Beautiful, strong herbs for NZ gardeners and herbalists of all levels
And just like that the flash sale is over. Sorry if you missed out, gotta be quick around here!
The only remaining plants I have for this season is Lemon balm, Catnip and Tulsi. WHITE SAGE IS SOLD OUT.
Remember, if you’re itching to spend money with me I do sell dried herbs and tinctures as well!
A dead tree.
A cold misty morning.
Spiders.
Pure Beauty.
Find the beauty in your day. It’s there if you look.
A reflection. A spinning leaf. Patterns.
It’s been a hard month this month. Death. Grief.
A friends husband. Another friends young son.
Thieving. Dishonesty.
My beautiful handbag handmade by my husband. (And wallet and housekeys).
If there’s beauty out there I’m taking it, because sometimes you forget, sometimes you can hardly see it, sometimes, you can’t believe it still exists.
But it does my friend. Seek it. It may not make things better, it may not bring back loved ones. But it makes things that little bit more bearable. Let it give you strength that one day, more beauty will be visible.
Is that what they call it?
All my plants are getting too big for their pots and I’m finding places to plant them out..
So get in QUICK before I find homes for them here.
All plants* are $4 each (plus P&P). Here’s what I have left…..
*All plants except White sage
So use that ol’ contact form there to put in your order, remember to give me your address, go to Ordering Your Plants for all the details that you and I need to know. Very limited stock so get in quick!!!
This one goes out to all my lovely white sage customers…
So, you’ve finally got your white sage plants, now what?
Here are some guidelines that I perhaps should’ve thought of giving you before you got your plants or when you got your plants.
OK, so, all of them have been hardened up, meaning they are used to the outdoor environment so don’t bring them and leave them inside your house.
Whilst they’re in their pot, place them where you want to ideally plant them to see if they seem happy there. Sunny, dry with a bit of space (at least 60cm apart from other plants) is what you’re looking for. Or if they’re going to be staying in a pot you can re-pot them into a bigger pot now if you like, go here for re-potting guidance..
If you would like, you can nip out the two teeny tiny leaves that are just emerging from the top, this will help your plant bush out. Regularly check your plant for aphids and small caterpillars, they love the stuff, squash on site. Here’s a post about aphids if you want to know more about the wee blighters.
Observe your plant, they do prefer to be on the dry side but whilst they’re young they need a little bit more than when they are more established. So if you see the leaves slightly drooping; water. Now.
Some of you are worrying about winter, really, this article is long overdue. You see a lot of us get our information from the big ol world wide web, like, right now! But a lot of articles are written in the Northern Hemisphere and they have a very different climate. For one, our sun is a lot harsher. A lot of plants are actually better off growing in part shade (like basil) than full blown sun that is recommended, so take that in mind if you notice any of your plants that look a bit sunburnt. Also it snows in a lot of places which means you may be getting information that isn’t relevant to your climate zone. I’ve been growing white sage in quite a lot of different climate zones in New Zealand and my observation has been that Salvia apiana is a very hardy plant. We’re in Eketahuna here and it is cold, we got some knarly frosts last winter and all my white sage plants frankly looked beautiful for it. Those leaves are stiff and sturdy, they’re not prone to frost burn. If your plants are in pots by all means move them to a more sheltered spot and/or cover your plants with frost cloth if you’re nervous.
Like succulents and cacti though, during winter I would hardly water my white sage plants at all. (Just as a note, planting your white sage with succulents or cacti is a good idea, looks nice and similar watering needs).
That’s all I can think of right now. If you have anymore handy hints please comment below for everyone to see. If you have a question, use the comment section as well, because if you’re asking someone is probably wondering as well!
Hello, hello 2019, hello you.
One of my customers told me this week that according to numerology, 2019 is going to be super. So perhaps I won’t give up just yet! 2019 is a number 3 year and three is a pretty fine number for all that it symbolises. If you’re interested in that sort of jazz (or your interest is piqued) go here to Forever Conscious to find out more.
In the spirit of “creativity, self-expression, and alignment” (did you look at that link?) I might write more personal posts, maybe show my paintings and other crafty concoctions as well as herby things. But….
