Backyard Diva

First Five Years of The Essential Herbal Magazine

Tina Sams, editor of The Essential Herbal magazine, has compiled the first five years of the magazine into a new book. Under the Sun; The First Five Years, has just been publishing by the Sibling Group. The paperback book is 224 pages long and includes black & white photographs and illustrations to accompany some of the articles.

Your very own Backyard Diva, AKA Lynn Smythe, has two of her articles reprinted in this book. My “Magic in the Kitchen” article appears on pages 35-37 and includes 3 recipes for herb infused goodies. The recipes include Cinnamon Almond Drops, Salmon Fiesta with Basil & Thyme and Vegetable Latkes with Garlic Chives. My other article, “Herbal Picnic Basket”, appears on pages 50-52 and includes 11 delicious recipes to serve at your next picnic.

My Chive Dip recipe is reprinted here with permission.

Chive Dip by Lynn Smythe

This dip is a wonderful accompaniment to fresh, raw vegetables such as carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower and radishes.

Ingredients for the Chive Dip

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup fresh chives - snipped with scissors
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage - minced
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt

Directions for the Chive Dip

1. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and mix well.
2. Place in a small storage container with a tight fitting lid.
3. Let chill for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before using to allow all the flavors to meld together.

Here’s information on the book from the Essential Herbal website:

We are in the 7th year of publication here at The Essential Herbal Magazine. The first several years were filled with wonderful stuff, but the audience was very limited. Most of those issues sold out long ago. So we took the 15 spring and summer issues from those 5 years (Mar/Apr, May/June, and July/Aug), and put them together into a truly fabulous book. Over 200 pages, sized 8.5 x 11, filled with all the things readers have come to expect from The Essential Herbal. Internal pages are black and white, and the book is paperback bound.

We reworked some of the early stuff, combined things into reasonable chapters - like “The Stillroom”, “The Kitchen”, “Just Weeds”, and “Herbal First Aid”, and added a few surprises. There are articles on gardening, favorite backyard remedies, wild eats, and tons of crafting ideas.If you are a beginner, you need this book. If you’ve been an herbie for a while, you’ll love this book!

Price: $24.95. Order online from the Essential Herbal .

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Backyard Diva

Four Season Harvest

Yesterday 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 humidity 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 micro-climates, 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 AKA the Backyard Diva

The New Organic Grower

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 particularly 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 AKA the Backyard Diva

All New Square Foot Gardening

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 AKA the Backyard Diva

Kaffir Lime

Kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix) which is also referred to as wild lime, porcupine orange or makrut lime is a small, evergreen tree which is native to SE Asia. This tree is now cultivated for commercial use in parts of the United States including Hawaii, California, and Florida. In colder climates the kaffir lime tree, which only reaches 10 to 15 feet in height, can be grown in a large container which should be brought indoors during cooler weather or whenever the temperature drops below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

The species name hystrix comes from a Greek word meaning porcupine in reference to the sharp thorns present on the stems of the plant. These thorny stems make picking the leaves rather precarious and add to the high cost of harvesting the leaves which must be carefully picked by hand.

Kaffir Lime Leaves

The leaves of the kaffir lime tree are dark green and glossy and have an unique shape due to the presence of winged petioles which look similar to the leaves themselves. The presence of the petioles make each leaf look like a double leaf and distinguish it from other species of lime leaves. Kaffir lime leaves can be used fresh, frozen or dried in a variety of culinary creations. Although the fresh leaves will last a few weeks when stored in the refrigerator I prefer to use them within a few days of picking them for the best flavor.

If you have an over abundance of fresh leaves you can store them in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer for a few months. Just remove whatever quantity of leaves needed for your recipe and use as you would the fresh leaves. You can sometimes find small packages or bottles of the dried leaves available for sale but as they are not very aromatic try to use the fresh or frozen leaves whenever possible.

Kaffir Lime Fruits
The fruits of the kaffir lime tree are rather insignificant looking compared to the fruit of other species of lime tree. They are approximately the size of a golf ball and have very lumpy, bumpy skin. The rind of these fruits can be used for a variety of culinary purposes such as being ground in a mortar and pestle along with other spices to make a green curry paste which is used in certain Asian style culinary recipes. The zest from the rind should be used fresh whenever possible as the preserved fruit rind has an inferior taste and aroma. The extremely bitter and sour juice of the fruit is generally not used for culinary purposes although it may be used in certain cosmetic preparations.

