March 10,
2015 Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter © Kim
Willis
Hello Gardeners
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| Tuberose |
Spring finally seems to be
arriving. Keep your fingers crossed that
no big storms or cold snaps pop up in the next couple months. I can actually see grass in a few places,
although the snow is still deep in others. The outside birds are singing. The mud is getting deep. Smell that fresh south wind. Ah, spring!
I saw two Bald Eagles this
weekend one a ½ mile up the road and the other flying around my pond. They’re
interesting- but I have 2 ducks missing this morning so I may not want to see
them around. I think I would rather see
turkey vultures or orioles, because I know when I see them that summer is
close.
One of the nurseries I
ordered from has informed me that it’s the right time to ship my order and I’ll
get it this week. The order includes an
apple tree and another tree as well as several perennials. I guess I will be putting them in pots for a
couple weeks as I don’t think the ground is ready just yet. The road commission says the frost goes 5
feet into the ground this year and it’s going to take some time for that to
soil to thaw.
Winter damage to landscape plants
Both MSU horticulturists and
a host of other horticulturists around the Midwest are predicting that this
winter’s long, extremely cold period will probably cause a lot of damage and
death in landscape and fruit plants.
Last winter was hard and caused considerable damage and this winter’s
artic cold was stronger and longer.
It’s hard to imagine that
back in January I was talking about less damage to landscape plants from deer
and rabbits than last year because winter was milder. Then came February, and peace was over. Everywhere people are telling me how much
damage has been done by animals to their plants this year. I have a huge Euonymus in my yard, 15 feet wide by 10 feet high. Landscape professionals have admired it. It was beautiful. But now the bottom of the
bush to about 4-5 feet off the ground has been eaten by deer. It’s the first
time they have ever touched it. Deer have eaten one side of my arborvitae hedge
by the road and have even eaten the lower branches of a Scotch pine. And that’s only the damage I can see without
wading into deep snow. I dread what I
will find as I inspect later this week after the snow melt.
Between cold damage and
animal damage it’s likely to be a disappointing spring for many gardeners. Be prepared to replace a number of landscape
or fruiting plants. We won’t know the
extent of the damage until later in the spring but expect it to be rough. When you replace plants make sure to plant
hardier varieties of your favorites or replace those zone 6 plants with hardier
species. These two winters may be a
fluke – but many scientists are predicting that the weather pattern may have
shifted and next winter may not be better. That’s sad, because at one point we
were told that we would gain a plant zone of hardiness with this global warming
and some areas have- like Alaska.
.JPG) |
| Dead holly after last winter. |
As the weather warms look
for plants that don’t leaf out- but do give them a little extra time. Wait to prune fruit trees and other plants
this year to see how much pruning nature has done. Prune off dead wood after the weather has
become warm and stable. Any plants that
had lots of damage last year may be totally dead this spring. Fruit trees and
early flowering ornamental plants may not bloom this year.
When plants do start leafing
out it will be a good spring to fertilize landscape plants that you may never
have fertilized before, especially if they have a lot of damage to repair. And
make sure to keep them watered if it’s dry. On the other hand if water is
pooling around landscape plants from snow melt and spring rain make sure to do
something to drain the water away.
The weather we have for the
rest of the spring may be the key to life or death for many plants. Let’s hope we have a steady warm-up with no
sudden drastic cold plunges for the rest of spring. At this time of year when the warmth of the
sun and the length of the days are telling plants to wake up, really cold snaps
do more damage than earlier ones. And
let’s hope the weather forecasters are wrong and next winter will be nicer.
Healthy foods
Here’s news
from the world of healthy foods. A new
study presented at The Endocrine Society's 97th annual meeting in San Diego,
California last week found that onions
help lower blood sugar and blood cholesterol in animals. Past research has suggested this also occurs
in humans and researchers say that adding lots of onions to your diet is
probably helpful to those with high blood sugar and cholesterol.
Researchers
at Vanderbilt University and the Shanghai Cancer Institute presented the
findings of a new study March 2 in the publication JAMA Internal Medicine, that
show that those who eat nuts, both
peanuts and tree nuts regularly, are less likely to die of any cause than
those that don’t eat nuts. (Of course
everyone dies, it’s just that you die faster if you don’t eat nuts.) In
particular cardio vascular health was better in those that ate nuts.
This study
was the first to include blacks, whites and Asians as well as men and women and
nuts improved the health of all groups.
As little as one handful of nuts a day is helpful. Peanut and other nut butters were also found
to be helpful.
What’s not healthy- soy
More and
more evidence is piling up against including soy, particularly soy oil, in our
diets. Researchers at the University of California, Riverside and UC Davis
presented evidence at Endocrine Society's 97th annual meeting in San Diego last
week that a new GM soybean that was supposed to be safer for people is only
marginally so. The new GM soy did not
raise insulin resistance in animal studies, but the animals still gained
weight, got fatty livers and had more health problems than a control group fed
coconut oil, a saturated oil.
Soy oil
(and other soy products) are suspected of causing diabetes, obesity, fatty
liver and an increased risk of various cancers in both humans and animals. It is believed that the high content of linoleic
acid in soy oil is the culprit. The new
GM soy oil had less linoleic acid but researchers conclude that soy oil is
still not healthy because unusual obesity and liver problems still occurred
after animals consumed the new oil. Other components of soy oil probably
contribute to soy’s unhealthy effects and any amount of linoleic acid may be
too much. Despite many studies saying that soybean oil is bad for human health
soy oil remains on grocery shelves and is found in just about every prepared
food imaginable.
Why should
we continue to try and genetically modify soybeans when so many other, safer
oils and protein sources exist? The new
nutrition science is saying that the healthiest oils for humans to consume are olive,
coconut, and palm and that lard and butter are healthier for you than many
other vegetable oils. Soybeans and their
products were pushed on Americans decades ago and we are reaping the horrific
effects of them now. Let’s just ban soy
in animal and human food.
Tall
Perennials for the garden
Even though
many gardens are small, there are times when only a tall and stately perennial
will do the trick in the perennial garden.
When island beds are suspended in space and when tall fences back
perennial borders something tall is need to balance the bed. Tall perennials bring visual “order” to the
garden. Many of the tall perennials are grown more for their vertical form and
foliage than for their flowers, but some tall and stately perennials are also
beautiful in bloom.
