Val's Garden Plants

12/07/2023

🌿🌟🌿

Day 6:

Thyme is very easy to GROW and super winter hardy even in pots. There's a wide variety of Thyme to choose from... English Thyme, French Thyme, Lemon Thyme, Lime Thyme, and Varigated Thyme are just a few of the varieties. English and French tend to be the best to cook with. All are lovely for a scented garden.

My favorite ways to use Thyme in COOKING are:

✔ With any poultry recipe... Thyme enhances the flavor of poultry. I'll even put Thyme twigs on top of chicken breasts while grilling them!

✔ Add fresh thyme to soups to enhance the depth and flavor of the soup.

✔ Fresh thyme is wonderful in white bean and sausage stew.

Thyme's HEALING PROPERTIES include:

📝 Note: There are 2 types of Thyme essential oils... Thyme ct thymol and Thyme ct linalool. Thyme ct thymol is very strong and can irritate skin and mucous membranes. Thyme ct linalool is more mild and can be used on skin. Both need to be used sparingly and diluted with carrier oils to avoid irritation.

📌 Germ Buster -
Thyme ct thymol can be used in cleaners to clean with natural anti-bacterial properties. Use 5 drops Grapefruit essential oil, 4 drops of Saro essential oil, and 1 drop of Thyme ct thymol essential oil in your favorite diffuser to purify and clean the air in your home.

📌 Purify -
Thyme ct linalool to purify acne-prone skin
1 drop of Manuka essential oil,1 drop of Patchouli essential oil, 1 drop Thyme ct linalool essential oil in 1 ounce of argan oil. Rub gently on face at nighttime.

📌 Healthy Airways -
6 drops of Thyme ct linalool and 6 drops of lemon essential oil on the cotton wick of an inhaler to keep your airways open and healthy

*** As with all powerful tools, herbs need to be respected and used with care. If you have sensitive skin, always use essential oils with a carrier oil and do a test patch. Generally, avoid essential oils if you're pregnant and avoid using essential oils on young children and pets.

If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to me and I'll do my best to answer you from my experience and resources. 🌿❤🌿

12/06/2023

🌿🌟🌿

Day 5:

Lavender is fairly easy to GROW as an annual. I find it does best for me in pots. In particular, clay pots with well-draining soil. Put the pot in a sunny spot where you'll walk by it often brushing against the leaves and buds to release their wonderful smell. I also like to grab a leaf and rub it between my fingers. Smells so lovely!

My favorite ways to use Lavender in COOKING are:

✔ Lavender cookies are always a hit!

✔ Lemon lavender jelly

✔ Lavender lemonade

✔ Lavender nice cream with blueberries

📝 Note: Make sure to use an English Lavender variety in your recipes for the best taste!

Lavender's HEALING PROPERTIES include:

📌 Relax and Relieve Stress -
Make a Lavender sleep pillow to tick under your regular pillow at night. Sew a square or rectangle with soft material and fill with Lavender buds. You can also add a few drops to an inhaler to relieve stress on the go during the day.

📌 Tension Headaches -
Use 6 drops of Frankincense essential oil, 3 drops of Lavender essential oil, and 2 drops of Rosemary essential oil in 1 ounce of unscented cream or Jojoba oil. Rub into your neck and shoulders when you first start feeling tension build.

📌 Joint Pain -
Use 8 drops of Lavender essential oil and 8 drops of Juniper Berry essential oil in 1 ounce of Trauma oil and massage aching joints 3-5 times a day.

*** As with all powerful tools, herbs need to be respected and used with care. If you have sensitive skin, always use essential oils with a carrier oil and do a test patch. Generally, avoid essential oils if you're pregnant and avoid using essential oils on young children and pets.

If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to me and I'll do my best to answer you from my experience and resources. 🌿❤🌿

12/05/2023

🌿🌟🌿

Day 4:

Basil is easy to GROW as an annual. However, Basil does not like to dry out as much as other herbs. The leaves will wilt fairly quickly when too dry. The best place to plant Basil is next to your 🍅 tomato plants. They taste great together and they love growing next to each other too!

🌱 Genovese Basil is the absolute best variety to grow for making pesto. Pinch the flower tops off to keep it producing leaves.

My favorite ways to use Basil in COOKING are:

✔ Chop up the leaves and sprinkle over pasta

✔ Roughly chop leaves and add as a topping to your pizza (an easy way is to roll the leaves like little ci**rs and then slice crossways into slivers)

✔ Caprese salad with mozzarella, tomatoes, and Basil topped with a balsamic reduction

✔ Pesto with olive oil, salt, pepper, pine nuts, and parmesan and then add to basically everything Italian 🤣

Basil's HEALING PROPERTIES include:

📌 Calm a Queasy Stomach -
Feeling nauseous? Put a drop of Basil essential oil on a tissue and then inhale slowly

📌 Relieve Soreness -
Aid your body's natural healing ability with a Basil massage blend. 8 drops of Basil essential oil and 3 drops of Eucalyptus essential oil in 1 ounce of Jojoba oil.

