Fwd: February Herb of the Month

[Guest guest]

My Dear Herbal Enthusiast:

February has brought us some much needed rain and, most happily, a new

granddaughter for us, Finley Josephine Couch, born on Jan. 16th, the

first day of the now famous ICE BLAST of 2007.

I have some cool pictures of my garden from the Ice Storm and I invite

all of you to send me a picture of your icy garden in a jpg file and we

will post it on my website, with your name. If you just want to look at

mine and Linda's (my webmaster) pictures, check out the link on my Home

page, www.ezherbs.net <http://www.ezherbs.net/>.

I wanted to let you all know that there is still some room left in

*Medicinal Herbalism: The Basics* on *Feb. 17th.* This is an all day

class designed for folks who are beginning to use and learn more about

herbs.

http://www.ezherbs.net/medicinal%20herbalism%20registration2-17-07.htm.

You can register online through Paypal, download a registration form and

send a check, or you can ask me for a purple class brochure with a

registration form, and mail the payment.

I have also just uploaded the schedule for the *10 Session Spring Herbal

Intensive*. This is a very popular comprehensive course on learning the

growing habits, properties and uses of about 100 herbs. Many of these

herbs are growing in my garden and the others would like to be. In each

class we sample teas made from the herbs we are studying and a special

culinary dish with the medicinal herbs we are studying will be shared

and enjoyed. It's a great, fun and a wonderful learning experience in a

relaxed atmosphere and I invite you to check it out:

http://www.ezherbs.net/EZ%20Herbs_files%20current/Spring2007%2010%20session%20in\

tensive.htm.

As always, if you have any questions please call or email me. The garden

will be glorious this spring, full of lots of wildflowers, perennials,

herbs, roses and more, thanks to the rain we've had.

In honor of our recent ICE BLAST, this month's Herb of the Month is

about preparing for such an event. Please read on, check out my pictures

and send on one of your own. Stay warm and cozy. Many Herbal Greetings,

Ellen

PS I invite you to watch The Central Texas Gardener on Feb 24th at 12

noon and 4pm to view one of your favorite herbalists, me. The show also

airs several other times during the week on KLRU. Now on to the Herb of

the Month.

 

*February 2007 Herb of the Month*

 

* *

 

*Surviving the Ice Storm of 2007*

 

I sincerely hope that all of you enjoyed our few days at home and I also

hope that your garden and plants tolerated the ice as well as mine did.

I thought that I would write about this as many of you have requested

any helpful information that would assist you in surviving the next

Siberian ice blast soon to appear.

 

First of all, it is important to protect your garden prior to any ice

storms or extended freezes. What I can best do is tell you what I do

every winter. Several weeks before the expected first freeze (usually

around Nov. 15^th or so), I go back and forth from my mulch pile and

apply this mulch to most of my tender plants. These include Lemon

Verbena, Esperanza, Brugmansias, Hibiscus, Lemon Grass and many more too

numerous to mention. Just KNOW your garden and where those tender

perennials are. I occasionally miss one or two plants, and they often

survive nonetheless. I use my own cedar trees which we have mulched and

which have stood in a pile on my property for awhile. The cedar has aged

sufficiently so there wonÂ’t be a problem with cedar leeching nitrogen

from the soil as some suspect.

 

In addition to mulching, I, we, and anyone else I can wrangle into the

job, takes heavy potted plants (and I have dozens of these, last count

was 45 or so) into my small, but very efficient greenhouse where they

happily stay until approximately March 15^th . I water them from my

rainwater tank (which they love) and many plants blossom during the

winter. I have these gorgeous hot pink bromeliad flowers, an Aloe vera

bloom and even my Holy Basil is blooming.

 

Always water your garden thoroughly before a freeze or a long cold

spell, a well watered garden is the best preventative to any ice damage.

Luckily prior to the ICE BLAST, we had a lot of rain and that really

helped my garden. As a matter of fact, my garden looked incredibly

vibrant and healthy after the ice melted.

 

So surviving an ice blast or freezing weather takes just a couple

things. Take it easy, nature has its way of surviving whatever it needs

to. Secondly MULCH, MULCH, MULCH, the best prevention. And finally bring

your potted plants inside, and when itÂ’s really cold, use a heater in

your garage, shielded patio or green house. Also cover any of your

favorite plants with old sheets, towels or row cloth.

 

Now go get prepared for the upcoming SIBERIAN BLAST!!

 

Green Blessings, Ellen

 

Ellen Zimmermann

Sharing the Wisdom of the Plants

www.ezherbs.net <http://www.ezherbs.net/>

512-301-5838