Samantha Togstad

Making an herbal-infused oil is easy. The hardest part is growing, harvesting, and drying the herbs. Herbal oils are a fantastic way to experience the benefits of herbs topically. Infused oils can be used alone, in salve, body butter, lip balm, soap, and more. Different Methods There are different ways to make an herbal-infused oil. The easiest way is known as the folk method. Herbs are placed in a jar, covered with your choice of oil, and left to sit for a few weeks....

Every year, it seems like the holiday season arrives earlier and earlier. Maybe the “holidays” are the furthest thing from your mind right now. But If you’re someone who loves handmade gift-giving, you’re probably okay with getting ahead. And if you want to give simple yet thoughtful gifts from the garden, now is the time to start planning. Dried Bouquets Dried flower bouquets let you extend the beauty of cut flowers well past summertime....

If you’re a gardener with pets, no doubt they spend some time in or near the garden. While it’s essential to do some pet-proofing to your garden, it’s also fun to hang out with your pet, just relaxing in the garden. While your dog or cat probably won’t help you with any garden chores, they might love to help you enjoy the harvest. Our pets can enjoy many fruits and vegetables....

If you’ve been following the Planter “Herbs” series, you may have seen the post about harvesting herbs. After you harvest you must start the process of saving your herbs. Drying your herbs is the best way to preserve your harvest for long-term storage. There are several ways to do this at home. Paper Bag Method The paper bag method is nice because it doesn’t require anything fancy. Place your herbs in a clean paper bag, ensuring not to fill it too much because good air circulation is critical for successful drying....

If you’re growing herbs in your garden, you may wonder when the perfect time to harvest them is. It all depends on which part of the plant you want to use. Plants store their active compounds in different places depending on what stage of growth they are in. Harvest Timelines Harvest aromatic herbs like basil, lemon balm, sage, and oregano just as the flowers are beginning to open. This is when the volatile oil levels are strongest, giving you a more flavorful or potent herb....

For most gardeners, weeds are an inevitable part of gardening life. Although they can be very annoying to a lot of gardeners, some weeds are valued for their medicinal and nutritional content. Whether your feelings towards weeds are negative or positive, you’ll need a plan to keep them under control for the overall health of your garden. While most weeds are innocent, some can harm humans and animals. Some weeds are worse than others and can even be deadly, so it’s worth learning what to watch out for....

If you want to stay within your gardening budget this year, consider propagating some of your plants this season! To propagate means to create new plants from a single parent plant. You can do this with quite a few plants, but basil is one of the easiest. If you like basil, you know it’s an herb you can do a lot with because it can go with savory and sweet dishes....

Gardens come in many different sizes, and you don’t need a lot of land to tend to one. As long as you have some space for a pot or two (or twenty!), you can grow a whole range of things. Herbs, both culinary and medicinal, can be grown in pots, in the same way you can grow ornamental flowers. Benefits of Growing Herbs in Containers: You don’t need a ton of gardening space....

Winter is becoming a distant memory in the northern Hemisphere, and spring is in the air! And so are the pollen, mold spores, and other irritants that can cause seasonal allergies. While most of us are happy for spring’s arrival, those with seasonal allergies have mixed feelings about the misery the changing season can bring. Allergies can also appear in autumn. Those in the southern hemisphere might be experiencing fall allergies right now....

These days, many of us have chosen to live a more mindful life. We try to use less plastic when possible, buy things made with renewable materials, and choose locally grown food. We might even start a veggie garden (yay!). A garden with edibles is a must, but we also want our yards to look great with ornamentals. We can live a “greener” life and have a beautiful landscape by bringing native plants into the garden....