Thriftism

Sage is a great herb to try if you're just starting out as it is easy to grow and is a perennial. I love that it doubles as a flowering shrub while stilling creating an edible garden.  Sage can provide itch relief for insect bites. Do this by crushing leaves and mix with water or saliva and apply to bite area. This herb can also soothe sore throats and may help relieve mucus buildup when taken as a tea. Use caution as tea can be considered harmful to some.  NOTE: Sage can and likely will reduce milk production/flow if taken while breastfeeding. Some also noted that sage may reduce heart problems. It is also well known in rituals and spiritual purification.  As for cooking, sage pairs well in traditional thanksgiving dishes as well as with many meals. It is high in Vitamin K.  Growing sage is very easy. While you can plant either in the ground or in a container, I would recommend ground planting as it is more of a bush than other herbs. Sage is a perennial...

As with all vegetables, there will be the lovers, haters and the unaware. My family used to fall into the haters group - bitter, mushy asparagus, no thank you! In the recent years, we tried it again but from friends that had grown it in at home and cooked using different methods. Boy, did that make a difference. Fresh grown asparagus has a vibrant flavor and a light crunch when cooked correctly. So we decided to grow our own as well. Plus some say asparagus is a natural blemish remover (skincare) as well as a natural diuretic.  Planting For starters, you can plant seeds or bare roots . We chose to go the route of bare roots, but we'll also cover the basics of planting from seed. Begin by choosing a variety proven to thrive in your area. Check with nursery before purchasing. Different varieties will grow better in different zones and soils. Carefully choose your location, asparagus can thrive in one spot for over 20 years. Asparagus is a full sun plant, but ca...

Onions are ubiquitous in our household being used at almost every meal. While onions are fairly inexpensive at the store, we figured we'd give it a go with growing them at home to save even more money on groceries as well as to use the companion planting benefits of this veggie. So whether you love onions or just want to keep some pests away from your other plants, let get growing! Planting Plant seeds or onion sets as soon as soil is workable in the spring in Northern climates or late fall to very early spring in warmer areas. Best temperatures for bulb and root formation are 55-75 degrees F or  13-24 C. Ideal soil will be easy draining and have a pH of 6.0-7.0. If your soil is not high in organic matter, spreading compost or apply fertilizer around plants after roots are established. Onions are a full sun plant. Planting from Seeds Choose a variety that is recommended for your growing zone. Most seed retailers will list recommended zone for each plan...

Mint is an easy herb to try if you're just starting out as it is can grow nearly everywhere, thought it prefers sun and it is easy to harvest. Mint can be used in a variety of recipes, teas, potpourri or have oil extracted for topical uses. Mint is  a great source of vitamins A, C, as well as calcium, magnesium, and iron. It can be used to freshen breath, may be able to reduce pain through topical or oral means, and helps to calm digestive complaints. We like it as it seems to keep the flying pests away and keeps the yard smelling fresh. Dried leaves may be used to repel rats and mice. It is often used tea or as a garnish, but pairs especially well with lamb, chicken or rice as well as many other dishes.One of my favorites is a mint & raspberry leaf tea or a standard mojito. Planting Plant seeds or plants after last frost of the year in easy draining, but moist soil (think river banks). Ideal soil will have a pH of 6.0-7.0, but mints will likely tolerate sligh...

Garlic is prolific in recipes as an easy flavor additive but has a multitude of other uses as well. It is thought to serve as a natural antibiotic and antiviral. This makes it wonderful for eating as well as potentially for use topically as it is thought to aid in overcoming skin infections. Some say it will help one overcome the common cold or even reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. It may help stabilize blood sugar, increase circulation, aid in intestinal discomfort and ridding oneself from worms (tape worm, roundworms, etc.), stop tooth pain, and treat burns. In addition it has many uses in the garden that we'll cover further on. This is a wide range and you should seek professional advice before using garlic as an implement in any of these, but it goes to show that it is a versatile herb. Garlic is a good source of B6, Manganese, Selenium, Vitamin C and is high in antioxidants. Growing Garlic Types Hardneck Better for cooler climates. This type should be plan...

Parsley is a great herb to try if you're just starting out as it can grow nearly everywhere, though it prefers sun and it is easy to harvest. It is somewhat frost resistant and can be used in a wide variety of recipes, from pesto to tzatziki sauce to teas. Parsley is a great source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as being high in antioxidants. It can be used to freshen breath, reduce inflammation, and may help with kidney issues. It is often used in pesto recipes or as a garnish, but pairs well with fish and chicken as well as many other dishes. Growing parsley is very easy. You can plant either in the ground or in a container. We have both a container and a small patch of parsley growing at our house. The main difference is that the plants tend to get bigger if planted in the ground vs in a container. A few benefits of container growing are that you can move your planter to prime sun spots throughout the year, contain the growth, and even cont...

  There are plenty of reasons to have a garden, from saving money on groceries, enjoying fresh produce, or simply having a hobby that will keep you active. While we have already been through upkeep and produce specific posts, we want to now provide a few tips to get your garden ready for winter.   Why do you need to do anything?   Clean up plants before frost to make your yard clean up easier (prevent the green sludge). Fall garden care will make spring planting much easier. Get the most from your plants by harvesting all remaining vegetables and fruits before the frost. Add nutrients, soil additives, other good things to your soil for better garden growth next summer!     Getting Started   Being your fall garden care by picking any remaining vegetables or fruit. When I say any remaining, I do mean any and all . Tomatoes will ripen on your counter or in the garage, small cucumbers have many uses, and small peppers are still quit...

