Herb Gardens

As a freelance writer I occasionally get contacted by marketing and public relations firms. They want to know if I would be interested in sampling their clients products to review for any of the sites I write for.

I’ve been talking with a marketing rep for Mark Ukra, AKA Dr. Tea. They sent me a package containing a nice assortment of merchandise available from the Dr. Tea website . The package included a copy of Dr. Tea’s book The Ultimate Tea Diet, a craving tea sampler, and 3 flavors of tea rub.

Tea Rubs

• chicken tea rub
• BBQ tea rub
• all purpose tea rub

Craving Tea Sampler
This is a package of 12 individually wrapped tea bags. The flavors included in the sampler are:

• ginger bread rooibos
• caramel rooibos
• mint chocolate chip ice cream rooibos
• chocolate cream pie black tea
• apple pie black tea
• Dr. Tea’s candy bar black tea
• English breakfast black tea
• mint julep green tea
• Japanese sencha green tea
• orange sherbet green tea
• blueberry pie white tea
• pina colada white tea

I will be reading the Ultimate Tea Diet book and sampling both the craving teas and tea rubs over the next few weeks. I will write a detailed review of all the products when I am finished sampling them.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe

Mel Bartholomew’s All New Square Foot Gardening; Grow More in Less Space, is one of my all time favorite gardening books. Whether you are into growing herbs, flowers, vegetables, or a combination of all three, you should definitely check out this book. Visit Mel’s website to find out more about the square foot gardening method, or to order one of his publications.

I owned a copy of Mel’s first book, Square Foot Gardening, that was written in 1981. That book was totally falling apart, so I was happy to see he totaly revised and republished the book in 2005 as All New Square Foot Gardening. I bought the book after being a fan of Mel’s TV show for many years. Square Foot Gardening appeared on PBS from 1982 to 1986 and on the Discovery Network from 1989 to 1991.

ABOVE: A photo of the garden at my last house, which used the square foot gardening method. The garden was so densely planted, you couldn’t tell it utilized the square foot method.

Square foot gardening methods can be utilized by anyone, no mater what size their garden is. This method of gardening is all about maximizing your gardening space to get the most yield, with the smallest space and the least amount of effort. At my previous house in the neighborhood I currently live in, I tore up the entire front yard, had my husband install raised beds, and planted everything using the square foot gardening method. That house was certified as a Florida Yards & Neighborhood, thanks in part to my use of the square foot gardening methods.

The basic principals of square foot gardening are:

• efficient plant spacing
• never walk on soil
• soil improvement
• stop planting so much
• grow vertical
• optimal garden placement
• raised beds
• optimal garden size (smaller is better)

Take care,
Lynn Smythe

P.S. - I’ll be writing about the Florida Yards & Neighborhood program in a future post.

A few days ago I wrote about Eliot Coleman’s book The New Organic Grower. Today I’m writing about another one of Eliot’s book that is in my personal library - Four Season Harvest.

Four Season Harvest: Organic Vegetables From Your Home Garden All Year Long, was originally published in 1992. A revised and expanded edition was published in 1999 by Chelsea Green Publishing Company. I have a copy of the paperback book, which is 234 pages long. Four Season Harvest contains many b/w illustrations by Kathy Bray, and  color photographs taken by Eliot’s wife, Barbara Damrosch.

I currently live in a USDA gardening zone 10 in SE Florida, so I can pretty much garden year round. There is a bit of a problem with high heat and hummidity during the summer months, but heat loving crops such as peppers, okra and certain herbs can still be grown in the summer. I am doing research for having a four-season garden when we finally relocate to western North Carolina. We have 4 1/2 acres of land in an area which is a USDA zone 7. I would like to be able to grow salad greens, and other items, during the winter months.

Four Season Harvest discusses microclimates, cold frames, high tunnels, greenhouses, root cellars and other items which can be used by the home gardener to help extend their growing season into the winter months. It also discusses how certain crops, such as carrots, parsley and onions, can be left in the ground, and with a little protection, be harvested throughout the winter.

I can’t think of a better review of the book, than to quote a few words from Eliot himself, taken from his introduction to the book:

“The surprise of our winter garden is how simple it is. Winter vegetables will thrive in any winter climate with a little protection from wind and weather. No heating, or high-tech systems are necessary. The keys to success are a new attitude and new crops.”

