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Using Compost FAQ (long)
The following is a collection of composting advice from Jim
McNelly, aka Mr. Compost. Long-time readers of rec. gardens
will know him well. It is a compilation of some of his replies
to various questions from this group. It contains the
essentials of composting. If anyone has other of his posts
saved, I would sure like to recieve them.
Michael Matthews in central VA
***************************
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Composting 101
From: jim.mcnelly@granite.mn.org (Jim Mcnelly)
Organization: Granite City Connection St. Cloud MN 612-654-8372
Denys is about to buy soil instead of compost :-(
DC>I am planning on hiring a landscaper to install lawn on my
5,600 sq foot yard. The thickness of the loam makes significant
difference in cost. Some landscaper told me I need 6 inches'
loam, while another said I only need 3. Someone even said the
quality of lawn has little to do with the thickness of the
loam. I am really confused. How do you think ?
For the beginning lawn or garden, there is no substitute for
tilling in 3" of compost 9" deep. I have been in the organic
fertilizer business since 1975 and have helped thousands of
yards. They all have lusher yards and lawns with a healthy soil
system. Once the lawn is planted, it is very difficult to go
back and add compost later. Most homes had the topsoil scraped
off and sold, leaving subsoil with a token layer of black dirt.
Most topsoil sold is low in organic matter and is worthless for
soil building. A rich application of compost will pay for itself
in a few years in water savings and increased property value.
All else is secondary. If you have a lawn that you are starting
to reclaim and don't want to start all over, then applying 1/2"
of compost and reseeding in the spring for the next ten years is
a way of building up the lawn gradually over time. Remember to
leave the clippings to lie. Organic matter is the only way to
build up a soil.
Mr Compost~~~
Jim~ McNelly
Granite Connection 612-259-0801
jim.mcnelly@granite.mn.org
---
* May 22nd - Nitrate: Lower than the day rate.
>>My girlfriend told me that the sticks and twigs poking out of
the gound had been pulled in by worms.I laughed of course but
last night we crouched down in the garden and sure enough worms
were grabbing stuff and trying to pull it down their
holes!>They were yanking on the dead tulip leaves, the cosmos
and whatever they could get their mouths on!
>>Why?
Nightcrawlers, lumbricus terrestris, live in permanent burrows
in the soil which they excavate from childhood. They can go as
deep as sixteen feet and typically have around seven openings
on the surface. When it is moist, dark, and cool, they rise to
the surface, keeping their tail in the burrow, and forage for
scraps of organic matter. This material they tow back into the
burrow where it is stored in "root cellars" for eating at a
later date.
The mass of organic scraps in the underground chambers are
tended carefully as the worm excretes enzyme rich "coleomic
fluids" that cause the matter to be digested over time. This
is why worms are called "exodigestive" organisms as contrasted
with mammals that are "endodigestive". When the mass of
organics is properly composted, full of protozoa and other
earthworm delicacies, the worm finally eats it.
As such, earthworms do not "eat" soil except to excavate. Nor
do they "eat" organic matter, unless it has been fully
decomposed in their underground chambers. Without a burrow
network, the nightcrawler has no habitat or a means to prepare
their food. This is why I do not recommend adding soil worms
to compost piles, as they must have a burrow network underneath
in order to be of any use. Redworms, or manure worms can be
added to compost piles past the cooking phase. They do not have
permanent burrows and must eat with other worms en masse~,
relying on their fellows to pre-digest for them just as they
pre-digest for others.
Redworms fare poorly in mineral soils just as nightcrawlers
fare poorly in compost piles. The best way to increase worm
populations is to add mulch! The worms will mix it with the
soil and effect its decomposition. A healthy virgin prairie or
deciduous forest soil may have up to 1,000 pounds of worms per
acre, compared with about 5 pounds of all other large animals
combined. Depleted soils that are overmuch tilled and eroded
may have fewer than 100 worms per acre.
So be glad your worms are eating, for soon there will be young
worms hoping for more food to be found on the surface.
In my estimation, all successful gardening and farming can be be
narrowed down to one key concept...... Feed Earthworms!
Mr Compost~~~
---
* June 13th - Old musicians never die, they just decompose.
Forrest,
It is the lousy clay soil that killed your grass to begin
with. Tilling in the old sod is a noble organic gesture, but
will not solve your fundamental problem, which is the lack of
organic matter in the soil.
You need to till in 3" of compost 9" deep before replanting.
All else is treating the symptoms, not the cause.
My first organic soil business was in the Denver area and I
prepared hundreds of lawns this way. I will guarantee, that
even after over ten years have passed, that these lawns are
still green, lush, and drought resistant. You could see the
difference the very first year when they watered less and still
the grass stayed green during the summer.
Face it. Your topsoil was stolen by the contractor. The
topsoil that was there was poor to begin with anyway. Build a
new soil from scratch. Call E&A fertilizer, Arts, Colorado
Mushroom, or A1 Compost out of Greely. There are plenty of
organic sales companies in your area. Don't get talked into
the "sheep and peat" mix. Go for the pure compost.
Mr Compost~~~
* April 9th - Recycle! Today's Garbage is tomorrow's America.
Subject: Re: Soil denseness
----------------------------------------
S. responds further>>>
SM>Thanks for your advice!
SM> I hope your yard can withstand the raising of the soil
level, which will be a net of around three inches when all is
said and done.
SM>Well, that _is_ problematic, actually. The soil level has
already risen over the years to the point that it is roughly
even with the basement window sills.... And of course it is
not a good idea to dig this out, because you want the land to
slope away from the foundation.
In the years when I was an organic landscaper, I was amazed at
the number of homes that had poor drainage! The lousy grading
plans of instant housing builders is criminal in my opinion. I
think that a builder should be liable for lousy drainage for at
least twenty years. They should also be required to post a
bond for remediating lousy drainage.
Homes should be built on elevated platforms and water should
not drain through the neighbor's yard. One friend of mine has
a garage floor that is at the same elevation as the curb.
There is no drainage whatsoever and his basement floods every
time it rains. I had to install a gravel sump and french drain
to help solve his problem.
SM> Just spread the soil/leaf mix over the entire area to be
amended and water thoroughly.
SM>No forking at all?
That's right. Let the worms do the work of mixing.
SM> It is important to keep it *very moist* thereafter,
SM>Yes, I plan to put in some sort of irrigation system. What
do you recommend? Rubber soaker hose? Tyvek soaker hose? Drip
irrigation?
Regular surface irrigation that waters evenly from the top, not
a sub or drip system. Your goal is to water the soil, not just
the plants.
