The Fine Art of Spinning Fiber to Make Yarn – For the Beginner or More Advanced Spinner 11-14-23

Tips to make spinning easier.

I have loved the idea of making things from fiber for a long time as my mother was an accomplished fiber artist, weaver, tailor, embroideress, and all things related.

She had a big standing spinning wheel that must have been over 100 years old. You spun the yarn while walking back and forth pushing around a wheel that was probably 5 feet across, called a walking wheel. That’s how I was taught to spin.

Why is it called spinning? Because in order to take a fiber and make it into something that can be used to make things, you have to line up the fibers and put a twist on them so the tension of the spin holds the fibers together, making them much stronger and the fibers are organized so once they are all lined up and spun into a long fiber, their little ends don’t poke out and stick your skin. This takes the energy of the spin to hold it together.

Then after making one long strand, you spin them again in the opposite direction and let their twist in opposite directions hold them together. This called ‘plying’.  After the two or several strands are thus twisted together, you now must finish the fiber by hot water and wacking the fibers by taking the bundled fiber and slapping it wet onto a table, floor, back of a chair or something. This drives the fibers together more permanently.

These several processes together are called ‘spinning’.

I am a fiber artist including spinning my own fiber into yarn. I use two methods – by hand on a drop spindle http://www.instructables.com/id/spinning-yarn/?ALLSTEPS which is a non-mechanical hand held flywheel on a stick way of spinning fiber that goes back thousands of years. And a spinning wheel that thru a foot petal that drives the wheel that spins the fiber, a mechanical device (many kinds but all work on the same principle of twisting the fiber into a form that holds together and can be knit or woven).

Both create a similar product of twisted fiber that holds its shape and can be further made into clothing or fabric of many kinds. I happen to find it very appealing and relaxing plus beautiful as doing it by hand tends to make a less than perfect fiber that when knit or woven has a very hand made organic look to it. The more skilled a spinner becomes the more even the fiber finished product is.

A FB friend asked a question as a beginner in spinning. I took the time to help her out with her questions and this article was the result. It is an art form, but in earlier times it was a necessary skill if you wanted to wear clothing not made from animal skin or have fabric for all the uses we now have for it. Now we appreciate the comfortable feeling and beautiful richness of hand made things in a world dominated by industrial processes.

My friend had trouble with uneven and lumpy fiber when spinning. Here was my suggestion: Do you comb out the fibers very carefully? Pick out the little short fiber bumps while you are carding. (Carding: the process of combing out fiber on a special flat surface with lots of little hooks that grab the fiber and lay it out on the comb in preparation to spinning the fiber into yarn. Carding for spinning video

As you spin, don’t rush, but pull out the exact amount of fiber from your prepared roll of carded fiber you need for the next section, drawing it evenly along in your hands. The fibers tend to pull together so it’s a matter of pulling the fiber along to get fewer strands till the right thickness is achieved or grabbing a bit more to make it thicker. Hold the fiber with both hands near and about 6″ or so from the head of the entrance onto the curled hooks of the spinning wheel (the entrance to the part of the wheel that spins and holds the yarn on a spool). Build up a bit of twist tension nearest to the wheel and once you have drawn out the fiber from the first hand to the farthest hand, just let go of the first hand nearest to the wheel and let that twist take on the length of the untwisted drawn fiber. Then run the next length of fiber thru the farthest hand drawing it out to a length, holding the end closes to the wheel tight so you can pull it without letting the whole length twist out of control. Then let go of the closest hand letting the twist go to the untwisted length held by the other hand.

As you get more control you can go faster. Good luck with your spinning and be patient with yourself. Also make sure your fiber is clean. As you grab a bunch of carded fiber to comb, pick thru it and get all of the little bits of straw or grass, or other debris, and little black spots or whatever is in there that isn’t nice. It will be yellowed if not already washed. Pick out any little tufts of short fiber in clumps (this comes about when the fleece is being cut from the animal or along the edges of the fleece) as these bits will make your fiber uneven and clumpy. I take anything out less than 1 ½ inches long.  

Some people clean a big pile of the raw fiber or fleece then wash it to get it to the correct color, ridding it of animal dander and dirt. https://woolery.com/how-to-wash-and-prepare-fleece/ This video talks about sheep wool. Other fibers may take other cleaning processes.

You need to get all the cleaned fibers lined up going the same direction then available as you draw from it to be spun into the spinning wheel orifice as the wheel twists the fibers. So the line of the yarn is all in one direction and controllable as to thickness (numbers of parallel fibers).

Preparing the fiber for spinning is an important step and makes for a good smooth continuous process once you start to spin your fiber. I usually get out my carding combs before spinning and card rolags (a processed roll of fiber ready to spin)  (see more explanation of a rolag below) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolag enough for a spinning session. I line the rolags up on a satin fabric sample that is slippery so none of the fibers in the rolag catch on it. As I make a bunch of them and lay them parallel to each other, I roll up the satin fabric so the rolags stay isolated from each other and as I unroll the satin cloth and grab each rolag to add to the spun yarn they are handy and uncontaminated by dust or house junk. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/98094098114709027/ Here’s a diagram of a wheel and the names of their parts so you can follow my ideas.

Then I start spinning. When I fill up the bobbin I keep the fiber moving from one hook on the flier to the next so it loads evenly along the bobbin. These hooks take the spun fiber as it enters the spool and deposit it on a place on the spool, to load it evenly. Then when it’s full I wind it up into a ball or use a nostapinne (https://woolery.com/using-a-nostepinne/) to create a ball with a hole in the middle for easy plying (putting together the single strands you have spun into a multiple strand of 2, 3 or 4 strands we call yarn). A nostapinne is a hand held special kind of stick smooth and graduated in thickness which you wind your yarn on to make a ball.

But you can also purchase a ball winder that is a little mechanical device, speeds things up.

Here is a picture of the spinning wheel and where each part is. How to choose a spinning wheel Halcyon Yarn Blog … Halcyon Yarn | Spinning yarn wheel, Spinning wheel, Spinning yarn

How to choose a spinning wheel Halcyon Yarn Blog … Halcyon Yarn | Spinning yarn wheel, Spinning wheel, Spinning yarn

A rolag (Scottish Gaelic: roileag) is a roll of fiber generally used to spin woolen yarn. A rolag is created by first carding the fiber, using handcards, and then by gently rolling the fiber off the cards to make a neat roll of prepared fiber. If properly prepared, a rolag will be uniform in width, distributing the fibers evenly. The word derives from the Scottish Gaelic word for a small roll.

Animal fibers have traditionally been used to create rolags, but today’s spinners use many different fiber materials, including manufactured and plant fibers. Traditional spinners using animal (protein fiber) wool go thru each process of the fiber usually building up a pile of processed and cleaned fiber then go to the next process without undo fuss having to stop the spinning to make a new batch of fiber to spin. That way you can really get into production and get a lot done in a day.

As you set up your spinning tools and material, you’ll need: carding combs, a supply of clean fiber free of debris such as sticks, spots of dirt, bits of fiber too small to spin usually as a result of the fleece being shorn off the animal; something to set your finished rolags on (usually a slippery length of fabric about a foot wide, I like fabric samples from upholstery fabric stores made of heavy satin like fabric (they are usually free);  your wheel (or drop spindle); and chair; a pair of scissors; a nostapinne or yarn ball roller; and a cloth bag to keep your balls of finished yarn.

Slivers or rovings https://joyofhandspinning.com/types-of-fiber…/ are also commercially available if you don’t want to go to the trouble of preparing your fiber for spinning. These usually come in fat rolls of precarded fiber all fibers going the same direction. Some people prefer not having to do the carding as it can be time consuming. But I personally prefer to do my own carding as it helps me be sensitive to the nature of that particular fiber, and I can control the size of the rolag by making it myself. While a roving tends to be long and too fat for my comfort in drafting the fiber: pulling the fiber to the correct number of fibers going into the twisting process.

When you first start to spin, taking your time in drafting the fiber to the comfortable number of fibers going into the twist takes patience but as you gain confidence your speed will naturally increase as your control of it becomes more natural to you. When I first started to spin on a wheel I found going into spinning sites on the internet and watching the videos people made as tutorials was tremendously helpful.

