5 Herbs to Grow Inside

     There are many wonders that modern technology has given us. We have the world at our fingertips, and an easy way to travel. But in the South, and especially here in Florida, there's one modern miracle that makes life so much easier this time of year, air conditioning. A/C makes summertime in Florida livable. Unfortunately the air quality inside most of our homes is pretty horrible. We use chemicals in everything, and all of those chemicals effect our air quality. Since we are spending so much more time inside to beat the heat, what can we do to clean our air and make life a little more pleasant? Plants! Bring the herb garden inside! That way you have easy access to herbs you love to use, and they help to filter your air. Here's a list of 5 of my favorite herbs to grow inside and why they're so awesome!

1. Aloe Aloe Vera

Aloe is a plant that I use almost every day. I make quite a few hair and skin products using aloe gel, I use the whole leaf to reduce inflammation, and I even drink aloe water. It has a number of amazing health properties and I could go on and on and on. In fact, one of my first posts on this page was all about aloe. It's easy to take care of as long as you keep it well drained and it helps to filter out formaldehyde, which is commonly found in carpets, rugs, and furniture.

2. Rosemary Rosmarinus officialis

Rosemary might be a little tricky to grow inside, especially if you're new to gardening (this page has some great tips). However, it's well worth the effort. Not only does it help to purify the air, but it releases essential oils from it's leaves. These oils actually improve cognitive function. They help improve memory, protect the brain from free radicals, and they help keep your house smelling great. Plus, whenever you need some rosemary for that special recipe, it's just a few feet away!

3. Mint Mentha spp.

Mint is another herb I tend to use a lot. It helps improve the flavor of quite a few teas, tastes great in salad, improves digestion, and smells great. However, when you plant it, it will take over EVERYTHING. So I always make sure it's in a container, inside or outside, and I never plant it with other plants. I used to have a decent sized container that had 7 different varieties of mint, from pineapple mint to chocolate mint. However, the chocolate mint slowly took over and now I just have a large container of that. Lessons learned. But it's still a great plant to grow inside. It works well to filter air, but it also makes the air easier to breathe for those with weak lungs.

4. Lavender Lavandula angustifolia

Lavender is one of my favorite plants to grow indoors. It keeps the house smelling fresh and clean, repels insects, helps reduce anxiety, improves sleep, and is one of my favorite scents. However there are a few people who are allergic, and if you have cats make sure to keep it in a place your kitty won't get to. Cat's livers cannot process the lavender very well and may not cause immediate reactions, but over time the build up can cause liver damage. However, keep in mind that lavender LOVES sunlight and well drained, not very rich, soil. Windowsills are a great place for lavender to go.

5. Rose Geranium Pelargonium graveolens

There are over 200 different species of geranium, and they are all great air purifiers and easy to care for. I prefer to grow Rose Geranium, however, because it's also a great tea for diabetics, it lowers blood glucose levels fairly quickly. All geraniums also repel insects and can survive without water for up to 2 weeks. Rose Geranium also smells very similar to roses, so it's a great way to get a beautiful, floral scent in your home without having to resort to chemical heavy scents. The more sunlight it has, the more it blooms, the more fragrance you'll notice. It also helps filter out, not just chemicals, but also bacteria from the air. So if your family is prone to infections, invest in some Rose Geranium plants.

Florida Native Gardening: A Brief Introduction

One of the best things about living in Florida is the abundance of plants and wildlife. One of the reasons for this is our amazing climate. We rarely get frost in the Central and Southern parts of Florida, and almost never get snow. Even in droughts, we have more rain than a lot of other states. We also have diversity in our climate. We have beach, scrub, wetland, and forested areas all at our fingertips. Florida really is one of those rare places where, with lots of love and perseverance, you can grow anything. That being said, you don't get the perfect garden all by chance. You do still have to put a good bit of work into it. Some plants do better in pots, some plants work better in shade, you have to devote some of your time and effort in to figuring out just how you're going to put your garden together, and how much work you can afford to put into it.

What Comes Natural

One of the first rules with gardening, is that you have an easier time of it when you work with nature and not against it. This means that the easiest garden you can design is one that makes use of mostly native plants. Florida native plants have been tested, by time and nature, and have proven to be highly able to survive in the environment. This means that our native plant species are typically more drought tolerant, pest tolerant, and more hardy.

Florida has a host of little climates that all work best with different plants. Find out which one you're located in. Figure out what kind of soil you have, how long the growing season is, how hot it gets, how cold it gets, how much rain do you get, and at what time of year it tends to rain the most.

From there, figure out your personal space. Where on your property are you planning on setting aside the space to garden? Do you want to plan a raised bed? Or are you just going to plant in the ground? Do you want to plant in the shade, or full sun? What works best for me is to do a combination of planting in the ground and planting in containers/raised beds. That might not work for you. Do a little soul searching and figure out just where you want to build your garden.

Once you have a place for your garden, then you can begin to figure out which plants will fit best.