SM> ..It will take over a year, but the worms will eventually
increase in population proportional to the new food level....
SM>Is it worthwhile to buy worms? If so, what kind and from
where?
No. Native soil worms like nightcrawlers live in permanent
burrows which they excavate from youth. They live in these
burrows all their lives, if they leave such as after a severe
downpour, they are homeless and usually die. It is too
difficult for an adult worm to excavate a new burrow network
once they have left. Although the thick mulch layer can give
them a transition zone to live in while they excavate a new
tunnel network, adding worms is largely a waste of money.
I assume that you already have a native worm population. As
such, they will immediately begin reproducing to catch up with
the increased food level. Let them multiply on their own.
If you do add worms, you might add some redworms which are not
native soil worms. They do not have permanent burrows and will
live in the moist surface mulch layer. They compete for food
with the nightcrawlers, however, which is the opposite of your
goal. The redworms will not survive a solid freeze nor will
they burrow or live in a mineral soil.
Mr Compost~~~
Jim~ McNelly
Granite Connection 612-259-0801
jim.mcnelly@granite.mn.org
---
* June 5th - Start your own revelation and cut out the middle
man
Subject: Soil denseness
Donald bemoans the eternal clay: DLH>My garden soil is dense
clay (apparently) and I can't get it to loosen up. I have put
composted stuff in to try to break it up, but it doesn't work.
DLH>Does anyone have any suggestions?
Sure Donald,
It took nature 500 years to make one inch of topsoil. Even
adding 3" of compost and tilling it in 9" deep is only the
start of creating an organic soil that is a suitable habitat to
soil organisms.
If you really want to get the soil enriched, hire a backhoe and
dig out eighteen inches. Mix 1 part compost, well aged and
fully decomposed as that is the most concentrated, with two or
three parts old soil.
Replace and you have an instant soil. At roughly 6" of
compost, that equates to around one cubic yard per 54 square
feet. I would bet that your compost application, if it was
even compost, was fairly light and you are giving up too easily.
Mr Compost~~~
Jim~ McNelly
Granite Connection 612-259-0801
jim.mcnelly@granite.mn.org
---
* June 1st - Composters have heaps of fun.
Marc asks an excellent question:
MR>I am confused about peat moss not being a good source of
plant food.
>It is dead vegetation so why no food value? Why is it not
the same as composted vegetation?
Hi Marc,
It is not so much that peat has *no* food value, just that it
has very lttle. The nitrogen level in compost, for example
ranges from .8% up to 2%. Uncomposted manures and other high N
products can N levels around 1% for horse manure through 3% for
dairy manure up to 8% for human manure.
The N level in peat moss is typically below .1%, less than
1/20th of a well made compost. The P and K values are not so
much lower than compost, but these minerals are typically low
in organic sources from plants anyway.
Peat is accumulated from a single source moss, typically
sphagnum, reed-sedge, or hypnum which are mostly fiber, low in
nutrients. Depending on where and how it was mined, it may
have mineral contents from 80% (mostly soil) to 10% (true
moss). It takes thousands of years for peat to accumulate and
when the mosses die, they fall into the soil to decompose very
slowly. Since mosses grow in wetlands, the decomposition is
anaerobic, and anaerobes are notoriously poor at attacking
carbon like the aerobes are. What little N is there is used
within a few decades to support the meager anaerobe population,
after which time the moss just sits there, concentrating.
When humans come in and mine the peat, the degree of
mineralization is dependent on where in the bog, which can
often be up to 40 feet deep, the peat was removed. The top few
feet is mostly living moss, the next layer is the peat we are
used to purchasing, and the lower layers are more of a
texture-less muck, high in mineral content, not unlike a black
topsoil. Of course sphagnum behaves differently from the other
mosses and each bog is unique.
When the peat is mined, it is then used in various soil mixes
or as a landscaping amendment. It is then exposed to N from
the other soil it is blended with and the aerobic decomposition
process begins. This actually starts the peat to compost in a
manner of speaking, although it is actually a poor source of
carbon for composting since it is in a physical structure that
is resistant to microbial attack due to the cell structure of
the moss.
As an organic matter substrate for soil amending, particularly
for helping a soil drain or hold water, it is equal to compost
or manures, perhaps better in some respects. As a food source
for a healthy soil ecosystem, it is rather inert and low in
value. Compost is a true bacteria food and immediately
stimulates active beneficial soil cultures which in turn
produce pheromes and other beneficial byproducts not measured
by NPK or humus analysis.
I treat peat like an organic mineral, an inert buffer with low
value other than its physical structure. As an
environmentalist, I oppose the wanton mining of wetlands and
the indifference of highway designers and farmers in draining
peatlands. Over 90% of the reed-sedge peat resources in the 48
states are lost or severely damaged, particularly in the
mountain states. Most uses of peat would be better served by
recycled products such as bark and compost. I only use peat
for certain planter mixes when I can find no substitute.
MR>I read that it will slowly disappear in the soil over time.
What happens to it? Does it make the soil more acid?
Peat, like all organic matter, oxidizes in the soil over time
leaving various humus compounds. The chemistry is basically
one mole of CO2 and one mole of heat is produced by bacterial
action (composting) or chemical oxidation. Its acidification
properties depend on the source and initial pH level of the
peat. Some sphagnum peat is in the high 4 range, some sedges
are neutral or even alkaline. There is no way to know the acid
properties of a particular peat without a pH test. The
acidification effect is also lost over time, depending on the
ambient pH level and other soil conditions.
MR>Gardening books are not clear on this.
They are not clear on most issues related to the use of organic
matter in any of its forms. They tend to be chemically focused
with the notion that all soil is inert media, a necessary evil,
which is used to hold roots in order to feed the plant with
chemicals. Hydroponic gardening with rock wool and chemical
solutions is the ultimate example of this narrow view of the
humusphere and its relationship with plant growth. The carbon
respiration cycle is rarely taught in schools, whereas the
cycle of H2O from surface water to clouds is universally taught.
The carbon cycle goes from atmospheric CO2 to plants to humus
and back to CO2.
Hope this helps.
Mr Compost~~~
* May 8th - Let's see what this one does... &%$/()"@# NO
CARRIER
The question came up: E I bought some Milorganite to put on my
lawn (6-2-0). Somewhere in the past I have read that
milorganite contains traces of heavy metals. Is there any truth
to this?
To which Eric replied:
>On the bag (lower back-right corner, I think) it says that it
should not be used for consumption as it may contain heavy
metals.
To which the mysterious Mr Compost~~~ chimes in:
Not all sludges are created equal, and what might be true for
one wastewater treatment facility might not be true for another.
