10 Uses for Epsom Salts

Katie at The Wellness Mama made a list of her top uses for Epsom Salt so I thought I'd add some of those ideas under these basic categories...


For Your Body

1.  Bath or Foot Soak (good for aches) – Add at least 1 cup of epsom salt to a warm bath and soak for 20 minutes. Optional: Add a few drops of essential oil to salt before adding to water.
2. Splinter Removal- Soak in concentrated epsom salt water to pull out a splinter.
3. Volumizing Hair Mask- Combine equal parts of conditioner and epsom salt and leave on hair for 20 minutes. Rinse well and let air dry for thicker hair.
4. Laxative- For occasional constipation, a teaspoon of epsom salt dissolved in water can help. Check with a doctor first.
5. Smooth skin- Mix 1/2 cup epsom salt with 1/4 cup olive oil and scrub skin in the shower for healthy and smooth skin. Add a pinch of epsom salt to your usual face cleaner or a skin exfoliating magnesium boost
6. Itchy Skin, Bug Bites, Sunburn Relief- Dissolve a tablespoon of epsom salt in to 1/2 cup of water and cool. Spritz on itchy skin or apply a wet compress to help relieve itching.

For Your Garden

1. Better Plants- Help house plants grow by adding a couple tablespoons of epsom salt to the water when you water them. A Tablespoon of Epson Salt to the soil below the plant is especially good for tomatoes and roses. 
2. Get rid of slugs- Have slugs in your garden or on your patio? Sprinkle epsom salt to deter them.
3. Soil Prep- Before planting, we add a few bags of epsom salt to the soil in the garden and water in to help replenish soil magnesium levels.

For Your Home

1. Tile/Grout Cleaner- Mix equal parts of liquid dish soap and epsom salts and use to scrub tile and grout. Rinse well for a streak free shine.

Fruit Tree Guilds: Sustainable Functional Landscape

Ok, here are more of my notes on Fruit Tree Guilds. So sorry if it's not 100% coherent.

I read a cool book last year about having your own homestead and making your yard functional--ok I read a few. But I can't remember any of them by name, except Gaia's Garden. However, I ran across a fun idea: building an ecosystem for you plants and fruit trees to help sustain each other. This means not just having a vegetable bed or strawberry patch, but putting things together to help balance out each other. So adding comfrey, clover and stawberries and marigolds beneath your apple tree can help every plant take care of eachother. It's companion planting on a large ecosystem scale!

I already posted a little on companion planting, but this is about Fruit tree guild info I've found and hope to implement this summer when I buy a few trees for my less than 1/4 acre. :) And this is also why I'm building a chicken tractor, to help take care of weeds and have a more natural functional garden/part of my yard.

------
 Here's an article I found to help summarize what a guild is and why...

What is a permaculture guild?

A permaculture guild is a carefully assembled selection of plants (and animals), typically gathered around a central plant.
If you don’t like to be restricted, you can choose a central selection of plants, say, fruit trees in a mandala garden.
The supportive plants are selected to enhance the self-sufficiency of the central plant by reducing the work needed to manage it and/or improving its yield.

Why choose to grow plants in guilds?

Each plant needs at least 4 things: Nutrients (mainly Nitrogen), Mulch, Pollination, Protection (from pests and competition). It’s only natural that each plant we choose should not only serve as food, but also provide a surplus of at least one service to the guild. Some, like comfrey, provide many.

Here's an example...

The main benefits of permaculture guilds

1. Easy picking

Plants that love to grow together often complement in taste, too. Dill, grown under apple trees provides a habitat for predatory wasps and also tastes great with apples.
Marigolds, grown with cucumbers deter nematodes. They also make for a nice salad together.

2. Source of nutrients

Nitrogen fixing plants (clover, lucerne, lupinus and other legumes) transform nitrogen from the atmosphere into ammonia, the source of nitrogen that is readily available for other plants to use. Nitrogen is the main nutrient that plants use.
Animals help to fertilize the soil as well. A chicken tractor is one example.

3. Act as mulch

Many plants that grow low to the ground can be used as a living mulch. They retain moisture in the soil, prevent soil erosion, deter weeds and generally have all kinds of benefits. Excellent examples are clover (which also fixes nitrogen and thus can be used as a green manure), spinach, strawberries, …
Additionally, every plant that sheds its’ leaves in the autumn also contributes to the mulch.

