Herbal Teas on the Cheap: Part 10 - Marjoram

Marjoram is a cold sensitive perennial herb with woody stems. It blooms from June through August and is propagated by root division in the Fall. The whole plant has a strong, fragrant balsamic odor and a warm, pine taste with hints of citrus. Large quantities are still gather and hung in cottages for making Marjoram tea.

Marjoram is used extensively in the modern kitchen and the fresh leaves are perfect on a salad. This aromatic herb was once used to make "swete washing water" that our forefathers used to scour their furniture. The juice of this plant were also widely used as a perfume before the introduction of modern perfumes.

It appears that I will not be growing Marjoram as is grows in zones 7 through 9. However, I am looking into sources for purchasing the ingredients that I cannot grow locally. I found a company called Monterey Bay Spice Company that seems very reasonable in price.

Harvesting, Drying and Storing
The leaves are are harvest and used fresh or dried. Traditionally, the tops of the plant are cut just as it begins to flower and laid out in the shade to dry slowly. The leaves may be harvested and dried in a dehydrator. Store in an air tight container in a cool dark place for maximum shelf life.

Herbal Teas on the Cheap: Part 9 - Yarrow

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is an upright perennial that grows from 1 to 3 feet in height. It produces pink to white flowers in June. The yarrow will spread from rhizomes underground, so caution must be used when planting to the control this herb.

There is much lore associated with Yarrow. It is also know by a variety of other names: Milfoil, Old Man's Pepper, Soldier's Woundwort, Knight's Milfoil, Herbe Militaris, Thousand Weed, Nose Bleed, Carpenter's Weed, Bloodwort, Staunchweed, Sanguinary, Devil's Nettle, Devil's Plaything, Bad Man's Plaything, and Yarroway. The Highlanders still use it to make an ointment to apply to wounds and they dispel melancholy with Milfoil tea.  It has been used for many hundreds of years to staunch the flow of blood from various wounds inflicted on the battlefield. In Sweden, it is known as "field hop" and has been used in the production of beer.

Planting and Growing Yarrow
Yarrow spreads rapidly and multiplies easily by seed. Care should be taken to prevent it from taking over the entire area. It would be most suitably grown in pots. The flowers, white or pale lilac, being like minute daisies, in flattened, terminal, loose heads, or cymes. The whole plant is more or less hairy, with white, silky hairs lying close to the stem.

Harvesting, Drying and Storing
The whole plant can be harvested. The leaves, stems and flowers should be harvested in late Summer, when the plant is in bloom. Dehydrate using a drying screen or your dehydrator. Store in a cool, dark place into ready to use.

Herbal Teas on the Cheap: Part 8 - Anise Hyssop

Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) is a semi-woody, upright-growing plant that has leaves and tiny, lavender flowers that taste and smell like anise. This perennial is hardy in zones 4 to 9, and can reach 2 to 4 feet in height and about 1 foot in diameter. It blooms in the garden beginning mid to late summer with 4 to 6-inch dense spikes of tiny flowers.

Growing Anise Hyssop
Anise hyssop grows easily from seed, either by starting indoors as you would tomatoes or by sprinkling outside in spring or fall. Your established anise hyssop will produce plenty of volunteer plants and are extremely easy to transplant. Plantings can be increased by root division, too. It will thrive in full sun in well-drained garden soil.

Harvesting, Drying and Storing

The leaves of the anise hyssop plant can be harvested throughout the season and dried for tea. Clip the leaves first from the bottom of the plant and work upwards. As with most herbs, do not harvest more than 60% of the plant at any one time. Store the dried leaves in an air tight container in a cool, dark place.

To harvest the seeds, clip a few inches below the seed head at the end of the season after all the flower petals have fallen off. Hang upside down in a paper bag until dry.

Herbal Teas on the Cheap: Part 7 - Rosemary

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is associated with Mediterranean cooking. It is a beautiful ornamental plant as well as a delicious culinary herb. It is difficult to start from seeds, so you are better off getting a nursery plant. Seeds do not always grow true to the parent.

To propagate a new plant:

1. Cut about a 2" section from the soft, new growth of an established plant.
2. Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting and dip the tip into a rooting hormone.
3. Place the dipped end into a container of damp potting soil mix, something containing peat moss with vermiculite or perlite.
4. Place the container in a warm spot with out of direct sunlight.
5. Mist the cuttings daily and water periodically to ensure that the soil does not dry out.
6. In about 2 or 3 weeks, your cuttings should have rooted.
7. Transplant into individual pots about 3 or 4 inches in diameter, and pinch off the very top of the cutting to encourage it to develop branches.

