Growing Mandrake — Beyond the Basics

Mandrake Fruiting Plant

Growing mystical plants requires a certain amount of consciousness on the part of the gardener, and for best results one allows the plants to call the shots.  This is only to the extent of one’s willingness to let go of control.  One never really knows where it will all go.  Simply wishing the plant to do well seems to…

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Ashitaba, Mystical Reiso of Japan

Ashitaba Plant

Ashitaba (Angelica keiskei koidzumi), Mystical Reiso* of Japan *Reiso, “A mysterious or mystical herb or plant.” Ethno botanical: According to ancient documents, the gene-center of Ashitaba is Hachijojima, an island in the Izu archipelago, a moist subtropical region located southerly to Japan. This island is well-known as the “Island of Longevity.”  Historically, inhabitants consumed an austere diet composed…

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Advanced Seed Planting Tips

Know your seed.  Examine the seed before planting.  Large seeds, especially those from the Legume (Fabaceae) family, have impermeable seed-coats that may require scarification (nicking or rubbing) before planting.  Smaller seeds in the Lamiacea (the mint family) also appreciate scarification to wake them up — rub on a #8 seed-screen or on medium grit sandpaper.   Needle-like seeds in the Asteracea…

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Medicinal Herb Seeds Per Gram

Stinging Nettles

Granted that careful planting of a small packet of seeds sometimes gives more results than a haphazard planting of a much greater number of the same seeds, yet still, it is nice to have access to larger quantities of seeds. Often labor and materials may be minimized and plant happiness maximized by planting directly in the garden or field,…

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Why Grow Open-Pollinated Seeds

  Cultivating a direct connection to the earth and all her goodness is the core value of gardening.  One trades the sweat of the brow for sustenance at table, for remedies in the medicine cabinet.  This is the birthright of humans, and can be accomplished simply, locally, inexpensively, and without advanced education.  You plant a patch of pumpkins, and…

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How to Grow and Use Saffron

An aura of mystery surrounds Saffron (Crocus sativus), both the bulbous plant and the spice derived from its luminous red stigma. In actuality planting the corm and raising a few saffron plants to produce a small supply of the spice is easy, fun and rewarding.  One of the simplest ways to provide the right conditions for healthy saffron and assure…

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