I highly recommend this book for anyone that is interested in growing their own herbs and vegetables.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe

I am a big fan of organic gardening, that’s how I grow all my herbs, vegetables and butterfly plants. My husband always threatens to go out and buy a big jug of Roundup, to spray all over the yard to kill the weeds. I don’t mind a few weeds, as long as I know that anything I pick from my yard is safe to eat. Leave the stinking chemicals for someone else.

I am also a big fan of Eliot Coleman. Eliot, along with his wife Barbara Damrosch, used to host the TV show, Gardening Naturally, on the Learning Channel. Eliot, with over 30 years of organic gardening experience, is the author of 3 books, and has contributed chapters to many other gardening books.

I own a copy of Eliot’s book The New Organic Grower; A Master Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener. The book, which was first published in 1989, was revised and expanded in 1995. The New Organic Grower, at 340 pages long, contains TONS of fantastic information on all aspects of organic gardening. Although parts of the book go into a bit too much detail for the average home gardener, there is still quite a bit of information that can be incorporated into your own organic garden.

I found the chapters on crop rotation, green manures, direct seeding and season extension to be particularily helpful. If I ever decided to start a small farm, the chapters on part-time help, marketing strategy and livestock will certainly be of interest. Don’t laugh, I have contemplated having a small farm for many years. We own 4 1/2 acres of virgin land in western North Carolina. A couple of goats to keep the weeds at bay, a couple of chickens for fresh eggs, a couple of guinea hens for pest control, maybe a donkey to be the guard dog/farm mascot - who knows!?!

I highly recommend getting a copy of The New Organic Grower for your own bookshelf. I also own a copy of Eliot’s book Four Season Harvest, which I will review in a future post to the Herb Gardens site.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe

Science Fair Project
My 7th grade daughter was a bit frantic tonight, as she was trying to figure out what topic to choose for her science fair project. The science fair project is the entire curriculum for the first three months of her honors science class. The project topic summary is due tomorrow, so she had to pick a project quickly! And it had to be a project she will enjoy, as she will be working on it everyday until the science fair which takes place in November. Three months is a long time to work on something you’re not interested in.

We had all three laptops running this evening, as my husband and I helped her to pick a project. We found many sites listing various science fair projects, I think that was the problem. She was totally overwhelmed by all the choices. One site had an A to Z listing of HUNDREDS of projects. YIKES - too many options!

I knew we had to pick something that I could help her with. Originally I thought it should be something to do with electronics or aviation, so her dad could help her out, but he seemed less than enthusiastic to help. Go figure. So we were looking at all the food, cooking, gardening and botany related projects, as those are all areas I have a bit of experience with. I finally came upon a recycling science project page and saw a listing for recycling coffee grinds.

EUREKA! I have been using used Starbucks coffee grinds in my organic garden for a number of years, with fantastic results. So here is my daughter’s final science project outline:

Topic:
Recycling Coffee Grinds in Organic Gardens

Question:
Can coffee grinds be used to fertilize plants?

I will be posting up additional information on the progress of the science fair project as it becomes available. I think we will be using tomato plants, in various soil to coffee grind ratios, and keeping track of how well they grow. Sounds like it can turn out to be a pretty cool science fair project. Or am I just living vicariously through my daughter? I don’t remember participating in any science fair projects when I was a kid - bummer.

ABOVE: Herb Gardens Author Lynn Smythe

Hello everyone,

I started the Herb Gardens blog back in April, and have enjoyed posting a variety of herb related information to the site ever since. Now that the site has been up for awhile, I thought I’d provide you a bit more background information on Herb Witch, the author of the Herb Gardens site.

The herbs and spices included on this site are either herbs that I have grown in my various gardens throughout the years, or ones that you can commonly purchase from your local farmer’s market and gardening centers.

I am a trained Natural Health Consultant and perpetual student of herbalism. I have conducted extensive research and continue to conduct studies in the fields of alternative medicine, aromatherapy, herbal medicine, homeopathy, and naturopathy.

As a young preteen and teenager I spent many afternoons wandering the undeveloped forests of the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. In the fall I remember feasting on a variety of wild blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. At Christmas time I would help my mom collect pine boughs which were used to make aromatic balsam pillows and garlands that were used to decorate our house.

In later years my mother became interested in the identification and collecting of wild mushrooms. I remember her serving plates full of wild puff balls which had been sautéed with lots of sweet butter and fresh garlic. I also remember seeing, and avoiding, the hallucinogenic fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria) on many of my journeys. Although I have some experience in the proper identification of wild mushrooms I would still rather buy my mushrooms from the grocery store just to be safe!