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| Astilbe can provide moderate height in gardens. |
When
searching for the true queens of the garden one may need to look for older
varieties. In the quest for low maintenance gardens the trend has been away
from any plant that needs to be staked or supported every year. Tall varieties of perennials have been bred
so they are now shorter, more compact and don’t require support. These may still be tall enough to give
vertical accent to smaller beds. However
to achieve the right balance you may need to grow plants that will require some
support.
Defining tall
There are
many perennials that reach heights of two to three feet, especially if older
varieties are selected. But to truly
make a vertical accent a perennial needs to be taller than three foot.
In many
species of plants there are varieties that reach different heights. The trend today is to breed plants that are
more compact. If you want height don’t assume a certain plant will be
tall. Check the label or description to
be sure. All most all catalogs and plant tags will list a plants mature height.
The height
of plants can also be determined by growing conditions. Some tall plants need full sun to grow their
tallest but for others full sun would make them shorter and more compact. Some need a warm, moist, long summer to reach
their ultimate height. Soil fertility can also determine height. In general, the more fertile the soil, the
larger a plant will grow.
Tall perennials for shade
Some
astilbes can grow quite tall in moist shade and their early summer flowers are
a bonus. The leaves are fern-like. Astilbe
taquetti, (upright plumes), and Astilbe
thunbergii, (arching sprays), are more likely to have tall cultivars. Aruncus or Goats Beard is similar to astilbe
but the leaves are a bit coarser. It has
white plume-like flowers in early summer.
It likes moist soil also.
Cimicifugia
or Snakeroot is a true tall and stately perennial. Most garden varieties have dark purple-black
foliage and fragrant spikes of pink or white flowers in summer. They can grow four to five feet tall.
Thalictrum
or Meadow Rue will grow in partial shade in the south but likes more sun in the
north. It has small leaves and lends an
airy, light look to the perennial bed.
In early summer sprays of pinkish-purple flowers that are lightly
fragrant will appear.
Also for
partial shade or sun if kept moist, are the hardy hibiscuses. These are for gardeners who love flashy
flowers. The plants are slow to begin
growth in the spring but once it gets warm some varieties zoom up to four or
five feet. In late summer they are
covered with dinner plate sized flowers in shades of pink, red, lavender and
white. There are dark foliaged
varieties.
Ligularia
will grow in partial shade or full sun if kept moist. It has large, toothed, heart shaped leaves
with a purple underside and in summer spikes of small yellow flowers, ( L. stenocephala), ‘The Rocket’ or yellow
daisy like flowers (L.dentata).
Tall perennials for sun
One of the
best ways to get height in full sun where there is plenty of room is to plant
ornamental grasses. There are numerous
varieties of Miscanthus, Panicum, Pennisetum, Calamagrostis, Cortaderia and
other grasses that reach truly impressive sizes. They may take a few years to make large
clumps. Many these grasses have
attractive flowering plumes and they lend winter interest to the garden
also.
Remember
these grasses get tall and wide. Check
the zone requirements to see which varieties are hardy for your zone. If you live in fire prone areas these grasses
should not be planted close to the house.
For old
fashioned splendor hollyhocks and delphiniums may provide the height you need. Every
gardener with children should have a few hollyhocks so you can teach them how
to make hollyhock dolls. Hollyhocks come
in a double form and many colors and bloom for a long period in the summer. Delphiniums
bloom in early summer in a wide range of colors including true blue.
.jpg) |
| Old fashioned tall hollyhocks and Lady Bells. |
Verbascum
or mullein has rosettes of soft, fuzzy gray-green leaves and tall spikes of
flowers in late summer. The variety ‘Caribbean Crush’ is a gorgeous blend of
raspberry, orange and lemon colored blooms.
Many lilies
are quite tall and are stunning when in bloom.
Lilies like to grow up through lower plants which keep their roots
shaded. Good companions at their feet
are ferns and daylilies. Some lilies
will perform well in partial shade also.
Many are fragrant enough to perfume the whole yard. Most lilies have large trumpet shaped blooms
in mid to late summer. Tall lilies
include most Oriental lilies and Oriental hybrids, Lilium formosanum, Martagon
lilies and Lilium lancifolium, which
includes Tiger Lilies.
Other tall
plants that may be hardy in warmer zones but need to be dug up and stored for
winter in Michigan, include cannas, dahlias, and Alocasia or Elephant
Ears. Cannas have flowers but are
usually grown for their huge leaves.
Many variegated foliage varieties are on the market. Dahlias are grown for their flowers, which
come in a wide variety of colors and forms.
Some also have attractive foliage. Make sure to select tall
varieties. Elephant ears are grown for
their huge leaves.
For dry areas
some tall plants to try are Agastache, Hesperaloe, and varieties of yucca.
A tall
native plant that is good in butterfly or wildflower gardens is Eupatorium, or
Joe Pye Weed which has clusters of tiny pinkish flowers in late summer. It prefers moist sites but will adapt to
average garden conditions.
For truly
impressive size try the banana Musa
basjoo. It can be dug and wintered
inside in Michigan, where it makes a decent houseplant. There are other bananas which can be grown
outside in the summer also. Banana
leaves tend to fray in the wind so choose a sheltered location.
Growing
some tall perennials in your Michigan garden will create visual strength to
your garden design. They could be just
what your garden is lacking.
Tea
plants for pleasurable drinking
It seems
that people have disliked the taste of plain water for almost as long as people
have existed. Archaeology supports the
fact that almost all cultures used plant products to make drinks called tea or
tisanes. Did people first make teas for
medicinal use and then found the taste pleasurable or did they make teas to
make water taste better and find that some teas had health benefits? We don’t know but we do know that teas that
are just for pleasure have long been a part of human life.
Teas had
high esteem in cultures in many parts of the world. The Asian cultures developed teas around the
plant called Camellia sinensis. This tea plant appeared in trade quite early
and was brought to Europe where it has reigned supreme since. But all around the world a host of plants
have been used for teas, simply to make drinking water more pleasurable.
