nut, dinner, Eruca sativa, food, gardening, home grown, Italian, Mediterranean, Olive, olive oil, organic, pesto, rocket, Seed, skin blemishes, teaspoon cayenne pepper, vegetarian

Rocket has undergone a huge revival in popularity, even though it has been cultivated since the Middle Ages. It is native to the Mediterranean and was prized among the Romans and Persians. It fell out of use for 200 to 300 years. It only in the 1990s that the Italians started using it in ‘designer salads” that it regained its popularity. Medieval Monks were not allowed to grow Rocket in the cloister gardens as it was considered an Aphrodisiac.CULTIVATION
Rocket is a fast growing annual. It will often reseed itself 3 times in the Summer. It demands little attention and will thrive in full sun on compost and regular water.PROPAGATION
Collect seeds from dry pods. Sow from early Spring until mid Autumn. They can be sown in trays and planted out. Once planted out do not move them.HARVESTING
Pick the leaves and flowers often. The more you pick the more it produces.

USES:
Medicinal: Rocket has been used to treat bruises and sprains. Crushed seeds are spread on top of a warmed flannel bandage and holding against the skin without allowing the seeds to touch the skin. Crushed petals are made into a paste to treat skin blemishes. In Medieval times the flowers and green seeds were crushed and mixed with honey to treat coughs. Rocket is an invigorating tonic taken when tired or anxious. To make the teas, use 1/4 cup rocket and 1/4 cup parsley, pour over 1 cup boiling water, allow to steep for 5 minutes, strain and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Drink slowly.

Cosmetic: Rocket juice is used as a facial cleanser for oily skins. It is often used to treat itchy inflamed spots, bites and rashes. Rocket seeds, pounded and mixed with Olive oils is used to treat broken nails and calluses.

Culinary: Rocket is used in many Italian dishes and designer salads. Steam the leaves and make a rich white sauce, and use over baby potatoes of leeks. Rocket pesto is also a firm favorite.

Rocket Cashew Nut and Chili Pesto Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh Rocket leaves
1 clove garlic crushed
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
50g crushed Cashew nuts raw
1 small chilli

Place all ingredients in food processor, blend until smooth, more Olive oil may be added to make into a creamy paste.

Bottle and enjoy with all your favorite pesto meals.

Plant propagation

Tags

clivia, Cutting (plant), cuttings, division, gardening, layering, nature, plant, propagation, Seed, seeds, vegetative propagation

Propagation is the term used to describe the process of plant reproduction. There are two categories of propagation, i.e. seminal and vegetative. Seminal propagation results from sowing seeds. Plants grown from seed are entirely unique and may differ from each other and from the parent plant. Vegetative propagation embraces all other techniques of reproduction such as cutting, grafting and layering and plants propagated in this manner are identical to their parents i.e. they are clones.

Cuttings

The terms softwood, semi-ripe and hardwood are to plant life the equivalent to the stages of infant, teenager and adult life in humans.

Softwood – is taken very early in the growing season, before there is any sign of hardening of the new shoots. They are green, both at the tip and base.

Semi-ripe – is taken at the end of the growing season when the tip of the stem is soft and green, but the base is hardening, going brown and starting to become woody.

Hardwood – is taken in the winter when the stem has become hardened and woody throughout its length.

Other terms used in cutting jargon are heel, stem and tip. These refer to the part of the stem that is being used for the cutting.

Heel cutting – the stem is torn off in a way that retains a portion of the parent branch – a heel – at its base. Heel cuttings are most often made from softwood or semi-ripe wood. They are normally about 3 to 15 cm long.

Stem cuttings – most often used for hardwood cuttings. They normally include 20 to 30 cm of the stem to provide a reservoir of nutrients so that the cutting can survive through the winter until growth begins in spring.

Tip cuttings – short portions 3 to 15cm long taken from the tips of the stems. These parts are used for softwood and semi-ripe cuttings.

The reason for the different types of cuttings is that some species will propagate more readily from a stem cutting than a root cutting. There are, however, many plants that will reproduce from more than one type of cutting.

Cuttings are encouraged to grow roots and to this end they require moisture, light and a clean, free draining soil. A dusting hormone in the form of rooting powder may be used to help cuttings take root. It is advisable to strip most of the leaves from the cutting in order to reduce the amount of moisture lost through transpiration, while the remaining leaves will add to the food reserves through photosynthesis.

Division

This is the quickest way to increase perennials that have a spreading rootstock and produce new shoots annually from the crown. Division is best carried out when the plant is dormant. Lift the parent plants and shake off excess soil from the roots. Separate the plants into sections using a garden fork, a spade or a sharp knife. Ensure that each plant has a good root system. Discard old or damaged pieces and replant the segments at the original depth of soil. Examples of this type of division include Agapanthus, Clivia, Iris, and Shasta Daisy.

Seed

Most seed is best sown as soon as ripe. If necessary, soak fruits in water first, then extract seeds by rubbing the flesh and leave to dry. Hard-coated seeds may need soaking or scarification before germination. Soak in recently boiled water from between 10 minutes to 72 hours, depending on the species. Viable seeds will swell and should be sown immediately in situ or in a tray or seedbed. Soil should be kept moist. Lightly cover the seeds with compost or soil. As a general rule, cover seeds with about their own depth of soil. Mix fine seeds with a little dry river sand, trickle them over the compost and do not cover. Ensure that the seeds are kept moist.

Stored in a dry place most seeds remain good for 2 to 3 years but germination rates gradually decline.

Layering, suckers and grafting

Layering is a simple method for increasing plants with stems that will produce roots if wounded. The stem is pegged into the ground and left to form roots, while still attached to the parent plant.

Suckering plants, such a Tecomaria, Wisteria and Plumbago, naturally produce suckers that may be detached and inserted as ready-rooted plants.

Grafting involves taking the stem of one plant and uniting it with the rootstock of a closely related plant. Roses and fruit trees are propagated in this way. Grafting is best left to the specialists.

Superbum

Tags

Banana Peels, elk horn, Elk Horn Fern, epiphyte, Fern, fertile fronds, Flora and Fauna, Frond, garden, home grown, nature, organic, ornamental plant, plants, Platycerium, Platycerium superbum, stag horn, worm castings

This is my “MOTHER” superbum ( Platycerium superbum ). She arrived in my family of plants in 1988, which makes her the ripe old age of  25. Obviously then she was only a pup, looking like the pup pictured below.As she is an epiphyte, a container like the one above was created for her years ago. It was filled with a mixture of potting soil and worm castings. She was then attached using soft string and hung underneath a tree. The leaf drop replenishes the container with humus. She loves a twice weekly spray of water. Chopped Banana  peels and mashed banana are added twice a year.

These ferns develop a humus collecting “nest” of non-fertile fronds and in doing so can grown up to 1 metre wide. The ferns also develop hanging fertile fronds that can reach up to 2 metres long.^]

Both fertile and non-fertile fronds are broad and branching and grown to resemble the horns of a stag or elk, thus the common names stag horn or elk horn.