Quick Lip or Cuticle Balm - Bath Blend of the Month

This quick and easy balm can be used on lips or cuticles and is simple to make with three ingredients and a microwave.  It is a perfect last minute gift or a way to pamper yourself in this hectic season.

Lip or Cuticle Balm

5 Tble coconut oil

3 Tbls beeswax, grated

12 drops essential oil your choice of scent

Place coconut oil and beeswax in a glass bowl and microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring in between.  Add essential oil to melted mixture and stir well. Pour liquid into a two ounce tin and allow to cool.

To USE: spread by finger on lips or cuticles to avoid and repair dryness.

 

Rose and Lemon Verbena Bathroom Potpourri - Bath Blend of the Month

As we get into the entertaining season we may want to bolster the scents in the bathroom with something refreshing and yet not cloying.  This blend of herbs and flowers with seasonal spices will give off a pleasant scent.  You can place it in a quart jar with a string of lights or just place in a lidded jar with openings to let the scent cloak the room in fresh herbal smells.

Rose and Lemon Verbena Jar Potpourri

3 broken cinnamon sticks

1/4 cup statice flowers

1/4 cup rose petals

1/4 cup lemon verbena leaves

1/4 cup whole cloves

1/4 cup orchid flowers (optional or substitute lavender buds)

5 to 10 drop rose geranium or rose absolute oil

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Pour into a quart canning jar allowing lots of air space.  If you want added fun place a string of white lights in the jar first and pour the potpourri around it.  Plug the lights in and this will accelerate the release of scent.  Or just place an open lid on the jar or a circle of fabric at the top and allow to infuse with the air naturally. Place on the back of the toilet or on a shelf in the bathroom for colorful scented decor.

Pumpkin and Spice Sugar Scrub - Bath Blend of the Month

This month's blend caters to the Pumpkin Spice Lover. It is a combination of pumpkin and the spices that love it to make a facial scrub with all the special properties of pumpkin for skin soothing and repairing.

Pumpkin is very good for the skin. Since pumpkin is 94% water content it can keep skin moisturized and supple. It also contains vitamins B and E, which help maintain the skin's natural moisture balance. And is a good source of minerals like copper and zinc, which can help fade brown spots from acne and sun damage. There are natural enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) in pumpkin which increase cell turnover, which can soften, brighten, and smooth the skin. They can also help remove dead skin, reducing the appearance of dark spots, hyperpigmentation, and sun damage. So all-in-all making a facial scrub with some pumpkin is a great idea.

Pumpkin and Spice Sugar Scrub

• 2 Tbls canned pumpkin Puree
• 2 Tbls brown Sugar
• 2 Tbls coconut oil
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg

Mix all items together and place in a quarter pint mason jar.  

To Use: place small amount of scrub on finger tips and use on hands, arms, or face.  Rince with cool water and use a moisturizer to complete the treatment.

Lemon Spice Tea - Tea Blend of the Month

Lemon Balm needs to be harvested again and if you grow it in is often hard to find different ways to use it, but I have many, so check out this link to a search of all the recipes I have posted using Lemon Balm. But for now try thisd great tea blend with lemon flavors and a hint of clove for a seasonal twist.

Lemon Spice Tea

• 1 cup lemon balm
• 1/2 cup lemn grass, chopped
• 1/2 cup peppermint
• 1/4 cup whole cloves
• 3 teaspoons slivered lemon peel

Combine herbs and lemon peel in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well.  Enjoy 1 tsp per cup of hot water and steep 5 to 7 minutes.  Color will be light.

If using fresh herbs chop the herbs evenly to a uniform size and use 1 Tablespoon per cup of hot water. Steeping 5 to 7 minutes.  Don't make this as a sun tea, but it is good cold.

Rose and Herb Bath Tablets - Bath Blend of the Month

Time for another Bath Blend of the Month.  This recipe also makes a great gift.  You can choose any herbs you want to make the recipe, but I suggest roses or a combination with roses because these help soften and and soothe skin, especially if you have been outside in fall or winter wind.

Honey, the main ingredient in these tablets is a humectant meaning it brings moisture to the skin. So enjoy a calming and relaxing bath and rejuvenate your skin as well. 