Native
American women developed special teas like our grandmothers developed recipes
for pies. They carried dried plant
products of their own special blends in little leather pouches, both for
medicinal use and simply as a pleasurable drink. They often kept secret the recipes of these
teas. A woman was often praised for the
quality of the tea she could produce. Different areas of this country produced
different tea plants and some of these plants were traded between tribes of
different areas. Later on Native
Americans also adapted their tea drinking to include “ English” tea and coffee
and teas from garden plants the Europeans introduced.
Even coffee
and hot chocolate can be called teas since they are concoctions of plant parts
mixed with water. But this article is going to leave them out and concentrate
on tea plants that the average gardener can grow or in some cases gather from
the wild. This article will also focus
on tea plants for pleasure teas, some of these plants are also used in
medicinal teas or mixed with medicinal teas to make them taste better. Many medicinal plants make teas that are
quite nasty tasting even if they are healing and those strictly medicinal tea
plants won’t be covered here. The taste described here is subjective, each tea
plant has its own taste and taste can vary as to how and where its grown, the
water used and the other herbs in the mixture.
Tropical tea plants
Camellia sinensis
( English or Chinese tea)
The source
of both black and green “English” tea, can be grown in the garden in the south, zone 8 and higher- but it if you
are willing to fuss a bit over it this tea plant can also be grown in a
container in colder areas. It forms a
small bush with pretty white flowers with golden stamens in the centers. Container plants should be grown in full sun
outside in the summer then moved to a cool but above freezing spot with bright
light for the winter. Camellia sinensis prefers sandy, acidic
soil. It goes dormant when it’s cool,
although it keeps its leaves. The plants
need to be kept moist and in moderately humid ( 50-60%) conditions.
Leaves are
gathered for drying when new leaves emerge in the spring. There are several classifications of Camellia sinensis tea depending on when
the leaves were picked and how they were handled. White tea is very mild and has little
caffeine. To make it you pick the leaf
buds of the plant before they unfurl and dry them quickly. Green tea is made from the newest whole
leaves, quickly dried. Oolong and black
teas are variations of leaves that have been allowed to wither after picking,
which causes oxidation and increases caffeine content, and then they are
crushed and lightly roasted before being dried and powdered. If you are producing your own tea leaves make
sure not to pick more than half of the leaves off the plant. Keep it watered and fertilized with an acidic
fertilizer after harvest. Commercial tea
blends add flavors from other plants or use special varieties of Camellia sinensis.
Roselle, (Hibiscus
sabdariffa)
Roselle tea is made from the Jamaican
Hibiscus, . You can grow this plant as a tropical annual
much the way you grow tomatoes or peppers.
Start the plants inside about 2 months before the last frost. (You can
buy seeds or small potted plants.) Plant
in full sun and keep well watered. The
plant forms a 3-4 feet high bush with small white, typical hibiscus type flowers
in the leaf axils of the plant in late summer. Each flower lasts a day. As soon as the red seed pods or calyxes begin
to form little plump bulges you pick and dry them. Keeping them picked will keep the plant
producing flowers until frost. These
calyxes produce a pleasant tasting ruby red tea. The taste is said to be similar to
cranberries. The calyxes are also used
to make a jelly and are high in pectin.
Garden tea plants
Agrimony ( Agrimonia eupatoria
)
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| Agrimony Credit:en.wikipedia.org |
This weedy
perennial plant is native to England and other parts of Europe. It is also called cocklebur or Bur marigold
for its bur like seed pods and beware, it will spread around. It will grow almost anywhere in full sun to
light shade. It puts up a semi-woody
stem each year that can be five feet tall. Leaves and stems are covered with
fine white hairs. The leaves look somewhat like strawberry leaves, the flowers
are small and yellow with 4 petals and produced in spikes. It blooms much of the summer on and off. The flowers are very attractive to bees and
the plant gives off a pleasant spicy smell.
Agrimony has several herbal uses, including one for impotence and is
thought to lower blood sugar. The leaves
and flowers can also be used in tea, and are said to taste like apricots. It’s generally started from seeds. Agrimony roots produce a yellow dye.
Alfalfa ( Medicago sativa )
Alfalfa
leaves flowers and seeds are sometimes used in tea. It’s a low growing legume with clover like
leaves and purple flower spikes. It’s a
common hay crop. Alfalfa should be used cautiously as a tea plant because it is
a pretty good diuretic and pregnant women should not use it because it may
cause uterine contractions. If you are
on blood anti-coagulants you should also avoid alfalfa tea as the vitamin K in
it can cause excessive bleeding. It has
a mild green or grassy flavor.
Anise ( Pimpinella anisum )
Anise is an
annual plant native to the Mediterranean that grows 2-3 feet tall. The leaves at the bottom of the plant are
rounded with deeply cut edges, on top they are feathery like fennel or
dill. It has umbrella- like clusters of
tiny white flowers that turn into brown seeds with a white stripe. The flowers resemble carrot or Queen Ann’s
Lace flowers. Plant anise like carrots, when the soil is warm, directly where
it is to grow since it doesn’t transplant well.
It needs full sun and well drained fertile soil. The feathery leaves and ground seeds are used
in teas. Anise has a sweet licorice
taste. Anise tea is often used for
menstrual cramps.
Anise Hyssop ( Agastache foeniculum),
Anise
hyssop is a North American native, widely used by Native Americans in teas. It is a pretty garden plant, with several
cultivated varieties on the market. It’s
very attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. It grows up to 5 feet tall, with triangular,
serrated edge leaves and spikes of purple flowers in summer. It’s a short lived perennial that will reseed
in the garden. You can plant seeds or
sometimes find small plants for sale. It
will grow in almost any soil in full sun or partial shade. It may not bloom the first year but the
leaves can be used for tea.
The leaves
and flowers of anise hyssop can be dried or used fresh in tea. The tea has a minty, slightly licorice taste. Leaves can also be used in salad. Don’t confuse Anise Hyssop with Anise or
other varieties of hyssop.
Barberry- (Berberis Canadensis)-
American Barberry
This
barberry is native to Eastern North America and should not be confused with the
Japanese or European Barberries common in gardens, even though they may look
similarly and may be found growing wild.
It’s a large woody perennial shrub up to 6 feet tall but usually about 3
feet in height. Farmers have long been
trying to eradicate this barberry because it is an alternate host for wheat
rust and it may be hard to find plants. In
most places this plant is listed as endangered and should not be collected from
the wild. The native barberry was very
important to Eastern North American native tribes and it’s a shame that it has
been systemically destroyed.