One of the things I found helpful for myself was choosing the kind of fiber I wanted to spin, based on what I wanted to make of the yarn. Alpaca is my favorite. I am allergic to sheep wool and I found cotton too ‘sticky in drafting it, as it tends to catch on itself and doesn’t slide smoothly together going into the twist orifice on the wheel. I’ve never tried linen but it requires keeping your finger wet and the strands of the fiber are very long, so it’s very fine work. I love the softness of alpaca.

Finishing is the last step. It’s the thing you need to know of how to process the yarn once it is spun so it holds together well and doesn’t peel off fiber when being worn. Here is an excellent article on finishing yarn: http://knittyblog.com/…/jillians-spinning-finishing-yarn/

Good luck with your adventure in spinning.

Deer Strategy for the garden 11-7-23

I get requests from people wanting to know how to discourage deer from the garden or which plants they don’t like. Here is a wonderful website I wanted to share: https://www.tyrantfarms.com/deer-resistant-plant-guide-edibles-ornamentals-natives/

If you do have deer invading your garden, and don’t have fencing, about the only thing that I have found that works is deer netting held up from the beds by either heavy wire plant supports – long straight piece with a curlicue on the top – which holds up the netting, then weighed down along the edges with rocks or bricks (or rebar, anything heavy). Another strategy is cheap fencing using 9′ sections of pvc pipe held up by 2′ long rebar sections hammered in 1′ deep every 6′ and along top and bottom between posts, then netting held up on the pvc pipe using cable ties. Leave a doorway section so you can get in. This will keep them off the beds. Make sure the pvc fits over the rebar before having them cut the 2′ sections.

Other solutions like moth balls in bags or deer repellent pellets or peeing on the ground only lasts as long as it’s dry outside. Once it rains, start over. Deer netting can be purchased at Home Depot in rolls about $20 7′ x 100′.

With so much building going on here in NE Georgia, tearing out our forests and depriving our wild life of habitat (which I hate) the poor wild critters are loosing their homes. So they naturally invade our gardens to have something to eat. So, if you care about the wild critters and don’t need to grow your own garden for food, then plant things they like to eat, and don’t be upset if they eat everything to the roots. Bushes that hold deer food is probably the best strategy as they usually won’t eat the bushes, only the fruit. That’s the topic of another post. But can be Googled.

Diann Dirks

Vape Juice causing ‘popcorn lung’ Bronchiolitis obliterans – some suggestions on improving health. 11-3-23

A FB friend posted their just diagnosed condition from vaping. Since the doctors consider this uncurable and permanent damage, my thought is always ‘you can do something about it’ even if it’s just helping the body’s own defenses. I’m not a doctor but I have studied plants for their healing qualities for many years – use them myself and grow many of them in my garden. The beauty of plant medicine is that it rarely causes side effects and when applied with wisdom and good knowledge are often surprisingly effective.

I always recommend that anyone trying natural methods in the form of supplements or herbal medicine first read everything you can find on it, consult a competent herbalist or alternative health practitioner and if under the care of an MD, make sure you aren’t doing anything that conflicts with prescribed medication. That being said, God gave us plants and knowledge, and using them is sometimes all that is left to us when pharmaceuticals can’t help.

“You may not have a ‘cure’ but there are some great herbs that help with the lungs. Do a little research on Mullein, Elecampane, Fig Leaf tea, astragalus, ginger, curcumin, echinacea, licorice root, red sage, thyme, https://www.verywellhealth.com/copd-and-herbal-remedies… and L-Carnitine, to name a few. https://www.peacehealth.org/medical-topics/id/hn-1196001 .

“Also, start in by doing as much detoxification as you can tolerate (but don’t overdo it, do gradually). I like to use Kombucha Tea as it pulls toxins out of the blood and liver. I recommend not over-doing that. You can start too much coming off the body too fast and cause flu-like symptoms. I like to start off by taking one ounce a day, and every 3 days increase by an ounce a day spread out over 4 times during the day up to but not more than 16 oz. in a day, and drink A LOT of water to flush out the toxins as they come off the body. Make your own and save a lot of money. Always use organic sugar when making the tea, and my favorite tea is Red Rose. Black tea is the best for this use. You can start it with a commercial kombucha or a starter from a friend, or online. There are great YouTube videos on this subject.

“I also like to do a couple of detox baths a week. Hot water as hot as you can tolerate comfortably, for 40 minutes. Let the water cool gradually, and if it gets too cool, add some hot water to stay comfortable. Add 1 cup epsom salt, 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup baking soda, and some organic shampoo or bubble bath. When I do this the water turns grey. Take some pure drinking water in plastic container in with you so you keep the fluid flushing.

“This doesn’t have to be the end of you! Your body has multiple systems and pathways to recover from almost anything thrown at it, but care needs to be taken to be gentle and positive. Plant medicine is amazingly effective, rarely has side effects, and works with the body naturally. All the things above I have used with no side effects. Strengthening the immune system and healing systems are vital. As much as possible, stay away from sugar in any form and false sweeteners especially aspertame, sucralose and other fake sugars. Sugar knocks out the immune system. Do as much organic food as possible to avoid retoxifying the body.

“Exercise gradiently to get the immune system circulating. Bodies need to be used to encourage healing. I like using a rebounder (little trampoline, and don’t jump, just bounce gently) as it is easy on the joints and exercises the lymphatic system and muscles expelling toxins. If you can’t find a rebounder, just hold onto the back of a chair and bounce up and down on your toes as much as you can, then do it several times a day.

“Good luck to you.”

Whenever I am faced with a health issue that covers a lot of the systems in the body I start out using only a couple of things to see if I get any results in small amounts. That way I can tell if anything makes it better or not. At the first sign of allergic reaction like a cold or flu like symptoms suddenly coming on, I back off the amount. If you have access to anyone using kinesiology (muscle testing) have them test you on the things you want to try out. Often a chiropractor or nutritionalist can do this for you.

I especially start out with detoxifying and stop all sugar, especially sodas, sweets or junk food. And I start being very careful about what I am eating.

I stop using cleaning products in the home that are toxic, and body products that aren’t toxin free. Be careful about shampoos, cosmetics, toiletries, etc. and read all the labels. I often make my own for that reason. Do the research. Anything put on the skin goes into the body almost immediately and can be a hidden source of toxicity.

If it’s a respiratory condition, get rid of anything with fragrance especially ‘air fresheners’ or those electronic fragrance plug-ins. If possible, get an air purifying system that filters the air. Instead get a quality diffuser and use therapeutic quality essential oils. Bergamot https://www.verywellhealth.com/essential-oils-for-bronchitis-5179761 or eucalyptus oils https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/what-to-know-about-essential-oils-for-coughs are good for opening the bronchi but there are others. Do your research.

Never drink tap water, and get a quality water purifier. I prefer that to bottled water as some of what is a problem are outgassing from the plastic bottles themselves. And to properly detoxify the body it needs to flush out the toxins as they get fished out of the tissues. But if you can’t do that, at least drink quality spring water. I prefer that to distilled water.

My message here is rather than just quit helping yourself, get busy, learn and do something positive. If you can find a good alternative health care person and get some guidance. But if there aren’t any that you feel comfortable with, educate yourself. Expect as you start drawing out the toxins in the body to feel the effects of the toxins getting stirred up in the body and that can make a person feel lousy for awhile, but keep at it. When that happens with me, I drink Kombucha Tea, do the detox baths, drink plenty of pure water, get out and take a walk or work in my garden, and bounce on my rebounder, eat some good green food and talk to a friend. You can do this. Just my advice, always rejectable. It’s up to you, your health is your own personal responsibility. My job is to share what I know in the hope that my friends do better with a good attitude of hope and future.

Diann Dirks, citizen scientist, gardener, and plant lover.

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What to Use for Mulch and the fine art of Mulching 10-30-23

I often tell my students and interns the importance of mulching a garden bed. In Permaculture Design one of the tenants is never leave soil open and raw – always having something planted in it or protected as with mulch. That could include using a cover crop for winter beds, growing wide leafed plants like squash or pumpkin around the base of corn as in Three sisters to create shade, or mulch of various kinds.