Where the winter temperatures drop below 30 degrees F., rosemary plants will have to spend the winter indoors. In this case, it's easier to grow your rosemary in a container all year. Since rosemary likes it on the dry side, terra cotta pots are an especially good choice. Just be sure it doesn't bake and completely dry out while outdoors during the summer. It can be a little trickier to keep rosemary happy inside. Your rosemary plant will still require 6-8 hours of full sun, so artificial lights may be necessary. Heat is not as crucial as sunlight.

Money Saving Tip: Willow Water is a natural rooting hormone. You can make your own is you have access to a Willow tree. Take a few cuttings of branches with plenty of green leaves on them. Remove the leaves and chop them up finely as you would a culinary herb. you may include some of the soft branch in it as well. You should have 2 cups of well chopped willow material. Put it in a large non-reactive container, such as a stoneware bowl. Cover with 1 gallon of boiling water and let it steep overnight, up to 24 hours. If you can't boil water, room temperature water will do, but let it steep for a full 24 hours.

Pests and Problems of Rosemary Plants
Rosemary, when grown indoors, tends to get powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is a white, powdery fungus that can develop if the surrounding air is humid and there is not enough air movement. It won't kill your rosemary, but it will weaken the plant.

Keep the humidity low, keep the plant in sunlight and, if necessary, run a fan for a few hours a day to create a breeze in order to help prevent powdery mildew development.

Also watch for aphids and spider mites. These pests seem to live on houseplants for the winter. Catching them before a total infestation will make them easier to control. Repeated spraying with insecticidal soap should take care of the problem.

Maintaining a Potted Rosemary
Move your potted rosemary back outdoors once all danger of frost has passed. As with most potted plants, the soil in your rosemary pot will degenerate through watering and root growth. Repot at least once a year. Spring is a good time to repot your rosemary, but it should be fine no matter what time of year you get to it.

When the rosemary plant puts out considerable growth or looks like it just can't get enough water, it has outgrown its pot and needs to be transplanted into a larger one. If you want to maintain the size of your rosemary plant, root prune it by slicing off a couple of inches of the roots from the bottom and sides of the root ball and replanting in the same pot. Be sure to trim some of the top at the same time, to lessen the work load of the roots and the stress placed upon the trimmed plant. Then allow your repotted plant some time to regroup. It should reward you with many more seasons of snippings.

Harvesting, Drying and Storing

Both the leaves and the flowers are edible. Simply snip off pieces of the stem as you need it. Use fresh, finely chopped, or dehydrate and store in an airtight container for future use.

Herbal Teas on the Cheap: Part 6 - Balmy With a Chance of Lemons

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a small shrub-like plant and is a member of the mint family with similar oval-shaped leaves. Native to Europe and the Mediterranean, it is grown all over the world. Lemon balm has a faint lemon scent and has been used for centuries to reduce stress and anxiety, promote sleep, improve appetite, and ease pain and discomfort from indigestion.

Lemon balm is often used as a flavoring in ice cream and herbal teas, both hot and iced, often in combination with other herbs such as spearmint. It is also frequently paired with fruit dishes or candies. It can be used in fish dishes and is the key ingredient in lemon balm pesto. It has been suggested that it might be a better, healthier preservative than beta hydroxy acid in sausages. 

The crushed leaves, when rubbed on the skin, are used as a repellant for mosquitoes.
Lemon balm is also used medicinally as an herbal tea, or in extract form. It is claimed to have antibacterial and antiviral properties

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_officinalis

Lemon Balm grow to around 24 inches tall and looks like over-sized mint. After the last frost, plant in a sunny location. In some of the warmer zones, it will do better in partial shade, especially at mid-day. Whenever your plant is looking tired due to drought, hail, insects, or other stress, just cut it back and let it rejuvenate itself with fresh, new growth. Lemon balm likes rich, moist, but well-drained soil with a pH of 6 to 7. Because it is harvested continually for lots of leaves, it needs a little fertilizer.

Harvesting, Drying and Storing

Harvest the leaves of this plant throughout the Summer and dry using your dehydrator. If  you don't own a dehydrator, you can use a drying screen in a dark place. Store dehydrated leaves in an airtight container in a cool, dark place until ready to use.

Special Notes
Lemon balm may be considered a noxious weed or invasive plant in some areas. Lemon balm is drought tolerant and is useful in xeriscaping. Lemon balm is known to attract bees, butterflies and birds and has fragrant blossoms. Lemon balm self-sows freely; remove flowers (deadhead) if you do not want volunteer seedlings the following season.

Herbal Teas on the Cheap: Part 5 - Lavender

Lavender is Mediterranean by origin, but has been cultivated all over the world. It's soothing fragrance makes it a popular choice among gardeners and it makes a wonderful herbal tea.

Lavender is a member of the mint family. It likes a sunny location and is drought and pest resistant. However, not all lavenders are created equal! When looking for lavender with making tea in mind, consider planting English lavender, sometimes called "True Lavender".