This
barberry has small, narrow, blade shaped leaves that are lighter on the
underside. There are 3 thorns at each
leaf node. (Japanese Barberry has 1
thorn.) The plant blooms in April and
May with tiny yellowish flowers appearing in clusters along the stem. The flowers turn into oval red berries that
will persist long into winter if something doesn’t eat them. Native Americans eagerly gathered these
berries and dried them, sometimes pounding them into a paste first. The berries are used for tea and have a
pleasant tart taste. Native American
used the dried berries or paste as part of pemmican, a meat, fat, fruit
mixture. The berries ware high in Vitamin C. Indigenous people also used the inner bark and
leaves of the plant for various medicinal teas.
If you can
find a plant it prefers full sun to partial sun in well drained, slightly
acidic soil. It is thought to be hardy
to zone 5. It can be started from seed
and also spreads by rhizomes. In 2007
the University of Illinois issued a report on the plant and thought that
remaining patches of American barberry may no longer carry the wheat rust
fungus.
Basil (Ocimum spp,)
There are
dozens of varieties of this annual plant that has many culinary uses. It’s an easily grown garden annual. Grow in full sun after all frost has passed
either directly in the garden or in a container. Both the leaves and flowers of
basil can be used in teas either dried or fresh, although basil loses much of
its flavor when dried. Basil has a spicy
taste and different varieties have slightly different tastes.
Bee balm, (Monarda spp.) – Oswego Tea, Bergamot
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| Bee Balm, Monarda |
This is
another Native American plant that was a widely used tea and medicinal plant long
before Europeans arrived and turned it into a pretty garden plant with dozens
of varieties. It’s a perennial that will
spread widely by rhizomes and seeds in the garden. Both domestic and wild monarda’s can be used
for tea. The leaves and flowers can be
used fresh or dried. The leaves are a
source of thymol, a natural antiseptic.
Grow beebalm in full sun and keep it moist. It will need to be divided every 3-4 years.
Monarda
plants have coarse toothed leaves on plants about 3 feet high. The flowers appear in a cluster of tiny
tubular flowers in a wide variety of colors and are loved by bees and
hummingbirds. When the plant is
disturbed or a leaf is crushed it emits a pleasant minty smell. When used in tea the taste is somewhat like
mint and oregano mixed, with maybe a hint of citrus.
Borage ( Borage officianalis )
Borage is
another plant that is pretty in the garden and that will attract bees. It is a tall gangly annual plant with light
green leaves and clusters of 5 petal, star shaped flowers of a beautiful true
blue. The flowers may turn pink as they
age and white or pink flowers sometimes occur.
Borage is usually started from seeds although small plants are often
sold and it may re-seed in the garden.
Plant after danger of frost is past and in full sun. Bees love borage. The leaves and flowers of
borage are usually used fresh in tea and are said to have a cucumber like
taste. Leaves and flowers are also used
in salads and other dishes. Be a bit
careful in how much borage you consume because the plant does contain some oils
which can be toxic to the liver in larger quantities.
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| Borage |
Calendula – (Calendula officinalis), pot marigold, English marigold
This pretty
short lived perennial, (usually annual in Zone 6 and north) plant grows and
flowers best in cool weather. It can be
seed sown very early in spring and again in late summer for fall flowers. The seeds are curved with tiny spines on
them. The plant will often re-seed in the garden. The plants are short, about a foot high,
with blade shaped leaves. The flowers
are daisy- like with petals often having a shiny look. The most common colors are shades of yellow
and orange, but other colors have been developed. Double flowered varieties are also available. The flowers are used for tea, and also in
salads. The taste is mild but it imparts
a beautiful golden color to hot water.
The flowers also have an oil that is said to be anti-viral and
antibiotic and calendula is used in several folk remedies.
Cannabis (Marijuana)
If it’s
legal where you are, some nice dried cannabis leaves and flower buds make a
very pleasurable tea. Taste? Who cares.
Catnip- (Nepeta cataria)
This common
weed, sometimes garden herb, is often used in herbal teas to induce sleep or
calmness. However it does not have the
most pleasant taste and you may not consider it a pleasurable drink. Some people do like it though. Catnip is a
straggly member of the mint family that can get to 4 feet tall. It has rough, triangular, toothed leaves and
spikes of purple flowers. Leaves and
flowers can be used fresh or dried for tea.
Some cats go crazy for the plant and seem to be “high” after ingesting
it, but others ignore it. Another reason
that it may be named Catnip is that when bruised it smells like cat piss. The plant will grow almost anywhere and if
added to the garden it will spread quickly.
Chamomile – annual- German chamomile (Matricaria recutita),
perennial- English, Chamaemelum nobile)
These two
forms of chamomile are common garden herbs.
If you don’t want to grow them you can usually find chamomile tea in
stores. Grow chamomile in full sun, in
well- drained soil. Chamomile has ferny
foliage and small white daisy shaped flowers with yellow centers. The flowers are used for tea, either fresh or
dried. Chamomile tea has a mild pleasant
taste and is often used to calm the nerves.
The tea is also used cooled to treat hemorrhoids.
While
chamomile tea is widely available it can cause some bad drug interactions. You should consult with a pharmacist or
doctor before using it if you are taking antibiotics, heart or blood pressure
medications, medications for anxiety or depression or blood thinners. Pregnant woman and nursing mothers should
also avoid chamomile tea. If you are
allergic to ragweed you may have an allergic reaction to chamomile.
Clover, Red ( Trifolium pratense )
This
perennial plant with its 3 sectioned leaf and ball shaped pink-red flowers can
often be found growing wild although its
native to Europe, Asia and Africa. The
flowers can be used fresh or dried for tea. Red clover is also a favorite of bees. Red clover gives tea a sweet, pleasant
taste. However like some other tea
plants it should be used in moderation.
Because it has an estrogenic effect pregnant women should not use it,
although menopausal symptoms are said to be eased by it. People with any form of cancer should not use
it. In large amounts it can cause nausea
and headache.
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
This herb
is called coriander when the seeds are eaten or cilantro when the leaves are
eaten. It is a member of the dill-
fennel family and has the familiar white umbrels of tiny flowers but the leaves
are broader than dill or fennel leaves.