I have enjoyed cooking and gardening for many years. During my high school years I helped my mother weed her vegetable garden and always dreaded the bountiful zucchini harvest. We had so many zucchini from that garden that my mom even found a cookbook with over a 101 ways to cook zucchini, including a recipe for zucchini cake. It was quite an interesting item for a young girls palate to experience, but it didn’t make the zucchini disappear any faster.

When I was much older I commandeered my friends front yard and turned it into a garden which I filled with a plethora of bulbs and alpine plants. In the summer of 1991 I relocated to the south which was a bit of a shock. I went from a USDA Zone 4 garden in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, to a USDA Zone 10 garden in south east, Florida.

The path taken to become a herbalist will vary from person-to-person. My personal journey began a few years ago when I began to suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome. During this time I researched the many herbs such as dill, fennel, ginger, mint, and chamomile that could help with my various digestive problems. I began growing a multitude of herbs in order to keep a ready supply of medicinal herbs on hand for making my own tea blends. I joined my local herb society to learn what herbs grew well in the hot and humid south and began to write a monthly column for their newsletter in order to share my growing knowledge of herbs with my fellow society members.

My friends, neighbors, and family members began to ask me for advice on minor ailments such as upset stomachs, insomnia, and headaches. They also started to come to me whenever one of the  recipes they were following called for fresh herbs or when they needed advice on growing their own herbs and flowers. I started writing articles for publications such as The Herb Quarterly, Back Home, and Llewellyn Publications annual Herbal Almanac.

Thank you for visiting the Herb Gardens site. Have a pleasant visit, and enjoy your time here.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA Herb Witch

Since my last few posts to Herb Gardens have been about herbal teas, I’ve decided to add detailed information on how to go about brewing a cup of herbal tea.

Brewing Methods
When using seeds or roots in your tea, you must first lightly crush them, using a mortar and pestle, or place them in a zip lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Don’t use a coffee grinder or blender as you will end up with a powder, which is okay for most culinary purposes but too fine to be used in beverages. Add the crushed seeds to any other ingredients you are including in your tea blends.

For each serving of tea you want to make, bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a non-metallic pan. An enameled, non-stick or glass pan works well. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1 teaspoon of dried or 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs to the pan. Let this mixture steep for between 3 and 4 minutes. This shorter infusion time yields a refreshing beverage, letting the mixture steep any longer may result in a bitter tasting beverage.

Place a lid on top of your container while it steeps to prevent it from cooling off too quickly. Strain the herbs from the water and pour the infusion into your favorite mug or tea cup. You could also use a French press, or tea pot with a built in infuser basket when making larger amounts of tea. Just be sure to adjust the amount of herbs you use according to how many cups of tea you are making. Those little tea balls you find in some kitchen gadget stores can also be used to make a single cup of tea.

If you prefer iced tea, double the amount of herbs used. Don’t double the amount of time you steep the herbs, as the tea could end up developing a bitter taste. Use 2 teaspoons of dried or 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs for each cup of water you are using when making iced tea. The extra amount of herbs used allows for dilution by the melting of ice cubes that you have added to your iced tea.

Additions to Your Tea
You may add any of the following ingredients, in moderation, to help enhance the flavor of your herbal tea:
-honey
-white sugar
-sugar cubes
-peppermint candy pieces (kids love this idea)
-brown sugar
-demerara sugar
-lemon slices
-orange slices
-lime slices

I’ve never been a fan of adding milk or cream to my tea. A cup of coffee, definitely, but I prefer to serve my tea with a bit of honey and sometimes add a slice of lemon.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA Herb Witch

Teapot Song
I’m a little teapot, short and stout
Here is my handle, here is my spout
When the kettle’s boiling, hear me shout
Tip me over, pour me out.

Herbal Tea Formulas
Here are some formulas for creating tea blends out of your favorite herbs and spices. Use one part of each ingredient listed in the tea recipe you are following. To make a single cup of tea, use 1/2 teaspoon of dried herb leaf for each ingredient listed. You can make these blends in bulk, to have on hand when you are ready to make a cup of tea.

British Herb Tea
This tea makes a caffeine free blend which is similar in taste to traditional black tea. Oswego tea (AKA bee balm or bergamot) was used by Native Americans as a refreshing beverage. Colonial Americans, through their contacts with the various Indian tribes, became aware of this herb and its myriad uses. Oswego tea was one of the many herbal tea substitutes used by the American colonists during the Revolutionary War, which was set off by the events of the Boston Tea Party.

• Sage
• Bergamot
• Lemon balm

Cough and Cold Brew
The anise hyssop adds a natural sweet flavor to this tea. Brew a cup of this tea anytime you are starting to feel a cold come on.

