First Harvest (if you can call it that)

I had my first harvest today. Two Yellow Boy tomatoes, One Celebrity tomato, One Better Boy tomato and plenty of basil.. The tomatoes are really starting to do something now that everyday is in the 90's. They love the heat.

Tomatoes and Basil

I am so excited, the first sweet 100 is ripe and the celebrity and lemon boy are doing well. My unknown heirlooms are much slower, but a couple even have sweet yellow blooms.. Can't you tell I am excited. I grow basil and marigolds around them, old folklore from grandma I guess.

Large order from Ebay

I placed an order from ebay for 34 plants. Mostly perennials and herbs.. I am excited to see what comes.. It was a buy one get on free, so I just couldn't resist.. Pics of plants when they arrive I will post!!

Ingram's Camphor Cream Herbal

First you may ask "What is Camphor and where does it come from?"
Camphor is a substance that comes from the camphor tree. The trees grow tall and have white flowers. Most grow in Japan and China, and on the island of Taiwan.

Camphor is produced by streaming wood chips from the camphor tree. During this process, camphor collects in an oily layer on the chips. The oily substance is drained and pressed to remove the oil and water. Camphor is then left in the form of whitish, almost transparent crystals. The crystals are usually purified by pressing and sublimation. The pure compound is a white waxy solid."


What do you use when your hands are cracked, peeling and dry from digging in the dirt? I use Ingram's Camphor for my hands and feet after a rough day out in the garden.. After my big mulch day yesterday I pretty much stuck my fingertips in the jar to soak in the cream. When you put it on you can feel a cool sensation on the skin.. Not like Vicks or anything, but just cool and not overpowering.. It can be pricey at $12 for 17.7 ounce container, 500g for my outside the uS friends. What do you use to soften beat up garden hands?

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)

Who has heard of the wonderful medicinal properties of the echinacea?? I have friends who would live and die by the stuff, esp. when they get sick.. This flower is native to the Eastern US and grows like wildfire if left to propigate itself.. I had one plant of it last year, which turned into 15 new ones this year.. I really don't mind.. I like the flower. It does tolerate a variety of climates, which makes it ideal for growers all over..

I suspect this was another medicinal plant used by my ancestors when they crossed the plains on their pioneer trek.. It is one of the most widely used herbs now and was then as well. It's claims include helping one with their immune systems, before and after an illness begins. It is too keep one in "Good Health".. Personally it doesn't work for me, what are your takes on it?

Monarda (bee balm, horsemint, oswego tea, or bergamot)

BZZZ, BZZZ, BZZZ is the sound you hear when you are near the Bee Balm (that is what I call it).. If you are lucky you may even catch a hummingbird. These flowers/herb are very attractive for bees and hummingbirds. These are native to North America and the one picture is a genuine wildflower, I found on a hike in Illinois. Many cultivars have been made for the home gardner like myself..

In my own garden my cultivated variety spreads like wildfire and needs divided every couple of years to maintain the health and vigor of the plant. I put it in the back of my beds to encourage the pollenation by the bees for the other plants. They are in the back because they have a tendancy to get about 2 1/2 feet tall. I also find that it pops up in places I haven't put it too.

What fascinated me was the use of the monarda. My ancestors who crossed the plains going West used the plant for medicinal purposes. The plant was found all along the trek, so it was in good supply. They used it to treat headaches and fevers. They would crush the leaves and steep in hot water to make a tea. I wonder what else they used it for?

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Every gardner must have some rosemary in their garden. It supplies a ray of sunshine in the middle of winter when most things are not green. In my garden it is an evergreen shrub, although it never flowers for me. I use it in my cooking, esp. with meats and potatoes. The more you use of it, the more that grows back.. I will always have a rosemary bush in my yard, or two or three of them..