Find Beauty in Unexpected Places

Most people would be surprised at how many beautiful plants are native to their area. People I encounter are constantly surprised at how beautiful some of the plants I find are. And most of these plants are “weeds” and are typically not allowed to grow to their full, beautiful, potential before they are yanked out of the ground. Purslane is a common weed here in Central Florida. Not only is it really easy to grow, it has beautiful flowers, and its a super-nutritious edible!

However, many species are endangered so don't just go around grabbing up every wild plant you see. There are some great tools online to help you find the right plant for your Florida garden. Check out the Florida NativePlant Society for a great database that is arranged by county. You can even find some awesome plant nurseries that specialize in Florida Natives and Florida-Friendly plants. 

Plants Need Friends Too

Companion planting is a great way to help your garden succeed. It does mean that you're going to have to do a little more research, but it's well worth it! Plants work together in their environment. Some plants enrich the soil. Some plants ward off pests. Some plants provide shade or height that other plants can take advantage of. Either way, companion planting is the way to go.

Other plants aren't the only friends your garden might enjoy. Beneficial insects can help your garden remain free of pests. Butterflies and birds can help make your garden more beautiful. You might want to help the declining bee population in your area. Certain other animals may help keep your home free of unwanted pests as well. Whatever the reason, you may want to figure out which plants attract beneficial insects and animals to your garden.

If you decide that gardening is the hobby for you, or you want to start your own little farm, there are so many resources out there to find. A good basic gardening introduction can be found at Jen Reviews. I encourage everyone to try their hand at growing at least one plant. Who knows, you may even get hooked?

I hope these tips prove to be helpful. Feel free to ask questions or comment below! I also enjoy seeing pictures of your amazing gardens!

Resources:

Florida-Friendly Landscaping: http://floridayards.org/fyplants/

Florida Native Gardening: Your Florida Backyard: http://www.nsis.org/garden/garden-native.html

Florida Native Plant Society: http://www.fnps.org/home/

Florida Native Plants Nursery: http://www.floridanativeplants.com/index.html

How to Start a Garden: Jen Reviews: https://www.jenreviews.com/how-to-start-a-garden/

Plant Real Florida: http://www.plantrealflorida.org/

5 Simple DIY Garden Projects

     I don't know about you, but during the warm weather, I like to spend a little time every day in my garden. I enjoy getting my hands dirty, spending time in nature, and finding creative ways to improve my garden space. So, today, I'm sharing with you 5 easy ways to do so.

1- Brick Markers

Over the years, I've tried lots of different ways to mark my plants. There aren't very many ones that have held up over time. However, these simple markers have lasted the longest, and are really cute and easy to make.

Supplies:

Bricks (1 per plant)

Black Sharpie

(optional) Stencil

Directions:

It's really just this simple. Write the name of the plant on a brick. If you want a specific style of letters, feel free to use a stencil. Over time, the sharpie will fade, but you can always trace over your original letters again, or leave it faded if you like the way it looks.

http://simpledetailsblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/brick-herb-markers.html

2- Tomato Cage Container Trellis

I do a lot of container gardening because my husband and I rent, and I get attached to my plants. Over the years I've found a few tricks to growing just about everything in a container. If you want to grow a vine, you need a trellis. The easiest trellis I've ever used is a tomato cage.

Supplies:

2 wire Tomato Cages

Several black zip ties

Container (filled with soil and your awesome vine)

Wire cutters

(optional) Colorful paint, or green if you want them to blend in with your vine

Directions:

1- Using the wire cutters, cut the legs off both tomato cages, reserving the legs for later use

2- Nestle one tomato cage inside the other, turning them to make sure the long, vertical wires are alternating.

3- Fasten them with zip ties to hold them in place at the intersections.

4- Optional* Paint the tomato cages and let dry

5- Bend the legs (from step 1) in half, like hair pins, and use them to stake the tomato cages down into the soil around your vine.

You can also make a really tall trellis by using 4 tomato cages and stacking two, upside down, on top of the original 2.

https://www.lowes.com/creative-ideas/lawn-and-garden/flowerpot-trellis/project

3- Pallet Gardens

Two awesome trends in home gardening right now are raised beds and vertical gardens. You can use a recycled pallet to achieve both. There are lots of designs, from the very simple, to the not so simple, but I'm going to give you the simplest two designs that I have used.

Supplies:

Pallets (as many as you need for the space you want to cover), you can usually find them free at the dumpster of just about any big, box store

Cardboard or Landscaping paper

Staple gun and staples (for the landscaping paper)

Soil

Plants

Directions:

1- The easiest to do is a basic raised bed. Just lay your cardboard over the ground, place your pallet on top, add in the soil and start planting. The cardboard will kill the grass/weeds under your raised bed and will break down over time, improving the soil as it does.

2- The other design can be used either as a raised bed, or as a vertical garden.

1- Place your pallet upside down, if there isn't much support, add some in using scrap wood, just make sure it's even down the back.

2- Double or triple the landscaping paper. Lay it on the back of the pallet and start stapling. I wrap the paper around to the front of the pallet, framing it, to add support and prevent the loss of too much soil.