We have a big chipper that turns anything organic into shreds quite fine. I save my herb stems and unwanted leaves while processing medicinal plants, and dry debris from the garden to chip up for mulch. I also run my autumn leaves thru it to create fine mulch that doesn’t layer up like paper mache in the garden beds, which prevents rain from penetrating. By making the mulch finer, the worms more easily eat it, thus creating fertilizer called worm castings as they work their way thru the soil.

I have found one of the hardest things to keep caught up on is good supplies of mulching materials so I’m always on the look-out for things to use. In the Fall I watch for piles of leaves people leave out by the curb in our town for the big elephant trunk like vacuum truck to come around and collect (I get there first). I take my light garbage can with me in the back of my van, provide Hefty construction grade black plastic bags that fit exactly over the rim, and with two leaf rakes like tongs gather leaves. I try to fill up the back of my van at least twice every fall so I have enough to last the year.

I also like straw (never hay which is clipped field grasses loaded with weed seeds) if I can find it that hasn’t been sprayed with RoundUp or Grazon (which will kill your crops). Timothy Grass is often a good substitute. I also like wood shavings from my husband’s woodworking projects on wood that hasn’t been preserved or ‘treated lumber’ (which is toxic). I like captured grass clippings from lawns not sprayed or allowed to go to seed, as this is loaded with nitrogen, the worms love it, and it breaks down into lovely loamy top soil. I have friends with a farm growing chickens that let me clean out their chicken coop for the manure and shavings. I provide the labor of replacing the shavings in exchange. I use this as a top coating, (or sometimes to make manure tea) but never dig it into the soil unless it’s been composting for at least 6 months (it’s too ‘hot’ i.e. too strong ammonia content for plant roots).

I also use wood chips in perennial beds that never get dug in. Uncomposted wood chips will suck the fertility out of good soil as it decomposes, which goes opposite to the intent of having rich fertile soil. It is OK on top but never dug in. Clunky wood chips also make nice path mulch and after about 3 years breaks down into black rich soil which can then be sifted thru ¼” hardware cloth and used directly in the soil but not until it’s completely broken down. “Back to Eden” movie talks about using wood chips in beds but they don’t emphasize the fact that the wood chips they use aren’t the rough big pieces you get from your local tree services, but are run thru a huge drum chipper that break down the pieces to fine consistency. They mention it in the movie but it gets passed by quickly so you may not make that distinction.

I often have processed herbs that don’t get used for a couple of years, which are almost powder or tea grade consistency, that I cull every couple of years. This I either use directly or mix with other mulching material for my vegetable beds. I like a finer mulch for vegs because they are closer together usually than perennial beds, especially when first planted, requiring a finer touch. Or I go mid season and replace areas where the mulch has decomposed completely leaving raw soil exposed.

When we prune bushes or hedges and run that thru the chipper that makes very nice mulch as well. I have also carefully used our office paper shredder waste to mix in other material for mulch. I’m careful not to shred shiny paper or plastic (as in windows in envelopes) in that mix because I don’t want that in my soil. Just ordinary non-shiny printed paper is OK, even colored as that is soy based ink and not particularly toxic.

Used coffee grounds make a great topical treatment as it does triple duty as a mulch. It’s high in nitrogen so is nutritious to the soil. It repels unwanted insects. Worms love it. You can mix this in with other materials as listed above. I do not mix coffee grounds in the soil as it has some unwanted effects, but as a topical treatment it’s great. It doesn’t have to be organic.

Some people like to use compost from their compost pile as a top coating as well and I have done it too if it’s not completely broken down. But usually the compost goes into the soil at the change of every season, just dug in a little, not plowed in or tilled (we are a no-till garden).

Some people even use tailings (the part of a fleece that edges the fleece unuseable) of sheep or alpaca fiber. I’ve even seen it sold in pellet form as a fertilizer. But some people just lay it down on the soil as a top layer. It eventually breaks down. If you’re going to do this though either keep it larger pieces so it can be pulled up, or cut up fine so it integrates into the soil easier. It’s a good insulator though.

I have a firm rule, nothing goes in my garden that is toxic.

And I use naturally strongly fertilizing components mixed in when I can. Yarrow, an ornamental and medicinal herb, helps the compost pile decompose quicker. Comfrey leaves being incredibly full of minerals and soil nutrients get added in the compost pile or used directly in the orchard or garden beds. Hardwood ash from the fireplace in moderation (because it is strongly alkaline and if too much can make the soil too alkaline – I recommend getting the soil tested by your local Extension Office in your county to check for pH recommendations) is loaded with needed minerals. Egg shells dried and powdered add calcium, needed for tomatoes to avoid tomato end rot which is a calcium deficiency. Epsom Salt which is magnesium sulfate a natural addition to boost soil mineralization can be diluted in water or sprinkled in soil as you plant. Used tea bags and coffee grounds in moderation can be thrown in the compost pile. Banana peels rich in potassium are another important mineral, especially for roses or the rose family of plants but all the garden can benefit from it.

I don’t use pet manure as it often contains parasites. I don’t use horse manure from animals that have been ‘wormed’ as the medicine kills the earth worms in the soil. I never use products that have been created with sludge from sewage waste as it contains loads of toxic chemicals that don’t break down. I don’t use grass clippings or straw from fields that have been sprayed with pesticides or herbicides. You have to get clever about asking for the history of the products you get from farmers because of this.

I read the labels from products that are sold as soil amendments. I will use bone meal or blood meal and rock phosphate but never commercial fertilizers like 10-10-10 as I believe it unbalances the structure of the soil. I’d rather get my nutrients in a more raw state than what is refined, Epsom salt being an exception. I will use diatomaceous earth as a pesticide as it is a natural product. Horticultural Oil or Soap is also good used to help with pests without being toxic. But you can also make garlic/pepper sprays that knock out the pests without purchasing anything. Vermiculite and perlite being soil looseners are created products but they break down in the soil. I never use commercial pesticides, herbicides (like RoundUp), or anything that ends in ‘icides’ as they are all poisons. I can find natural ways to accomplish the needs of the garden without loading the soil with the toxins that end up in the food we eat or the medicine we use.

I use mulch for two reasons other than just keeping the soil from being open raw. It holds in moisture and keeps the soil cooler in hot months. And it insulates the roots in cold weather. Since we grow year round here at Hillside Gardens in NE Georgia, we still have 4 seasons and I do cover my beds with plastic sheeting in really cold weather. But in a mild winter, just being well mulched is enough protection for my cool and cold weather crops. I just make sure I water well before it gets really cold.

I stay away from commercial mulches such as that sold for ornamental beds that are black or red. These mulches contain dye which I consider unnecessary and in some cases toxic, especially since our gardens are organic and as toxin free as I can make it.

Some people use plastic sheeting as a mulch to prevent moisture loss in summer, then pull it up and dispose of it each change of season. It may be more convenient for commercial growing but I hold off on using plastic as much as possible. “Weed Fabric” is sold in nursery stores for pathways or weed suppressants. These are usually cheap and break down ending up in the soil. The expensive commercial fabrics are different than the cheap ones in the garden stores but you pay the top price for the good stuff. Instead some people use newspaper as a top cover the same way. But unless you punch holes in the newspaper it tends to repel rainwater. Punching holes in it for the plants is also easy to keep the weeds at bay. But using newspaper is OK if you put your drip system hoses under the paper so the plants get moisture where needed. I don’t have that luxury. The good news with newspaper is it does break down and doesn’t leave plastic or toxic residues in the soil. In “Back To Eden” techniques, they put down about 12 layers of newspaper over closely mowed land (grassland or weed covered land) before layering 4 to 8” of wood chips to create their top soil. This works. Also used cardboard or corrugated paper works for this application too.

In Permaculture Design one of the best ways we have of creating or upgrading soil is something called “Sheet Mulching” also called “Lasagna Gardening” where layers of various components of garden soil are laid down sequentially. This is different from the technique in “Back To Eden” which uses only wood chips.