It’s an annual plant that is planted after all danger of frost in a
sunny location.
For tea you
will want to use the seeds of coriander.
They can be dried and powdered or roasted and powdered for slightly
different tastes in tea. Coriander
tastes warm and spicy. Orange flavor
seems to enhance the taste of coriander.
Beer is sometimes flavored with coriander.
Elderberry- (Sambucus
nigra)
Elderberries
grow wild along rural roadsides. You can
also buy cultivated elderberry plants. They are a many stemmed, woody bush up
to 10 feet tall. They prefer moist, fertile soil in full sun. They have compound leaves with seven toothed
leaflets. Elderberries bloom in June and
July with big, white, flat topped clusters of tiny, fragrant white
flowers. It is the flowers that are
dried and used for tea. Elderberry
flower tea is sweet, and somewhat flowery, or fruity in taste. It’s golden in color and high in
caffeine. It’s so pleasant that you can
buy the tea in stores. The flowers turn
into red-black berries. There is a
controversy as to whether these berries are poisonous or not. A drink is made from them and they are
fermented into wine but you might want to try this very cautiously. However no green parts or roots of the plant
should be eaten as they are poisonous.
Evergreens- various
A number of
evergreens were used for tea by Native Americans. Generally the needles were either boiled
green or dried and powdered for tea.
White pine, Balsam fir, and juniper were the common species used. They have a piney, green taste. The tea was high in vitamin C and was
probably more medicinal that pleasurable.
Juniper berries were also dried and ground for tea.
Fruits and berries
Bramble
plants such as raspberry have long been used for teas but other fruits and
berries can be used for teas too. Dried
fruit seems to be best, the sugars and flavors are concentrated. Some dried fruits can be powdered. Good dried fruits for teas include
cranberries, cherries, apricots, apples and blueberries, but try any
fruits. A splash of fruit juice can be
added after the tea has steeped such as lemon, orange, mango, pineapple or
cherry.
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Fennel
leaves and seeds are used in several types of cuisine. The seeds and leaves can also be used for
tea, imparting a licorice, sweet taste.
Fennel is a perennial plant easily grown in the garden, but not reliably
hardy in zone 5. There are some
ornamental varieties that are quite pretty, with ferny green or bronze
leaves. The flowers are yellow, tiny
flat clusters at the top of the plant that turn into brown-gray seeds with a
stripe very similar to coriander or carrot seeds. The seeds are steeped whole for tea,
sometimes roasted and ground or dried and ground. Fennel tea was said to increase the flow of
breast milk.
Horehound ( Marrubium vulgare )
Horehound
is a perennial member of the mint family native to Europe. It is easily grown in the garden although it
spreads like other mints. It has
gray-green, rough looking,wrinkled, rounded leaves and clusters of tubular
white flowers in the leaf axils.
Horehound has long been used as a medicinal tea, generally for coughs
and chest congestion. It was also used
for menstrual cramps or to relieve gas. Fresh leaves and flowers may be steeped for
tea or leaves and flowers may be dried and powdered. Horehound has a flavor hard to describe, it
is pleasant and slightly sweet and often used to cover other flavors in
medicine. Horehound juice boiled with
sugar until it hardened was once a popular candy.
Hyssop-Hyssop ( Hyssopus officinalis )
This plant
shouldn’t be confused with Anise hyssop.
Hyssop is a perennial, semi- shrub that is hardy to zone 7. It has narrow blade shaped leaves and
clusters of blue, pink, or white flowers along the stems in the summer which
are quite fragrant. It can be grown as a
pot plant and wintered inside in a cool sunny place. Hyssop has a long history of being used as a
medicinal and purifying herb. For tea,
the tender green tops and flowers are cut and dried or can be steeped fresh. It has a minty, pleasant taste.
Lavender Vera ( Lavendula vera )
The flowers
of common garden lavender are sometimes added to teas. The taste is green or piney.
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
This is
another member of the mint family that is very easy to grow. It will grow in almost any soil in sun or
partial shade. It’s perennial and will
spread widely by seed. It has oval,
toothed, green wrinkled leaves and tiny white flowers. There is a yellow leaved variety available. Cut it back hard once each summer to keep it
from flopping and looking ratty. It has
long been used as a pleasure tea plant and is thought be calming and relieve
anxiety. The leaves have a strong lemon
smell when bruised. Fresh leaves are
generally steeped as tea, imparting a mild lemony taste. Dried lemon balm loses much of its
flavor. The leaves can be used in salad,
although it would be wise to pick small tender ones. Bees are very fond of lemon balm also.
Lemon Verbena (Aloysia triphylla)
This is a
great plant for tea or cooking, producing a very good lemon flavor. It is a shrubby perennial but it’s only hardy
to zone 7. It can be grown as a pot
plant and wintered in a cool sunny place inside. It needs full sun and consistent
moisture. The spikes of small white
flowers are very fragrant and just brushing the plant releases a lemon smell. The lemon taste is best when fresh leaves
are steeped as tea, but dried leaves can also be used.
 |
| Lemon Verbena |
Linden/basswood- (Tilia Americana)
This lovely
hardwood tree native to Eastern North America has fragrant clusters of white
blooms in late spring. It grows well in
the Midwest and Northeast but may take many years before flowering. There are lindens native to Europe also. Linden flower tea has long been used as a
medicinal tea and packaged linden flower tea is found in stores. The flowers can be dried or steeped fresh for
tea. Native Americans used the flower
tea for fevers and its calming properties. Linden tea is light and floral
tasting. Bees love the flowers too. Don’t overdo the linden flower tea however
as reports of heart problems from over dosage have occurred.
Mints- spearmint, peppermint, apple
mint
There are
literally hundreds of varieties and smells/tastes of mint. Some mints are not as hardy as others so
check the label before buying. Leaves of
mint and mint flowers can be used fresh or dried for teas. There are a wide range of flavors; some
persist better after drying than others so experiment. Mints can spread widely in the garden and
may hybridize also.
