Spring is in full swing and I am celebrating in the garden everyday!!  Join many like-minded folks for

National Herb Day

at the American Botanical Council this Saturday, May 5th.  There will be speakers, plant walks, vendors, snacks and great PLANTS FOR SALE.  Visit: http://cms.herbalgram.org/press/2018/Celebratethe13thAnnualHerbDayinAustinonMay5th.html?t=1522766355

And to learn even more about our local medicinal herbs, sign up now for the Austin School of Herbal Studies/EZ Herbs May classes.  There are still a few spots left in the Introductory class and several openings in the Intermediate and Advanced classes.  Go to: http://www.ezherbs.net/new-classes-open-for-registration/  to learn more and to REGISTER.

I hope to see you in my garden or at ABC for National Herb Day!

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Spring is here and the bluebonnets are in full bloom.  Texas wildflowers are pleasing to the eye and nourishing for the soul. In addition to all the wildflowers blooming, and yet to blossom, my garden is coming alive with an abundance of green, fragrance, textures and color.

One of my favorite flowers, Poppies, open their unique faces in early Spring.  These are Dorothy Poppies and some are flat and some are pom pom

 

Roses are another favoirte flower of mine.  The light peach colored one is the incredibly fragrant Abraham Darby.  A finicky rose but well worth planiting due to its beauty and unique perfume.  I like to use Antique Roses that are red and pink with a strong fragrance and if they make hips too that’s an added bonus.

       

  Crossvine and soon to bloom, Trumpet vine climb the fences that surround my garden.  Thank you for visiting online and now come visit in person at The Austin School of Herbal Studies, take a class or two or three and enjoy this beauty first hand.  Go to: http://www.ezherbs.net/herbal-studies-3/individual-classes/  for information and registration.

                                   See you in the Garden, Ellen

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If you suffer from Austin’s Cedar Fever, you need to know about fresh Nettle Tincture.

Stinging Nettle, Urtica dioica, is a common plant which grows in waste ground and likes to grow near human habitations. Nettle, also known as Stinging nettles, Common nettles or Small nettle is different from our Texas grown Bull nettle which is also commonly found in waste areas.

One of the identifying aspects of Nettle is the white, prickly fiber that grows along the stem. Therefore I grow my Nettle in very large clay pot so I can keep it isolated and the visitors to my garden do not get stung. I have noticed, however, that you can gently harvest the Nettle leaves, with bare hands, if you talk sweetly to the plant asking it’s permission for harvest and thanking it for all it’s many gifts.

So what are some of those gifts? Nettle is actually my favorite herb that I use the most (be careful I might say that about several herbs). Nettle is a tonic herb and it can be eaten as a food. Like spinach, or any other green, it can be steamed or stir-fried with garlic (YUM). Nettle is known as a Potherb. Nettle makes a delicious, earthy tea, which can be drunk anytime. It is loaded with nutrients such as Vitamins C, K, A, Iron, Calcium and Chlorophyll. This herb can benefit the entire body and is particularly good for anemia. Nettle also acts as a natural histamine so it can be used for asthma, other lung congestive problems and even Austin’s famous cedar fever.  You need to use the fresh plant to make an effective Nettle Tincture and not one made from the dried herb. Nettle also acts as an effective diuretic, helps to eliminate uric acid and reduces water retention. Nettle is ideal to drink during menstruation, as it not only reduces water retention but it is also effective for profuse menstruation. Nettle is an Alterative Herb as it acts to nourish and purify the blood. When I drink Nettle tea I feel that I am drinking the blood of Mother Earth.

These are just some of the medicinal benefits of Nettle. It can also be used as a green dye and the tough fibers of the stalk can be made into cloth. And if you do get a nettle sting, the juice of the plant itself, along with Yellow Dock, Rumex crispus, can be used as an antidote.

So never again think negatively of this incredible herb. With its stingers and all Nettle is so helpful to so many systems of the body, including the Respiratory System, the Urinary System and the Reproductive System. I like Nettle as a tea, but you can also use it as a tincture or even as a food.  If you want to plant your own, sow good quality seeds in the fall and you will have a great supply for many years.

 

 

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Now that the cooler weather is upon us, I am sure many of you will start drinking more hot Herbal Teas.  These medicinal infusions (teas) are a delicious and relaxing way to receive the healthy benefits from herbs. Discover how easy they are to brew, enjoy and learn about the many benefits these common, everyday herbs have to offer. 