3- Fill the pallet with soil, and plant you garden!

4- If you want to use it as a vertical garden, after a few weeks (to allow the plants to take root) just prop it up on an outside wall!

http://snappypixels.com/interesting/25-diy-ideas-using-pallets-for-raised-garden-beds/

http://www.designsponge.com/2011/09/diy-project-recycled-pallet-vertical-garden.html

4- Nesting Planter Towers

Container gardening is awesome. You can move plants around in your garden without transplanting, you can move them inside, or you can use them to be very decorative. Here are two ideas to use multiple containers to create towers of plants.

Supplies:

A center bar, smaller in diameter than the hole in the bottom of your terracotta pots

Several terracotta pots, all different sizes

(optional) Paint

Soil

Plants

Directions:

1- Optional* Paint/decorate your pots and let them dry.

2- Stick your bar in the ground, or in the bottom, largest, pot. (I don't recommend moving it after it's assembled, so build it where you want it to be.)

3- Place your pots on top of one another, threading them onto the bar, then filling them ¾ with soil. You can choose to keep them upright, or tilt them for a different, more whimsical look.

4- Continue until all your pots are stacked, filling the top pot all the way with soil.

5- Plant your garden!

http://balconygardenweb.com/genius-vertical-gardening-ideas-for-small-gardens/

http://weheartthis.com/2013/05/14/diy-garden-project-topsy-turvy-flower-planter/

5- Easy-Harvest Potato Pot

I don't know about you, but I love potatoes. I hate harvesting them though. Or at least I did until I saw a tutorial for making this pot.

Supplies:

2 Plastic pots (one slightly smaller than the other)

X-Acto knife

Soil

Potatoes

Directions:

1- Using the x-acto knife, cut large squares out of the smaller pot.

2- Nestle the smaller pot in the larger pot.

3- Add soil and get to planting!

4- When it's time to harvest, just lift the smaller pot out and pick the potatoes out of the sides.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/539306124109902472/

I hope you find these ideas helpful and fun. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below!

Easy Compost Tea

     It's the time of year where people are venturing out into their gardens after a long winter. Or in the case of us Floridians, after a long, hot, drought. What better way to celebrate the change in seasons but with compost? Seriously, compost! You know, that mushy mess you've been stirring, trying to turn it into healthy plant food. One of the best ways to nourish your garden is by utilizing compost and brewing compost tea.

What in the world is compost tea?

     Compost tea is a liquid fertilizer for your plants. Most gardeners consider it “liquid gold.” It's super rich in nutrients, well-balanced, and organic. By brewing compost tea, you enhance the already amazing effects of your compost by adding oxygen. Compost tea helps to increase plant growth, provides fast-acting and quickly absorbed nutrients, provides beneficial organisms (like bacteria) to help boost your plant's immunity, helps suppress diseases and ward off pests, and goes a long way to replace toxic garden chemicals. The best part about compost tea, however, is that if you compost, you can make it year-round, for free!

What do you need to start?

     To start brewing all you really need is well-finished compost (compost that has been broken down into tiny particles. The best place to find this is at the bottom of your compost bin. You don't need much to make a decent batch of compost tea.), a 10-gallon bucket, and a water source. You can also aerate your compost tea by adding a pump to keep the tea moving around, providing a continual oxygen boost. Also optional is a commercial catalyst that can help jump-start the growth of all the beneficial microbes present in your compost.

What to do

     The first step is to fill your bucket 1/3 of the way full with your compost. Then you add water to the top of the bucket. Now if you're using tap water, make sure that you have let it set out for at least a day to get rid of the chlorine, which can kill all those beneficial microbes you want to grow. After adding your water, let the tea steep for 3-4 days, stirring occasionally. After this time, strain the liquid for use.

     You can brew this simple tea, or you can boost the nutrient quality of it by adding a sugar source and/or more nutritious substances. The sugar source, like unsulphered molasses, provides food for the microbes. Powdered seaweed, or fish emulsion, are great to help boost the nutrient quality of your tea. You can also let your compost tea sit for up to a week to make it concentrated.

How to use this tea:

     You can use compost tea in several ways, the easiest of which is by simply pouring it, undiluted and/or unfiltered, onto the soil around your hardy trees and shrubs. You can also dilute it for use on your more delicate or container-bound plants. 10 parts water to 1 part tea is a good start for diluting. You can also use it as a foliar spray, directly on the leaves of the plant. For this you should dilute the tea and add 1/8 tsp of oil to the mix to help it adhere to the leaves.

I hope you enjoy making your compost tea! Feel free to ask questions or comment below! I also enjoy seeing pictures of your amazing gardens!

Resources:

HGTV: How to brew compost tea: http://www.hgtv.com/design/outdoor-design/landscaping-and-hardscaping/how-to-brew-compost-tea

Home Composting Made Easy: How to make compost tea: http://www.homecompostingmadeeasy.com/composttea.html

Mother Earth News: How to make aerated compost tea : http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/gardening-techniques/aerated-compost-tea-zebz1307zsie