But as far as Milorganite goes, my understanding is that years
ago, Milwaukee let their industrial sewers blend with their
residential, and there were occasional moderate levels of
cadmium and other heavy metals of concern.
Milwaukee modified their entire sewerage system during the past
ten years and now produces Milorganite from a relatively clean
source. This upgrade cost tens of millions of dollars and was
designed to ensure a consistent, and safe sludge based product
for residential use.
As far as heavy metals go, they are found everywhere in various
concentrations. They are in leaves, background soil, peat,
manures and the food we eat. The number one source of heavy
metal contamination in the environment is cigarette smoking,
which contains high levels of cadmium. Another source is lead
>from outlawed lead based solder in copper pipes. Still another
is zinc from multivitamins.
The question about heavy metals is based on the parts per
million (concentration) and the pounds per acre
(accumulation). These two limiting factors are determined by
detecting, according to the EPA rules governing the beneficial
use of sewage sludge, the "most affected individual". This
might mean a child eating pounds of the sludge and taking in
lead, or it might mean a farmer whose crop is inhibited by a
zinc/iron imbalance. Or it might mean a two pack a day smoker
who eats twenty pounds of lettuce from their sludge amended
garden.
These concentrations and extreme cases are the basis for
determining "safe" levels in the soil as far as plant growth,
pollution, and human health are concerned. I can state without
reservation that the current levels of heavy metals in
Milorganite are nothing to be concerned with, even if you use
the product every year for hundreds of years. I would use the
product (if it were not so expensive) in my garden without a
second thought.
The notices about heavy metals and the restrictions posted are
for liability protection to the sewerage district and are
posted by lawyers, not scientists. They are designed to
encourage the use of the product in lawns, which is where the
retail money is anyway.
Mr Compost~~~
* April 9th - Coincide. What you are supposed to do when it
rains.
Darin McGrew comments:
M>For those of you who grow your own seedlings in soil blocks,
what soil mixture do you use? When we bought our soil blocker,
we also bought a soil block mix from the same company (so we
could start using soil blocks quickly). However, now I'd like
to mix my own soil block mix,and I'm curious what works best
for others.
M>The mix that we purchased was made of refined perlite, reed
sedge peat, sharp sand, dolomitic lime, and beneficial bacteria.
I don't prefer reed sedge peat. For one, it is strip mined out
of fragile wetlands and varies widely in quality. Sphagnum is
mined in a more renewable manner from vast expanses of bogs in
Canada. Hypnumn peat is my favorite, but it is hard to find.
Sharp sand is a misnomer, usually referring to #8 masonry sand.
Occasionally it means true silica sand, which costs up to ten
times more.
I add limestone, usually as 38% CACO3 only after an accurate pH
test and then according to clear formulas to increase the pH up
to the desired level. I shoot for 6.5 pH in my potting mixes.
Beneficial bacteria? I hope they aren't talking about packaged
"inoculants". They don't hurt, but I am not convinced they
help, either. To me, "add bacteria" means add a well made
compost.
M>Here are some recipes that I've seen in books:
M> 1 part peat moss
> 1 part compost, leaf mold, soil, commercial potting soil
> 1 part sharp sand, vermiculite, perlite
M> 1 part compost, leaf mold
> 1 part sharp sand, vermiculite, perlite
M> 1 part compost, leaf mold
> 1 part commercial potting soil
> 1 part sharp sand, vermiculite, perlite
M> 1 part compost, leaf mold
> 1 part commercial potting soil
M> 1 part compost, leaf mold
> 2 parts commercial potting soil
> 1 part composted manure
M>At this point, I'm leaning towards equal parts of peat moss,
compost, and vermiculite, but I haven't tried it yet. What
works for you?
I *love* using leaf mould (I prefer the British spelling), and
*never* use any of the commercial potting soils, unless I know
*exactly* what is in it. As a mixer and packager of potting
soils for twenty years, I have been to many of these
"commercial" facilities and some of them throw in whatever they
happen to have available at the moment. If you like what goes
into hot dogs and non dairy creamer, you will *love* some of
these so called potting soils.
In *any* planter mix, there is no substitute for at least 20%
earthworm castings, but not more than 33%. Not only to the
worms fully cure the compost, helping to prevent damping off
and root rot, they add growth hormones that are guaranteed to
help the plant grow like crazy, 20% to 200% over conventional
compost.
Here is my secret universal soil mix formula.
5 parts hypnum peat
2 parts decomposed bark (pine or hardwood usually)
4 parts worm castings
1 part sand either silica or #8 masonry
2 parts coarse compost (preferably leaf mould; mushroom is ok)
2 parts funny white things (usually vermiculite)
CACO3 only as needed
Add a dusting of diatomite & seaweed to taste for
micronutrients.
Screen at 1/2"
Mr Compost~~~
Jim~ McNelly
ReSourceNet and GardenNet 612-654-8372, 656-0678 v.32bis
jim.mcnelly@granite.mn.org
---
* April 9th - Please let me know if you did not receive this.
. 6 .. archives Q, .cap INDEX X richters `[ pictures l programs _ faqs ~4 incoming SWSBM "C
Marco_Bleeker p Howie_Brounstein + Fragrant_Garden database 7
neat_stuff README allfiles.txt
readme.txt -----
Newsgroups: rec.gardens,alt.folklore.herbs,rec.food.preserving
Subject: Culinary herb FAQ (v.1.00) Part 1/2
Organization: ... ei meill' oo...
Followup-To: rec.gardens
Reply-To: HeK@hetta.pp.fi
Expires: Thu, 31 Aug 1995 00:00:00 GMT
Summary: What you have always wanted to know (and ask on a
newsgroup) about culinary herbs
Archive-name: culinary-herbs/part1
SunSITE-archive-name: culinary-herbs.faq.part1.v1.00
Posting-Frequency: has yet to be decided
Last-modified: 1995/07/28
Version: 1.00
A culinary herb FAQ / Resource list for the rec.gardens newsgroup.
Should be available by ftp or www shortly. ;)
I'll post the where-to-go-get-it -thingy later.
Keeper:
Henriette Kress (HeK@hetta.pp.fi)
Very active contributors so far:
How do you get listed here? Easy. Give me some good input on any
missing item ('wishlist'), or a valuable correction on any entry,
or a valuable addition on any entry. ;) All good stuff is
welcome.
