Planting with Teens

Clara, Ryan and Rowan sweated, sucked and planted their own seeds into this herb spiral. Skeptical gardeners, they felt a bit uncomfortable with seeds in their mouths. “Felt like caterpillars,” Clara said of the calendula seeds under her tongue. Ryan opted out of the edible medicines category and choose Zinnias for their visual beauty–another kind …

Parsley for Herb Spiral

  Since Parsley is biennial, it’s a good herb to plant in the fall, especially if you have space dedicated to herbs. I transplanted mine to my herb spiral–which I renovated this year. It’s a slow grower, so even after transplant into compost rich soil, it’s taking its time. The benefit should be parsley popping …

Parsley Sprouts

Parsley Sprouting

Parsley sometimes takes up to two weeks to sprout. I tried to assist these seeds by cracking them just a bit between my teeth after I soaked them under my tongue. Parsley seeds have a very strong acrid, green flavor. Medicine already at work!

Calendula

Nourishing: antiseptic, salve heals wounds anti-inflammatory hi levels of beta-carotene poor man’s saffron edible in salads Growing: annual self seeds cover and keep moist 6-12″ tall 8-12″ apart full sun

Catnip

Nourishing: relieves cold, flu, fevers reduces GI gas, relieves colic calms without sedating stimulates appetite antispasmodic and aids digestion Growing: perennial tolerates poor soil cover and keep moist 1-3″ tall 6-12″ apart full sun to partial shade

Chamomile

Nourishing: fruity apple fragrance soothes GI tract aids digestion antiseptic anti-inflammatory Growing: annual, self seeds cover and keep moist 2″ tall 8-10″ apart full sun to partial shade

Dill

Nourishing: use leaves and seed leaves aids digestion seeds freshen breath herb replaces salt Growing: annual cover and keep moist 3-4′” tall 8-10″ apart full sun cross pollinates with fennel

Feverfew

Nourishing: reduces migraine headaches relieves arthritis attacks relaxant uterine stimulant pretty daisy-like plant with lacy foliage Growing: perennial self seeds cover and keep moist 2-3′ tall 8-12″ apart full sun to partial shade

Lemon Balm

Nourishing: lemon scent relaxes and lifts spirits fresh leaf relieves stings and repels insects salve heals cuts and scrapes antispasmodic and aids digestion Growing: perennial self seeds and spreads slowly cover and keep moist 2″ tall forms bush 1-2″ apart, in clumps full sun to partial shade

Marjoram

Nourishing: tea relieves cold symptoms singers drink tea with honey to relieve hoarseness antioxidant and antiseptic carminative, aids mild indigestion lotion aids skin Growing: full sun  and warmth aid oil production tender perennial 1-2 ” tall 6-8″ apart barely cover seeds, and keep moist til germination

Parsley

Nourishing: highly nourishing with many vitamins and minerals high chlorophyll freshens breath mild diuretic aids digestion Growing: biennial seeds germinate slowly cover and keep moist 12-18″ tall 6-12″ apart, in clumps full sun to partial shade

Red Clover

Nourishing: relaxant, soothes colds, flu expectorant diuretic, internal cleanser aids in skin clarifying isoflavones regulate immune system pleasant, nourishing tea Growing: self seeds, harvest in summer biennial 2 ‘ tall full sun 1.5-2′ apart blooms in 1st or 2nd year

Sage

Nourishing: antibiotic and anti-inflammatory astringent and antiseptic, aids mucous relief from colds, flu carminative, anti-flatulence aids digestion, esp fatty foods when burned, purifies air Growing: perennial 1-3′ ‘ tall full sun 18-20″ apart can be semievergreen in mild winters

Thyme

Nourishing: expectorant, good for cold, cough, bronchitis antispasmodic antimicrobial carminative, anti-flatulence stimulant relaxant astringent use infusion, lotion, bath Growing: low growing, can be ground cover perennial 3-12″ full sun, tolerates drought 6-12″ apart barely cover seeds, and keep moist til germination

Valerian

Nourishing: sedative, relaxes & promotes sleep hypnotic anti-spasmotic carminative, anti-flatulence use roots in gel capsules Growing: easy to grow perennial 3-5′ full sun to partial shade 2′ apart stratifying aids germination self seeds scratch seeds into top of soil, and keep moist. needs light to germinate