New Jersey Tea- (Ceanothus
americanus), Red Root
Both the
leaves and root bark were used by Native Americans for herbal teas. Red Root
is a woody perennial hardy to
zone 5 that gets 3-4 feet high. It grows
in full sun and well- drained soil. It
has an extensive, thick root system. The
leaves are thick and oval shaped with prominent veins. The plant has bushy spikes of tiny white
flowers in midsummer that are mildly fragrant and attract butterflies. Leaves can be used fresh or dried for tea,
and were widely used as an English tea replacement by early settlers. Transplanting the plant can be tricky
because of the root system, start with small plants. The biggest problem with this plant is that
deer are extremely fond of it and will graze it summer and winter.
Rose petals and hips
The petals
of any rose that hasn’t been treated with pesticides can be used for tea as can
the hips. However roses that are
fragrant produce the best tasting tea, with a floral, somewhat fruity taste. Rose petals are usually used fresh, and
steeped for tea. Hips can be steeped
fresh or dried and ground for tea. Hips
are high in vitamin C.
Raspberry and blackberry leaves,
dried fruit
Native
Americans collected the leaves and fruit of most brambles for tea. The fruit was also dried for mixing with fat
and meat. The fruit gives a sweeter,
fruity tasting tea, whether brewed from fresh fruit or dried. Leaves are more often used for medicinal
teas, although the taste is fairly pleasant. There is no caffeine. You can buy raspberry leaf tea in most stores. Raspberry and other bramble leaf teas were
often used for “woman’s complaints” and often given during labor.
Sassafras- (Sassafras albidum)
Native
Americans used both dried leaves and root bark of sassafras for tea. Sassafras is a small tree native to Eastern
North American with mitten shaped leaves and small blue oval drupes or seed
capsules. Leaves can be dried or used
fresh. The powdered leaves have a pleasant spicy scent and flavor somewhat like
cinnamon. There are several folk
remedies for sassafras tea but there are also potential problems if it is used
frequently. Cancer causing chemicals
have been discovered in the plant and pregnant women should not use it as it
can cause abortion. A small amount in
tea for flavor occasionally is probably safe for everyone else.
Sumac – Staghorn or Smooth sumac, (Rhus spp.)
The red, hairy,
clusters of seeds that sumac produces in the fall were once a favored drink of
Native Americans and early settlers.
Sumac is a shrub or small tree with compound leaves, and inconspicuous
white flowers that turn into deep red clusters of seeds. The plants are hardy and somewhat invasive
but have pretty red fall color. The seeds are gathered in early fall and
steeped in hot water for 15 minutes to produce a lemony tasting, tart
drink. Seeds can also be dried for
making teas later.
English Thyme (Thymus vulgaris )
All types
of thyme can be used in teas, but culinary thymes work best. Leaves and stems can be steeped fresh or
dried thyme can be used in tea. Thyme is
easily grown in most gardens and bees love the small flowers. Different varieties of thyme have slightly
different tastes but it’s a spicy note.
Preparing plants for tea
Make sure
that no plant part you gather for tea has been sprayed with pesticides. If you are going to use the plants fresh you
should wash them under clean running water first. There are various ways to dry plant parts for
tea mixtures. Food dehydrators, an oven
set very low, or the sun can be used. If
you are drying fleshy plant parts like fruit make sure there is no mold growth
on them before you store them for tea.
Store your dry tea mixtures in clean glass jars with tight lids in a
dark place. Make sure to label them!
You can
store mixtures of plant parts or keep each plant separate. When you experiment with mixtures measure and
record what you do so you can replicate it.
Mix small amounts of tea ingredients until you know you like the
taste.
If you are
going to use a fresh (green) plant part for tea you should crush or chop it a
bit to help release essential oils.
Don’t boil water with herbs in it, rather boil the water and pour it
over the herbs. Then let it sit and
steep for 10-15 minutes. You may want to
put the plant parts in a tea ball or piece of cheesecloth so they can be easily
removed. Otherwise you will need to pour
the tea through a strainer to remove the pieces of plants. There are small “diffuser” or tea machines on
the market too. You can reheat the tea
briefly if it has cooled too much for your taste. Don’t forget many teas can be delicious cold
also.
Dried plant
parts should also be put in a tea ball or cheesecloth bag. Once again boil water first, and then add the
dried plants and let it steep. You’ll
need to experiment with your tea mixtures but in general about 3 tablespoons of
fresh herb or 1 tablespoon of dried herb are needed for each cup of water. You can add sweeteners like sugar or honey if
desired or even a bit of cream. A
squeeze of orange or lemon is great in tea.
Never make
teas from plants that you cannot positively identify and know are safe to
consume. People have died from teas they
made from plants they misidentified or that they didn’t believe were
poisonous. Even if you can eat parts of
the plant, such as a tomato, don’t assume all parts are safe to eat or to make
tea with. If you used tomato leaves in
tea for example, you could become very sick. Try new teas cautiously to see if you have an
allergic reaction before drinking several cups.
Remember that some plant parts may have medicinal effects even if they
taste very pleasant. Most often side effects of teas are a diuretic
effect or diarrhea. Some teas may make
you drowsy so use care if you are going to be driving. Others may make you nervous or jittery if
they have caffeine.
Is gardening your cup of tea?
Kim Willis
“He who has a garden and
a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero
Events, classes and other offerings
Please let me know if there is any event or class that
you would like to share with other gardeners.
These events are primarily in Michigan but if you are a reader from
outside of Michigan and want to post an event I’ll be glad to do it.
Master Gardeners if you belong to an association that
approves your hours please check with that association before assuming a class
or work day will count as credit.
Do you have plants or
seeds you would like to swap or share?
Post them here by emailing me. Kimwillis151@gmail.com
A new herb group is forming!
The Lapeer Herb Circle
will meet the 2nd Wednesday of the month at Rebekah’s Health and
Nutrition Store, 6 pm. at 588 S. Main,
Lapeer ( next to Office Depot). March’s
topic will be herbs for bees. They also
have a facebook page you can join.
Attention Beekeepers!!! We are looking for individuals to
participate with a state-wide apiary registry. We are currently developing the
website/database for this project and we are looking for beekeepers who will
come in on the ground floor of this project and help us get it launched. Not
asking for any money, only your time and/or input. Please send us an e-mail if
you are interested in helping the bees or want to know more.