Every change of season we re-sheet mulch our beds to continue building the soil and increasing fertility. So every layer is really a kind of mulch. Things we use for this purpose include: grass clippings, autumn leaves, kitchen waste (not as a top layer), worm castings (purchased commercially or created in one’s own vermaculture device), vermiculite or perlite for drainage, sulphur (if the soil is too alkaline) or baking soda if too acid, sand or crushed granite (usually mixed 50:50 with hardwood ash from the fireplace – sifted), Bio-Char – charcoal infused with fermented soil microorganisms, top soil, composted animal or ‘humanure’ (carefully processed to eliminate disease causing bacteria – see the book “Humanure”), compost from your own compost pile or purchased, alfalfa pellets (organic, not GMO), straw, newspaper office paper shredded, often mixed in with other components as above so it doesn’t layer, chipped organic matter from tree or bush prunings, rotten fruit from orchards, or other organic matter.  

Instead of purchasing already created garden soil or potting soil from a nursery supply, or at the big box stores in bags, for years we have used this technique of mulching or advanced mulching “sheet mulching, to create and upgrade our soil every season. As a result our soil is incredible loamy rich fertile soil that grows anything. When creating the soil originally we always use about 20% of the native clay here in Georgia (very high in minerals), and draw from the environment the other components, only resorting to purchased material like worm castings (to fill in our own vermaculture activity), or sand or crushed granite (Quikrete All Purpose sand usually found in the construction part of the store) because they don’t come from our area. Otherwise most of the other stuff can be found locally or generated here as part of our processes. We just don’t waste organic material unless it has become contaminated somehow. We keep a container on the kitchen counter for almost all of our kitchen waste including egg shells which we crush in the blender, coffee grounds, and vegetable parings. That usually gets dug into the beds or put on the compost piles.

Creating and upgrading the soil is a major part of the success of any garden activity, whether used for growing food and herbs, or ornamentals. Being wise with the materials at hand, and keeping the soil covered and amended will give you the most luxuriously beautiful fluffy, fertile soil imaginable. Now if you can only keep the deer out of eating your beautiful organic produce! Or keeping the voles and tunnel making critters out.

Diann Dirks 10-30-23

Making Plant Medicine is an Art Form 10-28-23

Diann Dirks

The other day I sat watching a documentary about a Native American potter making pottery from scratch; digging the clay from the ground, processing it, hand forming it and firing it in a pit fire. Being an old potter I was intrigued at his techniques and his care for each stage of the creation of beautiful pots. While I was watching this I sat at my table filling empty capsules for my own supplements and herbal medicine I make for my husband and myself. And it struck me that what I was doing was like that art form, only the end product was also science (which pottery is, taking into account many kinds of science).

Being a kind of science and art nerd (call it being a citizen scientist) I saw the parallels.

First of all, I grow about 150 medicinal plants in my organic garden, and do a lot of research on plant medicine, not only for individual plants and their medicinal properties, but also in blending and formulating mixtures of them for various applications like in tinctures, salves, teas, vinegars, and other ‘delivery systems’. I also teach these things to people who want to make their own medicines from plants.

I spend a lot of head space working out various combinations to help with various problems to be solved by which plants, such as wound healing, or helping with sleep. And I have formulated some pretty awesome salves and teas, etc. We use these all the time in our household.

When I was a potter I would wake up in the middle of the night designing pots to make the next day in my studio, being enthralled with the media of ‘throwing’ clay on a potter’s wheel or hand building. It was always an esthetic experience. Then I realized sitting there filling capsules that I do the same thing in the middle of the night, waking up putting various herbs together mentally and turning on the light, writing the combinations down. I do the same thing in combining plants for ‘companion planting’ in my garden, and writing my ideas down. It’s just the way I create and live.

While I’m out in my garden and walking around harvesting, or planting, or tending to the plants, I’m thinking to myself, there’s “….” plant and it’s calling to me because it’s a healing plant or a ‘nervine’ (helps sooth nerves), or whatever the properties of it are. Just like the clay speaks to me with an idea for a pot or a sculpture.

Creativity takes many forms in people’s lives. My friend who is a consummate bread maker makes breads from many kinds of grains and flours, combining them, developing them, fermenting them, in many ways – all delicious.

He has created a bread oven in his back yard out of bricks which is in itself a work of art. Another friend is a blacksmith who can take some iron or other metal, heat it up, bang away at it, and come up with beautiful and useful things like tools and beautiful works of art. Whatever your passion, taking something that is ordinary or even in the eyes of others useless, and making something of it that is a creation is art. The definition of art is ‘fitting’ i.e. something that harmonizes with life, or can be worked to make something by fitting together the pieces. So, if you have a passion, whether it’s decorating your house, knitting a sweater, cooking up a new casserole, sewing a piece of clothing or something for other uses from fabric, renovating an old car, making things from wood, renovating a house or an old piece of furniture, or designing a model airplane or robot, or even just being a caring friend who knows how to sooth some one with the right words, you are an artist. Those are just some of the media we can work with.

I was watching another documentary last night where a woman was taking the debris of pineapples which are usually considered pollution, and making fabric that resembles leather or linen. Another man who takes the skins cut off and usually buried, and making it into cleaning products that don’t pollute the water tables. The list goes on.

All around us are resources we consider debris or useless things, and people who have gotten creative and put them to work. I once saw a documentary about a man in Africa who collects old flip flop shoes, glues them together and makes amazing sculptures out of them. He sells them for Bo coup bucks too.

So, to me, growing, dehydrating, powdering, mixing, and taking that powder and making capsules or tinctures or salves from my plants, or teas to give relief or strengthen the body is an art form. For yourself, anything you make to improve life, help people, or bring beauty into the world is likewise an art form.

The aesthetic wavelength is one of the highest highs there is, much more satisfying than almost any other wavelength in life so I say to you revel in it, explore it, enjoy it, go forward and CREATE!

Diann Dirks 10-28-23

Jerusalem Artichokes, aka Sunchokes 9-23-23

Someone recently asked about growing this wonderful tuber vegetable so here is my contribution.

I have grown Jerusalem artichokes for many years. They are very productive and delicious. You must dedicate a bed to them because once they get established (first year) any little bit of a root left behind makes another plant the following year. This makes them hard to eradicate, but worth the space.

Best to grow along a fence or wall as they get very tall – 12 feet or so.

Prepare the soil as they are a tuber and appreciate good drainage and loose soil – add organic matter, sand, dig amends in deep – about 2′. Plant them about 18″ apart in a grid pattern zig zag leaving room to grow. I plant mine about 6 – 8″ deep.

They bloom in September here in NE Georgia. The stems then die and dry out. I cut the stems 1′ up from the soil once the stems die, so I can see where to dig leaving the sticks up from the soil as markers.

Wait to harvest till after the first hard freeze and wait for a warmer winter day, to dig them out or let them stay in the ground till you want them. The freeze develops the flavors and makes them sweeter. I like to cut the yellow flowers from the stems in September when they bloom as they make a nice bouquet. Leave a few of the smaller tubers in the soil for next year.

They like to hide under rocks and some like to go deep, so dig around in the soil when harvesting.

Cleanup the roots with just water and a soft brush, let them dry, then put in plastic bag and leave in the frig until needed. Don’t peel them, just clean well and cut up. They will last up to 2 years in the frig.

This is a survival food, very productive. Loaded with nutrients. But either cook them or don’t eat large amounts of uncooked ones at a time as they can cause gas. They are a natural flavor enhancer put in with potatoes, or in any stew, soup, sauces, or fresh in a salad, nice and crunchy. They are loaded with inulin, a natural prebiotic and type of sugar friendly to good gut microbes.

I don’t have a fence to plant them along so they just grow in a bed in the garden. But in a high wind they can be blown over. BTW, the dried stems cut after they die out make great kindling to start a fire. I cut them into 1′ sections and put them out of the rain for winter.

There are several strains available, and as far as I know they are all good.

Good Gardening,

Diann Dirks, 9-23-23

Preparing for Fall and Winter gardening

Fellow gardeners, now is the time to gather your fall cool weather seeds and get them started.

I’ve had good results from starting them in flats using seed starting soil – 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 vermiculite or perlite, 1/3 fine sifted compost. Only needs to be about one inch thick in a flat, separated sections (I use cut up miniblinds and they get used for labels too – I write on them with pencil not ink – it won’t fade out).

