8240 MEN Guide to Growing Sage

10 “Giverny reflects Monet’s preference to be guided by nature as a partner in creation, rather than to control and manipulate nature through formal structures.

The Impressionists tried to capture, in their paintings, the feeling (or impression) of being outside ....”

—KIPP DAVIS, “MONET’S GARDEN OF LIVING COLOR,” PAGE 66

ON THE COVER Grow Herbs All Year 26 Seed Companies to Trust 6 Area Native Plants 33 Reappearing Herbs 40 Garden Fences and Trellises 51 DIY Easy, Breezy Bee House 80 Cover Image: Demansia/iStock

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Garden Basics

DEFEND YOUR GARDEN WITH HERBS

SEED COMPANIES YOU CAN TRUST

6

These responsible, reputable garden suppliers offer a wide variety of topquality seeds.

SOIL SCIENCE

ers with common-sense methods and natural repellents.

PERMACULTURE BASICS

10

Your garden soil’s pH helps determine how well crops will grow. Learn how to test your soil’s pH and how to apply the results of your findings for a more productive garden.

PAPERBACK GARDENER

18

Rescue your garden from insect invad-

13

23

Learn the fundamentals of permaculture, a sustainable design protocol that aims to help us each create our own paradise.

Design Plans CREATE AN ALLSEASON HERB GARDEN

26

Reuse shreds of paper in your garden.

With smart planning and season-

These four beneficial uses include

stretching techniques, you can enjoy

easy-to-make compost and mulch.

fresh flavors and tantalizing scents all

ALL ABOUT COVER CROPS

14

year long.

Infuse your garden soil with nutri-

PLANT A NATIVE GARDEN

ents and beneficial microbes with

Grow these easygoing herbs,

this collection of hardworking,

wildflowers and ornamental grasses

quick-growing cover crops.

in difficult sites.

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9/7/18 9:12 AM

54

82

76

A BED OF BEAUTY AND JOY

37

CUT, DIVIDE & CONQUER

56

EASY, BREEZY BEE HOUSE

80

Devote an area of your yard to a

Fill your landscape for free, beautify your

Make bees of all stripes at home in your

bed filled with beautiful herbs and

garden and share the bounty with these

yard with this charming, easy-to-make

flowers perfect for gorgeous, long-

three simple propagating techniques.

bee house.

lasting bouquets.

SEVEN SHADELOVING HERBS

62

Healing Gardens

Are shady spots casting a shadow

CULTIVATING HAPPINESS

Herbs that reseed wildly and prolif-

over your culinary garden? These sensa-

Use horticulture therapy techniques

ically are Mother Nature’s version of

tional, useful herbs thrive in

to create a garden that can boost your

efficient gardening. Learn how best

sun-deprived corners.

mood, and help fight mild depression

to manage these happy growers.

Garden Spotlight

and anxiety.

PERPETUAL PATCHES

40

MONET’S GARDEN OF LIVING COLOR

Herb Gardening 9 MULTIPURPOSE GARDEN COMPANIONS

44

These nine useful plants can help support healthy garden crops while also providing food and health in

These easy-to-grow healing herbs

nature’s palette of flowers and herbs to

belong in every gardener’s medicine

create a scene of ever-changing beauty.

cabinet for their range of benefits.

Herb Spotlight

GROW GINGER AND TURMERIC

72

Beyond its attractive nature, sage offers THE POT SPOT

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EASIEST MEDICINAL HERBS TO GROW

Take a lesson from the master: use

SAGE ADVICE

the home.

66

robust and earthy flavors in the kitch-

roots by mimicking the heat of the trop-

whether they’re kept on the patio,

beloved herb and learn how to grow

indoors or on a windowsill.

and cook with it.

TEA TIME

RAISING THE BAR

DIY Projects

Whip up these herbal teas for 10

herbal landscape a lift.

GARDENING FOR BEES

54

The pollinating work that bees do

with this classic take on a retro craft.

