Happy Herbalism
Happy Herbalism is back and we hope you enjoy learning about all the amazing plants and herbs out there.
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What’s In Season: AutumnBy Lucia Dinapoli
As the leaves start to turn orange and the months become colder, you may find it a little harder to grow and tend to your herbs and plants. That’s why it’s important to know which plants you should be growing and which you should be harvesting at a certain time of year.
Autumn is a season full of rich fresh produce as the last of summer fruits and root vegetables become ready to harvest. So, let’s take a look, and of course see what a herbalist can use them for… What to Plant: Autumn, moving into early Winter, is the best time to plant bulbs that will bloom in spring. Examples include tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and alliums. Putting them in the ground now is important because they need a long winter to get ready for their spring coming-out party. You want to wait to plant the bulbs until cool nighttime temperatures arrive and your soil is nice and cold so that your bulbs don’t emerge too early. You should bury your bulbs with the pointed end up and give them a depth of about three times their diameter. For the greatest look when they start to grow you should also plant them in clusters of five or more - this will create more of an arranged look. All of these plants, both dried and fresh, are great for essential oils, teas and tinctures! Tulips are great for dry, sensitive skin and work well in creams, and daffodils are great in oils for soothing burns for example. What to Harvest: Fall vegetables have been very popular during this time of year for centuries, and their use in pagan religions are why certain cultures still celebrate harvest festivals. Things like pears, leeks, and plums are especially popular this time of year and should be perfect for harvesting, provided you had planted them already of course! If you haven’t, then not to worry, your local produce farmers would certainly have gotten the job done, and you should see them arrive in your markets any time now. Although there are plenty of recipes and interesting combinations to try with fall vegetables like figs (I recommend a combination of roasted fig, rocket, goats cheese and parma ham for a wonderfully tasty salad) I want to focus on the most popular and versatile vegetable of autumn. The pumpkin!
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