Sprinkle the seeds and loosely sprinkle more dry soil over the seeds depending on the seed packet instructions for depth of seed, and keep damp. In about a week or two your babies will poke out of the soil.

Then when they have their second set of true leaves (the first set isn’t a true leaf, it’s a baby leaf), the biggest healthiest ones get separated out and planted in individual seed cells or small pots or newspaper pots with potting soil, and let them get big enough to survive by themselves – usually 3″ or so tall and leafed out.

Then they can be planted in the ground in good prepared soil.

I grow year round, getting some of my most productive growing in cool weather going from fall into winter and into spring.

If it’s really hot, you can cover the babies in flats and seed cells, and in-ground planted young plants, with a cloth row cover (white, keeps the ground cooler so your plants don’t cook) and keep moist.

Right now I have 53 kinds of seeds starting in my little 4 shelf green house, each shelf enough for 2 flats. Each flat holds 6 to 8 kinds of seeds. They are planted densely and are in there only long enough to get big enough to put into the seed cells.

I save my seed cells from when I purchase already growing plants from the nursery. They range from 4 to 12 cells to the unit.

But you can use half a sheet of newspaper folded lengthwise, with one side folded down 1/2- 1 ” to make a rim, and wrapped around a wine or beer bottle, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of the unfolded paper sticking out from the bottom, which get folded under and taped, and the wrap-around end on the bottle also gets taped.

I use cheap masking tape or scotch tape.

Then just slip the little pot off the end of the bottle, fill with soil, and you’ve got a nifty little planter which can go directly into the soil as it will break down.

I make up a bunch of them at a time watching TV, then have them in a grocery bag or box waiting till the little babies in the flats are ready to transplant.

This is SO much cheaper then buying seedlings from the nursery.

If you take advantage of the sales all the seed companies offer this time of year, you can get a much more diverse variety of crops. And if you only purchase heirloom, heritage or open pollinated (almost saying the same thing) seeds, you can save those seeds and keep those varieties going indefinitely. I have favorite varieties I have seed saved going on many years, many of which are not available from seed companies.

Later as the season cools down, I place my used tomato cages on their sides down the length of the beds alternating direction top to bottom, so there’s air space between the top of the cage and the soil, then cover them with 3.5 mil clear or white plastic sheeting. I purchase rolls of this at Home Depot or other nursery supply stores. I save cinder blocks or big rocks to weigh down the edges along the beds so they don’t fly away in the wind. Sometimes if the beds are wide, I have to weight down the sheeting in the middle of the beds and use rebar or bricks so the wind can’t pick up the sheeting. This technique has meant years of all winter long greens, cabbage family crops, lettuces, root crops like beets, carrots and turnips, spinach, chard, kale, etc. When it’s really cold they don’t grow quickly, but they don’t die when covered with plastic. I reuse the plastic sheeting for many seasons until they start to break down.

Another advantage to saving these heirloom varieties of seeds is that they make great trading opportunities with neighbors and friends, so we preserve our food bio-diversity for future generations. Did you know that we have lost over 90% of the varieties of food plants on this planet due to agri-biz taking over the farm industry, leaving the small farmer with their specialized varieties out of the economy? It sup to us to preserve these treasures for our grandchildren and the future.

Hope this helps, saves you money, and gives you wonderful food!

SPRING IS FORAGING TIME AND ABUNDANCE 3-3-23

Here in NW Georgia, we’re about a month early in spring. The earth seems to have shifted a few degrees, enough to make spring appear early. We have fruit trees in blossom everywhere. My fruit trees are in glorious bloom – peach, almond, blueberry. Jonquils and daffodils can be picked in big bouquets right by the side of roads or in gardens. They have naturalized here so nobody cares if you get some for your table.

For those of you who make medicine or forage for wild food, this is bonanza time for harvesting the tender greens of spring.

This afternoon I filled two large baskets of nature’s bounty. Some would call these weeds, but I call them friends and fodder for my dehydrator, air drying, or for making tinctures and dried tea for later. From them I make salves, oils, immunity tea, and often I add the fresh leaves and flowers to salads. Some make pesto from chickweed or henbit, and many of the spring vegetables (weeds…) can be added to stews, soups, sauces, and juiced. Just be aware of those which have a laxative effect. A little chickweed or henbit pesto goes a long way.

What did I find today?

Dandelion flowers. I tend not to pick these first thing in spring because this garden is a bee haven, and the bees need the nectar and pollen after a barren winter. But later I will clear off my front lawn of the just blossomed flowers and make massage oil. Just stuff a quart jar with the flowers (leave the leaves for the salads, very nutritious) and fill with extra version olive oil or sweet almond oil. Poke it a bit with a skewer or chop stick to remove any trapped air. Put it in the back of a kitchen cabinet for a month or more. Then press thru either cheese cloth or make a filter bag with muslin cloth and squeeze the infused oil out. You can add some Vitamin E oil and a few drops of lavender essential oil to the finished oil for a preservative and massage it on sore muscles. Makes a nice moisturizing oil for very dry skin too. It comes out a gentle green/yellow color.

Henbit flowers and leaves. You will see these in great array across pastures, along the side of the road this time of year, or on your lawn. The flowers are tiny purple or white nestled in the top of a rosette of the green leaves. They are very edible loaded with iron, manganese, magnesium, calcium, vitamins A, C, E, K and antioxidants and phyto chemicals for health. They are tasty when young and can be added to salads tasting like kale or celery. Add the flowering heads and leaves to stew, soup, sauces, pesto, on sandwiches, and in smoothies. Some people consider this a super food, and makes good juice. Mix with other spring greens though as too much causes a laxative effect. They are great pollinator attractors for the bees when they need early food. Preserve by dehydrating for tea which is immune boosting or adding to salves and ointments for their anti-inflammatory properties. This makes a good pain and arthritis remedy. A poultice can be made by crushing the flowering heads and leaves and applied to cuts, scrapes, burns, stings and other skin irritations including bug bites. This is also a diuretic (stimulates the creation of urine, a detoxifier for the kidneys), a stimulant, induces sweat, antiseptic, helps with bringing down a fever, and helps with menstrual cramps and excessive bleeding. A little later in the season its cousin Purple Dead Nettle will show up. The little purple flowers are similar but the top of the stem often shows brownish purple leaves along with the flowers. These both can be used interchangeable both for food and medicine. Don’t be in a hurry to get rid of these beautiful plants as they are excellent for erosion control, self seed, and as they die out, add nutrients to the top soil. They are an annual herb.

Chick weed can now be found in abundance. This is another delicious foraging food which can be used in salads, and has many of the same nutritional and medicinal benefits as henbit. It is a strong astringent which can be made into a skin tonic to firm and tighten skin. It also goes well in healing salves and ointments as it draws out toxins and helps to heal the skin. It has been used by some in cellulite treatment in those hard to tighten areas of the body like thighs. It is anti-inflammatory and brings down swelling and pain on wounds and skin irritations. Crush the stems and leaves and apply directly to the skin or add it to salves and ointments and keep in the refrigerator. You can add it to blends of other herbs for greater application. Add to salads, as a tea, make tincture from it, and oil for massage and muscle pain. It has the ability to break down benign tumors and excess fat cells. “The mucilage content of chickweed has been shown to heal stomach ulcers and other areas of inflammation. It also strengthens the lining of intestines and the stomach.” It also releases anti-histamines for swelling.  When taken for both internal and external use, chickweed stimulates the production of mucosal fluids, offering a cooling effect on inflammation. In turn, irritation is soothed and the healing process is enhanced. In terms of arthritis, a chickweed tincture can help reduce swollen, inflamed joints. When administered orally, chickweed extracts reduced the level of circulating lipids, decreased food consumption and reduced lipid metabolism” for weight loss. “This is why many obesity medications utilize chickweed as a key ingredient. Based on its vitamin C, phosphorus and gamma-linolenic acid content, these substances have been shown to aid in the emulsification of fat cells. When sprinkled onto daily meals, it can also decrease cravings and overall appetite while boosting your intake of key nutrients. A compound in chickweed known as coumarin is believed to be a potential treatment for asthma, as well as conditions caused by a compromised lymph system. “  Also, based on the saponins found in chickweed, this herb can reduce thickened membranes in the lungs and throat, improving one’s ability to breathe. Since these chemical constituents also fight inflammation and infection, chickweed is able to target a range of respiratory ailments. “

“If you’re suffering from the common cold or flu this winter, a chickweed tea or tincture is an ideal solution. Not only can you thin mucus build up, but also lessen overall production with the use of chickweed. Whether you are suffering from bronchitis or asthma, you can benefit from the tincture recipe below. Chickweed has long been used a traditional remedy for a variety of skin ailments. Based on its emollient properties, chickweed has been shown to soothe itching and irritation, while enhancing the healing of wounds. Offering a cooling effect, chickweed will target skin eruptions, eczema, insect bites and even treat minor burns.”