DIY GARDENING NOOK Carve out a designated niche in

our fuzzy friends are in trouble.

your home where you can do all

Learn what you can do to help.

things garden.

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ics in aboveground containers.

A MODERN MACRAMÉ HANGING PLANTER 76 Add a natural touch to your home décor

is crucial to our food supply, but

90

but you can grow these supernutritious

en. Discover myriad varieties of this

Use fences and trellises to give your

84

Ginger and turmeric may be tropical,

Growing herbs in pots is satisfying,

52

82

93

common health problems.

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9/7/18 9:12 AM

Soil Science Your garden soil’s pH helps determine how well crops will grow. Learn how to test your soil’s pH and how to apply the results of your findings for a more productive garden.

BY B A R B A R A P L E A S A N T

All pH is measured on a scale from 0 (most acidic) to 14 (most alkaline, or basic); 7.0 is neutral. Most food crops prefer a pH of 6.0 to 6.5, but you can have a productive food garden at pH levels between 5.5 and 7.5. A difference of just 0.5 may not seem like much, but the pH scale is logarithmic, which means, for example, a pH of 7.0 is actually 10 times less acidic than a pH of 6.0. Potatoes and most berries, which grow best in more acidic soil, are the main exceptions to the average preferred pH range.

A soil’s pH results from interactions among native rocks, plants and weather conditions over many years, and it varies with climate and physical surroundings. In moist climates that support dense forests, such as those east of the Mississippi River and along the Pacific Coast, soil tends to be acidic, with a pH between 4.0 and 5.5. The grasslands of the comparatively dry Midwest often have slightly acidic soil (6.0 to 6.5), while most arid regions, such as the Rocky Mountains, have alkaline soil (7.0 to 7.8).

However, local differences can cause huge variations within these general patterns—for example, weathered limestone can create alkaline patches in otherwise acidic landscapes. Soil is often severely disturbed during construction; sometimes native topsoil is completely lost. Some synthetic fertilizers—mainly those high in

10-11 Soil Science_gd.indd All Pages

try a home pH test kit. When a team of Missouri extension experts submitted soil samples to 82 soil-testing laboratories and compared the labs’ results with those from do-it-yourself pH-measuring kits, the $20 LaMotte Soil pH Test Kit—available at Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply (groworganic. com)—earned high accuracy ratings.

Personally, I like pH color kits because they’re fun to use, and a practiced eye can detect small variations in the shades of orange (acid) and green (neutral to alkaline) in the results.

Start by Adding Compost

How to Test Soil pH Soil chemistry is complex, so how can we boil it down to help us in our gardens? If your crops seem to be thriving, you probably don’t need to worry about your pH. But if you find that plants just don’t seem to be growing as well as you’d like, you should probably have your soil checked with a pH test. The cost for a basic soil evaluation by a state soil-testing lab ranges from free to $25, depending on the state, and typically includes a pH test along with results for major and sometimes minor nutrients. Soil-test kits with detailed instructions are usually available at extension service offices, or you can order them by mail.

If one bed or small section of your garden goes wonky, you might

10 THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS GUIDE TO GROWING SAGE AND OTHER USEFUL HERBS

The LaMotte Soil pH Test Kit is one of the most accurate home tests on the market.

Find it at groworganic.com.

LEFT: COURTESY PEACEFUL VALLEY FARM & GARDEN SUPPLY; RIGHT: JML5571/ISTOCK

What is Soil pH?

ammonium or sulfur—can also acidify soil, as can tillage methods that reduce soil’s levels of organic matter.

Acid rain caused by coal combustion began to acidify streams and soil during the late 1800s, and continues to push soil in some regions into the acidic range every time it rains.

Finally, some organic matter, such as peat moss and pine needles, acidifies during decomposition.