Cosmetic Uses of Kaffir Lime
The juice of the kaffir lime fruit is supposed to make an excellent hair tonic and can be used in shampoos as an anti-dandruff formula. A ¼ cup of the freshly squeezed juice can be mixed with two cups of spring water and used as a rinse to help prevent your hair from falling out. Another natural cosmetic use of the juice is as a tooth and gum cleanser which will help prevent gingivitis.

I've come across a few natural beauty aids containing kaffir lime such as a bath scrub and body lotion which both claim to have detoxifying properties. The other ingredients included in these personal spa items were lemon grass and mint. The lemon grass and kaffir lime were touted as being antibacterial to help cleanse and purify your skin while the mint would leave your skin with a fresh, clean scent. For an invigorating personal spa treatment you could try placing approximately ¼ cup of the bath scrub in a small bowl and adding just enough water to form a thick paste. Use this paste while taking a bath or shower and scrub it all over your body. Follow your bath treatment with a light application of the body lotion to impart a radiant, healthy glow to your skin.

In addition, the juice of the kaffir lime fruits can be used as a natural and mild bleach which helps to remove stains in clothing and other laundry items. Mix approximately ¼ cup of the juice with 1 cup of laundry detergent and store in a small, nonmetallic container. Use this mixture as a pretreatment stain remover whenever necessary.

The entire article, The Exotic Kaffir Lime, can be found on the Associated Content website.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Backyard Diva

Herbal Fact Sheet; Lemon Verbena

Overview: Lemon verbena is a deciduous, woody shrub which is native to south America. The leaves have a strong lemon scent, which makes this plant a great substitute for fresh lemon.

Latin Name: Aloysia triphylla.

Common Name: Lemon verbena.

Alternate Names: Known as the lemon plant in Victorian times.

Zones: Hardy to USDA Zones 9-11.

Sun: Full sun.

Soil: Well drained soil.

Mature Size: When grown outdoors, in the ground, lemon verbena can grow up to 10 feet high and ten feet wide. Leaves reach up to 4 inches long. Container grown plants will be significantly smaller. Produces small, pale lavender flowers in late summer.

Starting New Plants: Lemon verbena can be started from cuttings taken in the late summer. Lemon verbena can also be started from seeds, however; homegrown plants rarely produce seeds. If you can find lemon verbena seeds from a gardening catalog, you may want to try starting plants from seed.

Parts Used: Both the fresh and dried leaves are used for a variety of culinary, aroma therapeutic and medicinal uses. The dried leaves will retain their strong lemon fragrance for up to 3 years.

Culinary Uses: Both the fresh and the dried leaves can be used in a variety of culinary creations. The leaves can be a bit tough, so be sure to choose small, tender leaves and leaf tips. If using fresh leaves, finely chop them before adding them to recipes.

Infuse the dried leaves into a calming, relaxing tea. The finely chopped leaves can be added to baked goods, poultry stuffing, fruit salads, dressings, sauces and even homemade ice cream.

Aromatherapy Uses: The essential oil can be used to scent soaps, candles, bath oils and perfumes. Use caution when working with the undiluted essential oil, as it can cause photosensitivity in susceptible individuals. However; when diluted with other ingredients, as when making a lotion, this shouldn’t be a problem. The dried leaves make a wonderful addition to potpourri blends and sachets.

Medicinal Uses: Lemon verbena helps soothe bronchial and nasal congestion. It is a sedative and calming herb which can be used to help quiet a nervous disposition. Lemon verbena has also been used to bring relief from various digestive problems including indigestion, gas and nausea.

Growing Tips: Pinch out the leaf tips in order to encourage a bushy plant. New growth doesn’t appear until late spring or early summer, so don’t think the plant has died if new growth isn’t showing at the first sign of spring. Lemon verbena is a heavy feeder and needs regular applications of fish emulsion or liquid seaweed fertilizer during the summer.

Unless you live in the subtropics or tropics, lemon verbena won’t do well grown directly in the garden. However; lemon verbena does quite well when grown in containers. The containers can be placed outdoors during the late spring through summer, and brought indoors once the temperature falls below 20 ° Fahrenheit.

Indoor plants may attract spider mites. Use a plant mister to gently wash off the mites from the leaves. Most of the leaves may fall off in the winter, as lemon verbena is a deciduous plant. Prune back the plant to 10-12 inches and reduce the amount of water it is given during the winter. Move the container back outside in the late spring, once the temperature has warmed up.

Herbal Fact Sheet; Rue

Herb Profile: Rue

Overview: Rue is a semi-evergreen, subshrub which is native to southern Europe. Rue, with it’s lacy, blue-green leaves, makes a nice ornamental planting in the herb garden. Rue also produces small, delicate yellow flowers in late summer.