“Based on chickweed’s ability to soothe skin conditions, poultices can be applied to cuts, burns and bruises. When making a poultice, you can effectively treat rashes and abscesses based on chickweed’s ability to prevent bacterial infections. This was verified in one key study, which reported chickweed’s therapeutic properties against bacterial infections. “Many individuals drink chickweed tea in order to purify their blood. While cleansing your blood, you will essentially target toxins that may contribute to poor health. The same is true for your kidney and liver, as chickweed offers a range of purifying benefits — leading to an enhanced effect overall.” Read the rest of this article for practical applications and how to make a tincture from chickweed.

http://www.thealternativedaily.com/reduce-inflammation-with-chickweed-tincture/?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=N161130

Cleavers – best found this time of year while it is still tender, not scratchy. Cleavers is aptly named because it was the inspiration for Velcro. Under a magnifying glass you see tiny hooks on the leaves which grab onto passing animals or your jeans. When young it can be gathered for wonderful medicinal applications.

Here’s what Rosemary Gladstar, a popular herbalist and author says about Cleavers: Cleavers is also highly beneficial for removing toxic debris out of the blood and can help to tone and strengthen the entire circulatory system. It is also good for alleviating edema, bloating, and water retention. Cleavers is often used to reduce and eliminate lumps in the breast as well as reduce swelling and pain associated with urinary tract infections and cystitis. It is also known to help reduce swelling with enlarged prostates as well. 

Cleavers is excellent for the liver and can help to treat and prevent jaundice and/or any liver disorders. It also works as a tonic for the stomach and is a good remedy for ulcers and hemorrhoids. Cleavers contains anti-tumor compounds and is an effective natural treatment taken both internally and externally to help reduce the effects of cancer. 

Topically, cleavers can be used as a poultice, salve or cream to help reduce swollen lymph nodes and breast tissue as well as for skin irritations, abscesses, boils, burns, eczema, and psoriasis. Cleavers makes an excellent tea and is especially good when one is experiencing heavy mucus and congestion from a cold or flu. 

Use 2 tsp of dried herb to 1 cup of boiling water and let steep for at least 10 minutes, sweeten with raw honey if desired. Cleavers can also be found in tincture, extract, capsule, and cream form online or at your local health food store. It is most effective when used for only 1-2 week increments at a time.

It is one of the most effective herbs for cleansing the lymphatic system. It is known to help move and dissolve lymphatic congestion, reduce swollen glands, ease upper respiratory congestion, and eliminate mucous from the body.” https://www.medicalmedium.com/blog/cleavers

I make a tincture of it and use it every day as it is such a powerful detoxifier for the lymphatic system, lungs and liver that I put it in my coffee every morning. Just a 2” dropperful does the trick for me. I like that it also cleans the blood of toxins. “ Bartram recommends it for enlarged lymph nodes and a number of urinary tract disorders. In the ancient world Cleavers was used to treat cancer. Gerard wrote of Cleavers as a marvelous remedy for the bites of snakes, spiders and all venomous creatures. One of the founders of Roman medicine, Galen, described it as a cure for obesity writing ‘it can make fat folk lean’. Cleavers is an old treatment for one of the toughest of all skin problems; psoriasis, it has even thought to be able to help dissolve small kidney stones!

In reviewing the literature on Cleavers one has to come to the conclusion that this herb has an astonishingly powerful reputation for such an unprepossessing plant!” http://www.rjwhelan.co.nz/herbs%20A-Z/cleavers.html”

It can be used as a skin tonic when extracted much like witch hazel. There are two sizes of the leaves. I use only the larger leaf variety as I believe it is the more medicinal. I have both growing on my property – the small one has a leaf about ½” across and the larger size is about 1 ½” across but the same configuration. I filled a plastic grocery bag of it and will tincture some of it fresh, and the rest dehydrating for later use for tea or oil. I find it growing all over the garden both in shade and out in the open.

Peppermint – fresh and tender. Peppermint in my garden has become very invasive so it’s everywhere and in great abundance. I pull it out of growing beds and the root comes with it in long strands. If I had known how pervasive it is I would have grown it only in pots. But too late. So, this time of year I go around and hack the tender new growth and if the root comes with, I just snip that off and save the leaves. If harvested in enough volume you can distill it into essential oil and use it for arthritis and pain in joints and along the spine full strength. Or add it to salves and ointments for arthritis or pain along with other appropriate herbal formulas.

For tea it can be used directly out of the garden or dried for later use. Lay it out on paper towels and let it air dry. The volatile oils in it are easily dispersed so I don’t dry it in my dehydrator not wanting to loose the flavors.

Peppermint is only one of the aromatic mint family herbs I grow here. My favorite for flavor is spearmint, though, and it’s also growing up from the containers I have it growing in and soon it will be tall enough to harvest. Along with those, lemon and lime balm, also mint family herbs will be coming along in a few weeks. All these herbs are great for digestion, and have many medicinal properties besides. Antispasmodic (handles spasms like muscles and stomach), antibiotic, antiseptic, antifungal, digestive gas, anti-inflammatory, flu and colds, and other properties. Also it helps with asthma, diarrhea, halted menstruation, upset stomach, dermatitis, and helps with convalescence. This is one powerful family of hearing herbs.

Make a tincture with vodka to preserve, or dehydrate gently. Make it fresh for a delicious and calming tea or when you feel off or are recovering from an illness. It calms anxiety and helps with sleep. I add fresh mint – sweet mint or spearmint – to my salads for a surprising flavor burst. It can be added to peas or other vegetables for added flavor and health benefits. It has so many uses I’m just going to share an excellent website for you showing many other uses: https://www.almanac.com/12-uses-mint-leaves-health-home The bottom line is that if you grow it in a pot or just have it growing around you, this is the time to harvest it fresh and either use it fresh, make extracts, or dry it for tea or washes later, you’ll find it most scented and useful now. It is a perennial so it grows for many years, and all during the warm weather too. I harvested a large bag of it and plan on making some nice dried tea leaves.

There are many other arising spring herbs right now that also have medicinal benefits such as wild geranium. But because it is best harvested later when it’s larger for leaves and roots I’m not including it here.

Wild garlic/onion is now coming up all over the garden. It will continue growing and I prefer to dig it up or cut it fresh, I haven’t harvested it just now. But it comes up so beautifully in the spring.

Dock and Sorrel varieties I also have noticed the three varieties of dock and several kinds of sorrel (same family) now starts to arise throughout the garden and on the lawn. These have medicinal and edible properties and if you don’t want them to become huge and take over precious garden space, now is the time to dig it up before the roots get too established and become hard to remove. We have curly dock, yellow dock, and broad leaf dock here – all valuable when controlled. Wood sorrel and sheep sorrel grow here in abundance. These are sour and contain vitamin C. Sheep sorrel is part of the recipe for Essiac tea used in alternative cancer treatment. Some of the 5 kinds of sorrel are cultivated and some are wild crafted (foraged). Now they are coming up freshly and it’s the time to identify them and either identify and leave them for later harvest, or dig them up. Sheep sorrel can be quite invasive but is powerfully medicinal. Wood Sorrel looks like clover but the leaf is a bit different. It can keep one from getting Vitamin C deficiency (scurvy) but because it also contains oxalic acid like the leaves of rhubarb, it must be eaten in small amounts to avoid toxicity.