Alkaline soil occurs in places where soil is formed from limestone or other calcium-rich minerals, and high water-evaporation rates common in arid climates aggravate the problem by loading topsoil with accumulated salts. Many plants can still thrive when grown in alkaline soil that has been generously enriched with organic matter, which also improves soil’s ability to retain water. Mulches also will slow buildup of salts in plants’ root zones by reducing surface evaporation.

CRISTIAN BAITGI/ISTOCK

IN LATE FALL AND EARLY WINTER, before the ground is frozen solid in most of the country, it’s the perfect time to brush up on knowledge that can help us build a better garden come spring. One way we can help ensure our garden crops grow to their maximum potential is to gain an understanding of our soil’s pH. The pH describes the relative acidity or alkalinity of the soil’s makeup, and it has important implications for plant health and growth. Soil pH impacts beneficial fungi and bacteria in the soil and influences whether essential minerals are available for uptake by plant roots.

Raising the organic matter content of soil will usually move the pH of both acidic and alkaline soils toward the neutral range. This is because organic matter plays a buffering role, protecting soil from becoming overly acidic or alkaline.

Finished compost usually has a nearneutral pH, so the primary method used to improve soil with extreme pH issues should be regular infusions of compost.

If your pH readings are only slightly acidic or slightly alkaline, compost and organic mulches may be the only amendments you need to keep your crops happy and your garden growing well.

Correcting Acidic Soil The standard treatment for overly acidic soil is lime, an inexpensive soil amendment made from ground lime-

stone that slowly raises pH over a period of months. Dolomitic lime is usually preferred because it contains both calcium and magnesium. But if you have dense soil and a soil test indicates excess magnesium, try low-magnesium, calcium-rich powdered crab or oyster shells as your liming material.

Follow the label, as products differ in application rates, which vary with soil type. You can’t apply a correct amount of lime unless you know your soil’s pH first, and if you apply too much, it will be extremely difficult to correct. Err on the cautious side by applying too little lime at first.

After the pH of acidic soil is raised above 6.0 using amendments, I’ve found it can be maintained with a light, yearly application of alkaline woodstove ashes.

In addition to containing enough calcium and magnesium to have a liming effect, wood ashes contain an array of micronutrients. The key is to use them sparingly, in small, dispersed amounts, and to never add wood ashes or lime to soil with a pH higher than 6.5. A quart of wood ashes (1 pound) is about right for 50 square feet of cultivated space.

In larger spaces, apply no more than 20 pounds of ashes per 1,000 square feet of garden bed.

If you avoid acidic chemical fertilizers, a normally acidic soil may not require liming again for several years, if ever.

Then again, if your soil is porous sand in a high-rainfall area, pH testing may show a need for liming every other year. Never apply lime unless a pH test indicates it’s needed, and never use it where you’re growing plants that prefer acidic soil, such as blueberries and azaleas.

bubbles, you have free lime and should consider gardening in beds filled with non-native soil.

Extension experts in places where alkaline soil predominates emphasize that most plants will grow well in organically improved soil with a pH as high as 7.5, and your primary goal should be improving soil quality with organic matter—not lowering pH. Alkaline soil can be stubborn about releasing phosphorus to plants, so amend it every chance you get with composted manure. The humic acids in both composted manure and vermicompost help make phosphorus available to plants, as does the presence of rotted plant tissues from both regular compost and cover crops. Acidic mulches, such as pine needles, can help lower soil pH slightly; other mulches have little effect on soil pH. The garden soil I’ve nurtured organically for years tests at a near-neutral pH. My newer beds that have tight clay, on the other hand, test acidic. Monitoring soil pH helps me gauge how well I’m improving the soil, reducing effects of acid rain and maximizing the soil’s microbial activity—which all add up to a better garden.

BARBARA PLEASANT gardens in southwest Virginia, where she grows vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers and a few lucky chickens.