Latin Name: Ruta graveolens

Common Name: Rue

Alternative Names: Herb of grace, herby grass

Zones: Hardy to USDA Zones 4-9

Mature Size: 24 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide. Leaves grow 4 to 6 inches long.
Sun Exposure: Full sun. Rue can stand partial shade especially in hotter climates.

Varieties of Interest:
R. graveolens "Blue curl’ - curled leaves.
R. graveolens ‘Jackman‘s blue‘ - intensely blue-green foliage.
R. graveolens ‘Variegata’ - variegated cream and green foliage.

Growing Tips: Rue can suffer from root rot and fungal diseases if the growing conditions become too damp. Keeping the soil a bit on the dry side is better than keeping the soil too damp.

All varieties of rue can be grown indoors, in containers. However, rue has a pungent, musky odor that some people may find disagreeable.

Starting New Plants: From seeds, stem cuttings or by root division.

Maintenance Tips: Prune rue back to within a few inches of the ground after it has finished flowering. Rue can also be pruned back in the early spring, if necessary, to help promote bushy growth.

If rue is bothered by aphids, wash them off with a blast of water from the garden hose. Severely affected leaves can be cut off the plant and discarded.

Parts Used: The fresh leaves can be used in floral arrangements. Add a few stems to a vase of flowers for an interesting look. The dried seed pods can be used in dried floral arrangements, wreaths and as an ornamental addition to potpourri.

Cautions: Rue was once used for a variety of culinary and medicinal purposes. However, due to safety concerns, it should only be grown for ornamental purposes in the modern garden.

Coming into contact with the essential oils in the plants leaves can cause photosensitivity, or a poison ivy-like rash in susceptible individuals. Be sure to wear gloves when working with this herb in the garden. Plant rue towards the back of the garden, away from any pathways where anyone may accidentally brush up against the plant.

Rue was used medicinally to help regulate and stimulate menstruation. However, rue was once used to induce abortion. Just to be safe, rue should be avoided by pregnant women.

Herbal Fact Sheet; Roses

Herb Profile: Roses

Overview: Roses are a deciduous shrub with woody, stems which usually have thorns. Many variety of roses are available as there are over 200 species and 10,000 cultivars to choose from. Roses are most commonly grown for their ornamental, often fragrant, flowers. Certain varieties produce an abundance of rose hips.

Common Name: Rose

Latin name: Rosa spp.

Quote: “In many minds, the use of ROSES in cuisine is a gastronomic conceit, on par perhaps with the use of crystallized violets, Nonetheless, roses have played a part in cuisine for centuries.” Craig Claiborne; An Herb & Spice Cook Book (Bantam Books, 1965)

Zones: Hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8. Can be grown in almost any zone if the proper conditions are met.

Mature Size: Varies from less than 2 feet to over 20 feet.

Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade.

Soil: Grow in well-drained, moist soil.

Varieties of Interest :
R. canina - dog rose or brier rose. Single, flat flowers which are white or white tinged with a bit of pink. Produces an abundant number of hips.

R. rugosa - rugosa rose, another good variety to grow for its abundant hips.

R. eglanteria - eglantine or sweet brier rose. Single pink flowers and abundant red, rose hips.

R. villosa - apple rose, this rose has apple-scented leaves and produces abundant rose hips.

R. gallica var. officinalis - apothecary’s rose. Fragrant, semi-double, bright-pink blooms.

R. centifolia - cabbage or Provence rose, very fragrant petals.

R. damascena - damask rose, very fragrant petals

Growing Tips: Shrub roses make wonderful backdrop plants in the herb garden. Climbing roses make decorative accents when trained over an arbor or pergola. Many varieties, especially miniature roses, can successfully be grown in containers.

Starting New Plants: New rose plants can be started from seeds or cuttings.
Maintenance Tips: Prune out damaged or crowded branches as needed. Watch out for aphids, which can be knocked off with a blast of water. Roses are also susceptible to rust, blackspot and mildew. Cut off flowers after they have bloomed so the plant will continue to produce flowers. However, rose hips, which are the fruit of the rose, will only develop if the flowers are left on the plant.

Parts Used: Rose hips are collected in the fall, when they are fully ripened. Petals can be harvested anytime the plant is in bloom, typically from May until the first frost.

Medicinal, Culinary and Aromatic Uses: Rose hips are high in vitamin C and also contain calcium, phosphorus and iron. Rose hip syrup is used to treat coughs and colds. Rose essential oil, which is extracted from the petals, has been used to treat depression and anxiety. Aromatic rose water is used in a variety of aromatherapy products and in certain culinary dishes.