I've heard many people say that each winter squash plant will only produce 2-3 squash per plant. I personally have never experienced that. The plants in our garden seem to be close to 6-10 squash per plant. Now that we have an established garden (4 years running), we have inherited a plethora of insects to pollinate the plants for us. However, the first year or two we needed to give the plants a helping hand. We still hand pollinate the first couple squash of the year to ensure sooner production. By hand pollinated, you know you will get squash and can also ensure each and every female blossom gets pollinated. Male/Female Blossoms: What's the Difference? Male Blossom (Left) Female Blossom (Right) Male blossoms have a longer, straighter, and thinner stem than female blossoms. They have a noticeable stamen covered in pollen and also tend to stick out farther from the plant. Male Squash Blossom  A female blossom will have a noticeable bulge at the base of the ...

Here we are in the middle of May. For many in the upper Midwest, you may not have even planted your garden yet. This won't stop your perennial plants from sprouting though. If you're like us, you might even be ready to start your first harvest on the early growers. Our rhubarb came up in full force and when we went out to thin out the rhubarb, we noticed it was already going to seed. For those of you who have never grown rhubarb before, this flower can look especially alien. You might be thinking to yourself, "What do I do with this weird seed thing?" or "Do I need to let rhubarb go to seed?". Seeing rhubarb flowers is also disappointing, especially if you were hoping to harvest throughout the summer. Who only wants one rhubarb pie each year? Not me! Luckily, there's a way we can keep getting rhubarb even if the plant begins producing seeds. We going to run  through a few tips on how to keep your plant producing all summer as well as the bes...

Our last post taught you how to can green beans, but not everyone has the time or necessary equipment to can vegetables. Today we wanted to show you another great way to store vegetables that can be done with little equipment and in a relatively short amount of time. Freezing vegetables allows you to eat vegetables well into winter without having to buy any from the store. For most vegetables, however, you will need to blanche them before freezing. Blanching will stop enzymes which can cause loss of flavor and texture. It also helps clean vegetables of organisms and dirt that might be leftover after rinsing. What You Will Need Large Pot Large Bowl Ice Tongs Colander Tupperware or Ziploc Bags Prep Work Rinse beans in cold water Cut/Snap off imperfections (Bug holes, strings, etc.) Cut/Snap to desired length Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Fill large bowl with cold water. Add ice to create ice bath. Blanching Place clean beans in water. Allow to...

As we're nearing the end of gardening season, you might be wondering what to do with all your vegetables. One sure fire way to keep your produce good through the winter is to can vegetables. There are two methods of canning - pressure canning and water bath canning. Water bath canning is used to pickling or acidic foods, but pressure canning can be used for everything. Since we are talking about green beans today, we will need to use pressure canning ( Botulism is a risk for non-acidic foods). What You Will Need: Quart or Pint Jars Jar Lids Canning Salt Pressure Cooker Large Pot 14 Pounds Beans (7 Quarts) 9 Pounds Beans (9 Pints) Prep Work Wash beans in cold water and clean of all impurities (bug holes, dirt, etc.)  Snap or cut beans to desired size. We left ours full size, but 2" pieces work great as well. Wash jars/lids with warm soapy water. Rinse. Leave in hot water bath until packing.   Canning Cold Pack This may also be known as...

HOW TO PICK BASIL Ideally, you will be picking basil before the plant flowers. If the plant begins to flower, you can cut off the stem on which the flower is growing to force the plant to keep producing leaves. Leaves will be tougher and possibly less tasty after blooms have occurred. 1/3 Method: Use a scissors to cut off the top 1/3 of the plant down to the set of leaves below those being harvested. I end up getting two large handfuls of basil every week or two depending on weather. Basil will branch into two new stems where you cut off the existing stem creating even more leaves to use! Single Leaf:  Pinch off individual leaves as needed. Watch for buds forming if you are not using basil regularly.  For fullest flavor, use fresh basil immediately. Basil can also be dried for later use. You may use a dehydrator, low temp oven, hanging stems, or cookie cooling rack. If laying to dry, flip the leaves every few days until dried to prevent mold from formi...

Chamomile has a wide variety of uses from tea to soap to face masks. No matter it's use it reduces inflammation and makes a great addition to any herb or flower garden. HOW TO PICK CHAMOMILE Try to avoid picking flowers directly after a rain event or before morning dew has evaporated. Picking wet flowers may lead to mold developing on your flowers, while picking drier flowers will allow them to dry out more quickly. You will know when to pick flowers by their appearance. Petals will be fully extended. This occurs for most flowers in the morning and they begin to close up into  the afternoon. If the petals begin to bend backwards, you may still harvest, however the best essential oils are in the fully extended blossoms. Pick by gently pulling the head of the flower from the stem below. Continue carefully pulling off the heads of the flowers. If you have waited too long to harvest, let the head turn to seed and you will be able to spread your chamomile ...

So you've decided to grow your own herbs? Awesome!! But how do you know when to pick them or how to pick them without killing the plant? We are going to go through a series of herbs this summer so that you too can grow your own and have a tasty, healthy, and successful garden season. Cilantro is a great herb to try your hand at if you're just starting out as it is very fast-growing and fairly tough. It does grow better in spring and fall with the cooler weather, but is not frost resistant. It can be a bit confusing though as the seeds are actually called coriander, while the leaves are called cilantro. Cilantro is a great source of potassium, aids in digestion, and is a low calorie way to add flavor to your dishes. It is often used in salsas and Mexican dishes, but has plenty of options. Coriander meanwhile is often used in curries, middle eastern dishes, pickles, and with poultry. Check out links to our recipes at the bottom of the post! Growing cilantro is fairly ...