Correcting Alkaline Soil If you have exceptionally alkaline, high-pH soil, you can often tame it by adding organic matter and powdered sulfur. But sulfur may do little good in alkaline soil that is rich in free lime, or calcium carbonate. Test for free lime by covering a soil sample with vinegar; if it

Adding organic material is the best way to maintain healthy soil with a near-neutral pH. www.MotherEarthNews.com

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9/7/18 9:13 AM

Garden Rogues’ Gallery |

SMART TIPS

Chances are one or more of these common insect pests will stake a claim to your garden this summer.

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5 Steps to Stop Pests 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

+ These herbal oils, diluted and used alone or in random combinations, seem to control mosquitoes, gnats, chiggers, biting flies and wool moths.

Citronella Cinnamon Eucalyptus Lemongrass Lavender Patchouli Pennyroyal Peppermint Rose geranium Sweet orange Vetiver Essential oils evaporate quickly. Reapply often for best effect.

To keep biting insects from entering your home, combine 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups water and 20 to 30 drops total of several of the above oils.

Spray around doors, patios and porches.

To keep insects away from you, combine 4 ounces water with 10 to 12 drops essential oil. Spritz around your body or on clothes before you go outside, or spray all around the house.

Scout out and identify insect pests.

Destroy pests in their vulnerable larval stage.

Establish a control routine and record applications.

Keep your garden clean. (That includes pots, tools and work surfaces, too.)

Remove and dispose of dying and dead leaves on plants and the soil.

TRY THIS

ANTREPELLENT HERB AND SOAP SPRAY Ants herd aphids, mealybugs and scale, acting as hosts so they can harvest the other insects’ secretions, commonly called honeydew. Control the ants with this spray and you’ll inhibit these other common pests.

1. Add herbs to boiled water, cover and steep until infusion is cool.

2. Strain out herbs. Stir in soap and vetiver oil.

3. Before use, shake mixture well, then filter it

|

IMPORTANT ADVICE

into a sprayer. Spray ant trails, counters, soil surfaces or wherever ants are a problem.

NOTE: With vigilance, effective practices and select natural pest controls like these, you can prevent or stop a major outbreak of pests.

Taking the time to observe and protect our plants brings extra rewards: time to watch them grow, to inhale their floral perfumes and to enjoy their uplifting presence in our lives.

The Green Team

Light green caterpillars are the larvae of white cabbage moths; feed on brassicas, such as broccoli, cabbage and kale

Cucumber Beetle

¼-inch yellow and black striped or spotted beetles; feed on cucumbers, melons, squash, beans, roses and other flowers

Japanese Beetle

Metallic copper-green adult; gray-white grubs; adults devour leaves of roses, basil, fruits and many other plants; grubs feed on roots

Mealybug

Both ¼-inch adults and egg masses are covered with white powdery wax; look like cotton on underside of leaves, in pots, below stones; attack many ornamental plants, basil, fruits and houseplants

Scale

Soft-bodied pest secretes a protective coating that looks like bumpy bark with fine, gray soot; ants often nearby; attack woody ornamentals, fruits and indoor plants

Spider Mite

Barely visible; look like red specks in a mass of webbing; cause yellowing; feed on roses, many herbs, vegetables, strawberries and indoor plants

We find the following treatments very effective against most garden and greenhouse pests.

NOTE: Whenever you try a new spray, be sure to test it on a small area and wait a day or two before you spray the entire plant.

SOAPBASED SPRAYS. Soap sprays adhere to leaf surfaces and damage pest’s cell membranes.

Several commercial brands are available. To make your own, use biodegradable soap as the base: 1½ teaspoons of castile, Basic H (shaklee.com) or Murphy’s Oil Soap (murphyoilsoap.com) added to 1 quart of water, along with about 8 drops of insecticidal essential oils (see “Insect-Repellent Essential Oils” at left). We also include soap in our Garlic and Chile Insecticidal Soap Spray (see instructions on page 19).

■

NEEM OIL. Derived from the neem tree (Azadirachta indica), neem oil kills, repels and interferes with pests’ ability to reproduce. It won’t harm mammals and is easy on beneficial insects.

when the temperature is below 90 degrees. Use heavier dormant oil on deciduous plants in winter.