• anise hyssop
• angelica
• cinnamon basil
• catmint

Lemon Drop Tea
This tea tastes terrific served with a bit of honey, and a fresh slice of lemon.

• lemon balm
• lemon basil
• lemon grass
• lemon verbena
• loose green tea leaves

Stress Relief Tea
Take this blend 1/2 hour to an hour before going to bed to help you unwind, relax and get a restful nights sleep.

• chamomile flowers
• lavender flowers
• lemon balm
• catnip

Take care,
Lynn

“Excellent herbs had our fathers of old, excellent herbs to ease their pain.”
-Rudyard Kipling, Our Fathers of Old

If you feel stressed out, anxious or irritable, then soothing and relaxing herbal teas may provide just the help you are looking for. The leaves of a variety of herbs are well suited to being used in herbal tea blends. Hot beverages made with herbs are sometimes referred to as a tisane or infusion.

Here are my top ten favorite tea herbs that I like to grow in my organic garden. The common name is listed first, followed by the Latin name, which is followed by its medicinal attributes. Herbal teas used for medicinal purposes should be taken in moderation, don’t consume more than 3-5 cups per day.

1. Anise hyssop - Agastache foeniculum - coughs, indigestion, nausea, poor appetite.
2. Bergamot - Monarda didyma - colds, digestive disorders, fevers, indigestion, insomnia, nausea. Also known as bee balm and Oswego tea.
3. Catnip - Nepeta cataria - colds, colic, diarrhea, fevers, indigestion, influenza, insomnia, sedative.
4. Chamomile flowers - Chamaemelum nobile - colic, relieves discomfort from gas and indigestion, fever, insomnia, menstrual cramps, nausea, sedative.
5. Sage - Salvia officinalis - anxiety, colds, coughs, diarrhea, fevers, mental fatigue, indigestion, nervous headaches, sore throats.
6. Lavender - Lavandula angustifolia - anxiety, depression, dizziness, indigestion, insomnia, migraine, nausea, nervous headaches, nervous tension, sedative.
7. Lemon balm - Melissa officinalis - alleviates anxiety, colds, mild depression, insomnia, indigestion, digestive disorders, nausea, sedative, tension headaches.
8. Lemon grass - Cymbopogon citratus - colitis, diarrhea, fevers, indigestion, sedative, stress.
9. Lemon verbena - Aloysia triphylla - colds, congestion, mild depression, fevers, headaches, indigestion, nausea, sedative, stomach cramps.
10. Mint - Mentha spp. - antispasmodic, breath freshener, colds, colic, decongestant, flu, indigestion, insomnia, nausea, stress.

Tea and Skin Cancer
It appears that both oral consumption and topical administration of tea may have beneficial effects when it comes to skin cancer. Various studies found the following results.

A University of Arizona study conducted on participants who drank iced black tea and citrus peel found a 42% reduced risk of skin cancer.

Hot black tea consumption is associated with a significantly lower risk of squamous cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer. The potential protective effects are thought to be influenced by the strength, temperature and amount of time the tea is brewed.

Topical application of green tea prior to UV exposure inhibited DNA damage or UV-induced skin cancer.

Scientist are gaining interest in and funding for further studies on the effects of tea on human health. More human trials are underway and additional studies are on the horizon. Many of the findings highlighted above are preliminary and only begin to scratch the surface of what lies ahead.

Tea leaves, freshly brewed, possess significant levels of some of the most powerful antioxidants mother-nature provides us. Depending on how it is brewed, tea is low in caffeine. Further evidence strongly suggests that tea can ease the effects of tension and stress, a benefit we can all use more of especially as the holiday’s approach. I have yet to find any evidence that drinking tea is harmful, so why wouldn’t you increase your consumption, potentially warding off the damaging effects of living in our world today?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Beth Johnston, a tea importer and noted tea expert, publishes an informative monthly newsletter on tea, tea history, health and lifestyle enhancements. To learn more about the world of tea, join her free newsletter at www.TeasEtc.com/Newsletter.asp or visit www.TeasEtc.com.

REPRINT PERMISSION
This article, including the copyright and “About the Author” section, may be freely reprinted online in its complete and unaltered form provided you send a copy or link of the reprint to us.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TEA
Read Beth’s Tea Blog - www.teasetc.com/blog/beth/

BLOG AUTHOR’S NOTE:

Tomorrow I’ll be posting up a list of some of my favorite herbs, such as chamomile, that can be brewed into teas.