Last year I harvested some dandelion flowers. I read you could dry them and use them as a tea. I cut the green part off and only had the yellow strings, I laid them out on my drying screen and left them for a few days, I then placed them in a mason jar and a week later I had a jar full of the white flower parts that you normally blow. I dont know why I didnt think about them doing that. I think its safe to assume the blog I read did not do an update or I did something wrong.
Last year I harvested all the heirloom roses off of my rosebush and dried most of them and some turned into a tincture. A tincture is just where you place all the parts of a plant into a jar and soak them in alcohol, normally vodka, for about 4 weeks. After the first batch sat for 4 weeks I drained off the liquid, discarded the petals, put new petals in and poured the liquid over the petals and let it set for another 4 weeks. What I ended up with is the most amazing smelling rose perfume. I dab a little on my wrists and I am smelling like roses all day long. I can also add some to a bath. or put a few drops in water to drink or into my hot tea for a little extra flavor.
So I decided to try the tincture method with the dandelion and the honeysuckle this year as well. The picture at the top is of the dandelions from last weekend. The honeysuckle isnt blooming yet in my backyard but I check on them every single day. I dont want to miss one one little bloom!
stevia plant
Last week when Mr Ladybug and I stopped at the plant nursery they had a stevia plant. I had to have one. I normally buy one every year because I have not had much success in growing it but this year we have some sprouts.
Its hard to tell but theses are soooo teeny tiny. The seeds are so little and light its hard to plant and you only get 12 little seeds in a pack. So far we have 4 out of 12 sprouting. If all goes well I will make a tincture to use to sweeten my teas and will try drying some. I saw on another website where they dry the leaves and then grind them into a powder to use.
We planted so many different squash seeds last week and most have come up. I love the bigger seeded plants and how you can see the ground breaking open as the seeds sprout.
These are raspberries that we planted last year. We found a patch at the community garden and the ground keepers kept mowing over them. Yay for free plants.
The pea plants are coming along nicely. We are planting about a four foot row every 2 weeks to not get a crop all at once. It doesnt really matter because most dont make it into the house because we eat while we pick.
Mr Ladybug and I are headed out early in the morning to visit my sister and brother in law and then headed to pick up the bees early on Saturday morning. We hope to be back home by lunch time on Saturday. I think its suppose to rain so we will not be able to put the bees in their new hive until Sunday. On Sunday we have a birthday celebration someones not only graduating from college this year they are turning 22. Goodness we are getting old. It should be a fun weekend and I hope to have a bee update and some honeysuckle blooms on Monday.
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