Bug Battle

1. FIRE ANTS, LEAFEATING CATER PILLARS AND BEETLES. Try biological pesticides based on naturally occurring soil bacteria. The oldest, Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki), works well on caterpillars. Spinosad is useful for fire ants and beetles. If pests require repeated treatment, alternate the two to keep insects from becoming resistant.

2 . APHIDS, LEAFHOPPERS, SNAILS AND SLUGS. Diatomaceous earth is a natural material that kills pests by dehydration. The effects are shortlived because it seeps into soil after rain, but a thorough, well-timed dusting can work wonders. You can also make leaves less tempting by painting them with a paste of kaolin clay and water. Organic produce that has traces of a dusty, off-white residue was probably treated with kaolin clay.

3 . APHIDS, MITES AND OTHER SMALL SUCKING INSECTS. Control these bugs with two applications of insecticidal soap (available at garden stores) five to seven days apart. Blast infested plants with a strong spray of water to dislodge offenders, then apply soap to kill any left. (Once insects are washed to the ground, few make it back up to growing tips.) Use soap sparingly: It can reduce yields of some crops and damage leaves if applied on a hot, sunny day.

4 . WHITEFLIES, SQUASH BUGS Whitefly

■

■ HORTICULTURAL OILS. These oils work by smothering pests. Use the refined “summer” types (also known as superior or verdant oils) to control soft-bodied insects during the growing season,

Tiny black, pale green, orange or yellow insects; cluster on young growing tips of most any plant, including herbs

Cabbage Worm

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20 THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS GUIDE TO GROWING SAGE AND OTHER USEFUL HERBS

18-21 Natural Pesticides_gd.indd 20-21

Aphid

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½ cup fresh tansy leaves ½ cup fresh santolina leaves 1 quart boiled water 1 tablespoon wood cleaning soap (such as Murphy’s Oil Soap) 10 drops vetiver essential oil

DESCRIPTION

Call in reinforcements for battles you can’t win with hand-to-hand combat.

JULIA ALBUL/FOTOLIA

Insect-Repellent Essential Oils

|

PEST

+

Minute white insects gather on underside of leaves; flutter about when disturbed; honeydew secretions attract ants; feed on indoor plants, basil and other herbs, potatoes and tomatoes

TINA MARIE WILCOX is head gardener and herbalist at the Ozark Folk Center in Arkansas.

Herbalist SUSAN BELSINGER lives in Brooklyn, Maryland, and has authored more than 25 books.

AND MEXICAN BEAN BEETLES. Try horticultural oils made from soybean or neem oil. Neem seldom eliminates pests entirely, but it often reduces them to levels that can be managed by handpicking. —Sidebar courtesy garden writer Barbara Pleasant and Cheryl Long, former editor-in-chief of Mother Earth News

WWW.MOTHEREARTHNEWS.COM

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9/7/18 9:15 AM

Catmint

Lavender

Valerian

Apothecary rose

Anise hyssop

Wormwood

American cranberry bush

Bee balm Rosemary Genovese basil ‘Red

Lemon basil

Rubin’ basil

Curly parsley

English thyme

English thyme Potted mints

Lamb’s-ears

Sage Chives

Johnny jump-ups

All-Season Herb Border

✽ 1 Rosemary ‘Hill Hardy’ (Rosmarinus officinalis): 2 to 4 feet; Zones 6 to 10; light-blue bloom spikes in late winter, evergreen where hardy

USE THE PLAN ABOVE as a starting point, but fine tune it to suit your tastes and desires. Substitute more culinary herbs for the fragrant ones, or perhaps add nasturtium or calendula for bold splashes of summer color. Include plants that fill out the “shoulder” seasons of early spring and fall, and you will be on your way to a beautiful, all-season herb garden.