The seeds of the larger dock plants stick up above the plants in tall stems loaded with reddish brown clusters of seeds in late summer. In earlier times these seeds were collected and made into a very nutritious flour made into bread either alone or mixed with other flours. Now the new leaves are beginning to appear above the soil, the older ones can be found with new green leaves in larger sizes around the garden.

My method of foraging is to go out with a pair of scissors and a good sized gathering basket. If I know I am going to find several varieties, I bring along a good handful of plastic grocery bags to separate what I find. When I get back in the house, I fill the sink with clear water and wash each kind separately, removing dead or imperfect parts, organic debris, and if I find bugs, they get a new home. I spin them in my lettuce spinner and lay them out to dry. Depending on the use I choose to apply them for, either I let them wilt a bit for making oils so the moisture content is low. If they are to be used fresh they go in the frig. Drying either they get laid out on paper towels in a well ventilated but not windy area. Or into the dehydrator if the volatile oils aren’t important. The ones to be made into tinctures, I cut them up small and place them in a mason jar, to be filled with 80-95 proof vodka depending on the medicinal properties being extracted. Do a little research on this yourself as each herb is a little different. Usually I use cheap vodka80 proof for most. Always label carefully anything you make as once a leaf is dry it looks like everything else. And once an herb has been sitting in alcohol for a month, you will not know what you put in there without a label. This goes for everything you plan on preserving. Don’t forget it. You will waste anything you don’t label, trust me. When they are clean and spun, place in appropriate containers with their labels and later enjoy.

Gather your mason jars or repurposed glass jam jars etc. and preserve these lovely plants while they are fresh and abundant. As soon as the weather turns hot, they will get dry and tough, or disappear. These aren’t the only things to forage now, but they are the ones I take the time to harvest for my own uses. Do a little research on your areas native plants and see what you can gather for nutrition, flavor, and medicinal uses. I’ll bet you will be surprised at what you find.

Diann Dirks 

Crops Surviving the Cold by Temperature 12-15-22

Knowing your Planting Zones – https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map Your growing Zone is important to know because growing winter crops in your area will depend on how cold it gets and the species of plants and varieties you can grow. When the weather gets colder than your usual zone, you need extra protection. Here are some tips to preserve your crops from especially cold weather.

We’re coming up on some unexpected very cold weather here in NE Georgia in Zone 8a and all across the nation. This weather is coming in from Arctic regions and will hit soon. They are expecting below freezing weather across the nation except parts of Florida. Keep an eye on the weather. But we are seeing predictions all this winter on a colder than usual time.

Here at Hillside Gardens, in Auburn, Ga., we are midway between zones 7b and 8b. There can be micro-climates where it gets colder or warmer within those regions but if you contact your local Extension Office they can tell you more precisely the temperatures in your area from past records, and suggest help.

But within 10F some of your winter crops will be in danger of freezing in the upcoming weather. According to the https://weather.com/weather/today/l/30011:4:US weather site for Auburn (our town), starting on Dec. 22^nd the night low is 13F, then over the next several days it is predicted to get as low at night as 13F with daytime temperatures as low as 28F with winds up to 10 mph and some rain. With temperatures this low we may get some snow.

Here is an excellent blog about specific plants and their kill temperatures of winter crops from last year. It’s too extensive to put all the information in this blog, but all the information is there for you no matter which zones you are growing in. https://www.sustainablemarketfarming.com/2021/04/14/winter-kill-temperatures-of-cold-hardy-vegetables-2021/

Winter-Kill Temperatures of Cold-Hardy Vegetables 2021

Row Covering: My favorite strategy to protecting my winter crops is to use covering along the rows. If you can, and have a hoop house, you can further protect the plants by using a cloth row cover inside. More below.

Tip on row covering: If you use covering for your crops, when windy, it can make a sail if you don’t weigh down the covering with sufficient frequency of weights and heavy enough. Also, if your beds are wide, you’ll want to put something over the top of the coverings to hold it to the supports. Old rebar in sections laid over the supports works well but you can also tie string to opposite weights to tie down the covering. Your area may be windier than here so check the predictions.

With the wind, if you choose to use row covers to protect your crops you’ll want to support them under the covers with something to raise the fabric covering or plastic sheeting above the height of the plants to prevent them from being squashed. Having some air between the soil and the covering to capture heat keeps the plant from being directly exposed to the cold air. I use my summer Tomato cages laid on their side along the row, being careful not to crush plants, and use sticks or heavy wire U staples to keep them from rolling around under the coverings. Over this I spread 3.5 mil plastic sheeting, either clear (my favorite) or white but never black or colored. Home Depot carries sheeting in rolls or in square packets depending on your size need. This sheeting will pick up wind if not well weighed down along the row. I use half sized cinder blocks or old used bricks. Rocks work too but they must be heavy enough. Cinder blocks are heavier so they don’t need as many, but bricks are lighter and will take closer frequency along the row. Make sure the end of the row covers is folded so wind can’t get in.

Here is the weather outlook as of this date. It can change on a dime, but better to be prepared than just loose all that hard work of planting. 

Thu 22 44°/13° Showers 43% NW 10 mph

Fri 23 28°/16°  Mostly Sunny 0% NW 13 mph

Sat 24  30°/22° Partly Cloudy 3% NW 7 mph

Sun 25 34°/25°  Partly Cloudy 15% ENE 5 mph

Mon 26 38°/27° Partly Cloudy 22% NE 5 mph

Tue 27 42°/32° Ice to Rain 51% ENE 5 mph

Wed 28 45°/34° Few Showers 35% NNE 6 mph

Thu 29 47°/37° Partly Cloudy 24% NNW 7 mph

Mulching: Another strategy to protect the plants is to give the soil some insulation to protect the roots. I use mulch directly on the soil and around the plants without covering them. I try to keep the mulch from directly touching the emerging stems of the plants where possible. And for very tiny babies, even though the mulch can be right up next to the plant, I keep them from being covered so at least some sunshine can touch the leaves to keep them growing.

I make sure everything is watered before the cold really hits but not sopping, just moist.

I use whatever I have available for mulch but my favorite is usually a mixture of crunched up autumn leaves and some chicken coop bedding with manure in it. I also add shredded paper from my office shredder. But be sure to shred only plain paper, not the shiny colored or slick kind or any plastic windows or tape. So, I sort out my mail and only shred the paper I know will go in my garden.

If you have a chipper, you can chip the whole autumn leaves, or non-sprayed wheat straw or Timothy grass. If no chipper, but you have a weed eater or string trimmer, you can fill a regular sized garbage can with leaves and run the trimmer in it to crush the leaves. If using straw – never hay as it’s loaded with weed seeds, be very sure of your source because hay sprayed with Grazon can kill your crops (as do other herbicides). Also dried lawn clippings can be used but never spray your lawn if you use this for mulch or soil amendments as it will kill your plants.

I mix the leaves and chicken bedding about 4 parts leaves to one part bedding with manure and apply it as thickly as I can depending on how young my plants are and how tall. Not usually deeper than about 4 inches but as thickly as possible down from that. This holds in moisture and heat from the sun, and keeps the soil from freezing as much as possible.

Row Covers: Covering your plants will make a lot of difference in their survival rate.  I use both plastic sheeting and cloth row covers. You can use commercial cloth row covering, not as insulating as plastic, but it will help. This can be purchased from agricultural supply houses. There are several gauges of floating row cloth covering. The summer or light weight gauge used to keep out bugs or cool crops in the summer is too light weight to do much good. Here is some information on that from various sources (sited below).

“What Is Row Cover

“Row cover, also called floating row cover or spun-bonded row cover, is a light-weight and gauze-like white fabric made from polyester or polypropylene. Row cover ranges in thicknesses. A lighter weight fabric, might be labeled as .45 or .5 oz/sq. yd., whereas a heavier weight fabric might be labeled as somewhere between 1.5 and 2.2 oz/sq. yd. Row cover can be cut to size using sharp scissors, which is helpful because it typically comes in large rolls of varying widths and lengths.