In specific, we are
looking for people with beekeeping experience to be board members for the
organization, inspectors for different areas around Michigan and volunteers to
help us get the word out at different clubs, festivals, etc. Please consider
helping us and the bees too! Visit our website and let us know if you can help!
www.MichiganApiaryRegistry.org
Here’s a link to all
the spring programs being offered at Seven Ponds Nature center in Dryden,
Michigan. http://www.sevenponds.org/education/progs/springprograms/
Woodland Treasures for the Shade
Garden Fri, March 27, 10am, Meadow Brook Hall, Rochester, MI
How to use shade
plants to extend the flowering season. Sponsored by Meadow Brook Garden Club.
$5. MBHGCMembers@gmail.com.
Trees for Tomorrow: Planting &
Maintaining Healthy Trees, beginning March 30, 6:30-8:30pm, Pleasant Ridge
Community Center , Pleasant Ridge, MI
This is a 5 week
series sponsored by SOCWA. The $40. Fee
includes a class reference book. You
must register by Feb 23rd by
calling 248-546-5818.
Wonderful World & Folklore of
Cabbage, Thursday, March 12, 7pm, Kulick Community Ctr., Ferndale, MI
Sponsored by the
Ferndale Garden Club and presented by Virginia Froehlich. Guests are welcome. For more information call 248-398-6283.
7th Annual Growing Great Gardens, Sat, March 14, 8am-4pm, Wayne Co.
Community College, 21000 Northline, Taylor, MI
Presented in
partnership with the Taylor Garden Club, Taylor Conservatory Foundation and
Wayne County Community College District, this garden seminar features 4
presentations, the latest in garden trends, door prizes, lunch, shopping &
more. Cost is $35 before Mar 2, $45
after. Sign up for a bonus class with
Janet Macunovich, “Lunch & Learn- Fine Pruning in the Landscape”, just $10
additional. Registration Forms
@taylorconservatory.org Or @taylorgardenclub.com or email pk48180@yahoo.com Or phone
313-715-8316
Great Lakes Region American Hosta
Society / Hosta College 2015, Friday evening, March 20th and Saturday March 21st , Upper Valley Career Center, 8811
Career Drive, Piqua, Ohio.
At this conference
there is a rare plant auction starting at 6 pm Friday evening and on Saturday,
beginning at 8 am participants will attend 5 classes from a list of 70 to
choose from. There is a big vendor’s
area and a buffet luncheon is included.
In the evening there is a banquet.
Cost is $42 for members, $55 for non-members.
Further
information: http://www.ihostohio.org/portal/glhc/
To register http://www.ihostohio.org/portal/glhc/
Backyard Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop Saturday morning, March 28, 2015
from 10am to 12:30pm, Greater Holy Temple C.O.G.I.C. , 6702 N. Dort Hwy, Flint,
MI
Bob Tritten, MSUE
District Fruit Educator will give an outdoor demonstration workshop at two
community orchards. We will also visit the Uni-Corn Community Garden to cover
pruning of older fruit trees. Participants will learn the basic methods of
pruning young and bearing fruit trees. Pre-registration required by 3/25/15. Workshop
to be held rain or shine (walking required)
Contact: Deb
Hamilton at 810-244-8547 or email: hamiltod@anr.msu.edu Cost per person: $10.00 Make check payable to edible
flint Mail to: MSU Extension, 605 N. Saginaw Street, Suite 1A, Flint, MI
48502. Please include NAME, ADDRESS,
PHONE # AND EMAIL ADDRESS.
Spring 2015 Symposium by the Master
Gardeners of St. Clair County, Saturday, March 21, 2015 - 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Cornerstone Church, 4025 North Road, Clyde,
MI 48049 - (Two miles west of Port Huron, MI)
Keynote speaker
Sean Hogan Portland,
OR. Cistus Nursery. Class topics:
Richard Bitner- “Designing with
Conifers”, Panayoti Kelaidis, “Rockgardens”,
Susan Betz: “Magical Moons &
Seasonal Circles”, Sean Hogan: “More Than Meets the Eye”.
Early bird
registration: $80.00, includes all speakers, continental breakfast, lunch, and
snack break. Late registration,(after February 20, 2015), $90.00. Make check
payable to MGSCC (Master Gardeners of St. Clair County) Checks or money orders
only, to be cashed upon arrival in the mail – no refunds can be made after
February 20.
Mail registration
to: Sandy Billings, 99 Richman Rd., St. Clair, MI 48079, call Sandy at (810)
367-3399; E-mail: sanderan51@yahoo.com or Lisa Sharrow at (810) 329-3722. More
information and Registration forms are also online at www.mgoscc.org
The MSU Hort Club 2015 Spring Show
and Plant Sale Saturday April 18th 2014, 9am-6pm and Sunday April
19th 2014, 10am- 4pm located in the head house of the Plant and Soil Sciences
Building (PSS) at Michigan State University, 1600 Bogue St, East Lansing (located
on the corner of Wilson and Bogue.)
No information is
given about what the show entails or whether there is a fee to enter but if you
want to see the list of plants they are selling you can go here.
There is parking in
the 4H Children’s garden parking lot just south of the PSS bldg, in the vet med
lot across Bogue and the Horticulture Department lot to the west of PSS.
(*Note: locations are marked on the map with 'Parking') Be sure to read parking
signs as parking tickets are common on MSU's campus. Please enter through
either the south door of the head house or through the greenhouses.
MSU Horticulture Gardens’ Spring
Program: Can You Dig It?, May 2, 2015 8
a.m. - 4 p.m., Plant and Soil
Sciences Building, 1066 Bogue Street, East Lansing, MI
Sessions include: Woodland wonders from the wild, Art
of Gardening, Joy of Propagation,
Cultivating the recipe garden, lunch from Grand Traverse Pie Company
included. Rare plant sales. Early registration (on or before April 21)
for MSU Horticulture Garden Member $69 Early registration (on or before April
21) for non-MSU Horticulture Garden Member $79 Registrations received after
April 21 $89
Register
online: http://events.anr.msu.edu/register.cfm?eventID=F981110CAB81205F®isProcessID=78A6375F6399E682
Contact:
517-353-0443, hgardens@msu.edu.
