My Poor Herbs...

It seems I have been a bad bad green witch.  Upon moving into my new home, I had hoped that I would be able to overwinter my potted herbs in the (fairly sheltered) space under the front steps.  Unfortunately, I am seeing very few signs of life... I am thinking that I will have to start over.

The only plant that seems to be doing ok is the chives:

Here is the new plan: have fiance build a raised bed garden for the backyard.  I am going to start small, with a box that is 3 feet by 6 feet.  I plan to remove the sod from that area and dig down a few more inches (the soil underneath seems like a fairly equal mix of clay and sand).  This will allow me to fill it with good, healthy soil for my herbs and (hopefully) will allow my herbs to actually survive next winter.

Phoenix's Simplified Bruschetta

 

I love serving Bruschetta to guests but I find starting from scratch means I am in the kitchen all night instead of enjoying the party.  So, I started taking some shortcuts including pre-diced tomatoes and pre-shredded cheese.

Ingredients
Baguette
1 Can Aylmer Accents Diced Tomatoes: Garlic and Olive Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Fresh Basil
Kraft Italiano Shredded Cheese

Cut baguette.  In the past I have simply cut "rounds" by slicing all the way down the baguette.  But, when in a hurry, I will cut the baguette in half (or thirds) and then slice each piece lengthwise to expose the white part.  This cuts down on how much time you spend turning, seasoning and topping

Brush Baguette pieces with olive oil and place in hot oven on Broil.  Turn once or twice until just toasted.

Meanwhile, remove any stems and chop basil.  Drain tomatoes in a colander and add the basil. 

When bread is toasted, add a spoonful or two of the tomato mixture to each piece.  Season with salt and pepper.  Top with cheese and put back into the oven until cheese has melted. 

Herb Garden Update

I thought I would update on how my herbs have been growing so far.

You can see my Cascading Rosemary and Sage are slowly creeping along:

My Lavender has started to bloom and the Chives have gotten a haircut:

I picked up a couple of hanging baskets.  Not quite sure what kind of flowers they are.  I may have to take a better picture if we ever get a sunny day again:

My Apple Mint, Rue and Anise are all doing well, and my Tequila Sunrise Columbine flowers have started to peek through, not sure if they will bloom this summer at all:

Chocolate Mint is still growing quite well:

And my Wooly Thyme, Lemon Balm and Catnip are doing well.  Again, Columbine are growing but I am not sure if they will bloom this year:

It seems I forgot to take a picture of my Basil and new Rosemary plant.  Those will have to come later as it is pouring down rain right now.

Herb of the Week - Basil

I both love and despise Basil all at the same time.  I love it because it is wonderfully fragrant and delicious in almost any dishes.  I despise it because I have yet to find a way to grow Basil without killing it.  The first year, I planted too early for my region and it died.  The second year I waited an additional month and I think I overwatered (I thought wilting meant needed more water - oops).  This year,I planted Genovese and Purple Bail and I have been babying them to no end.  I waited until July to put them outdoors, I am very careful about how much I am watering them, I move them indoors in heavy rain or wind or if I feel that it is just too hot in the afternoon (I have noticed them wilting if they get too hot).  In short, I am dead and determined to have healthy Basil plants this year!

Basil is a wonderful herb that can be found in most herb gardens or growing on kitchen windowsills.  Basil likes full sun but should be fairly sheltered from high winds.  Be sure to wait until well after the last frost before sowing your basil as cold temperatures are its worst enemy.  Basil does not like to soak in water and should receive proper drainage. 
Basil comes in a number of varieties.  My favorite are genovese basil and purple basil.  Others include cinnamon basil, lemon basil and Thai basil.  Basil is delicious in soups, salads, dips and sauces.  I add basil to nearly all of my Italian dishes.  It also makes a beautiful garnish.
Magickally, Basil is associated with protection, courage, wealth, love, divination and creativity.  For a financial boost, plant Basil near the front door.  Cook with fresh basil to enhance feelings of passion and love.  Carry in your pocket or place in your wallet or purse to bring continued wealth.  If you are a business owner - Place Basil leaves in a cash register or above the doorsill to attract customers.  Bathe with basil to increase attractiveness. 