I must admit, apart from time and other priorities the reason my blog posts have been so few and far between lately is because our camera is getting a bit on the old side and the plug points to load the photos on the computer are worn. So to get my photos loaded I have to ever so precisely hold the plug in at some special angle whilst pressing certain buttons (with my nose) and perhaps hold my head/feet/tongue at a particular angle whilst hoping the planets are aligned to be able to successfully get them on there. And still it doesn’t work. So I have to ask my husband to do it whom obviously has his feet in the right position and asks the right gods – because he can do it instantly. But I hate asking him, because as much as I love him he does this bloody eye roll thing or a loaded pause before saying the right words, which are “Yes dear, I’ll do that for you”. And it makes me want to shake him and sometimes I even hate him for about 40 seconds. Nobody likes that. And I’ve got other things to ask him to do – like saw off the chickens roosts because they’re riddled with mites (he can do it so much quicker than me). I can handle eye rolls then, you know, they’re kinda warranted!
So know that these photos that come to your eyes right now came with a little bit of eye roll, a lot of stern eye and a whole lot of garden love~
My “Turkenstein” Clary sage (Salvia sclarea) is in full bloom at the moment and is amazing. (Still have plants available, go here..) It gives you heaps of coverage, a beauts musky scent that really, only a salvia can pull off. Flowers for bees and bumblebees AND any sturdy vase you have on hand.
St Johns Wort (Hypercium perforatum) has been flowering steadily since Christmas and I’m starting my second lot of St Johns Wort oil. Fabulous for healing, here’s a link that will tell you more. I grow St Johns Wort in my garden. It’s usually wildcrafted, but last year I couldn’t find any that wasn’t beside a dusty roadside, so I plucked a runner or two and set them in a bed. It’s been growing like the clappers and I’ve got to make sure I harvest as many flowers as I can or else the seeds will pop all over the place and become the invasive weed it is known as in some parts of the country. What doesn’t go in my oil I will snip and use as a fabric dye.
It takes two to three weeks for the redness to show through in your oil. During that time it should be in the sun, I usually pick everyday for a week then leave it be~ and then start another!
The above picture is a small portion of my Catnip (Nepeta cataria) that is now drying as we speak/read/write.
Recall me mentioning the mites thing…
My clever chickens are self medicating themselves in the herb patch, luckily I’m a generous soul and I have this in other places where the chooks don’t go!
Anyhoo, this is a good start for me for the new year, lets see if I can keep it up (I have photos pre-loaded now so it’s looking promising!)
PS. To be fair, I actually got a “Righty-o” when I asked my benevolent hubby to do the photo thing. We’re all good!
Tomorrow (16th Dec) I’m at the Greytown Country Market; it most likely will be my last market ever (I will still be selling my plants etc online).
I’m also turning 40 tomorrow.
To be frank with you, whomever you are, things have not gone well for Stoney Ground Herbs since moving here (been here over a year now, ‘here’ being Eketahuna). I’m quite sad about this. I know I should be saying things like “I’m moving into another phase of my life” or something else that doesn’t imply that my business is going to shit and I’ve been losing money for two years now. But today I can’t be arsed, I’m just a bit down about it all. I really thought that this year things would come together and be amazing. This is my fifth season and the boat is sailing away from me.
It’s true that Eke has a different climate and I’m still getting my head and ways around how to garden with crap weather. But it’s more that I haven’t got a weekly market to go to where people like/appreciate my plants enough for it be worth my while travelling to said imaginary market and paying the stall fee.
Online sales have been VERY slow this year, sure there’s lots of white sage lovers out there but I’m sorry, I don’t want to base my business on one plant, one fickle slow growing plant at that!
I still absolutely love herbs and I love sharing my knowledge but with all of the above I’m another small business going under. Do I wind this website up? I’m not sure, I’m not entirely sure that a lot of people read my blog anyway, are you still reading this?? Well done you and thanks. Should I even publish this? What if this is just a wee glitch? What if I’m being too honest or am I not honest enough? Maybe I’m not trying hard enough. Or should I just embrace that whole I’m turning forty thing and not give a fuck?
So there we have it. I’m a gonna go make my birthday cake and maybe I’ll see you at Greytown.
P.S. It’s not all doom and gloom, honest, I’ll post a much chipper entry before Xmas!
Kia ora folks, just a heads up that this is your last week to order plants until the new year. It’s too risky sending plants during the xmas rush, couriers are way too busy to take the care with plants that I prefer. So hustle hustle!