📌 Immune Support -
Put 3-5 drops of Basil essential oil in an inhaler and inhale deeply 1-2 times a day to strengthen your body's natural defenses against seasonal threats

*** As with all powerful tools, herbs need to be respected and used with care. If you have sensitive skin, always use essential oils with a carrier oil and do a test patch. Generally, avoid essential oils if you're pregnant and avoid using essential oils on young children and pets.

If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to me and I'll do my best to answer you from my experience and resources. 🌿❤🌿

12/03/2023

🌿🌟🌿

Every day of December, I aim to post about a different herb, giving you info about growing, cooking with, and using that herb medicinally.

Day 3 is

Oregano is fairly easy to GROW. Give it a sunny, well-draining spot to grow and supplement watering in the beginning if not enough rain. Once it gets established, I find it quite hardy even in our see-saw, somewhat harsh winters in Missouri.

My favorite ways to use Oregano in COOKING are:

✔ Mince the Oregano leaves and sprinkle over your pizza sauce before adding on other ingredients. Takes your 🍕 pizza 🍕 to a whole other level!

✔ Chop the Oregano leaves and add to vegetables either at the end of sautéing or before roasting along with salt, pepper, and olive oil

✔ Chop the Oregano leaves and add to your lemon/vinegar, olive oil marinades. So good!

Oregano's HEALING PROPERTIES include:

📌 Purify -
Oregano is a great germ buster! Make your own hand cleanser using 8-10 drops of Oregano essential oil to 2 ounces of aloe vera gel. You can add a bit of filters water if you feel it's too thick.

📌 Support During Cold Season -
Make a blend of Oregano essential oil and Jojoba oil to rub on your body. Use 4 drops of Oregano oil to 1 ounce of Jojoba oil.

📌 Muscle Spasms -
Make a blend of Oregano essential oil with Trauma oil to soothe a throat sore from coughing. 4 drops Oregano essential oil to 1 ounce of Trauma oil. Be careful - Trauma oil will stain clothes, etc it comes in contact with.

📝 Note: Oregano essential oil is very strong and powerful. It is a skin irritant, so it MUST be diluted in a carrier oil. Do NOT use if pregnant, on young children, or sensitive skin.

*** As with all powerful tools, herbs need to be respected and used with care. If you have sensitive skin, always use essential oils with a carrier oil and do a test patch. Generally, avoid essential oils if you're pregnant and avoid using essential oils on young children and pets.

If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to me and I'll do my best to answer you from my experience and resources. 🌿❤🌿

07/11/2016

Couldn't agree more! Nature feeds your heart, nourishes your soul and grounds you to your roots.

✿✿✿

10/26/2015

Love this doctor's approach to medicine! :)

http://www.naturalblaze.com/2015/10/medical-doctor-sells-practice-opens-up-farmacy-using-food-as-medicine.html

This former doctor has turned from supporting pharmacy to supporting FARMACY - plant-based medicine with a focus on the many natural paths to healing.

07/13/2015

Here's a good reference chart for how much you need to plant to feed your family.

How Much You Need To Plant To Feed Your Family, seeds, gardening, heirloom seeds, survival garden, food, fresh vegetables,

06/06/2015

A little butterfly beauty for your enjoyment! :)

03/30/2015

Looking for cute ideas for Easter? Here's a great "garden" idea for the table! :)

Have you ever seen anything cuter than this?! And it is completely healthy for your whole family to enjoy this Easter.

www.plantstrongfitness.com

Even the kids will love eating their veggies when you present it in a cute little garden like this one. And it's really simple to make!

Here’s what you need:
small orange sweet peppers
hummus (use your favorite flavor)
fresh, Italian parsley
black bean hummus for the "dirt"

1. Cut the stems off your sweet peppers and remove seeds from inside.
2. Stuff hollow peppers with your favorite hummus.
3. Break off tips of parsley and stick into the hummus to create your "carrot stems".
4. Spread a bit of black bean hummus on a plate as your garden's "dirt" and arrange "carrots" in your garden as you like :)

That's it!

We hope that you and your family have an amazing Easter and will enjoy this healthy treat together! :)

P.S.- Don't forget to register for our live webinar at www.plantstrongfitness.com !

03/26/2015

Now this is a compost bin!!! :)