Honey Bath Tablets

1/2 cups fine grain see salt

1 Tbls white clay

1/2 Tbls dried herb (I suggest either dried rose petals, or a combination of roses, rosemary and lavender)

1/2 cup pure honey

Combine class, herbs and sea salt in a bowl.  Warm honey to 300 degrees use a thermometer to be sure. Pour hot honey over mixture in bowl and stir to combine. Spoon into candy molds, pressing down with back of spoon. Cool completely. Unmold onto plastic wrap.  Individually wrap the tables and store in an air tight container. (makes 6 to 8 Tablets.)

TO USE: Place one tablet in your bath as you are filling to tub and allow to dissolve.  Slip in and unjoy with a cup of tea sweetened with honey.

Hops - Herb of the week

Herb of the week posts are the hardest for me to write.  They take time and energy that during the growing season I do not always have.  This year the herb harvest has been good, the plants are lush and the weeds are fierce. And I am slowing down.  I turn 60 this year.  I great milestone.  It coinsides with Backyard Patch Herbs turning 30, also a giant milestone.

I remember wanting to grow hops when I first started and being very unsuccessful.  Ir was not until we moved to Villa Park, Illinois that I was able to construct the right growing trellis (well Chas built that, not me) and nurtured some wonderful canes into this great hops arbor.  But Covid hit and I had to move and leave it behind.  But I did gather one last havest before we departed.

We thought the new place would be a quick stop over, so we did not plant hops here, but I think I should have becasue it has been a longer stay. However Lombard has a wonderful Farmer's Market and we have been participating weekly for three years now (Tuesday 3 to 7 PM on Park Ave, downtown, for those in the area.) The Tuesday Market falls on my birthday, so so we will be celebrating by giving away samples of Dill Dip -- the first mix I ever created and gave away which started my business 30 years ago.  We are also giving Dill Dip samples with every online purchase through the end of the year.

Now back to the hops, why grow them.what we use them for:

Herb of the Week - Hops - Humulus Lupulus

Hops are a green cone shape flower (inflorescence) of the plant.  It is a climbing perrenial with interesting characteristics.  Inside each cone are tiny yellow pods or glands called lupulin,  These lupilin are the source of flavor, bitterness and aroma in beer, even though the hops themseves contain no alcohol. The name Hops comes from the Anglo-Saxon term "hoppan," which means to climb.

TO GROW

Hops is an herbaceous perrenial, producing annual vines from overwintering root stock. Meaning the vines die back in the winter and start over from wood cane in the spring.  These vines grow papidly winding around supports in a clockwise direction with strong hooked hairs to cling on.  By the end of june they will reach maximum length of 15 to 25 feet.  Then after the soltice they make side arms to bear flowers. Only femail plants develope flowers, but seeds are heterogeneous with plants emerging from both male and female.  The first year the plant produces little growth, but the second year should be a normal crop.

Hops need abundant sun light, 15 or more hours so it cannot grow in a semi shaded area, if it is shaded before mid June.  That was why the center of the yard was perfect for it, by the time the trees filled in it was well into late june.  It also needs 120 frost free days with a maiost spring.  Sandy loam soil with a neutral pH is ideal.  Weed around the canes regularly and water if it is not raining regularly.

Plant the canes in a hill of two rhizomes per hill spaced 3 feet apart.  We put two hills one at each trellis post.  Once the canes are a foot tall start training them onto the standard. Then just let them grow and do their thing and they will gradually cover the trellis.  Without a trellis your hops will not be very successful, trust me on this.

TO HARVEST

Harvest time is mid August to Mid September depending on how the hops mature.  To determine ripeness pick a cone and touch and smell.  If it is too green, it feels slightly damp with softness to the scales.  A dry cones is a bit more papery and light.  It will feel dryer and you will smell the scent on your hands.  The cone will feel a bit sticky.

Harvest cones by hand standing under the trellis, or cut the canes 3 to 4 feet above the ground and lay on the ground and pick the cones.  Then use the cut canes as mulch after chopping them up once harvested. Wear long sleeves and gloves as the hooked hairs on the plant can cause a rash.

Drying hops can be done in trays or a dehydrator.  My favorite is to spread them in ball mason jar trays or box lids from Aldi.  Once fully dry (no longer sticky) they will feel springy and the yellow lupulin powder easily falls out, you can store them in plastic bags or jars.  Press the air out of the bags and keep int he dark for long term storage.  The daylight will fade the hops.