If you grow white sage you may find at this time of year your plant is getting a bit “leggy”.
‘ello ‘ello ‘ello, what have we here?
The very tall wands that are coming out – if the leaves are tiny at the tip – will flower. Unless you want to save seed, it’s best to cut this out.
This is what the flowers look like if you’re curious.
Salvia apiana in flower
Close up of white sage flower
You can dry the stem you’ve just cut because the base of it should be fairly bushy. Dry it whole with the leaves hanging upside down. If you are drying for the purposes of making a smudge stick, don’t let it dry completely before tying up, wilted really is what you’re after.
On other stems you can tip prune which will encourage more leaves out of the laterals (the bit between the stem and a main leaf) giving you a thicker smudge stick come harvest time.
The laterals are the leaves coming out from between the main stem and leaves
This is what will happen after some time.
Bushing up
The coast of California is where Salvia apiana comes from. I’ve got a theory that in it’s natural habitat it probably gets blasted by wind and stems breaking is a common occurrence (good news for those that live by the coast). Because if you have it in a sheltered position and don’t tip prune it at all, particularly in the early days~ this is what happens. One long plant.
Lone stem ranger
There’s hope yet for these guys though, find the lowest active lateral and trim from there.
Looking for laterals
So don’t be afraid to give your plant a wee trim here and there, now is a good time, whilst there’s plenty of growth action happening you’ll get a stronger plant for it. Make sure that any pruning you do is on a fine day with another one forecast for the next day.
Dry upside down, out of sunlight. This picture is blurry (sorry!) but you don’t want them any drier than what it looks here to make your smudge sticks.
Drying white sage
Here’s a link to making your own smudge sticks using ingredients other than/as well as, White sage. Please note on what is said about common sage (Salvia officinalis), not to be burnt!
I’ve just come back from a wananga with Robert Guyton at the Oxford Street Community Gardens in Masterton~ and I’m feeling all very inspired as well as comforted by the fact that good things do take time – more so with gardens and forest gardens than even cheese!
Of course I knew this, we all know this, but it’s good to get reminded now and then…
One thing Robert talked about that I was going to bring up on here (I have several drafts) and that is of aphids.
Aphids on a White Sage (Salvia apiana) plant
They’re having a bit of a field day here at the moment. I think because we had a relatively mild winter here (so we’re told, I though it was cold enough!) so their cycle didn’t really get broken.
I’m all for squashing them. They love white sage and calendula, actually I’m not sure what they don’t like! But at least squashing them on the aromatics you have nice smells whilst you’re at it.
When squashing you’ve got to do it every three days for at least a couple of weeks if you want be effective. You’ll always miss some and the poor blighters are born pregnant. If you have plants in pots you can dunk them in water and rub the aphids off. If you have well sturdy plants you can try blasting them off with the hose. And repeat. Check for ants as well; they are industrious farmers that literally farm/manage aphids for the sweet substance they excrete after sucking your plants.
Robert Guyton talked about some plants he has in profusion on his land, for example Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum), Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) and (gasp!) Hemlock (Conium maculatum). All Umbellifers/Apiaceae and all attractive to hoverflies, and hoverflies loove aphids. Dill, you may flower!
Now that is a long term solution that I am into. Ladybird larvae also eat aphids. You are not going to get these predatory/beneficial insects if you spray with chemicals though so put them away. Please!
It will take some time but Nature will find its balance, that’s what it does… you could almost say it’s an expert~
Another grey day required me to go out and find the pretty things in the garden…. enjoy~
Calendula
Just the two colours of the borage and calendula make my garden “pop”
Grannys Bonnet coming into flower
Dead camellias are pretty too!
Purple Honesty flowers coming up through the lavender
Do you know what this? Because I don’t!
My main crop waiting to be planted (Agria and Red Rascal)
I looove the smell of Roman Chamomile…
..so much that I just have to lie down on it (it’s ok, it likes to be squashed or walked on now and then!)
Pear blossoms, hope the pears will be just as nice as last year
Raspberry leaf, maybe I’ll save the hassle of birds eating my crop and harvest the leaves..
Lifted my saffron bulbs the other day…
Look what my clever husband (Industrial Fusion) has started making. Steel garden art!
Isn’t this beautiful…walnut leaves unfurling