Syrups and Robs

For a syrup, make an infusion of the chosen herb, then add 1 cup sugar or 1/2 cup honey.  Proportions must be correct to prevent fermentation.

To create a rob, simmer or boil a syrup until it is thick.

Salve

To make an herbal salve, warm an herbal oil with beeswax, cocoa butter, or other thickening agent.  Pour into containers and cool to harden.  Essential oils and vitamin E can be added.

Tincture

Fill a sterilized canning jar with fresh coarsely chopped herb, then pour in enough 100 proof vodka to cover.  Screw on lid and allow to steep for 2 weeks, shaking occasionally.  Strain the mixture through a fine cloth, squeezing the liquid out of the herb.  Proportions must be correct for the tincture to extract effectively.

Root Rot

We’ve lost a large portion of our plants to root rot since we’ve brought everything inside, which worries me greatly.  Luckily, we have a good friend who works with plants and is very interested in them, so when we get a new plant, he usually takes cuttings to propagate not long afterwards.  He’s got cuttings of everything we’ve lost, and has given us some great ideas as for what to do when rot kicks in. 

At this point, I’m still assuming that anything that get’s rot is going down the drain, I’ve tried to catch them more so that I can experiment and maybe save one or two.  If anyone comes across this post and has any ideas on saving a plant with root rot, please, feel free to speak up!

Root Rot

We’ve lost a large portion of our plants to root rot since we’ve brought everything inside, which worries me greatly.  Luckily, we have a good friend who works with plants and is very interested in them, so when we get a new plant, he usually takes cuttings to propagate not long afterwards.  He’s got cuttings of everything we’ve lost, and has given us some great ideas as for what to do when rot kicks in. 

At this point, I’m still assuming that anything that get’s rot is going down the drain, I’ve tried to catch them more so that I can experiment and maybe save one or two.  If anyone comes across this post and has any ideas on saving a plant with root rot, please, feel free to speak up!

Lots of Quiet

It's been a rather long time since I've written. Not much to say as far as my herbs go.  A mint oil I've been working on finished up over the weekend and I can't wait to find something to cook with it.  We've lost a few plants to root rot lately, which is breaking James' heart.  He seems to feel almost abusive towards them.  A friend of ours works with plants, so he gives us a lot of good advice and luckily has cuttings of almost all of our herbs, so he's going to mother out the cuttings he's taken and bring us cuttings when he can. 

We've got all the plants in doors now, which is quite a change from outside.  We water them less, almost as if it's only once a month.  We've got a couple of tinctures and vinegars and a honey in the cupboard, just waiting to be ready for use.  That's all I've really got to report for now, but I'll try to write more often.

The Time Has Come, The Walrus Said

To collect your seeds…

Hmmm, that’s not how it really goes, but that’s what I keep thinking.  My Purple Shiso is beginning to flower and will be seeding soon.  With all the up and coming raid, we’ve got most of the plants outside and if it seeds out, soon we’ll have little Shiso sprouts in our Agave and Sage, and while I love our Shiso, I’ll be one mad mama if it seeds into the other pots.

The Rosemary has also bloomed and will be seeding soon,  though I’ve heard that starting Rosemary from seed is incredibly difficult.  I’ll have to look more into both, and with winter coming up, I’ll probably need to start harvesting some leaves here very very soon.