According to one expert, barely covering the stalks of bamboo and other grasses will be enough to successfully propagate this black grass. Only time will tell.
January Planting Schedule
The extension service IFAS says that January is a great time to plant Irish potatoes. Who knew?
Stromanthe
I have to learn more about this plant. It's rather the most beautiful ginger ever or not really a ginger at all. I'm not sure if it's edible or if no one has ever tried to eat it. For all I know, it could be the world's most underused super food.
This beauty is living at the Nature Coast Botanical Gardens.
Beautiful Edibles in the Front Yard
While traveling around the neighborhood in my new role in healthcare, I happened upon a lovely place in Hernando Beach. Chatted with the owner, she told me that she had ðŸ¥, figs, an many other edibles right there in front yard. She said she enjoyed lemongrass and cranberry 🌺, made into tea or in salad, respectively. I admired her Turks cap hibiscus, shampoo/pinecone ginger, ti plants, and cranberry hibiscus, which are a few of my favorite plants. She even told me that cranberry hibiscus roots easily from cuttings - I am going to have to try it! This photo is from her front yard from the porch, and it does her digs no justice.
Dark Jungle
It helps that I have been planting them in pots so I dont lose them in the soil, then lose them again to frost. I particularly enjoy the pot in pot method of gardening. I also practice lasagna gardening, as in, these plants are all grown in mulch with rabbit poo on top.
I will be particularly pleased if the dwarf black taro and the purple leaved orange cannas survive. I also enjoy the bip pink cannas and thr yellow cannas. The red are almost too big for containers!
If I am able to save enough, I might have a big enough yield to sell some next spring.
Amp Up Immunity
This is an illustration in a magazine called Natural Awakenings. I find it awesome that ginger is in the picture twice. Some excellent examples of tea ingredients.
Cypress Lakes Preserve Trailhead
This next picture is from Ridge Manor Park.
Hernando Trailhead of the Withlacoochee State Trail
The parking is on East Norvell Bryant Highway where it intersects with US Highway 41. There is a park there with restrooms and picnic tables.
Loose-Leaf Tisanes, Some Ingredients and Their Uses
These are some of the permaculture offerings I grow in my garden. Discovered that dried tea is much more appealing when when dried colorful edible flowers are added.
Interestingly, Celestial Seasonings blueberry herbal tea is made from hibiscus, rose hips, orange peel, blackberry leaves, blueberries, and blueberry leaves.
Another homesteader called Hummingbird Creations sells her leaf teas 10 bags for $3.50 plus $6.50 shipping.
Beautyberry - Antioxidant, Antiviral, and Anti-inflammatory. Diuretic. Has flavonoids and phenols.
Use - Reduce rheumatism and fevers. Reduces tumor growth in laboratories.
Use - relieve anxiety, insomnia, migraines, asthma.
Loquat Leaves - High in antioxidants and caretenoids (boost immune system). Reduces inflammation.
Use - Relieve coughs/bronchitis/asthma, lowers blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, and prevents cancer. Antioxidant.
Tangerine Leaves - Antioxidant, has flavone and limonin.
Use - Antioxidant, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory.
Shell Ginger Leaves - Antioxidant.
Use - Relieve nausea, indigestion, motion sickness, colds/flu. Lowers blood pressure, prevents heart attacks, prevents blood clots, lowers cholesterol, improves blood circulation.
Mexican Sunflower Leaves - Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory
Use - Reduces pain, reduces blood glucose levels,
Cardamom Ginger Leaves - has a peppery taste. Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant.
Use - relieves nausea
Mulberry Leaves - Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant. Contains flavonoids.
Use - Lowers blood glucose levels. Lowers blood pressure, lowers cholesterol. Increases fat burning and promotes weight loss.
Pinecone Ginger Leaves - Antioxidant. Contains saponins.
Use - Relieves nausea, reduces cough/colds, anti-tumor.
Copperleaf Leaves - Antioxidant. Has laxative properties in larger amounts. Diuretic.
Use - Lowers blood glucose levels, prevents cancer, prevents cardiovascular disease, treats constipation.
Passionflower Leaves - Increases GABA
Use - decrease anxiety, treat insomnia, reduces intensity of hot flashes
Spiderwort Leaves - Anti-inflammatory, Anti-diarrheal, Analgesic.
Use - Reduce cough/colds/diarrhea. Increases brrast milk.
Lemongrass Leaves - Antioxodant, Antimicrobial, Anti-inflammatory. Diuretic.
Use - Reduces anxiety, prevents dental caries, relieves pain, boosts formation of red blood cells.
Hibiscus Leaves - Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory.
Use - Relieves coughs and cold, regulates mood, lowers blood pressure, lowers blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, supports weight loss. Treats depression.
Muscadine Grape Leaves - Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory. Contain Vitamin E and polyphenols. Has an excellent mild flavor not unlike green tea.
Use - Reduce nausea, improve skin quality, reduce pedal edema, reduce heavy menstrual bleeding, reduce headaches.
Sweet Potato Leaves - Contain Omega 3 fatty acids, polyphenols, and anthocyanins. Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory.
Use - Reduces blood glucose levels, prevents cancer.
Cape Honeysuckle Leaves - Analgesic, Antidiarrheal, Anti-inflammatory. Diuretic. Contains phenols, flavonoids, glycosides, alkaloids.
Use - Reduce insomnia, reduce diarrhea. Reduces blood glucose levels.
Napier Grass - No significant medicinal value.
Hoja Santa Leaves - contain safrole and might be carcinogenic.
Papyrus Leaves - No significant medicinal value.
Spanish Needle Leaves - Antimicrobial, Antidiabetic, Anti-inflammatory. Has a similar nutrient profile as kale.
Use - Topically or eaten to reduce inflammation.
Muscadine Grape seeds - Antioxidant. Contain Vitamin E, linoleic acid, and flavonoids.
Use - Increases blood flow, prevents cancer, prevent dementia, treats depression.
🌺 Chinese Hibiscus flowers
Turks Cap Hibiscus flowers
Sage flowers
Sunflower petals
Marigold flowers
Rose petals
Spiderwort petals
Cape honeysuckle petals
Spanish Needle flowers
Prickly Pear Fruit
Loquat fruit
Lemon peel
Tangerine peel
Muscadine Grapes
Planning for Loose Tea
I have purchased a hanging dehydrator to put above my air outside air conditioning heat exchanger. This will allow for hot air to be blown over the herbs, drying them much more quickly than they would dry any other way outside of a solar heater or solar cooker. Drying anything can be tough in Florida, as the humidity on most days is usually greater than 80%. In the past i have had leaves grow mold as they are drying out, which does not make for appetizing fare. I dont even give those leaves to the rabbits!
I will have to take some pictures of the dehydrator along with a review of the process. I plan on drying leaves and flowers of my many plants that can contribute to health and wellness, including ginger, loquat, lemon, and tangerine.
I thonk its both amusing and sad that a lot of the innovations in gardening and herbology that have come out of our recent technology boom have come about because of marijuana products. This dehydrator comes with tiny snips which are obviously for cutting bud. Not that I care about that, they will snip other leaves just fine.
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