Hops ready to harvest

USING HOPS

Thier use in beer is not only as a flavoring, they also keep beer fresher longer and help it retian a head of foam.  The aroma of beer comes mostly from the hops.  Medicinally hops are a treatment for anxiety, sleep disporders, restlessness, symptoms of menopause.  It is known that some chemicals in hops seem to act similarly to the hormone estrogen and can cause sleepiness, but there are no large scale sicentific studies to support these notions.

We use hops in our sleep and relaxation sachets as well as key ingredient in our menopause tea.

RECIPES

Honey Ginger Ale Recipe

Ginger adds a delicious and spicy kick to this soda, and the honey contributes a sweet taste that is richer than refined sugar. Makes 1 gallon.

1 gallon water
1 cup honey
2 lemons
1 cup loosely packed hops flowers (optional)
2 pieces of ginger, thumb-sized
1/2 teaspoon ale or champagne yeast

Directions:

Combine water, honey and hops in a stockpot. Add the juice from the two lemons and bring to a boil. Grate ginger and add to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes. Allow to cool and then add the yeast. Let the soda stand at room temperature for 24 hours, then use a funnel and strainer to pour the soda into bottles. Leave 1 to 2 inches of empty space at the top of the bottle and attach the bottle caps. Write the date on the bottles and store them in a warm, draft-free place, ideally at room temperature, for an additional 24 hours. Then refrigerate. For best results, leave the bottles in the refrigerator an additional day or two before drinking.

Herbal Hair Rince with Hops

Herbs and herbal infusions have been used for centuries to naturally soften hair, increase manageability, and restore luster, body, and bounce.  Humulus lupulus helps heal and repair damaged hair. The hops flowers contain a nourishing oil that is an effective hair conditioner and thickener. Hops help stimulate scalp circulation and encourage growth. Its antiseptic properties help with dandruff. Especially good for scalp conditions and hair loss/thinning.

Directions:

Pour 2 cups of boiling water over 3 or more tablespoons of herbs.  Steep for at least 30 minutes covered Strain herbs from the tea and let it cool.

TO USE: The rinse should be room temperature before using--never pour hot tea in your hair. As you slowly pour the tea over your wet head, massage the infusion into your hair and scalp. Keep a large bowl under your head to catch the liquid and reapply several times. Let it sit a few minutes. Gently rinse with cool water or, for extra conditioning benefits, just leave it in and towel dry hair.          

Calm and Lift Morning Tea - Tea Blend of the Month

For morning energy, this brew is high in antioxidants and includes some caffeine. It also might help stabilize blood sugar.

Gotu kola, (Centella asiatica) commonly known as Indian pennywort, Asiatic pennywort, spadeleaf, or coinwort, is a herbaceous, perennial plant in the flowering plant family Apiaceae. It is native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia, Australia, and islands in the western Pacific Ocean. I find it easier to get dry leaf via mail order than grow it here in Illinois, but one can grow it as an annual.

Gotu kola

Holy Basil

In Ayurveda, Ashwagandha is known as the rejuvenator and Gotu Kola is known as the herb of longevity, speaking to the plants' abilities to relieve the fatigue and restlessness associated with stress; and support overall quality of life.

Calm and Lift Morning Tea
 
1 part gotu kola
1 part holy basil
1 part jasmine green tea

 
Infuse 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon per cup of hot water (just off the boil) for 5 minutes

Lavender Body Butter - Bath Blend of the Month

Getting rough patches on your elbows, knees and heels from the summer activities?  This is the recipe for you. This smoothing and soothing body butter is packed with oils to nourish and fortify your skin.

Lavender Body Butter

1/4 cup cocoa butter

2 Tbls sunflower oil

1 Tbls coconut oil

1 Tbls flaxseed oil

2 Tbls grated beeswax

1 tsp vitamin E oil

5 to 6 drop 100%  lavender essential oil

Combine all the ingredients in a double boiler (or in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water), except the essential oil and heat gently until melted. Stir well, then remove from heat and stir in lavender essential oil.  Pour the mixture into clean containers. I recommend 4-ounce mason jars.  Allow to cool. You can pop into a refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.

TO USE: Massage into your skin, especially rough spots, like elbows, heels and knees.

Fresh Herb Sun Tea - Tea Blend of the Month

July is the best month for fresh herbs. Everything is growing well, the sun is at its best, the herbs need to be cut and there is generally an abundance. So this is the perfect time to make a sun tea with all those fresh herbs.

For this one you can use two quart jars or one larger two quart jar with the same results.