This 4-by-20-foot bed is anchored by a native viburnum, which holds fruit on twiggy branches until winter birds gather them for breakfast. Perky Johnny-jump-ups usher in spring, and the parade of flowers, fragrances and flavors lasts until ice takes down the last dried spikes of anise hyssop.

Summer ✽

In early summer, after the weather has warmed, plant basil and other tender annual herbs.

Pull weeds as they appear.

Water first-year plants and annuals as needed if there has been little or no rain.

Gather and dry herbs for cooking, tea or craft projects.

In late summer, sow quick fall crops of dill and cilantro, as well as Asian mizuna, English watercress, arugula and other gourmet greens.

✽ 1 Lavender ‘Provence’ (Lavandula ×intermedia): 30 to 36 inches; Zones 5 to 9; fragrant blue spikes July to August

✽ ✽

✽ 1 Catmint ‘Walker’s Low’ (Nepeta hybrid): 24 to 30 inches; Zones 4 to 9; lavender-blue blooms May to September

✽ ✽

✽ 1 Apothecary rose (Rosa gallica): 3 to 4 feet; Zones 4 to 8; fragrant, deep pink flowers late spring ✽ 1 Valerian (Valeriana officinalis): 3 to 5 feet; Zones 4 to 10; pink-white blooms June to August

30 THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS GUIDE TO GROWING SAGE AND OTHER USEFUL HERBS

26-31 All Season Herb Garden_gd.indd 30-31

✽ 1 Wormwood ‘Powis Castle’ (Artemisia hybrid): 2 to 3 feet; Zones 5 to 9; aromatic silver foliage spring to fall

✽ 3 Lamb’s-ears (Stachys byzantina): 12 to 18 inches; Zones 4 to 7; soft gray foliage spring to fall, purple-flowered spikes in midsummer

flowers in spring, scarlet fruits fall to winter

Front tier, left to right

✽ 1 Anise hyssop ‘Blue Fortune’ (Agastache foeniculum): 2 to 3 feet; Zones 4 to 9; lavender-blue spikes July to September

✽ 1 Genovese basil (Ocimum basilicum): 2 feet; grown as an annual; spicy, aromatic leaves through summer, white blooms midsummer

✽ 1 Bee balm ‘Claire Grace’ (Monarda fistulosa): 2 to 4 feet; Zones 4 to 9; purpleblue blooms early summer to fall

✽ 1 ‘Red Rubin’ basil (Ocimum basilicum): 15 to 24 inches; grown as an annual in all zones; spicy red leaves, pink blooms midsummer

✽ 1 American cranberry bush ‘Bailey Compact’ (Viburnum opulus var. americanum): 5 to 6 feet; Zones 4 to 8; white

✽ 1 Lemon basil (Ocimum basilicum): 2 to 3 feet; all zones; spicy leaves hint of lemon; white blooms midsummer

✽ 2 English thyme (Thymus vulgaris): 8 inches; Zones 5 to 8; fragrant and spicy green leaves, tiny white flowers ✽ 1 Variegated pineapple mint (Mentha suaveolens): 12 to 18 inches; Zones 4 to 9; flavorful foliage, white flowers late summer ✽ 1 Peppermint (Mentha

×piperita) 2 feet; Zones 4 to 9; flavorful foliage, lavender blooms late summer ✽ 1 Garden sage (Salvia officinalis): 2 feet; Zones 5 to 8; gray-green leaves, blue bloom spikes early to midsummer

✽ 3 Chives (Allium schoenoprasum): 10 to 18 inches; Zones 3 to 9; grassy foliage, purple-pink flowers in late spring BARBARA PLEASANT is the author of several books about gardening, including The Whole Herb.

Fall ✽ Dig up and pot chives, rosemary, marjoram, and small parsley or thyme plants for indoor harvest through winter.

Keep the potted plants outdoors for three to four weeks before bringing them inside, along with potted mints.

Plant garlic or shallots where they can remain until harvest next summer.

Edge your herb garden for a neater look through winter. Add off-season art pieces for visual interest.

