Herbs

8.1.19Plants That Attract Beneficial Insects
Slideshow: Flowers and Herbs that Draw Pollinators to the Garden
Beneficial insects can be a gardener’s best resource for protecting crops against destructive pests. Beneficials include pollinators, predators and parasites. By attracting a large enough population of helpful bugs to counteract plant damaging insects, you can keep your garden healthy […]

11.29.16How Oregano Can Help Fight Global Warming
Culinary Herb Reduces Cow Belches and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Can a simple herb help fight global warming? The aromatic herb oregano, a staple in most modern kitchens, commonly meets our taste buds mixed with tomato sauce as a topping on pizza. This versatile plant’s virtues, however, extend beyond the […]

8.7.14The Deer Resistant Food Garden
A Guide to Vegetables, Fruit and Herbs Deer Don’t Like
Short of erecting a tall fence, the best way to minimize deer damage in a vegetable garden is to grow plants deer don’t like to eat. When wild food sources are low, deer will munch on most anything. However, some […]

5.18.14Coriander Oil : A Natural Antibiotic
Infection-Fighting Properties from a Common Herb
The herb, coriander (or cilantro, as the leaves are sometimes known), may do a lot more than just season your salsa. Scientists in Portugal, testing oil from coriander seeds found the herb effective against such dangerous bacteria as E.coli and […]

12.8.13Marsha Goldberg: Marshmallow Root
A Food that Might Have Prevented the Irish Potato Famine
One of the benefits of seed saving is a deep knowledge of the plant life of your region. Marsha Goldberg, owner of Eagleridge Seeds on Salt Spring Island, reminds us that even now we only use a small amount of […]