4. Provide shelter from extreme weather conditions

Nitrogen fixing trees, such as tagasaste or acacia, interplanted with fruit trees, not only provide the nutrients and mulch, but also reduce frost dangers and provide shade for sensitive trees (like citrus)
Strong trees, like poplar, also provide shelter from damaging winds.

5. Control pests

Introducing and encouraging helpful animals greatly reduces our work and provides many benefits in the long run.
Ducks are ferocious snail and slug eaters. As the great Bill Mollison put it: “You don’t have a slug excess, you have a duck deficiency.”
Beneficial insects can be encouraged by planting a few insect hosting plants: buddleia, salvia, … This will also increase the numbers of insect eating birds. Remember, some insects are voracious predators in their larvae stage.
As already mentioned, marigolds deter nematodes that often damage tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants.
Other plants can be used for trap cropping. Geraniums are used in rose gardens, because they are toxic for Japanese Beetles, a costly pest that feeds on nearly 300 plant species.

6. Enhance flavor

Some plants (e.g. herbs) actually improve the taste of those that grow around them.

7. Serve as a safety net

By growing many different plants in the same space, we guarantee ourselves at least some yield, even if some of them don’t live up to their potential.

Are guilds the same as companion planting?

No. Guilds can also be observed in nature. An example is the White Oak guild. Companion planting, as the name suggests, is a type of planting (actually a form of polyculture), used in gardening and agriculture. Guilds can be thought of as an extension of companion planting.
Probably the best known companion planting technique is The Three Sisters. It consists of corn, which provides the support for climbing beans, which fix the nitrogen for the squash, which in turn serves as a mulch. This type of companion planting was pioneered by Native Americans.


-------
Deciduous Guild (eg. apples, plums, pears, peaches)

Require coldest places, will tolerate heavy soils, will tolerate windy positions (esp. peaches and nectarines). Once established are most tolerant in wet/dry fluctuations.

Support species include comfrey, clover (white, red, subterranean), parsnip, spring bulbs, violets, borage, phacelia, yarrow, forget-me-nots, goldenrod, nasturtium, tansy, alfalfa, vetch, cow parsley.

Here is one helpful Chart from Gaia's Garden book, but i saved a larger comprehensive one as a pdf.

---
And A Chart for edible weeds:

Upsidedown Tomato Canning

I have a neighbor that said her family has canned tomatoes every years for ages...and she never uses a waterbath canner. They just cook the tomatoes for awhile (which loses some nutrients, but hey...it's homemade and not an everyday eating item, so I'm okay with that) and then put them in bottles and turn uupside down to seal. I didn't want to type that all up, so I googled it and found another lady who has done this for ages too. She's got great instructions. However, this is not recommended by canning experts...as you can read in the last step. By I say it's been proven with these two ladies and many more, so I'm fine not going by Industry standards....after all, look at the FDA anyway (they're way off for lots of things). :)

Happy canning! I just finished my first little batch , with hopefully many more to go. My tomato hopes this year include salsa (pints) and basic tomato sauce (quarts and a few pints;12 each--one for each month of the year at least--quarts for pasta sauce and pints for little sauce jobs like a pizza night or spanish rice).