Gwen Baker <Baker.325@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Judith Rogow <jrogow@ridgecrest.ca.us>
Karen Fletcher <fletcher@firefly.prairienet.org>
Michael Rooney <mrooney@mrooney.pn.com>
Leslie Basel <lebasil@ag.arizona.edu>
Others:
Amy Smith <aks3@cornell.edu>
Amy Snell <asnell@interaccess.com>
Bess Haile <bhaile@leo.vsla.edu>
Carole Henson <carole@chenson.demon.co.uk>
Dan Baldwin <baldwin@frodo.colorado.edu>
David & Paula Oliver <doliver@minerva.polaristel.net>
Diana Politika <diana.politika@tenforward.com>
Donna Beach <phuyett@cctr.umkc.edu>
DonW1948@aol.com
Elizabeth Platt <eaplatt@worm.hooked.net>
James Michael Kocher <jk1n+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Jason Wade Rupe <jwr3150@tam2000.tamu.edu>
Jeffrey Clayton <clayton2@ix.netcom.com> (Barb.)
Jennifer Norris <norrisj@boalt.berkeley.edu>
jnilsen@minerva.cis.yale.edu
Joep@reol.com
Josh Bogin <bogin@is2.nyu.edu>
Kathy French <french@jeeves.ucsd.edu>
Kaycee Curr <kcurr@cyberspace.com>
Kenneth Nilsson <kenneth@dicom.se>
kpmglib@netcom.com
Leslie Paul Davies <lpdavies@bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us>
Libby Goldstein <libby@igc.apc.org>
Mandy Haggith <hag@aisb.ed.ac.uk>
Mark David Morrison <mmorriso@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu>
Mel Atchley <melatchley@aol.com>
Michelle Marie Manke <mmm@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu>
Mike Stallcup <michael.stallcup@mercury.msfc.nasa.gov>
Nancy Moote <nancy_moote@sunshine.net>
Peter Mortimer <ag500@ccn.cs.dal.ca>
rgyure@aol.com
Rick Giese <southsky@maui.net>
Rita Melnick <melnick@stsci.edu>
Robert G. Nold <rnold@sanewssa.mnet.uswest.com>
Rudy Taraschi <rudy@cae.ca>
Sarah G. <rscw081@uacsc1.albany.edu>
Sheri McRae <sherae@zeta.org.au>
skifast123@aol.com
sonny hays-eberts <eberts@donald.uoregon.edu>
Steve Cogorno <cogorno@netcom.com>
Susan D. Hill <Anahita@aol.com>
Susan Hattie Steinsapir <hattie@netcom.com>
Susan Nielsen <snielsen@ednet1.osl.or.gov>/
<gz885@cleveland.Freenet.Edu>
Suzanne M. Engels <engels@wibla.mv.att.com>
Tom Havey <thavey@boi.hp.com>
vshafer216@aol.com
wayne chase <chaseway@nbnet.nb.ca>
Wendi L Gardner <wlgardne@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
==========
CONTENTS
1 Introduction
1.1 Wishlist
2 Herbs: gardening / harvesting / using them
2.x This is the structure of the herb entries:
2.x.1 Growing ___
2 x 2 Harvesting ___
2.x.3 Using / preserving ___
2.x.4 Which ___ do you have?
And these are the herbs so far:
2.1 Basil - including pesto recipes...
2.2 Curry plant / Curry leaf
2.3 Sage
2.4 Chives
2.5 Saffron
2.6 Zucchini flowers
2.7 Chamomile
2.8 Coriander/Cilantro
2.9 The mints
2.10 Feverfew
2.11 Tarragon
2.12 Nasturtiums
2.13 Dill
2.14 Rosemary
2.15 Lavender
2.16 Lemon balm
2.17 Garlic
2.18 Thyme
3 Gardening
3.1 Herbs for ground cover (Nothing yet)
3.2 Herbs you can't get rid of (= easy gardening) (Nothing yet)
3.3 Tall herbs (Nothing yet)
3.4 Herbs for shade
4 Processing herbs
4.1 Herb vinegars
4.2 Herb oil
4.3 Drying your herbs
4.4 Freezing your herbs - including pesto...
4.5 Fresh or dry? (Nothing yet)
4.6 Jelly, syrup and other sweet stuff
4.6.1 Flower / herb jelly
4.6.2 Syrup
4.7 Potpourris and other uses for dried herbs / flowers
4.7.1 Stovetop potpourri
4.7.2 Dry potpourri
4.7.3 Drying flowers whole for potpourri
4.8 Alcoholic beverages
4.8.1 Wine
5 Sites to see
5.1 FTP sites (Nothing yet)
5.2 WWW pages (Nothing yet)
==========
1 Introduction
-----
Hi all,
here's the new culinary/gardening herbfaq, with nothing much taken from
the previous herbfaq (by Judith Ann Reed, latest update 10/14/93...)
except perhaps the herb gardening IDEAS...
Now, everybody, just swamp me with suggestions, please, I'd like some
feedback. (you can post to the newsgroup just as well... I do try to
keep up on rec.gardens, too). HeK@hetta.pp.fi
==========
1.1 Wishlist
-----
Ever seen a FAQ without one? Here's what's missing:
Single herbs
2.1.4 Different kinds of basil
2.2.1 Growing curry plant / curry leaf
2.2.2 Harvesting curry plant / curry leaf
2.2.3 Using / preserving curry plant / curry leaf
2.3.1 Growing sage
2.3.2 Harvesting sage
2.3.4 Which sage do you have? Needing a neat writeup on these.
2.4.1 Growing chives
2.4.2 Harvesting chives
2.4.3 Using / preserving chives, additions, please.
2.5.3 Using / preserving saffron
2.6.1 Growing zucchini flowers ;)
2.6.2 Harvesting zucchini flowers
2.6.4 either Which zucchini do you have ;) or a post stating there is
only one true zucchini, or a post stating you can also use
cucumber / melon / whatever flowers like you can zucchini.
2.7.1 Growing chamomile
2.7.2 Harvesting chamomile
2.7.3 More uses for chamomile needed
2.7.4 A full writeup on all the chamomiles there are, please
2.8.4 Which cilantro / coriander do you have? -just a post stating
they are the same, or if you know more about them, then more
2.9.1 More on growing mints.
2.9.4 A full writeup on the different kinds of mint, including monarda
/ beebalm (or a hint to it) and others of like use. Of course
also mentioning that pennyroyal isn't good for your health...
2.10.2 Harvesting feverfew
2.10.3 Using / preserving feverfew
2.10.4 Which kinds of feverfew are there?
2.11.1 More on growing tarragon
2.11.2 Harvesting tarragon
2.11.3 More uses / preserving tricks for tarragon - vinegar, anyone?
2.11.4 More on different tarragon substitutes
2.12.1 Growing nasturtium
2.12.2 Harvesting the stuff
2.12.3 - taken, partly - More uses - caper recipe, anyone? flowers?