“Brands include Reemay, which is a spun-bonded polyester, Agronet, which is an ultraviolet-stabilized polypropylene and polyamide net, and Agribon, which is a spun-bonded polypropylene fabric. Other brands include Agryl, Harvest Guard and Typar.

Using Row Cover for Season Extension

“Used properly, row cover can provide frost protection in the spring and the fall while also supporting rapid plant establishment and growth. Row cover increases both temperature and humidity under the cover and the amount of insulation depends on the weight of the row cover. A lightweight row cover might provide 2ºF of frost protection, whereas a heavy-weight row cover might provide as much as 6ºF to 10ºF of frost protection.

“In the spring, when transplants are small, row cover can often be simply draped over plants without a frame. Row cover should be weighed down – bricks, stones and garden staples are commonly used in a garden setting – but row cover can enable gardeners to experiment with pushing the planting window up by as much as several weeks in May. Used in this way, you can refer to the material as floating row cover.” https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2020/10/using-row-covers-garden

GardenQuilt (gardeners.com)

GardenQuilt is a thicker version of our All-Purpose Fabric, consisting of polypropylene fibers that transmit 60 percent of available light. GardenQuilt provides excellent frost protection (down to 24 degrees F.). The thick fabric is ideal for extending the growing season into early spring and late fall, or for insulating strawberries, herbs, perennials, small fruits, and other tender landscape plants all winter long.

GardenQuilt provides frost protection down to 24 degrees F.

https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/row-covers/5111.html

Do row covers protect from frost?

Row covers are used primarily to prevent insects from taking a liking to your plant life and deciding to burrow into the soil nearby and feed on your plants. They also serve to fight off disease and keep your plants and soil from overheating.

However, row covers also protect your plants from harsh winds and take a little bit of the edge off of cold fronts. Though the cold protection is minimal, it may be just enough to keep your plants from getting frostbite in the winter, depending on the area you live in and the garden fabric that you use. Row covers give an average of two to four degrees of frost protection in the spring and six to eight degrees of frost protection in the fall, as the soil is warmer in the autumn months.

Can I leave plants covered all day?

Yes, row covers can be placed and left alone for weeks and even months. If you are using heavier fabric exclusively for frost protection, you will want to remove it everyday during daylight hours so that your plants get plenty of sunlight exposure, but if you are using the recommended floating row cover fabrics which allow plenty of sunlight to come through the fabric and shine onto the plants, there is no reason to remove it on a daily basis, as your plants are still getting plenty of sun with it in place. How do you make a garden row cover?

There are many different types of garden row covers that you can make yourself that use a wide range of different materials. Before selecting what type of row covers you want to make, you should select a fabric that suits your needs. Here are a few of our favorite garden fabrics.

There are many different types of garden row covers that you can make yourself that use a wide range of different materials. Before selecting what type of row covers you want to make, you should select a fabric that suits your needs. Here are a few of our favorite garden fabrics.

All-Purpose Garden Fabric – All-purpose fabric is made from polypropylene and transmits 70 percent of the available light. It works great for keeping bugs out and trapping heat within. It is also a great windbreak for young plants and transplants. It allows plenty of rain and irrigation to reach the soil and plants beneath. All-purpose fabric protects from frost down to 28 degrees Fahrenheit. When not in use, fold and store in a cool, dark, dry location.

Cheap and Easy DIY Row Covers to Protect Your Garden

One source of row cover fabric is Johnny Select Seed Company but do some research. If you are using floating row covers for frost and cold protection, get the heaviest kind you can find. https://www.johnnyseeds.com/tools-supplies/row-covers-and-accessories/

Some people use old white sheets. They aren’t as long so you need to sew or clip several end to end to cover a long row, but they can be purchased at thrift stores quite inexpensively. If this is all you have access to, it’s going to protect most of your winter garden plants, but not all, and depending on how cold and how long the cold lasts, it may or may not give you all the protection you need.

Hoop Houses: Another strategy which is more permanent to help you get thru a cold winter is making a hoop house. Professional high tunnel or green houses are expensive. But you can look over the information below for DIY hoop houses made with inexpensive PVC pipe and greenhouse plastic sheeting and see if this is something you’d like to try. The beauty of this is that you can make them as big or small as you like. You can even make them using cattle or horse panel welded wire instead of PVC. It will last longer but is more expensive.

Hoop Houses: https://offgridworld.com/how-to-build-a-hoop-house-greenhouse-for-50/  Short for small garden hoop house with pvc you can make a DIY hoop house using PVC pipe and heavy lastic sheeting.

There are many YouTube versions of hoop houses which you can build yourself. Some are permanent, some are moveable and inexpensive.

If you have a hoop house this will raise the temperature inside by 10F or more and if you make it with roll-up sides, it can be used all year long. But it won’t keep your crops entirely protected unless you use double walled sheeting, and heating. This gets expensive. I’ve seen the double walled sheeting using a forced air blower system which acts like bubble wrap for considerably more insulation in Michigan where it gets 20 below 0 for months at a time. But we don’t usually need this kind of heavy duty systems.

So, if you do have a hoop house over your most sensitive planted areas, but no heating, you can do a layer of lightweight row covering over the plants inside the hoop house and get another several degrees of heat that way. You don’t have to weigh down this covering because it’s inside and not subject to wind, just lay it over the plants, and when it warms up, just roll it up and set it aside. It will somewhat obscure sunlight delaying growing, but it will save their little greeny lives. J

So, keeping track of the weather on a daily basis can protect your garden or farm crops.

I am available for consulting for all gardening and agricultural projects or installations using the technology of Permaculture Design and 45 years of organic growing experience in the NE Georgia area. Contact me if you need some help. didirks@comcast.net, Georgia Dirks FB, 678 261-8141 (always leave a message) or PM me on FB. I am a Ladies Homestead Gathering member and give a discount to members. Internships also available – Winter into Spring session now accepting applications. Auburn, Ga.

Diann Dirks, Certified Permaculture Designer 12-15-22

Bay Leaf Additional Information 11-2-22

Bay Leaf (Bay Laurel) has many benefits, and beneficial applications. In my most recent post I gave you a lot of them. But later I remembered some things that could be of benefit for future survival uses. And more data about handling the leaves once harvested.

Because Bay has insect repelling capabilities it can be used to protect your storage of grains and dehydrated foods. Of course the best way to protect these things is to put them in air-tight sealed and hopefully glass containers. But sometimes even the most careful cleaning before storage misses the odd bug egg. So, in order to keep from infestation, place dried Bay leaves in to the flour, grains, dehydrated or freeze dried foods and seeds. As you use these up, just pull the used leaves aside and remove the contents, and occasionally replace them with freshly dried ones.

When I harvest my stems, I place them out of the sun so they don’t bleach out. You can leave them on the stem and hang them in your house from a hook on the wall, or put them in a heavy vase without water, and let them just air dry. You can also remove the leaves from the stem or still on the stem, place them on an old screen, cleaned of course, in a shady place – outdoors is fine, or in a garage or dry basement. Just make sure there is good air circulation. If you’re in a hurry you can use a dehydrator but on the lowest heat setting so you retain the volatile oils.

Once they are so dry they crack when you break them, they are dry enough to store. Keep in a closed glass air-tight jar – I like Mason jars or repurposed quart honey jars. Smaller is OK too. Keep out of direct sunlight, and in a cool place. Otherwise you loose the volatile oils that are a big part of their usefulness.

Their medicinal properties for hair restoration blends well with other herbs like Rosemary and some others. Don’t be afraid to make your own blend with a little research.

I have used dried Bay leaves for 2 years but they are best if used within one year. Keeping them in air-tight jars lengthens their usefulness. Also, if you use a vacuum unit on the jar, their shelf life improves like is available with Food Saver equipment.

If you want to grow your own plant, find a sheltered place with a west exposure, by a rock wall or cement, or other heat capturing environment if you live in a cold winter climate. They are not particularly delicate but once I had 60 hours of 5F and the outside leaves were burned in my well established bush. So choose the location carefully, and not where it would be exposed to cold winds or air movement below freezing. It is a strong perennial if you take care to give it a comfortable home.

Good growing and medicine making. Diann Dirks 11-2-22