Mulch the garden with pine needles, shredded bark or other natural material to protect plant roots through winter.

Extend the harvest of outdoor sage, thyme, winter savory, rosemary and parsley with a row cover.

✽ ✽

GAYLE FORD (ILLUSTRATION), BARBARA HELGASON/FOTOLIA

Rear tier, left to right

✽ 6 Johnny-jump-up (Viola tricolor): 6 to 8 inches; all zones; edible flowers of mixed colors early spring to fall

✽ 3 Curly parsley (Petroselinum crispum): 10 inches; grown as an annual in all zones; bright green, finely cut leaves summer to fall

✽ ✽

A garden ornament, such as a sundial, serves as a year-round focal point among flowering herbs.

www.MotherEarthNews.com

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9/7/18 9:17 AM

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) IN THE GARDEN: The leaves of yarrow are used in biodynamic agriculture as a compost activator (the English herb writer Lesley Bremness wrote that even a single leaf will speed decomposition). It will also help draw beneficial insects to your garden—when planted in the neighborhood of your favorite plants, yarrow increases the aromatics of everything nearby and attracts predatory wasps, hoverflies and ladybugs. In the fall when the leaves decompose, they become a superb natural fertilizer.

IN THE KITCHEN: Although the leaves of this plant are bitter, I have seen a few recipes that make use of yarrow. This is a good candidate for salads, as it adds bitter flavors—believed to aid digestion and be beneficial to the liver—to the diet.

Yarrow is somewhat similar to tarragon, and can be used where tarragon is called for. You might also mix yarrow with other delicately flavored herbs such as tarragon, chervil or parsley. Its flavor is destroyed by heat, so add it at the end of cooking or use it fresh.

Discover nine useful plants that can help support healthy garden crops while also providing food and health in the home.

about companion planting, we’re talking about planting flowers among our vegetables for their benefits—for example, planting marigolds among the vegetables to help deter aphids. On our farm, we’ve used this concept in our vegetable garden for years with varying levels of success. And while I love the beauty of flowers among my vegetables, a few years in I began to feel like I was missing something.

Companion planting is a crucial part of understanding how plants work, but our understanding of it is usually limited to which insect pests are repelled and which beneficial predators are attracted. In truth, the plant world is much like an iceberg—what we see above the ground is only a tiny portion of 44 THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS GUIDE TO GROWING SAGE AND OTHER USEFUL HERBS

44-49 Wildly Useful Garden Companions_gd.indd 44-45

the immensity going on below our feet. Once we understand this fact of plant life, there is another aspect of companion planting we can harness.

Beneath the soil plants trade not only nutrients but also phytochemicals (the same plant chemicals we use for medicine). While trying to repopulate our forests with threatened native ginseng and goldenseal, growers with United Plant Savers quickly learned that, for success, they had to plant both together. Without their below-ground partnership, one plant was continually attacked by fungus, the other by animals. By sharing their chemical constituents in the surrounding soil, these plants are able to mutually protect one another. This is a relationship that is harnessed in permaculture, a garden design

ZOLGA/FOTOLIA

BY D AW N CO M B S

technique that makes use of the many complex and symbiotic relationships among plants, insects and animals.

Making use of all aspects of companion planting gives us the most vibrant plants and soils. Yet in our current model of companion planting, we often consider one plant the “main crop” (such as a tomato) and the other plant a supporting player (such as cosmos), whose sole purpose is to protect the main crop. The secondary plant is almost a throw-away. What a shame! Why not plant mutually beneficial crops together and give them equal attention in our kitchens or medicine cabinets? I love to grow multitaskers; especially in limited garden space, it’s important to choose only plants we can use in many ways. What follows are a few good examples to get you started.

IN THE MEDICINE CABINET: Yarrow is an anti-inflammatory, as well as a fluid mover and styptic (stops bleeding).