2.12.4 And a writeup on the nasturtiums.
2.13.3 More uses for dill, please.
2.13.4 Need someone to write on different kinds of dill.
2.15 All you have ever wanted to write about lavender.
2.16 Lemon balm, all except how to make the tea.
2.17 Garlic please?
2.18 And some thyme.
2.xx Any other herb you wish to write extensively on
Gardening:
3.1 Herbs for ground cover
3.2 Herbs you can't get rid of
3.3 Tall herbs
3.x anything else on herb gardening you might think of
Processing herbs
4.5 Fresh or dry?
4.x Any other way to process herbs you might think of
5 - taken - And any good FTP or WWW sites
End of wishlist. If you decide to add something tell me - I'll keep
track of who promises to do what so we won't have doubles.
==========
2 Herbs: growing, harvesting, using/preserving, and checking which
you've really got
-----
This is the main spot for information. Check this before posting yet
another question on curry plant... on the other hand every time
somebody asks for uses for mints some new ones pop up so keep asking
for those. ;)
==========
2.1 Basil
=====
2.1.1 Growing basil
-----
From: engels@wibla.mv.att.com (engels s.m.):
Basil loves the sun and hates the cold & wind. If it drops below 50
degrees at night, the leaves will yellow. When it warms up the new
growth will be green. If it doesn't get enough sun and stays in
damp soil too long, it will eventually die. The wind will bruise
the leaves. So will rough handling. Again, the new growth will be
fine.
Very important to harden basil plants. Transplant shock may kill them.
Set the pots outside for 3-5 days (watch the night temps) before
transplanting.
I use compost and occasionally organic fertilizer. Never had any bug
problems. A few catepillars and rabbits, but there was plenty for
everyone in my patch.
From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney), in response to above:
I believe it is better to not transplant basil, i.e., it is better to
put seeds in the ground where you want it, when it is warm enough for
them to grow. They will quickly outstrip the transplants however
carefully they have been grown and hardened.
Yes, they do tend not to attract many bugs which is a surprise given
their good taste.
From: Michael Rooney <mrooney@mrooney.pn.com>
>Basil eaten to skeleton; more eaten each morning, no bugs evident:
There is a caterpillar that seems often to like basil that lives under
the surface of the earth during the day. Gently disturb the top
quarter or half inch of dirt in a circle around the plant going out
about four inches or so and look for a dark gray circle about half to
three quarters of an inch in diameter that usually stays that way and
sometimes opens up to get away (depending on how deep a sleep it is
in I guess :-)). If you find it, squash it and hope. The only other
predator I can see that would do what you have is a lot of slugs so
you would likely see them anyway. They can be taken care of by all
the standard beer, diatomaceous earth, etc. methods in addition to
hand picking.
There are few joys as great as finding one of those blasted
caterpillars in the ground after they have been eating your food, let
me tell you.
From: bogin@is2.nyu.edu (Josh Bogin)
>Basil drooping in the evening sun:
Probably this is due to not enough water **and or possibly resulting
from** not enough room for the plants. If the plants are root-bound
it really will hardly matter how much you are watering them, since
the pot would presumably be too small to hold much water, the plant
would keep drying out, and also the roots probably get no nutrients.
Give them some plant food, and think about finding them more room,
if this is the problem.
From: carole@chenson.demon.co.uk (Carole Henson)
I am addicted to basil, really love it, even the smell is wonderful. I
have 10 basil plants in my greenhouse at the moment, and two in the
kitchen for chucking into salad etc. You only need a couple of
large handfuls of leaves for a jar of pesto, so a couple of plants
would do it. If you sow a few seeds at 2 weekly intervals, you
should have a constant supply.
-----
From: southsky@maui.net (Rick Giese):
>I have been growing basil from seed effortlessly here in central
pennsylvania for years, but this year it simply didn't come up. It
has been three weeks since I put the seed in, and the only factor I
can identify is that it has been an extremely WET three weeks.
Basil seeds will not germinate when they are constantly wet. I started
mine in flats protected from the winter rains here on Maui. Once
transplanted to the field, they did fine.
=====
2.1.2 Harvesting basil
----- on rec.gardens June 1995:
From: engels@wibla.mv.att.com (engels s.m.):
You can harvest basil leaves as soon as the plant has 3 sets of leaves.
Keep the plants branches shorter than 4 sets of leaves and you will
increase leaf production. Once it flowers, production drops. I've
found the taste stronger befor flowering.
From: Mark David Morrison <mmorriso@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu>
Basil leaf harvesting: pick all that you think that you will need for
the recipe that you are preparing. If you have a lot of basil and are
freezing basil for winter then just pick the big leaves. I use a lot
of basil and pick leaves from the plant almost daily. If they are
small or big leaves does not matter... the plant is the hardiest
beast in my gardens. I think it may be of alien origin.
Pinching back basil: Always pinch off and use those tops. The leaves
will really bush out on your basil when you do.
=====
2.1.3 Using / preserving basil
----- pesto recipes
From: jnilsen@minerva.cis.yale.edu (jnilsen)
1 cup fresh Basil leaves, tightly packed
2-3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup frshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup olive oil
Process (or finely chop and mix) all but oil. Slowly add oil. Use.
From: phuyett@cctr.umkc.edu (Donna Beach)
I never really follow a recipe when I make pesto. I usually put 4-6
cloves of garlic in the food processor with 1/4 cup of olive oil and
a couple of tablespoons of herb vinegar and then chop the garlic.
Then I add at least 3-4 cups packed fresh sweet basil leaves and 3-4
tablespoons of ground almonds. Some people use ground pine nuts. And
1/4 cup or more of grated parmesan cheese (I like it fresh best). All
this gets processed till the basil is chopped fine.
I have seen this basic pest recipe to include one-to-several peeled
tomatoes--which is a great way to use up an abundance of tomatoes
from your garden.
Later in the year when there's not as much sweet basil, you can put
parsely into the mix. I have even seen a winter "pesto" made with
fresh sage, but to me, it's not pesto without fresh sweet basil, with
or without the tomatoes.
-----
> I would like to hear from others about alternatives for using pesto
or fresh sweet basil.
From: wlgardne@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Wendi L Gardner)
I grow lots of basil and make tons of pesto. what to do with all of
that pesto? yes pasta, yes bread, but other fun things to do with
pesto...
(1) smash it into cream cheese (the ratio of pesto to cream cheese that
I prefer is 1:3, but you can go more or less, obviously.) add
garlic, some plumped (blanched) sun dried tomatoes, whatever else you
fancy - yum!