Fresh Herb Sun Tea (for about 2 quarts)

2 quarts water 6-10 leaves mint (any flavor you have or enjoy) 6-10 leaves spearmint 6-8 leaves of lemon verbena 3-5 sprigs of rosemary 3-5 sprigs lemon thyme (or any kind of thyme) 6-10 leaves Stevia ( or 1 1/2 Tbls sugar) 1 lemon, juiced 1/3 cup of raw honey

Start by washing herbs as needed. Next fill 2 quart jar(s) with hot water. Then tie together rosemary and thyme with string into two bundles. Place one bundle in each jar or place both in larger jar. Rough chop or break the remaining herbs with hands, including mint, lemon verbena and stevia (if you do not have any stevia just use sugar or sugar substitute.) Cut lemon in half, squeeze one half into each jar or both into a larger jar. Add honey to jar(s) and stir.

Cover and let the tea sit out in the sun for 5 - 12 hours. Strain with clean cheese cloth or a coffee filter and a wire mesh strainer. Refrigerate or pour over ice and serve. Enjoy!

Lemon Basil Facial Mask - Bath Blend of the Month

I first shared this recipe with Lemon Basil herb of the week back in 2013.  I felt it was time to bring it back, as the lemon basil (Sweet Dani to be exact) is ready for harvest. This is a quick simple recipe you can make and use right away or chill in the fridge of a short time for soothing qualities.

Lemon Basil Facial Mask  

• handful of lemon basil leaves
• 1/2 of an avocado
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. honey

Pulverize the fresh new lemon basil leaves in a blender or food processor. Peel the avocado and mash. Add avocado to basil in blender, along with lemon juice and honey.  Blend until smooth. If chilling, cover directly on the surface, with plastic wrap to keep out oxygen.

To USE: Smear this mixture all over your clean, dry face, don't get too close to your eyes.  Then leave on 15 to 30 minutes or as long as you want.  Rinse off with lukewarm water.  Follow with a moisturizer. 

 

Red Tea for Juneteenth - Tea Blend of the Month

Red Drink is a thing for Juneteeth Celebrations, so I thought I would share a hibiscus-based tea recipe that one could use on the upcoming holiday!

This version is high in vitamin C and has a sweetness and a tartness that is perfect for the warm summer days.

Hibiscus Heaven Tea

• 1 part chopped hibiscus flower
• 1 part rose hips, chopped
• ½ part orange peel
• ½ part lemongrass, dried
• ½ part lemon peel

Mix dry ingredients together well (1 part can equal 1 tsp for easy calculation).  

Recipe adapted from Morning Sun Herb Farm

Herbed Baby Powder - Bath Blend of the Month

When the weather gets warm, I move to a dusting of baby powder in the morning to help keep me fresh and dry.  I like to craft a powder from natural items and ground herbs that I can adjust based on my needs of the season.  This blend is a combo of cornstarch and baking soda with herbs and spices.

Basic Herbed Baby Powder

• 8 oz. arrowroot or cornstarch or a blend of both
• 4 oz. baking soda
•  1 T. ground clove
• 1 T. slippery elm
• 1 T. rose petals
• 1 T. lavender
• 1 T. ground orange peel
• 1 T. ground lemon peel

Grind any herbs that are not powdered, then measure into baking soda and cornstarch in a glass or ceramic bowl.  Pure resulting mixture into a large glass jar, covered, for two weeks, allowing scents to blend.  Shake jar well every other day.

Optionally you can also add 10 to 20 drops total of match essential oils.

 

Medicinal Bladder Infection Tea - Tea of the Month

This is a tea you will have to craft at home and probably will have to dig up a few of those pesky dandelions from your yard to make, but you will appreciate the effects.

Bladder Infections Tea

• 1 ½ oz dried Goldenrod
• 1/4 oz Juniper Berries*
• 3/4 oz chopped Dandelion root
• 3/4 oz chopped Rose Hips

Pour 1 cup boiling water over 2 tsp of mixture. Steep 10 minutes & strain.

*NOTE: Juniper berries can become toxic, so only drink 2 cups of this mixture daily for no more than 3 days

Baking Soda Soother - Bath Blend of the Month

Soaking in a warm tub with baking soda can do wonders for the body, especially in gardening season.  This recipe has soothing ingredients to assist with all the summer ailments.

