herbs

5 Ways to Go Green Today

Posted by Brittany on Jul 17, 2009 in Green | 0 comments

Here are five simple tips that you can get started on today for becoming more environmentally friendly by using less fossil fuel-based energy. Another advantage for you – these steps will also save you hundreds of dollars in the long-run.

1. Use Solar-Powered Chargers. Solar-powered chargers for portable electronic devices are constantly getting less expensive and more efficient at transforming sunlight into electricity to charge your cell phones, mp3 players, and laptops. You’ll never have to plug in your electronics again, plus these panels are portable, meaning you can use them wherever you can get a few hours of sunlight. Many reviewers have suggested charging your gadgets while you’re driving, so that you can still have easy access to them while they’re charging.
2. Collect Rainwater. You can buy a rain barrel designed especially for the purpose of catching rain water (usually placed under a gutter), or you can just put out empty containers before it rains. Of course, you don’t want to drink rainwater, but it can be used perfectly well for watering plants, washing off outdoor furniture, and even for flushing toilets. Cover the containers once there is water in them, because otherwise the stagnant water will draw mosquitoes.
3. Grow Your Own Food. Some edible plants are more suited than others to be grown in small spaces, but herbs, tomatoes, and strawberries are among the most popular foods to grow if you have access to at least a small balcony. If you only have a window, most herbs will receive enough sunlight there to survive, and you might want to consider buying an indoor gardening device that makes the process completely automated and helps the plants flourish under grow lights. I have the AeroGrow indoor garden, and have grown the herbs pack with it with great success, and I know they also have a tomato and a strawberry pack, among others. I have written an extensive post about choosing and growing herbs in containers.
4. Use Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs. You’ve probably heard about these energy-efficient light bulbs in the media. They use 75% less energy than normal light bulbs will providing the same amount of light. I prefer them not only because of the fossil fuels and energy costs saved, but because their light is warm and white, not yellow like most light bulbs. They are made to last about five years, and you can save hundreds on your energy bill if you replace all bulbs in your house with these when they burn out.
5. Insulate Your Home. Most homes in the US that are as young as ten years old are under-insulated, meaning that heat is transferring much faster than it should, increasing your heating and cooling bills more than it should. Proper insulation will lower your bills as well as reducing fossil fuel-based energy used in generating them, and extends the life of your air conditioners and home heating devices, so you have to buy them less often. For more on insulating your home, Lowe’s has a great article on insulating your home and what materials you will need.

These are all suggestions that you can take action on today. Make the decision today to leave less of a carbon footprint on our world, and you will not regret it.

Container Herb Gardening

Posted by Brittany on Mar 29, 2009 in Featured, Green | 1 comment

For anyone who does not have a permanent backyard, it can be difficult to find ways to garden without the luxury of large amounts of land. However, there is a surprising amount of herbs, fruits, and vegetables that can be grown successfully in small containers on balconies or in windowsills, a practice and hobby called container gardening. Growing plants from seeds and young cuttings saves you money, gives you the satisfaction of being self-sufficient, and offers you the convenience of having your plants just a few feet away from you, with no trip to the grocery store necessary.

Herbs are probably the best starting ground for container gardening newbies, as they are easy to grow, don’t take up much space, and can be used in the kitchen in just a few weeks. What’s more, this is the season ideal for planting most herbs! The herbs you should look at are, thyme, basil, oregano, dill, lemon balm, and mint. These plants are both versatile and easy to grow, and it’s hard to imagine a dish you could make that wouldn’t benefit from the addition of at least one of these seasonings. If you want a complete list of all herbs that will survive in containers, visit Container Gardening.

Thyme can withstand a little neglect as well as poorer soil than most herbs can survive in, and thrives in direct sunlight. You will probably need to buy it as a seedling from a nursery, however, as it can be tricky to grow from a seed. Thyme is a popular ingredient in many meat, poultry, soup, and vegetable dishes.

Basil is a hardy herb present in almost any Italian dish. “Sweet Basil” is the most popular variety, and the most useful type to purchase. Unlike thyme, basil is easily and cheaply grown from seeds. Basil also likes strong sun, but keep the soil moist, too. The more you harvest basil, the bushier and fuller it will grow back, so no need to worry about running out of it. To read more about growing basil, among other herbs, check out Lori Kimball’s article on Associated Content.

Oregano is another herb well-adapted to many environments, though it needs well-drained soil to grow well. It is known as the “pizza herb” because of the Italian dish in which it is such a prominent feature, but you may also recognize it in Mexican and Spanish meals. It is best grown from a nursery cutting. Oregano can survive the winter if you bring it inside and place it near a well-lit window.

Dill is another sun-loving herb, and grows best if planted in the early spring. You can easily grow it from seeds, and dill will usually reseed itself, so your first dill seed purchase will hopefully also be your last. It can grow several feet high, so make sure that, once fully grown, your dill won’t block the sunlight of your other herbs. Dill is a common flavoring in potato and fish dishes.

Lemon Balm is a, not surprisingly, lemon-flavored herb used in flavoring teas, salads, and sauces. It can grow in most climates, and will usually survive the winter, especially if you mulch it in the fall. It tends to be invasive, so container gardening is actually ideal to control lemon balm, and many people with traditional gardens will still choose to pot lemon balm. You can grow it fairly easily from seeds. Keep the soil moist but well drained, and harvest and prune it often for best results.

Mint is available in hundreds of varieties, but the same general concepts apply to all of these: containers for mints, like lemon balm, are ideal for control the herb’s weed-like tendencies. It grows best in fertile soil and partial, and sprouts easily from seeds. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. During the winter it will usually survive indoors by a window, if you take care of it well.

For more cooking with herbs advice, visit this article on Googobits. For more thorough planting and growing advice, visit this excellent herb gardening website categorized by the most popular herbs. Some of the information, however, you will need to adapt to a container gardening situation.