Both the hips and petals can be made into a variety of jams, jellies and preserves. The petals can be crystallized and used as a garnish on top of wedding cakes. The dried petals and hips can be used in potpourri, wreaths and dried flower arrangements.

Herbal Fact Sheet; Society Garlic

Herb Profile: Society Garlic

Overview: Society garlic is a perennial, semi-evergreen plant that is native to South Africa. This plant is a member of the amaryllidaceae family which includes other ornamental plants such as amaryllis, daffodil, lily-of-the-valley, snowdrop and spider lily.

Latin Name: Tulbaghia violacea

Common Name: Society garlic, aka wild garlic

Zones: Hardy to USDA Zone 8 with winter protection. Society garlic is susceptible to frost damage if the temperate drops below 25° Fahrenheit.

Mature Size: Mature society garlic plants can grow to be 18 to 24 inches high and 10 inches wide.

Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade in a well-drained soil.

Growing Tips: Society garlic forms dense, grass-like clumps of dark green leaves and is typically grown as an ornamental, landscaping plant. It makes a nice edging plant to grow along borders and walkways. Society garlic produces clumps of star-shaped flowers on the end of long stems. This plant can often be purchased from garden and nursery centers in either a white flowering, or the more common, violet flowering variety.

Starting New Plants: Society garlic can easily be propagated by digging up a clump and dividing it into smaller sections. The smaller sections can be replanted in another location of the garden or planted in containers. Container grown plants can be grown indoors or out. If growing society garlic indoors, make sure that it receives adequate sunlight.

Maintenance Tips: Society garlic is susceptible to aphids, whiteflies and southern blight, which is a type of fungal disease. To avoid these problems, ensure the plants get adequate sunlight and are not over-watered or grown in too shady of a location.

Parts Used: The entire plant is edible and all parts have an aroma and flavor which is like a garlicky onion. The leaves can be harvested and used as a chive substitute. The bulbous portion, at the base of each leaf, can be used as a green onion substitute. The flowers can be sprinkled on top of salads, or finely chopped and added to softened butter.

Storage: Society garlic is best used fresh. The leaves, which are similar to garlic chives, may be frozen if they are going to be added to soups, stews or sauces.

Herbal Fact Sheet; Lemon Grass

 

Lemon grass stalks at Farmer's Market

Herb Profile: Lemon Grass

Overview: Lemon grass is a tender perennial herb, which is native to India and Sri Lanka. Lemon grass, with its lemony flavor and aroma, is used extensively in Asian-style cooking. Both the large, grassy leaves and the bulbous leaf base can be added to recipes. The commercially produced essential oil is used as both a food flavoring and a cosmetic ingredient.

Latin Name: Cymbopogon citratus.

Common Name: Lemon Grass.

Zones: This tropical plant is hardy in USDA Zones 9-10.

Mature Size: Mature plants can grow up to 5 feet tall by 3 feet wide.

 

Lemon grass plant

Sun Exposure: Full sun in well-drained soil. Lemon grass does best when grown in moist soil in a moderately humid environment.

Growing Tips: Give this plant plenty of room to grow. Lemon grass can be over wintered in areas where the temperature doesn’t go below 45 degrees. For other areas, try growing a small clump of lemon grass in a large container. The container can be brought indoors during the colder months.

Starting New Plants: Lemon grass can also be started from seed. However, container-grown plants will rarely grow large enough to produce flowers. Fresh lemon grass stalks, purchased from the grocery store, can be used to start new plants. Simply peel off the outer leaves of a few stalks and place them in a glass of water. Place the glass in a sunny location, such as a windowsill, and change the water every few days. The stalks will start to produce roots in a few weeks, at which point they can be planted in a container or directly in the ground.

Maintenance Tips: In the early spring, cut back the leaves of this plant to just a few inches above the ground. Lemon grass that is grown outdoors should be divided every year. Dig up and divide the plant into smaller clumps which can then be replanted in other parts of the garden or used for additional container plantings.

Parts Used: The fresh leaves can be brewed into a refreshing tea while the dried leaves make a wonderful addition to potpourri blends. The lower, bulbous portion of the leaf stalk are either thinly sliced or crushed before being added to culinary creations. The crushed stalk needs to be removed and discarded prior to serving the meal.

Storage: Lemon grass leaves are best used fresh, as they lose most of their flavor and aroma when dried. However, the stalks can be processed for long term storage in either the refrigerator or freezer. To store in the refrigerator, for up to 3 weeks, simply place the stalks into a plastic bag. Or place the plastic bag full of lemon grass stalks in the freezer for up to 6 months.