Summer Baking Soda Soother

• 1 cup baking soda
• 10 to 20 drops of lavender essential oil, for stress
• 1/2 cup coconut oil for dry skin
• 1/4 cup lavender flowers or leaves (for sunburn)
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats (for itching)

Combine items and add 1/2 cup of mixture to a cloth bag or tied closed in a washcloth and fill the tub.  Rub ball or bag over skin while soaking.

How Tuesday - make newspaper seed balls for Easter or Spring planting

I started getting seed catalogs before Christmas, I am thinking they were hoping you would get them as a Christmas gift, or that you would want to escape your family for a few minutes and start reading and choosing your seeds, either way it got me thinking about seed a bit sooner than I usually do.

As a result I started planning what to do with all the seed I collected from the yard and the flower garden this year.  One of the great things to do is make your own seed balls.  If you and the kids are bored and getting some cabin fever, you can make these as a project too.

There are recipes available that use compost, seeds and clay.  I like those and have done them for programs as a giveaway, but this version using newspaper is easier and can be done in smaller batches.

Why we’re OK with this method: In an anaerobic landfill, newspaper takes a long, long time to break down. Not ideal. But in a garden, yard, or otherwise open area in need of fortifying (i.e., an environment with plenty of oxygen), newspaper should degrade just fine. Plus, it’s craft-project-friendly. In other words, less messy. Slightly.

I’ve heard reports that newspaper seedballs do better when planted rather than thrown. 

Newspaper Seed Balls (yield 20 balls)

10 Sheets of newspaper

Paper shredder

Water

An immersion blender (or a food processor that you’re prepared to commit to the seedball cause)

about 1/8 cup seeds, especially wildflowers and herbs

 

Directions:

1. Shred the newspaper using a paper shredder. Or if you are really bored, tear the paper by hand or cut with shredding scissors like I did.

 

2. Soak the shredded newspaper in a bowl of water for a bit—a useful step but not crucial.

 

3. Transfer the whole soggy mess to a food processor or to a stainless-steel bowl in which you can safely use an immersion blender. CAUTION! Newspaper ink can stain plastics, including your food processor, so if you’re going that route, you might pick up a cheap second-hand model. In some ways, an immersion blender is ideal because the only bits that touch the newspaper are stainless steel and easy to clean.

 

4. Blend. You might need to add extra water but don’t go overboard. You’re aiming for chunky pulp not watery goo.

 

5. If you’re using a food processor, transfer the pulp to a bowl. Whichever method you’re using, relocate to an area where you can catch the messy drippings. Grab handfuls of the pulp and squuuuuueeeeeeeeze the water out. Dispose of the water or reuse it for future batches. Dump each squeezed handful of pulp back in a bowl.

 

6. Add your seeds to the pulp. I used about 1/8 cup for ten sheets of newspaper, which was plenty. Knead well.

 

7. From here, you can press your seedball pulp into mini cupcake molds or use cookie cutters and press the pulp into them to make fun shapes. Both of these versions are kid- and gift-friendly. Or you can simply pinch off heaping tablespoons and roll them into balls between your palms: quick and dirty. 

 

8. Let dry. A windowsill in the kitchen did the trick but an outdoor spot in partial shade should work, too. It will take a couple days. I recommend giving them a week before placing them in a container.

 

9. Toss into an abandoned roadside. Pot them to grow. Give them to a friend. Or store for future use. Newspaper seedballs will keep for months so you can make them and gift them and then plant them in spring.

12 Herb Growing Tips

I love herbs, they are part of my every day. They are in my hand cream, shower soap, shampoo, breakfast tea, evening meal and scenting my home and patio. Now you do not need to go quite as far as I do to enjoy herbs in your garden. Here is a list of 12 tips that you can use to get you started including herbs in your garden.

1. Plant Perennials. Edible plants that come back year after year save planting time, and maintenance is usually limited to annual weeding, fertilizing and mulching. Hardy perennials like sage, lemon balm and mints will thrive where winters are cold, sorrel is a terrific perennial salad green, horseradish grows almost anywhere. And don’t forget the self-seeding annuals. You can have an easy crop of cilantro and calendula by letting them drop seed at the end of the season, just leave a marker so you do not dig up the patch before they sprout.