(2) toss pesto with white beans and vidalia onions, serve this
concoction hot on a bed of fresh spinach.
(3) mix pesto with vegetable broth, toss in whatever veggies you have
in the fridge and some macaroni, (i like broccoli, carrots,
cauliflower, and rotini for this) and you have soup.
(4) find the juiciest beefsteak tomato you can...slice in half, slather
with pesto, broil till bubbly. messy, but with a good quality
tomato--- more than worth the mess!
(5) fill mushroom caps with pesto plus a cheese (the pesto cream cheese
mixture in #1 is good for this) sprinkle with bread crumbs and broil.
From: jwr3150@tam2000.tamu.edu (Jason Wade Rupe)
I bake it right into bread sometimes.
I like a stir fry of basil and whatever with a basic simple sauce on
rice.
Try using it fresh as a pizza topping.
From: mmm@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu (Michelle Marie Manke)
Make pizza with a layer of pesto on the crust, then mozarella cheese,
then dotted with feta. Try using reduced-fat mozarella, and
scattering black olives & fresh tomatoes on top!
From: rscw081@uacsc1.albany.edu (Sarah G.)
Pesto and potatoes: On baked potatoes, swirled into mashed potatoes,
mixed into homefried potatoes, used as a dipping sauce for french
fries
Make soup and swirl a spoonful into each bowl before serving.
Blend the pesto with vinegar and oil, or your favorite vinaigrette, and
use as salad dressing
Make into soup... sautee some veggies, add broth and pesto, and simmer
for pesto soup.
Thin it and use as a marinade for tofu, potatoes and veggies, then
grill.
Use it for garlic bread filling (or is that what you meant?) Or you
could use it to smear over homemade bread before it comes out of the
oven as a glaze
Sliced ripe tomatoes layered on a plate with pesto, and fresh
waterpacked mozzerella.
It's easy to make a dairy free pesto. Instead of using cheese, either
use a mild flavored miso paste or SoyMage pretend grated cheese,
which is completely vegan (no casein). I usually just leave the
cheese out altogether, letting the flavor of the basil, garlic, olive
oil and nuts show through.
From: cogorno@netcom.com (Steve Cogorno)
Take GOOD quality tomatoes, preferably ones you've grown yourself :-)
and slice them. Top with fresh mozzarella whole basil leaves. A
little expensive because of the cheese, but it makes a very colorful
and tasty appetizer!
From: norrisj@boalt.berkeley.edu (Jennifer Norris)
I make a potato salad with it. Instead of the usual mayonaisse, I add
pesto. Besides potatoes, I add fresh snap peas, green onions, and if
I want to make it a really substantial meal, black beans. Gets rave
revues....
-----
From: Kathy French <french@jeeves.ucsd.edu>
If your basil plants aren't producing fast enough to give you a cup or
two of leaves at a time, you can pinch off stems and keep them with
the ends of the stems in clean water (change it every few days) at
room temperature for several days. Freezing the leaves doesn't work
so well, because it will make them mushy when they thaw, and it
reduces their flavor as well.
You can also preserve basil by washing it carefully, drying it
thoroughly, packing it in good olive oil, and keeping it in the
refrigerator. Then you can use the leaves plus oil to make pesto
fresh when you want it by adding garlic, cheese, and pine nuts.
I've tried this method and it works well, although the basil turns
somewhat dark in the process.
From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney)
You can also make basil pesto and freeze it in cubes or patties and
save it for the winter when you have nothing fresh to use.
==========
2.2 Curry plant (Helichrysum angustifolium) / Curry leaf (Murraya
Koenigii)
=====
2.2.4 Which curry plant / curry leaf do you have?
----- on rec.gardens June 1995:
From: kpmglib@netcom.com (Information Services)
The "Curry Plant" is an herb, Helichrysum angustifolium, from the
family Compositae. I believe it came from Africa or Australia, so
it's tropical, and probably perennial; although in North Texas you
may need to grow it as an annual or in a container (probably not
frost-hardy). The name "curry plant" originated from this herb's
pungent smell, which is reminiscent of some curries or curry
powders; however it is not used in curry. I believe that it is
widely cultivated in the U.K., and is used there mostly in salads,
or mixed with cream-cheese.
There actually is a plant that produces what is known as the "curry
leaf", and which *is* used in the preparation of some curries (much
the same way as bay leaf is used). The leaves of this plant, a
woody tree from the Asian sub-continent called Murraya Koenigii,
also have a strong curry-like smell, and can be purchased dried at
most asian markets. The tree itself has only recently been
cultivated commercially in this country, and is carried by only a
very few nurseries. It is still considered an exotic, and commands
a premium price.
==========
2.3 Sage
=====
2.3.3 Using / preserving sage
-----
> I have a very healthy sage plant in my garden but I don't know what
to use the herb for, except of course for stuffing a chicken.
From: engels@wibla.mv.att.com (engels s.m.):
Stuff a few leaves into the cavity of a trout. Tie with string, baste
with a little oil and grill. Use only 1 or 2 leaves per fish
otherwise the sage will overpower the fish.
Chop fine, lightly saute in olive oil with minced garlic. Add a little
chopped parsley & toss with spaghetti or other pasta. Serve as a
side dish to grilled chicken, fish or meat.
Toss a few sage leaves with quartered onion and flattened garlics into
clay pot chicken.
From: Michael Rooney <mrooney@mrooney.pn.com>:
We use sage for stuffing turkeys in addition to chickens, if you have
turkeys in the UK. We also use it in foccacio... ...Sage pesto is
another way to use large quantity of sage and it can be frozen to be
used in the winter. You might use walnuts or pecans instead of the
traditional pignoli nuts in pesto as sage is stronger than basil.
It goes well with pork or chicken. You can also roast eggplant and
sweet red pepper and food process them together with sage for a nice
dip to be used with homemade french bread.
From: ag500@ccn.cs.dal.ca (Peter Mortimer):
It also makes a great addition to just about any green salad, either
tossed in as whole leaves or cut up in small pieces.
From: rgyure@aol.com (RGyure):
I discovered last summer that garden sage makes a beautiful and
fragrant addition to fresh cut flower bouquets I bring in from the
garden. I grow more than I can use in cooking (who uses that much
sage?)-- and the pale green, white-frosted somewhat sparkly leaves
make delightful foliage for cutting-- and are long-lasting.
From: vshafer216@aol.com (VShafer216):
I recently tried a really good recipe that uses fried sage--it tastes
great. Broil chicken thighs (marinate first). When done, fry
several leaves of sage in butter; this takes less than a minute.
