German Chamomille In the Garden

Self seeding annuals are a gift to gardeners that just keeps on giving. German chamomile certainly is one such self seeding. Somewhere along the way, perhaps in a wildflower mix, I picked some German chamomile seeds. It was not a plant I was familiar with when it began growing here about five or six years ago but I am most familiar with it now and like it very much.


Generally when you look for information on growing German chamomile you will find it prefers a sandy soil in full sun. Perhaps so, but here in my garden German chamomile grows in heavy clay, an old wheebarrow (Pictured), leaf mulch, and in mostly shade. Surprisingly the chamomile does well and it is a delight not only when it blooms but in the fall and winter when it begins sprouting in the garden.





German chamomile is an herb that is useful for treating a number of ailments. I have not personally used this plant as an herb but only enjoy mine growing in the garden. Additionally, in the right conditions I am sure German chamomile could become a pesky self seeding annual.Here in my garden it has never been a nuisance.
I have never physically planted a plant of German chamomile but I am always aware of where it is in my garden. It grows in spots where it thinks it will look great and I let it be. Soon after flowering this German chamomile will set more seeds and go dormant. But I know come fall I'll have some sweet new plants to look forward to enjoying....


in the garden....

Another favorite self seeding annual is the old fashioned Love in a mist. 




 

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Drying Basil

By Skeeter

The Herb Bed in my Georgia Garden would have been a flop this year if not for the Basil. The Basil has been growing like a weed all summer long. I can only use so much in a week so decided to dry some for future use in sauces, soups, etc. The first step after I clip some, is to wash it well in the sink.
I then take twist ties and twist around the stems then hang it in the Pantry where it is secured from the cats paws! It stays dark and cool in the pantry so a good place for me to dry my herbs.

Here you see some Basil that has been in the pantry for about a week drying. The Basil is growing so quickly that I am hanging a new batch each week. In this picture, you see the Fresh above the Dried Basil.
Now we are ready for the next step in preserving the herbs for later use.
We now move to the kitchen counter top with our completely dried Basil.
I remove the twist ties and reuse them on the next batch of herbs. I remove all the stems with only leaves remaining.
The last step is to crunch the Basil into small pieces and then place them into an old Basil container or jar. If you prefer, you can let the leaves remain as are and crunch up as needed to keep the flavor a bit stronger.

I have a dehydrator and use that method at times but I enjoy the scent of DRYING BASIL, in my Pantry which came from, In the Garden...

Basil

Basil is a great herb to grow in the garden. I have three types growing in my vegetable garden. Pictured above is a purple variety (probably Purple Ruffles) and Spicy Globe Basil (in the back left corner). I also grow Sweet Genovese basil.

Basil is easy to start from seed beginning in early March. It can be planted in the garden in late April but will not grow much until the weather really warms up. Here is my only problem with basil, it flowers too soon and requires constant deadheading beginning around early August here in my garden. Spicy globe basil does NOT flower as much or as early as the purple and sweet Genovese flowers so it is a good option for gardeners who don't wish to deadhead daily. I just love the smell of it and use it with tomatoes quite often. Unfortunately for me, most of the fun is in growing more than preserving so this will mostly all go in the compost bin.

One good note, you can expect basil to self seed and return the following year, so look for the seedlings. A great surprise!

in the garden....

Motherlove

A beneficial herb native to Europe and some parts of Asia, often referred to as Goats Rue (Galega officinalis). Motherlove grows about 5' tall and is very invasive. Believe it or not there is a forsythia behind the tree on the right, pictured in the mint green color.

A herb used to break a fever by increasing sweating in the user, combat fatigue, reduce blood sugar in non-insulin diabetics who respond to dietary changes. Perhaps that explains the added energy. Motherlove is comprised of alkaloids, flavonoids and galegin, to name a few. It obtained FDA approval in 1995.

One of the most potent herb used to increase breast milk in lactating mothers, juices pressed from greens have been used in goat feedings. The main purpose was to clot producing milk as it aided in cheese manufacturing. Dried flowers are fed to cows. Herbivores who grazed on the plant have been poisoned as it can be toxic to them.

Motherlove has long flower stalks that bloom from June to August. The blooms range from white to light lavender. People in my area (non-gardeners,) refer to it as a bleeding heart although the flowers are similar to the pea family. Describing the leaves as "fern like" doesn't convince them otherwise.

In the fall, motherlove develops brown seed pods with 2 to 6 seeds apiece. The seedpods fall and if the soil is moist and rich, another bush appears. Growing the seeds may mean stratifying them depending on what time of year it is. I thought this was sumac and pulled it for a couple of years, then it flowered, I've decided to let it go, even with it being invasive.

It's VERY happy. In the garden.....