Calendula

2. Include Essential Kitchen Herbs. You will regret it if you skip the traditional culinary herbs even if what you want is a medicinal garden. The rewards of growing culinary herbs such as basil, dill, oregano, sage and parsley, which are easy to grow and sometimes pricey to buy, will give you good meals and something to trade with later.

mints, sage and edible flowers

3. Grow Good Things to Drink. In addition to growing what you eat, try growing tasty beverages. Making simple syrups from Lemon balm or lemon verbena makes fun lemonade and great summer cocktails. Apple and Pineapple Mint are perfectly refreshing for summer iced tea. Did you know you could make a rhubarb stalk tea that is a tart substitute for lemonade?

Lemon balm with a dragon fly

4. Experiment with Herbs you have never grown or never heard of. Look for a variety of thyme, sage or oregano that has a different color, texture or flavor, like lemon thyme, purple sage or golden oregano. They will break up the landscape as well as introduce new ideas. There is nothing more lovely than a vinegar made with purple basil and the taste is just as great as the regular sweet basil. Choose the herb of the year for 2024 Common Yarrow.

Common yarrow It will thrive in poor soil during dry periods and still produce blooms. It was introduced to America during colonial times and is considered a naturalized native plant.

White yarrow

Growing Tips 

Common yarrow is a perennial in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9 and thrives in sun but can tolerate shaded areas. Growing upright 2-3 feet tall and spreading to 3 feet, it is best placed near the back of ornamental gardens and may need to be staked in windy areas. Cutting back plant stems before flowering in late spring can help control the height of the plant.

 You can grow it in pots as well. Check out these Yarrow posts. 5. Interplant Compatible Crops. Basil is said to make tomato plants ripen better and faster, so I always interplant a few basil with the tomatoes. Other plants can be added for color or companion planting to keep away bugs and other pests. Here is a link to a post on Companion Planting.

6. Succession Sow for Steady Harvests. Cilantro is a great herb for making salsa, but many people complain that it goes to seed long before the tomatoes are ripe. Solve this problem by sowing seed two weeks apart through the end of August. This will give you a constant crop of tasty leaves. You can do the same with Dill to provide dill weed to go with all your summer vegetables.

Cilantro

7. Create Many Mini-Gardens. Just because you do not have a large garden plot or a space that gets all the required sun, does not mean you cannot make a garden for yourself. If you have a small area to the south or west that will get the needed 6 hours of sunshine, place a small patch of herbs I that space and enjoy the wonders of a good harvest. Establish deep, fertile beds wherever the sun beckons, and use large containers to make use of sunny spaces on your deck or patio.

Kitchen herb garden at Chicago Botanic Gardens

8. Try Vertical Gardening. If you have a small patio or balcony use your upward space to make the most of what is available. Create terraces with stacked pots or cement blocks, or even recycle a wooden palate for vertical space. By adding 3 to 4 inches of compost at the beginning of each new season, you can grow herbs and vegetables I a tight spot. Nasturtiums look very nice spilling from a pallet.

9. Use Herbs for Free Fertilizer. Take advantage of free, nitrogen-rich fertilizers you can craft from herbs such as comfrey, parsley and chamomile. Make a fertilizer tea by steeping leaf cuttings in water or just add these to your compost bin to enrich your spreadable compost.

compost bin

10. Weed Early and Often. Most garden crops require weeding at least three times: Plan to weed five to seven days after sowing or transplanting, again seven to 10 days later, and a third time three to four weeks after the crop has been planted. By that time, the plants should be big enough to mulch and should have plenty of leaves to shade the soil’s surface cutting back on weed growth.

11. Preserve the Harvest. Much less garden produce will go to waste if you freeze the extra in small batches every few days. For example, add chopped chives diced tomatoes or squash and freeze for quick cooking later. Combine green beans with dill in a small zip seal bag and drop into the freezer when your garden gave you more than a meals worth. You can also create seasoning ice cubes by chopping herbs and measuring into an ice cube tray, top with water and freeze. Once frozen, pop the cubes into a zip seal bag and you have a winter worth of pre-measured herbs for soups and stews come winter.

12. Drying is the easiest way to preserve your herbs. Cut the stems at the peak of flavor, generally early morning after the dew is lifted and bundle with a rubber band. Hang to dry out of the sun and use to create blends, season foods and decorate and scent your home.

So go try out a few herbs in your garden space and share with us how it went!  You can share thoughts and ideas here or on our Instagram page: www.instagram.com/backyardpatch43 

Natural Control of Ants

We are still getting used to our new house.  My last house had a seasonal ant infestation that I took care of with natural means and was able with a few modifications to keep them out of the house for the most part.