	Canning tomatoes is much easier than you may think.  The rewards are fresh tomatoes anytime you like.  Buy your tomatoes ready to can. If they are home grown try to have them ripe but still firm. From 1 bushel you can expect approximately 18 to 20 quarts of canned tomatoes. A half-bushel equals 9 to 10 quarts.  7-8 medium tomatoes to fill one jar.
	1.  Boil Water. Start a large pot of water to boil.  You will need enough boiling water to pour over your tomatoes later in step 4.
	2.  Jars.  The perfect way to sterilize your jars is by using your dishwasher on sterilize setting. Leave them in the dishwasher after it finishes so they will remain hot. If you don't have a dishwasher with this setting, scald the jars in boiling water for 5 minutes and leave in a warm oven on lowest setting until ready to use.
	3.  Lids and Rings.  Boil the lids and rings for about 3 minutes.  Turn to low and leave in the pot until ready to use.
	4. Skinning Tomatoes. Place your tomatoes either in the sink or a large plastic tub container that fits in your sink.
	Pour boiling water enough to cover tomatoes.  You only need to leave tomatoes in this water for 1 minute. Immediately rinse them in cold water or move them into a large container filled with very cold water.
	5.  Removing Skins.  Next comes the fun part; removing the skins and cores and any tough green parts. This should be very easy and the skins should come right off.  After removing skins, Cut the tomatoes in medium pieces and throw them in your big cooking pot.
	6. Cook Tomatoes.  Now is the time to start cooking. Bring your pot of tomatoes to a boil.  Keep them at a light boil for 30 minutes, removing the scum that forms on top that looks like pink foam. This is easiest with a large metal spoon.
	7. Fill the Jars. Put 1 teaspoon of salt in each jar. Use a funnel that  fits on the jar top and is as wide as the jar opening.  Using a ladle, fill each jar not quite to the top, but leaving at least 1/4 inch of head room.  Head room is just another word for space.  This is necessary to allow for any expansion as your tomatoes cool. Place your lid and ring on and  tighten the ring.
	8.  Cool Jars. Place your filled jars on a table or countertop upside down so the heat from the tomatoes will seal the lids. You only need to leave upside down for about 20 minutes.  The lids will pop when they are correctly sealed.

from http://www.dinnerplanner.com/canning_tomatoes.htm#

Garden Highlight: Asparagus Patch

So, I've never known a thing about asparagus until I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and read about this family that lived for a year on all local or homegrown things. And I thought, wow...a perennial asparagus plant would supply our desire for garlic roasted asparagus and asparagus soup.

So, I looked into it and planted an asparagus plant recently. And because we bought it mature, we've already been able to harvest one spear (though they can grow up to 6 inches in a day if you don't watch them--like this one grew four inches before I realized I should've cut it the day before).

In case you're unsure of how it works, you generally plant these dead looking long roots that look octupus-ish in a 12 inch deep trench and barely cover, then water. Each day you add more soil until it's back to ground level. They start shooting spears out of the ground. You cut them when 6-8 inches tall and 1/4-1/2 inch think. But don't cut the thin ones, because they either are the male spears that haven't gotten big enough this year, or the female spears that pollinate the other. So leave those all to reseed this fall and you'll start having a "weed patch" of lots of asparagus.

Be patient. These plants are perennial and will produce for up to two decades generally, but they take about 3 years to really establish most of the time (except we bought ours already 1-2 years old, which helps. The crowns are just a few bucks and since they proliferate you don't need many. But plant them in full sun, good soil (with extra phosphate and good drainage). But they love water, as long as they don't sit in it and get root rot. And they normally just are harvestable in spring for a few weeks.

So, hopefully it will keep growing well and be a faithful garden keeper and mulitplier. :)

Homemade Compost 101

Every wonder what to do about scraps of food and old leaves? Why not compost them in your backyard? Whether or not you've tried it before, here are some helpful tips to helping you better understand composting. Afterall, you can't just throw stuff in your backyard and assume you'll have excellent soil next time you check. You need to understand the process--the formula. Then it's a breeze.


-First find a location for your compost with enough sun to help dry it out.

-Then decide if you're going to build something for your compost to be in or not, or if you'll buy a composter.

-There are many options, but it shouldn't be too far from your house...for accessibility and wanting to take stuff there.

-Then have something to store your food scraps in the kitchen. (I just use a bucket in the cupboard under my kitchen sink, but make sure I unload it every few days, before it stinks anything up. You can also buy a specific container at some stores that have a filter thing in it to allow air, but keep down the smell.)

-Then make sure you're getting the right "ingredients," and a balance between food/grass and dried leaves/staw...that way the nitrogen levels are balanced (frequently people only put in produce leftovers, and not enough dried leaves, so the pile never balances.) Make sure your food pieces are cut up small so they're easier to breakdown in the pile.