Fresh plants or high quality dried herbs are the best ingredients for two different types of medicinal teas. The first is a MEDICINAL INFUSION that is made from the leaves and flowers, the soft parts of the herb. The second type of tea, a MEDICINAL DECOCTION, is made using the roots, stems or berries, the hard parts, of the herb. Medicinal teas are brewed with hot water and commonly drunk as a warm tea. However, the health benefits/ medicinal qualities are gained at any temperature, so give them a try at room temperature or iced in the summertime. In preparation, ALWAYS use stainless steel, glass or ceramic kettle/ pot. Copper and aluminum can negatively affect the quality of the herbs.

Here’s how you create a tea:

Creating a Medicinal Infusion:

• Use a tea kettle or large stainless pot to heat the water.
• In a separate teapot, measure and add your fresh herbs (2 teaspoons per cup water) and place in a teapot. If you are using dried herbs, use 1 teaspoon per cup of water.
• Pour the desired amount of water over the herbs, cover the teapot and let infuse, or steep, for at least 20 minutes.
• If you do not have a teapot, place the desired amount of cold water in a pot. Add your measured herbs and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and infuse, covered, for at least 20 minutes
• Strain and enjoy!

Note: Many herbs can infuse longer, even overnight for a stronger medicinal tea.

Others, like Chamomile, may require a shorter infusion time according to taste and desired strength.

One of my favorite Herbal Teas is Nettles Tea. I brew Nettles several times a week either by itself or mixed with other herbs for variation and other nutritive and medicinal properties. Nettles is very high in manyvitamins and mineral and tastes GREAT!!  I also love my EZ Relax Tea in the evening which helps to promote a good night’s rest.

Another favorite tea that is nearly always on my stove top is my High Energy Chai Tea. I drink this in the afternoon during my often occurring, 4pm slump. It provides me with energy, tastes wonderfully delicious, increases my metabolism, aids digestion and is high in anti-oxidants. What could be better!!

EZ Herbs makes several other healthy, delicious and beneficial herbal teas. Please take a look and try one sometime: http://www.ezherbs.net/herbal-products/teas/

Enjoy drinking herbal teas as a safe and easy way to effectively receive the many medicinal benefits of the plants. Imbibing an herbal tea a few times a day will provide you with a variety of vitamins and minerals while acting as a preventive for continued good health.

 

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A vibrant orange flower that is planted in the fall, easily grows throughout the winter, and greets you in the early spring, is none other than Calendula officinales, also known as pot marigold. Not a true marigold, Calendula should not be mistaken as a marigold for it maintains unique and very strong medicinal properties.

Here in Central Texas, Calendula seeds should be planted in the fall in full sun. They will grow during a mild winter and reward you with early bright orange, sometimes yellow flowers that bloom steadily and can be harvested as needed. During the heat of our summers, you might loose your Calendula crop, but a few of my plants have surprisingly survived over one or two summers. The flowers of Calendula are edible and quite beautiful in a fresh green salad. The flowers have anti-depressant properties (who could stay depressed just looking at these bright, sunny flowers), as well as excellent anti-inflammatory properties most useful for skin disorders.   I use the flowers most often to make a soothing Calendula Salve. I often make a simple Calendula Salve, but also combine this incredible herb with other herbs that are useful for skin problems. I include Calendula flowers in all my salves including All-Purpose Salve, Fungal Salve, Scratch No More Salve, Black Salve and Wound Salve. Applied externally Calendula salve will effectively treat burns, stop bleeding, soothe the pain of injuries and irritation, and promote the healing of wounds, insect bites and bruises. Calendula is also excellent for chapped lips, frostbite, hemorrhoids and a wide variety of skin disorders. Calendula can also be taken as a tea to reduce fevers, ease menstrual cramps and help promote healing of eruptive skin disorders like measles.

A miraculous little flower, Calendula has a permanent home in my garden. Last year on Valentine’s Day I had a Calendula flower blooming through the snow that fell that day. Calendula enjoys the cold weather and that is why it needs to be planted in the fall so we can enjoy its winter or early spring arrival.

So if you didn’t have the opportunity to plant seeds this fall, go out and buy some 4 inch plants and transplant them in to your garden. Remember to collect the seeds so you’ll have a fresh crop every year.

Fall is the best time to plant many herbs, flowers and vegetables here in Central Texas. So get busy in the garden,  prepare your soil and enjoy the bounty that Mother Nature so graciously provides you.

With Warm Green Blessings,

Ellen