Although we can use it both topically and internally, I like it best as an external poultice to help reduce the swelling of sprains and strains. It’s commonly used as first aid for minor cuts and scrapes to reduce bleeding and for its antibacterial properties. The German Commission E recommends baths with yarrow to help relieve pelvic cramps; a strong yarrow tea can also be added to the bath to help reduce fever.

WWW.MOTHEREARTHNEWS.COM

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9/7/18 9:19 AM

Grow, Make, Build

Add a natural touch to your home décor with this classic take on a retro craft.

IN THEIR NEW BOOK A Wilder Life, Wilder Quarterly publisher Celestine Maddy and editorial director Abbye Churchill share four seasons’ worth of projects, lessons and inspirations aimed at getting a new generation back in touch with nature. This Modern Macramé Hanging Planter is an easy-to-learn DIY project that’s perfect for any home—whether you have a big garden or live in a tiny apartment. —Introduction

by Mother Earth Living editor Abby Olcese

76 THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS GUIDE TO GROWING SAGE AND OTHER USEFUL HERBS

76-77 DIY Macrame Planter_gd.indd All Pages

as your working strands, create 6 inches of square knots, continually tying the outermost pieces around the inner 6 remaining pieces.

PLANS + PROJECTS

Macramé has gotten a bad rap over the years. Originally developed as a way to finish weavings in ancient Babylonia, the knot-tying technique became a favorite of sailors who spread the art form throughout the world. The Victorian era favored macramé for making tablecloths, curtains and delicate, lacy wearables. In the 1970s, macramé knots were used to create elaborate wall hangings and belts, and the 1990s saw hemp macramé jewelry for neo-hippies, grunge kids and frat boys alike. Suffice it to say, macramé has seen its fair share of style changes, and yet it still endures.

In part, this lasting popularity is because macramé is so easy to do. If you can tie your shoelaces, you can make this planter. It relies on two traditional macramé knots, the square knot and the overhand knot, which you may recognize as knots used in a variety of everyday tasks.

In the square knot, the right outermost strand is brought to the left side and the left outermost strand is crossed in front of the right strand and brought to the left side so that the two strands have changed positions and looped through each other.

In the overhand knot, a loop is formed with a pair of strands and the end is brought through the loop. This is the type of knot you would use to secure the end of the thread in sewing.

Once you’ve nailed these knots, more complex macramé knots can be substituted in the same proportions. Or, go wild and create your own pattern— macramé offers endless variations.

1 1 . Join all the cords together. Using

YOU WILL NEED: ✽ 72 feet of cord, made of cotton, hemp or nylon ✽ 4-inch metal ring ✽ Ruler ✽ Scissors ✽ Glue ✽ Potted indoor plant

the same method you used for your first column, tie 2 inches of square knots using the 2 outermost cords to tie around the inner 6 cords.

6 . Divide the group of cords into 4 pairs. Then tie an overhand knot in each pair 18 inches down from your square knots column.

1 2 . Secure your final knots with glue and allow to dry overnight.

7 . Take the left cord from a pair and

1 . Temporarily attach your metal ring

tie it to the right cord of the pair next to it using an overhand knot. Repeat for all pairs.

to a nail in the wall, a chair or a table to create tension while you tie your knots.

8 . Measure 4 inches down and repeat the previous step.

2 . Cut the cord into four 18-foot pieces and place them through your metal ring.

3 . Pull each piece of cord halfway through the metal ring. You will now have 8 pieces of cord; make sure that all the ends are the same length.

4 . Take the 2 outermost pieces 1 3 . Cut the excess tassel to the desired length.

of cord and separate them from the group of cords.

1 4 . Suspend your planter from the ceiling and place your plant inside its new home.

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CLAIRE COTTRELL 7

A Modern Macramé Hanging Planter

5 . Using the outermost pieces

9 . Measure 3 inches down and repeat the previous step.

1 0 . Measure 2 inches down and repeat the previous step.

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Excerpted from A Wilder Life by Celestine Maddy and Abbye Churchill (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2015. Photographs

by Claire Cottrell.

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