Here I had to start over.  We had the usual spring infestation when the ground warmed and they came in looking for food.  With a bit of work. I was able to end that in quick order.

Generally, I sprayed a vinegar mix in the areas they entered and sprinkled baking soda in the pathways to keep them from coming back.

Recently I have a new one, in my office by the window.  This is weird because the window is in a bumpout that does not reach the ground on the exterior of the house, so I am trying to figure out where they are getting in, so I can stop the invasion, but until I do I am using a number of different applications to keep them under control.

Controlling Ants Naturally

1. Distilled White Vinegar

A white vinegar and water solution is a common method to wipe out ants for good. Ants don't like the smell of vinegar. It not only repels them; it can also kill them. Depending on how much you can bear the smell, mix at least one part vinegar and three parts water. Some people use 100% vinegar in a spray bottle or a 50/50 mix of water and vinegar. You can stop with just plain white distilled, but since it is my office I opted for a thyme and lemon scented vinegar.  I can kill germs and the scent is more nose friendly as it is my office.

Ants search for food using pheromones, leaving a trail for other ants to follow. To get rid of the trail, spray this mixture anywhere you spot ants. Don't forget any entry points, like window sills, backdoors, or baseboards. Use the solution to wipe down and sanitize surfaces. If used once a week or so, you should see a marked improvement.

2. Citrus Fruits

Ants hate the smell of citrus fruits, such as lemons, limes, and oranges, so they're an excellent natural repellant. Save your lemon or grapefruit peels and scatter them around entryways. They act as natural deterrents without causing ants any harm.

3. Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil is one of the best household remedies for creeping critters in your home or garden. The odor of peppermint is strong enough to ward off insects—ants, flies, and mosquitoes—without being pungent enough to cause headaches or nausea.  I created a spray using peppermint essential oil using it to wipe down the windowsills, wall areas and baseboards.  The scent is very relaxing.

Another option is to use an oil incense burner near the ant infestation source to keep them from coming back. 

4. Cinnamon

Studies show that cinnamon has a compound known as trans-cinnamaldehyde that effectively repels and kills ants. Place ground cinnamon around common entryways and its strong smell will act as a natural repellent. You can also coat cotton balls with cinnamon powder or cinnamon oil and place them near ant-prone areas. I sprinkle cinnamon on ant hills that are too close to the house or along the foundation so they relocate away from the house.

5. Salt

Spread table salt near nooks and corners to keep ants away. A line of salt or baking soda creates a barrier that repels ants. A spray of salt water solution can also help kill ants by dehydrating them. I use this once I figure out where they are coming in then I spray them as they enter and leave and take care of them.

6. Cayenne or Black Pepper

Like many people, ants find the smell of raw pepper to be irritating. Sprinkle pepper around the areas where ants access the house. A Texas A&M study found that a water and pepper solution was effective at killing ants.

7. Borax (sodium tetraborate)

Borax and boric acid are not the same chemical compound despite their similar-sounding name. But both may be equally as effective at killing ants in the home.  However, it is imperative to keep borax away from pets and children as it may be harmful.

To use borax, follow these steps:

• Put on safety gloves.
• Make a solution of 1/2 teaspoon borax, 8 teaspoons sugar, and 1 cup warm water.
• Stir until the sugar and borax are dissolved.
• Saturate cotton balls and place them around your home in areas where you commonly see ants.
• After use, wash containers thoroughly or discard.

Find borax in the laundry section of Walmart or the grocery store or at your local hardware store.

So once I kill them at the entry point.  I will need to take care of the entry point.

How to Keep Ants Out of Your House

1. Seal all entry points. Caulk and seal any cracks or exposed crevices where ants can access the house.

2. Keep sweets in airtight containers, tightly wrapped with foil or plastic, or in the fridge. And stop throwing food items out in the office trash that may not be picked up as often as the kitchen trash.

3. Regularly clean countertops, floors, cabinets, and pantries. Also, keep pet food properly stored between meals and regularly clean pet bowls.

4. Take out the trash and make sure that the trash cans are covered. Inspect the cans for residue that might linger after taking the garbage out and clean them regularly.

We know they came into my office due to a tossed out frosty cup in my office trash.  The sweet was a magnet for the ants. I took out the trash, treated the wall so they lost the scent track to the trash can and then went looking for where they came in.  My office is nowhere near the kitchen or the pantry or anywhere else that food is kept so the fact I still have the ants after removing the Frosty cup means there is another source that requires investigation.