Grate cheese on top of the chicken thighs. Spoon some of the hot
butter over the chicken (this melts the cheese) and put one or two
sage leaves on top of each piece of chicken. Fried sage tastes good
even without the chicken.
From: jrogow@ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow)
Dried and added to a fire at Thanksgiving or Christmas, it adds a nice
Holiday scent to the house.
From: Leslie Basel <lebasil@ag.Arizona.EDU>
Sage jelly is just terrific with game, lamb, even a Christmas goose.
The recipe is just the same as any other herb jelly (and it requires
quite a bit of culinary sage). (jelly recipe 4.6.1 below).
From: melatchley@aol.com (MelAtchley)
Decorative: Leaves in wreaths and nosegays.
Culinary: Flower in salads or infuse for a light balsamic tea. Leaves
can be mixed with onion for poultry stuffing. Cook with rich, fatty
meats such as pork, duck and sausage. Combine with other strong
flavors: wrap around tender liver and saute in butter; blend into
cheeses. Make sage vinegar and sage butter.
Household: Dried leaves in linent to discourage insects.
Medicinal: Leaves aids in digestion and is antiseptic, antifungal and
contains estrogen. Helps to combat diarrhea. An infusion of sage
leaves and a meal can help digestion.
From: baldwin@frodo.colorado.edu (Dan Baldwin)
I had sage mashed potatoes as a side dish at a five star restaurant
last week--they were really good ! There were flecks of sage
scattered all through the potatoes--Cant wait to try it myself.
-----
From: engels@wibla.mv.att.com (engels s.m.):
Sage dries very nicely and looks pretty. Bundle 8-10 sprigs, tie, hang
to dry and put a red bow on it at Xmas. Use as a decoration for
wrapped gifts or give as an small culinary gift.
=====
2.3.4 Which sage do you have?
-----
There are a few other plants that are called Sage and that taste very
bitter. If your sage is called Artemisia in latin forget the cooking
part. If it is Salvia try a leave or two and if the taste is OK just go
on and use it.
==========
2.4 Chives
=====
2.4.3 Using / preserving chives
-----
From: jrogow@ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow)
Chive Vinegar
When your chives (esp. garlic chives, yummmmmy) are in bloom take four
or five of the prettiest stalks w/heads and put them in a clear jar,
cover w/white vinegar, cover, and stand in a dark cupboard for about
a week. You will have pinkish vinegar w/a heavenly flavour.
DO, however, watch out that the stalks do not have ants!
From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney)
It is also possible to make chive pesto.
From: DonW1948@aol.com
Pesto (Sorrel-Chive Herb Paste)
1 c Sorrel
4 tb Shallots; finely minced
4 tb Pine nuts; ground
3 tb Parsley; chopped
3 tb Chives; chopped
Grated peel of 4 oranges
1/4 Onions, red; chopped
1 tb Mustard, dry
1 ts Salt
1 ts Pepper, black
1 pn Pepper, cayenne
3/4 c Oil. olive
Wash the sorrel and dry it well, by hand or in a salad spinner. Chop
the sorrel coarsely, and again squeeze away any liquid. Blend the
sorrel, shallots, pine nuts, parsley, chives, orange peel and onion
in a food processor or blender. (If using a blender, make sure these
ingredients are already finely chopped.) Add dry mustard, salt,
pepper and cayenne, and mix again. SLOWLY drizzle in the oil while
the blade is moving. Transfer to tempered glass jars and store in
refrigerator (for up to 8 to 10 weeks) or in the freezer for up to a
year.
NOTES: Sorrel's peak season is summer, although you can find hothouse
sorrel year round in some stores. You may reduce the amount of
orange peel by 1/4 or 1/2 if you'd like to emphasize the sorrel or
other flavors. Walnuts or almonds may be substituted for the pine
nuts.
==========
2.5 Saffron
=====
2.5.1 Growing saffron
-----
From: rnold@sanewssa.mnet.uswest.com (Robert G. Nold)
Crocus sativus comes up and blooms without autmun rain in Denver, and
grows throughout the winter here, too. Like all fall-blooming crocus
(of which there are many species), they go dormant in summer.
=====
2.5.2 Harvesting saffron
-----
From: kcurr@cyberspace.com (Kaycee Curr):
...it is the threads that you would collect and dry. There are three of
them (the stigmas) per crocus flower. (Over a million crocus flowers
produce a pound of saffron- phew!)
From: lpdavies@bcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us (Leslie Paul Davies):
In planning your planting, estimate 6 mature plants will provide the
stigmas for one small recipe.
=====
2.5.4 Which saffron do you have?
-----
From: chaseway@nbnet.nb.ca (wayne chase):
I have recently heard of a substitute for saffron. Dried Marigolds.
Just air dry well and grind to powder. Use twice the ammount of
marigold as saffron to get same result.
From: melnick@stsci.edu (Rita Melnick):
Saffron comes from crocus sativus, the saffron crocus. It is a fall
blooming crocus. Each flower contains 3 red threads (stigma) that
you pick, then dry, for culinary use. Be sure to get ONLY crocus
sativus, not the other fall-blooming crocuses, as they are NOT
edible.
As for the marigolds, I'm not sure if the above advice applies to all
varieties of marigolds, but I do know that it is true of the pot
marigold, also known as calendula. It gives the yellow coloring of
saffron, but not the saffron taste. Turmeric is also a yellowing
substitute for saffron. But nothing else tastes like saffron!
==========
2.6 Zucchini flowers
=====
2.6.3 Using zucchini flowers
----- on rec.gardens June 1995:
From: Joep@reol.com
Zucchini flowers battered and fried are far superior to anything else
you can do with Zucchini. Mix water, flour, salt & pepper to a
pancake consistancy. If you want a fluffier batter add baking
powder. Deep fry and eat them while hot. Tastes like a hint of
Zucchini with creamy texture and chees quality. 4 Zucchini plants is
3 too many :)
==========
2.7 Chamomile
=====
2.7.3 Using / preserving Chamomile
-----
From: clayton2@ix.netcom.com (Jeffrey Clayton)
For tea, use the blossoms only. Harvest when they are in full bloom.
From: jrogow@ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow)
Chamomile Tea - very strong - is a wonderful hair rinse for shine and
a glint of sunlight.
==========
2.8 Coriander/Cilantro
=====
2.8.1 Growing coriander/cilantro
----- Help! Bolting cilantro! ; on rec.gardens June 1995:
Does anyone know what conditions I should avoid to keep the cilantro
from going to seed?
From: ?:
- If you plant the stuff really close together you'll probably get less
bolting.
