As autumn nears, gardeners focus on prepping their gardens for frosty winter weather. But if your herbs need overwinteringing, it may not always be necessary to bring them inside for protection. Hardy perennial tea herbs typically thrive in containers provided they receive plenty of light. Fill pots with potting mix and aged compost to enhance soil porosity and drainage. Thyme Many perennial herbs can survive outside during the winter and will rebloom or self-seed in spring, including thyme, tarragon and certain varieties of rosemary as well as chives, oregano and basil. These herbs thrive best in full sunlight and prefer …

Growing your own herbs makes enjoying fresh tea anytime easier! Choose a spot that gets 6-8 hours of direct sun daily and features loamy soil that dries quickly between watering sessions. The checkerboard layout makes it easier to stock multiple varieties of your preferred herbs or experiment with new ones. Chamomile Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) blooms throughout summer and makes an excellent way to add sweet, relaxing flavors to tea. It requires full sun but can tolerate dry conditions well; seed or transplant seedlings grow easily, and self-sow easily as well. Harvest its flowers before they fade for use as fresh …

Add herbs and other low maintenance perennials to your garden to help pollinators and other beneficial wildlife, while many also provide medicinal properties. Plants native to your region have co-evolved with pollinator species in order to provide essential nutrition. Selecting climate-appropriate species is vitally important. Rosemary Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is an evergreen plant with fragrant white, pink and purple blooms in spring and summer that thrives well here. Easily maintained under sun or partial shade conditions, this variety tolerates drought well. Through history, this plant has long been seen as a sign of love and rememberance. Egyptians buried rosemary sprigs …

Sustainable herb harvesting techniques ensure potency and long-term shelf life while honoring wild populations and their ecosystems. Learning sustainable harvesting methods deepen herbal knowledge, support an thriving home apothecary, and expand homestead apothecaries. Reducing trampling and accidental damage by carefully walking around delicate, slow-growing plants reduces trampling. Deliberate harvesting times for leaves, flowers or seeds also help ensure their wellbeing and preserve the health of the plant. Harvesting Growing medicinal plants is easy in both your garden or container garden, making it simple for anyone to start their own home herbal apothecary. Since medicinal herbs have long been utilized for …

How to Grow Comfrey Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is a hardy perennial plant, adaptable to most climates and easily propagated via root cuttings, crown divisions or transplants. Propagated from spring until early summer by root cuttings or crown divisions. A vigorous grower that can outcompete weeds. Requiring moderate soil moisture. Plant in spring/early summer. Comfrey is a dynamic accumulator with deep tap roots that mine the subsoil for nutrients, making it an excellent companion plant for vegetables and helping improve heavy clay or loamy soil quality. A source of potassium, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin B12 it should only be consumed externally …

As part of your spring gardening tasks, it is wise to evaluate the perennial medicinal herb beds. Take note of which plants fared the best and which need dividing or pruning back. Herbs can often be propagated easily from cuttings, or pieces of stem, leaf or root which can be used to establish new plants. Warm temperatures and high humidity are ideal conditions for root formation in these species of plant. Layering Fall is an ideal time for herb division, when plants are at their most vigorous and have already established strong root systems. This method works particularly well when …

Perennial medicinal herbs such as common and garlic chives can easily be grown in well-drained garden soil. Not only are these perennial plants easy to cultivate, they’re also packed with natural antimicrobials, antioxidants, and mild nervines that make great additions to any health regimen. Some plants need two years for full development, like ginseng and black cohosh (research-backed for menopausal symptoms). You can purchase these from local farmers or online herb starts. Rosemary Rosemary has long been used in different forms for medicinal, spiritual and culinary uses since ancient times. People treasure its deep flavor, aromatic scent and symbolic association …

As gardeners with pets, it’s crucial that we know which plants are toxic and how to prevent accidental munching of them by unknowing users – such as rhubarb which contains oxalic acid which may lead to kidney failure if consumed accidentally. Oleander plants can be toxic if eaten, leading to vomiting, abdominal pain and heart problems. Luckily, gardeners looking to add beauty and charm to their landscapes with pet-friendly options exist. 1. Keep the Leaves Clean Rhubarb is an iconic garden plant, best known for its tart stalks used to craft delicious desserts like pies. Unfortunately, however, its leaves contain …

Rhubarb can be a difficult crop for gardeners despite its widespread appeal, necessitating rich, deep soil as well as annual applications of slow-release fertilizer to maintain high yields and ensure continued vigor and vigorous growth. Mulching with layers of straw, compost, leaf mold or well-rotted manure will minimise water loss while conserving soil moisture levels and improving soil structure. Furthermore, this method will suppress weed growth while helping preserve its integrity. Spring Rhubarb is a cold-season vegetable best planted in spring when the ground has warmed, when conditions are ideal. Rhubarb thrives best in fertile, well-draining soils enhanced with plenty …

Rhubarb leaves can be composted safely as long as they remain out of reach from children and household pets. Oxalic acid present in the leaves quickly degrades during composting without having any detrimental effect on final product quality. Add rhubarb waste in small amounts to your compost pile with other nitrogen-rich green materials and carbon-rich brown materials such as paper shreddings, sawdust or hay to optimize conditions for composting. Regular turning will ensure optimal composting conditions. Oxalic Acid Rhubarb thrives best in fertile, well-drained soils rich in organic matter. Heavy clay soils may benefit from adding compost or well-rotted manure …

For maximum rhubarb harvest, keep the clumps from bolting. Heat can play a part in this, so keeping soil temperatures cool and adding organic matter (compost or well rotted manure) to the planting site will assist. Older varieties may be more susceptible to flowering, and regularly dividing rhubarb crowns should help. 1. Cut the Stalks Early Rhubarb flowers are an indicator that the plant is trying to reproduce through seed production; this process is known as bolting. Although flowering is part of its natural cycle, gardeners who want thick rhubarb stalks suitable for pie-making or other culinary uses may find …

Rhubarb thrives best when planted in loose, rich soil that drains well, with complete garden fertilizers applied prior to growth beginning each spring. Mulches help conserve moisture and control weeds in northern gardens, where perennial rhubarb plants are often harvested from late spring through summer. For optimal results and to avoid crown rot, harvest no more than half of a clump at one time. If flower stems form, remove them. Green Rhubarb requires well-drained soil with an abundance of organic matter, along with the addition of mulch to regulate temperature and moisture, while helping prevent weeds. Rhubarb must then be …

Rhubarb’s tough rhizomes allow it to withstand disease and pest damage, yet poor soil or moisture conditions, or the presence of disease-causing fungi or insects, can wreak havoc with harvests. As early morning watering can reduce fungal and bacterial diseases, and recommended insecticides when necessary, early watering of garden plants should also help avoid crowding, which may encourage rot and other issues. Curculios Plum curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar) is an early season pest of apple, pear, apricot, plum and other pome and stone fruits and can lead to significant losses if left uncontrolled. This weevil, belonging to the curculionidae family, can …