Acceptable              Not Acceptable
Grass clippings         Meats
Leaves, weeds         Bones
Manures                  Large branches
Coffee grounds        Dairy products
Wood chips,            Synthetic products
sawdust                   Plastics
Bark, stems, stalks   Pet wastes
Garden
Fruits and vegetables

Here is some more information.  How to compost video
The document is awesome! Must read if you're really interested. Composting 101 and troubleshooting chart

Companion Planting and Rotation

So, I've been researching a lot about gardening and have come across lots of helpful info and tips regarding what plants to grow or not grow together and to which to rotate (which you only need to do if you are gardening the tilling or raised bed gardening method...not the organic natural no-till method--ideally). I got a ton of books from the library and am trying to compile a more comprehensive list of vegetables and herbs so I grow some of them together.

Classifications of Vegetables

Each type uses soil in similar ways and share similar pests, and therefore must be rotated with a different classification each year for four years.

• Alliums
  Include Onions, Garlic, Scallions, Shallots, and Leeks.
• Brassicas
  I include Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, and Kale.
• Crucifers
  include Turnips, Radishes, Rutabaga, and Collards.
• Cucurbits
  Include Cucumbers, Squashes (from zucchini to pumpkin), and Melons.
• Legumes
  Include Peas and Beans.
• Mescluns
  I nclude Arugula, Swiss Chard, Chicory, Endive, Escarole, and Radiccio.
• Solanaceae
  Include Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplant.

Perennial vegetables such as Asparagus, Rhubarb and Artichokes should not be rotated and therefore should be planted separately. The rest (most vegetables are hardy or semi-hardy annuals) should be rotated every year on a four year plan (so that the same family of vegetables is not planted in the same location within four years).

Companion Plants
 Companion plants are plants that mutually benefit each other. This can be anywhere from one plant being appealing (or unappealing) to certain pests which in turn takes care of it's neighbor's pests, to a plant that provides shade or nitrogen to it's neighbor plant for better growing conditions. 

Here is a short summary of some vegetables or herbs that grow well together (or not)... orange words in this list are herbs

• Asparagus Parsley, basil, borage, lettuce and tomato (not fennel or dill)
• Basil Tomato, most vegetables and herbs
• Beans Potato, corn, lettuce, eggplant, cucumber, strawberry, celery, carrots, cauliflower, radish, spinach, rosemary, marigolds, parsley (not fennel, garlic or onions)
• Broccoli Onions, leeks and celery
• Brussells Sprout Potato
• Cabbage Onion
• Carrot Peas, onions, leeks, lettuce, chives, sage, chamomile, rosemary  (not dill or fennel)
• Cauliflower Onions and leeks
• Celery Tomato, leeks and beans.
• Corn Lettuce, peppers, cucumber, beans and peas
• Cucumber Radish, lettuce, beans, peas, potato and artichokes (not sage)
• Eggplant Beans, peppers and lettuce
• Leeks Cabbage, celery, onion and carrots
• Lettuce Strawberry, radish, carrots, onion, corn and marigolds
• Mint Cabbage and tomato (but I'd plant separately because it grows voraciously, like a weed)
• Onion Lettuce, cabbage and carrots, spinach and tomatoes
• Parsley Tomato, asparagus, carrot and peppermint
• Parsnip Shallots, chives and lettuce
• Peas Cucumber, radish, turnips, corn, carrots, potatoes, spinach and beans (not garlic, dill, fennel or onions)
• Pepper Chili Cucumber, squash and lettuce
• Potato sunflower, green beans, peas and broad beans and marigolds (not cucumbers, squash or tomatoes)
• Pumpkin Corn
• Radish Peas, lettuce, zucchini and nasturtium
• Shallots Carrots, beetroot and mint
• Spinach Strawberry, peas, onions and many other plants
• Strawberry Borage (supposedly really good), lettuce, silver beet and bush beans (I'd plant separately due to their weed-like nature though)
• Tomato Asparagus, peppers and basil
• Zucchini Parsley, tomato, spinach, squash, radishes, corn and marigolds

Here's a summary chart of all vegetables companions.  (In this document, green is best to plant; red is worst)

Here are some other random tips:
- plant garlic near roses to keep away aphids
- don't plant potatoes or blackberries near raspberries
- try to keep grass away from apple trees (cuts down pest problems)
- marigolds are great to plant as a border, because they inhibit a variety of pests for vegetables
- dill, coriander and fennel can cause a lot of problems for many vegetables, so be careful with those (maybe co-plant those in a separate pot).

----And here is a helpful chart on helpful bugs and such, from Gaias Garden book (about permaculture--see my post about that).