From: eaplatt@worm.hooked.net (Elizabeth Platt):
- Don't let it get too hot--like lettuce, it's sensitive to heat. But,
cilantro is an annual, so most pros advise planting several batches
in succession, so that there's always some that isn't going to seed.
By the way, if you've gotten far along enough to worry about it going
to seed, congratulations. All my cilantro is devoured, pronto, by
the slugs and snails as soon as the first tiny leaves appear.
Tastiest seedlings in the garden....
From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney)
To avoid bolting, the hotter the weather the more it should be in the
shade. There are also varieties that are designed to produce leaves
and some designed to produce seeds.
=====
2.8.2 Harvesting cilantro
----- on rec.gardens June 1995:
OK, my cilantro bolted! Am I going to have to hand pick each of the
little seeds to restock my coriander spice bottle or does someone
have an easier way?
From: eberts@donald.uoregon.edu (sonny hays-eberts):
take a brown paper bag, and place the seed 'umbrella' inside. shake
heartily. repeat for each 'umbrella'. this method is useful to
harvest some seed, and keep the rest for hopeful volunteer plants.
for an even easier method, harvest the plant, then beat against the
side of a clean trashcan. most seeds should fall to the bottom.
you'll need to clean it a bit, but it's lot easier than hand-
picking. this methos of course, harvests *all* the seed, as opposed
to number 1.
From: rudy@cae.ca (Rudy Taraschi):
The way I do it is to dry the entire plant, seeds and all. I then get a
large paper shopping bag, hold the dried plant by the stem and thrash
it around in the bag. Most of the seeds usually fall off if the plant
is dry enough.
From: mrooney@mrooney.pn.com (Michael Rooney)
Even better than a paper bag is the feet of panty hose that you or your
SO has decided are too far gone to wear any more. They are great for
putting over dill and cilantro stems to catch the seed. Just put the
toe where the seed head is and a twist tie around the shin part where
it is over the stem and you will catch almost every seed.
=====
2.8.3 Using / preserving cilantro/coriander
-----
From: gz885@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Susan L. Nielsen)
Not exactly on the matter of etymology, but as to the flavor of
cilantro/coriander leaves, Julia Child has said, [pitch voice
appropriately high in the head]: "I just can't stand it. It tastes
like dirt." Other interpretations invoke soap. I find it quite
fresh in flavor, and even take it straight off the plant in the
garden. Of course, I nibble a lot of things as I dig, but cilantro
is definitely one I enjoy. No accounting for taste.
From: nancy_moote@sunshine.net (Nancy Moote)
Cilantro goes to seed very quickly. You can eat the flowers, though.
They taste like the leaves but lighter and sweeter. Or let them
develop seed for baking, pickling, curries, and planting next year.
They grow so fast that you can plant seeds now for more leaf cilantro
later this summer. Next year maybe try planting a few seeds every 2
weeks for a continuous supply.
==========
2.9 The mints
=====
2.9.1 Growing mint
-----
From: skifast123@aol.com (SkiFast123)
When you move spearmint, trust me and only transplant it into a
container of some sort. You can bury the container if you want.
Good containers to use are those big multi-gallon types that roses
come in. Bury it right up to the rim. Otherwise, in a few yrs, you
will have only one herb in your garden and that is mint because it is
VERY invasive.
=====
2.9.3 Using / preserving mints
-----
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita):
on rec.food.preserving and rec.food.cooking June 1995, a thread named
'I've got way too much peppermint...':
From: hattie@netcom.com (Susan Hattie Steinsapir):
Make a simple sugar syrup and add a whole lot of fresh mint to it. Use
this when making granita or to sweeten sun tea. Lemonade made with
the mint syrup would be nice, too.
I like to make iced tea heavily minted. Steep a whole lot of mint with
the tea bags. Or better yet, boil them with the tea water, then add
the tea and steep. Discard the leaves.
Make cold asian type noodle salads with finely chopped mint added. I
use mint to line a bowl in which I'm serving fresh whole
strawberries. Don't see why you couldn't use them to line a bowl in
which a fruit salad will be served. Melon salad would be nice.
Some middle eastern dishes call for lamb and mint. Ground lamb and
finely chopped fresh mint (and a few other goodies) would make
interesting meat balls.
Use it in flower arrangements. I've put rosemary branches and mint
leaves together when I wanted something but hadn't picked up any
fresh flowers.
Give it away to your friends!
From: Leslie Basel <lebasil@ag.arizona.edu>:
You also might want to preserve it in vodka or aquavit...
From: Amy Snell <asnell@interaccess.com>:
Boil a handfull of peppermint leaves in a pot of water, strain it, add
sugar and serve over ice ... wonderful peppermint drink -- tastes a
lot like candy canes, but very summery. Also good hot. Leftovers
can be frozen in an ice cube tray and popped into iced tea to make it
minty.
From: thavey@boi.hp.com (Tom Havey):
Pesto.....a bunch of peppermint leaves, some peppermint or walnut oil,
a bit of sugar, all whipped up in a food processor.
Dried, put in decorative jars for gifts, or mixed in some homemade
potpourri stuff.
Tea.
Raviolis stuffed with peppermint, pepper and raisins and a bit of goat
cheese (or cottage cheese) topped with a light and spicy curry sauce.
From: Libby Goldstein <libby@igc.apc.org>
Just add it to water or seltzer, crush it a bit and serve over ice.
It's lovely.
From: jrogow@ridgecrest.ca.us (Judith Rogow)
Mint planted at the kitchen door keeps ants away.
-----
Spicy Mint tea
From: DonW1948@aol.com
6 c Water
2 Cinnamon sticks
4 Clove, whole
4 Allspice, whole
2 c Mint leaves
Bring the water, cinnamon, cloves and allspice to a boil. Boil for 1
minute. Stir in mint leaves. Remove from heat and steep for five
minutes. strain into cups. From Taste of Home Magazine.
-----
Orange Mint Vinegar
From: DonW1948@aol.com
1 sm Orange; peel; thin spiral - colored portion only
1/2 c Mint leaves; fresh
Vinegar, white
Remove peel (colored portion only) from 1 small orange in a thin
spiral, and place in a sterilized pint jar. Lightly bruise 1/2 cup
fresh mint leaves, add to jar. Heat apple cider or distilled white
vinegar to just below the boiling point. Fill jar with vinegar, and
cap tightly. Allow to stand 3 to 4 weeks. Strain vinegar, discarding
peel and mint. Pour vinegar into a clean sterilized jar, adding a new
sprig of fresh mint, if desired. Seal tightly. Use in dressing for
tossed green salads with orange and grapefruit sections, or in
marinades for chicken or lamb chops.
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Mint jelly