English lavender is a hardy perennial with medium purple flowers, and typically reaches a height of 2 to 3 feet. It does well in zones 5 through 11. A few varieties of English lavender that are good for tea are:

                             Lavandula Angustifolia 'Folgate'
                             Lavandula Angustifolia 'Hidcote’ ("Queen of the Herbs")
                             Lavandula Angustifolia 'Pyrenaica'

Dried Lavandula Angustifolia flowers

Harvesting, Drying and Storing

Harvest the flowers in the Summer just when the flowers open. Take enough of the stems to tie together with rubber bands or twine. Hang bunches upside down in a cool, dark location for up to 4 weeks or until dry. The lavender is dry when the flowers start to fall off on their own. You may want to place something under the hanging bunches to catch any flowers that fall off during the drying process. Once dry, gently push the flower blooms off the stem, gather and place in a clean container. Store in a cool, dark location until ready to use.  

Allergen Alert: Lavender essential oil (contained in the flowers) are well-known to trigger allergies and contact dermatitis. Lavender may react adversely with some drugs. Nausea, vomiting, headache and chills are sometimes reported after inhaling lavender or absorbing it through the skin. Please use caution and common sense when trying any new or unusual food product. I am not a medical expert and this is not meant as a substitute for medical advice from a trained professional.

Lavender Ice Tea
    2 Tbsp. Lavender flowers (1 Tbsp. dry)
    1 Tbsp. Lemon balm (1 tsp. dry, or one lemon slice)
    1 Tbsp. Mint (1 tsp. dry, applemint is best, but spearmint works well too)
    3 Tbsp. Honey

    Pour six cups of boiling water on herbs and steep for ten to fifteen minutes.
    Cool to room temperature.
    Add lemon slice after cooling if you're using it instead of lemon balm.
    Add honey and stir.
    Add crushed ice.

http://theherbgardener.blogspot.com/2009/06/lavender-ice-tea-recipe.html

Herbal Teas on the Cheap: Part 4 - Chamomile; German or Roman?

There are two different types of chamomile; German and Roman (English). The German chamomile is an annual that grows into a bushy shrub about 3 feet tall, but the Roman (English) chamomile is a perennial that only gets about a foot high and tends to grow along the ground. Both have very similar aromatic blossoms, which is the part that you will harvest and dry for tea.

Which one should you plant? Well, the answer depends on what you want to do with it. German chamomile tends to be a little sweeter than Roman chamomile, so it is a natural choice for your tea blends. We will concentrate on the German chamomile in this post.

The chamomile bush will produce small white flowers with large yellow centers. The blossoms have an apple-like aroma. You can start these plants as seeds indoors about 6 weeks before the last frost of the season. Sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil, but do not cover as the seeds need light to sprout. Keep the seeds moist and thin down to one plant per 12-inch pot. If planting outside, plant the seedlings 12 to 18 inches apart. Sunny locations are best, but they will tolerate partial shade.

Although German chamomile is a perennial, it will readily seed itself if you let the flowers go to seed. Otherwise, collect the seeds for the next year's planting. Since the seeds do so well on their own, gardeners tend to plant in pots and harvest all the blossoms and seeds before they drop to better control the plants.

Not many insects will bother your plants. They are even reputed to keep cucumber beetles away, so they are great for companion planting. If you find aphids on the plants you can spray them off with water from the garden hose.

Money-Saving Tip: You can use a spray bottle with a little liquid dish detergent and water to take care of soft-bodied insects. This solution is highly effective on aphids and the like. I put a few tablespoons of liquid dish soap into a clean spray bottle, which I purchased just for that purpose, and fill it up with tap water.

***Use caution if you are reusing a spray bottle that contained cleaners and the like. I would highly recommend buying a new spray bottle from the local dollar store instead as you will be spraying plants that you will be consuming.***

The soapy water is a contact control, not residual, so it will only work on the insects that you spray directly. I have even successfully used it on yellow jackets that tend to nest behind my shutters.

My fruit trees did not fair well when I left the soapy water on the leaves. I strongly recommend rinsing the soap off your fruit trees after about 20 or 30 minutes so you don't burn your leaves. My roses have never had any problems even without rinsing. You may want to test your plants using this solution to see how they react.

Harvesting, Drying and Storing

Harvest the whole flower heads in the early morning after the dew is gone to dry for your tea. Shake the plants gently to remove any foreign material, dirty and insects, then pinch or snip off just below the flower head. The flowers open up in the morning and close as the sun goes down. You want the harvest the flowers at their peak; no stems or leaves. Dry the flowers using drying screens or a dehydrator. I prefer the dehydrator method for faster drying. Store in a sealed glass jar and keep out of sunlight. You may consider not crumbling the flowers until you are ready to use them to preserve the oils and aroma of the herb.