Herb of the Week - Recipes

To finish off the first Herb of the Week, I thought I would post a few incense recipes.  These are from Scott Cunningham's The Complete Book of Incense, Oils & Brews

Rosemary Healing Incense:
1 Part Dried Rosemary
1 Part Dried Juniper Berries

Crush herbs and burn on charcoal disc

Study Incense:
2 parts Gum Mastic
1 part Rosemary

Crush herbs and burn on charcoal disc

Crystal Purification Incense
2 Parts Frankincense
2 parts Copal
1 part Sandalwood
1 part Rosemary
1 pinch finely powdered salt
1 small, purified Quartz Crystal Point

Crush herbs and place in a jar.  Add the quartz crystal. Pour herbs onto charcoal disc (be sure to LEAVE the crystal in the jar).  Pass crystals to be purified through the smoke. 

Herb of the Week - Rosemary

I thought I would start my Herb of the Week postings with Rosemary as it is very common within most Witches' gardens and can easily be found within nearly everyone's kitchen. 

Rosemary is a beautifully fragrant herb that can be easily incorporated into both magick and cooking.  Young plants are usually readily available at most nurseries.  I have also seen Rosemary more and more often in ready-made herb pots (containing multiple herbs) at most grocery stores (Superstore and Sobeys here in Canada). 

As a cooking herb, Rosemary is piney with a hint of lemon.  It works very well with basil or thyme.  It can be used with nearly all meats and is particularly good when paired with lamb or poultry.  It is also a great partner with eggplant, potatoes and in many sauces and marinades.  Rosemary is one herb that many people keep close to the barbecue in order to add flavor and fragrance to dishes. 

As a magickal herb, Rosemary holds powers of Protection, Love, Lust, Mental Powers, Exorcism, Purification, Healing, Sleep and Youth.  It can be burned to purify a space or prepare for a ritual and works well in incenses.  Rosemary may be burned in the bedroom or kept under the pillow to protect the sleeper and drive away nightmares.  It may be hung throughout the house, particularly in doorways or on porches, to protect the inhabitants and drive away thieves.  Rosemary can be used in baths or bathing products to ensure youthfulness (I have a rosemary mint shampoo and conditioner that smells DIVINE).  It works well in nearly all magickal applications including dream pillows, poppets and tinctures. 

Herb Garden Beginnings - the 2010 Edition

I finally got some time to plant my patio herb garden this morning.  I also got permission from my building manager to put pots on the ground next to my patio, so I am expanding this year.

Here are my Chives and Lavender from last year:

Doing quite well I think... Look at those buds! Can't wait for it to bloom!

Now for the Newbies:

Lemon Balm

Woolly Thyme

Anise

Rue

Apple Mint

Sage and Cascading Rosemary

And Dill and Angelica awaiting a new pot

Clearly Poseidon likes the smell of the Angelica...

I also have purple basil and Genovese basil. I will be keeping these inside the house until July as they die when I put them out early (every year!)

This is my first time with the rue, angelica, anise and woolly thyme so any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Making Spell Candles

I have had a candle kit for a while now and haven't tried it up until now.  I decided to try my hand at making some money/success candles. 

I melted down about half a block of wax

 

Then ground up my herbs and mixed them together

When the wax was melted I added the color and the herbs.  Once everything was mixed together I did the first pour

After 5 minutes I inserted the wicks, then waited until a well formed and did the second pour.  Once they were all cool they popped right out and I trimmed the wicks.  Here is the final result

I was quite surprised at how many candles I got out of so little wax.  I may never buy candles again!  I also have a kit with a larger mold that I'm thinking about trying next.  Has anyone else tried their hand at making their own spell candles?  How were your results?   

Aerogarden Diary - Day 1

Last year for my birthday I received an Aerogarden.  For anyone who hasn't seen these machines check out the website: http://www.aerogrow.com/ This is a fantastic machine that allows you to grow just about anything all year long.  It sits on your counter, only uses water and turns the lights on and off automatically.  No muss, no fuss!  I have started a new herb kit containing Basil, Chives, Thyme, Mint, Oregano and Dill.  It will take just a few days for my plants to start sprouting and within a month I should be able to start harvesting.  For those who are not herb-minded, there are also veggie and flower kits available.  I am so excited to finally see something green and growing again!!  I will update as soon as everything starts sprouting!