Gardening and All That Jazz –
Innovation and Sustainability For Your Garden, Saturday, April 25, 2015 – 7 am –
4:15 pm, Oakland Schools Conference Center 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford
Sessions
include: Will Allen – Growing Power and the Good Food Revolution: A visual
story of how Growing Power came to be and of Will Allen’s personal journey, the
lives he has touched, and a grassroots movement that is changing the way our
nation eats., Will Allen – How To Put “Growing Power” in Your Backyard: How to
make your own compost bin, outdoor and indoor worm bins and raised beds.
Matthew Benson – Growing Beautiful Food: Cultivating the Incredible, Edible
Garden - Kerry Ann Mendez – Gardening Simplified for Changing Lifestyle:
Exceptional Plants and Design Solutions for Aging and Time-pressed Gardeners
Lunch and snacks
included in cost. Garden marketplace and
jazz musicians. Early Bloomers Registration Fee: $70 After March 14, 2015 Fee:
$80 Registration at the door is not available. Registration Deadline:
Wednesday, April 20, 2015 Registr by
going to http://www.mgsoc.org/2015Conference_registration.pdf
For more info: Nancy Strodl, Phone:
248-552-5095, E-mail: nancy_strodl@comcast.net
Horticultural Therapy: Connecting
People and Plants-March 13, 2015 - March 14, 2015 Plant and Soil Sciences Building,
1066 Bogue St., East Lansing, MI 48824
The Michigan
Horticultural Therapy Association is excited to present two events 36th Annual
Conference ‒ Friday, March 13, 8:30 a.m. ‒ 4 p.m. and a workshop ‒ Saturday, March
14, 8:30 a.m. ‒ 12:30 p.m. in conjunction with Agriculture and Natural
Resources Week at Michigan State University. Join us for presentations,
networking, vendors, books sales and more as we learn more about using
horticulture as therapy.
For complete program
and registration information, go to www.michiganhta.org or contact Cathy Flinton at cathy@michiganhta.org.
Michigan Herb Associates Annual
Conference- March 13, 2015 - March 14, 2015 Eppley Center and Business College
Complex/Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center, MSU Campus, East Lansing MI.
The theme of the
28th annual Michigan Herb Associates (MHA) Conference is “Sensational Savory.”
The Michigan State University (MSU) Department of Horticulture and Michigan
Herb Associates sponsor the conference. The two-day MHA conference is filled
with programs of interest to beginning and advanced herb gardeners and crafters
who enjoy growing and using herbs as a hobby.
Lectures and
demonstrations will take place at the Eppley Center and Business College Complex.
A market of vendors will offer herbal plants and topiaries, herbal food-related
items, decorative garden ornaments and jewelry, and many other gift items. MHA
will have a small gift shop along with speaker book sales and signings. A live
plant auction will take place Friday and Saturday.
Organic Farming Intensives Initiative
Classes March 12, 2015 - 9 am- 4 pm - Michigan State University, Brody Complex, East
Lansing MI.
The Organic Farming
Intensives Initiative will offer three to four all-day classes of single topics
with a focus on organic farming. Possible topics include vegetable production,
fruit tree management, soil health, transplants, pest management, farm-plan
building and organic certification.
For more
information, contact Vicki Morrone at sorrone@msu.edu or 517-282-3557. To learn more about
the Organic Farming Exchange, visit http://www.michiganorganic.msu.edu/.
Michigan Beekeepers Association
Spring Conference Friday, March 13, 2015 and Saturday, March 14, 2015 at the
Kellogg Center on the Michigan State University campus, East Lansing, Mi.
There will be
break-out sessions on both days covering a wide range of topics that should be
of interest for both the beginner and advanced beekeeper alike. And, of course, the ever-popular vendor area
will be back so that you can see all of the latest beekeeping equipment in one
place. Also, this year we will be
expanding the vendors to include a “beekeeping” trade show. The trade show will feature major
manufacturers of beekeeping equipment and gear.
Here will be your opportunity to see what’s new in the beekeeping world
and meet the folks who actually make your stuff!
Pre-registration is
available on-line and we encourage all attendees to do so. When you pre-register you get a discount
too! We encourage all conference attendees
to pre-register. If you pre-pay when you
pre-register, your conference material will be available for immediate pick-up…
no waiting in line. For more information
go to http://www.michiganbees.org/2015-spring-conference/
MSU Tollgate Maple Tapping and
Pancake Celebration March 15, 2015-10 a.m. - 12 p.m. or 1 - 3 p.m. 28115 Meadowbrook Rd, Novi, MI,
Celebrate
the Maple Tapping Season with Pancakes at MSU Tollgate! With a full-on pancake
breakfast or lunch!
Identify
and tap a maple tree, tour the sugar shack with ongoing evaporation, take a
wagon ride, taste maple syrup, and tackle historical tools! Prior to the 2-hour
program, enjoy a pancake celebration in the historic, 19th-century barn.
Pancakes, coffee, cocoa, and of course, real maple syrup will be provided!
Eat your
fill of yummy food and grab a cup of coffee 9 - 10 a.m. before your 2-hour
program. Enjoy entertainment in the 19th century barn while you eat and relax.
Need to
sleep in? Join us at 12 p.m. for a pancake lunch before heading out to the
sugar bush at 1 p.m.
Cost is
$12.00 per person. If cancellations are needed, please do so before March 11,
2015, to avoid cancellation fee of $5 per person registered.
The last
day to register online is March 11, 2015.
MSU offered a variety of on line
seminars for those who were interested in beginning farming topics of various
types. Some of those are now available
free to watch at the address below.
Gardeners may be interested in topics like organic pest control. Get the list of topics and links here.
Newsletter
information
If you would
like to pass along a notice about an educational event or a volunteer
opportunity please send me an email before Tuesday of each week and I will
print it. Also if you have a comment or opinion you’d like to share, send it to
me. Please state that you want to have the item published in my weekly notes.
You must give your full name and what you say must be polite and not attack any
individual. I am very open to ideas and opinions that don’t match mine but I do
reserve the right to publish what I want.
Once again the
opinions in this newsletter are mine and I do not represent any organization or
business. I do not make any income from this newsletter. I write this because I
love to share with other gardeners some of the things I come across in my
research each week. It keeps me engaged with local people and horticulture.
It’s a hobby, basically. I hope you enjoy it. If at any time you don’t wish to
receive these emails just let me know. If you know anyone who would like to
receive these emails have them send their email address to me. KimWillis151@gmail.com
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