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February News 2004 |
| News
and Updates for February
2004 Welcome to our monthly "Newsletter". This is where we announce the most recent additions to our website along with "what's happening in our gardens", helpful hints, herbal tips, etc. Please check back often as we will be updating regularly. What's happening in our garden for February: January has been a rather cold and dreary month making any gardening chores next to impossible. At one point we had over 1 foot of snow which is quite unusual for our area long with record breaking cold temperatures. This has been a mixed blessing since I have been so busy making a batch of handmade soap everyday along with all the kitchen renovations we have been doing. Our new grandson ‘Owen’ is growing like a weed and just starting to smile. My husband and I miss him if we do not get to see him every few days. Lucky for us that they live nearby so we tend to cook more family dinners as an excuse to get everyone over. This month I will be pruning our wisteria vines, fruit trees and kiwi vines. My husband will be doing some drastic pruning on our various oak trees which are getting out of hand for the size of our property. These projects will have to wait awhile yet as we are receiving freezing rain at the moment. The rest of the country is in a ‘deep freeze’ so I consider ourselves fortunate. I also wish to mention that I have held off raising the prices of our products since we started in 1996. I recently had no choice but to raise our prices slightly to offset our steadily rising supply costs. We still offer some of the lowest prices around for the high quality of our products. Not all handmade soaps are created equal. The percentages of oils used are extremely important to produce a mild and gentle soap. I have never scrimped on the more expensive ingredients to increase my bottom line as the quality of my handmade soap is of utmost importance to me along with using only all natural ingredients. The maximum amount of true essential oils is used – never do I use synthetic fragrances even though the cost of the essential oils can be quite exorbitant. I also use my own rosewater, organic herbs and flowers all grown in our own organic gardens. I quite often receive emails from other soap makers stating they cannot quite believe that our products can be all natural as our prices are too low. Our products are all natural and of high quality which is why most of our customers are ‘repeat’ customers. The reason our prices are so reasonable is that I purchase our supplies in large quantities to keep the prices down plus we work from our home and do not have the overhead costs of some manufacturers. February "To Do" List: -this is my favourite month for moving and dividing perennials. As they are still dormant they don’t even realize what hit them. -prune deciduous trees (maples, birch and walnuts) but not spring flowering shrubs. -spray roses and fruits with dormant oil on a mild day. -sow leeks, onions and tomato seeds over heating cables. (I do this in our greenhouse which we keep slightly heated) -sow petunias and impatiens over heating cables. -sow smaller sized seeds of summer annuals for early flowering hanging baskets. (smaller sized seeds take longer to develop) -rake winter debris off lawns and spread dolomite lime if needed. Greenhouse Gardening for February: (for a cool greenhouse kept at 40 - 45F (5 - 7C) -plants in bloom for this month – pelargonium, rosemary, jade plant, cyclamen. -We had such a cold spell that my greenhouse pot plants dropped most of their blooms this winter. -keep pots barely moist until new growth starts. -start tuberous begonias over heating cables keeping barely moist. Some people place the bare tuber directly on the sand covering the heating cables – once sprouted they plant them into pots. I now just keep the tubers over winter in their pots and give them no water over the entire winter. Once my heating cable is turned on I slightly water the pot and place on my heating cables where they eventually sprout directly in the pot. Indoor Sunroom or Conservatory: At present my orchids are really putting on a beautiful show. We now have several varieties of each type and many plants are in full bloom which are particularly gratifying during these long, dark winter days. A list of plants presently blooming in our sunroom: -Phalaenopsis Orchids -Paphiopedilum Orchids -Cattleya Orchids -Oxalis -Anthirium -Arabian Jasmine Growing Conditions for House Plants – Part 7 Location:: Central Heating in Winter Increase humidity to counteract desert-dry air or choose from this list: Aechmea, Billbergia, Cacti & Succulents, Chlorophytum, Dracaena godseffiana, Ficus elastica decora, Grevillea, Nerium, Pelargonium, Peperomia, Zebrina. Herbal Hints: Recently a friend of mine asked for advice to relieve her dry itchy skin during this cold, dry winter. I recommended bathing with ground organic rolled oats. Here is a gentle and soothing recipe for dry, sensitive skin. Lavender & Oatmeal Bath Bags: 2 cups organic rolled oats 1/2 cup dried organic lavender blossoms 1/4 cup baking soda optional: few drops lavender essential oil. Mix above ingredients in a bowl and use to stuff into small muslin drawstring bags or place a scoop into a wash cloth and tie with an elastic band. Store in a clean airtight container. To Use: Wet bag in bath water and gently massage skin. Squeeze remaining oatmeal slurry directly into bath water. Gentle enough to use as often as you like. Handmade Soap News: Part 7 – The soap making process in very simple terms is the sodium or potassium salt of a fatty acid. -Common table salt is not the only salt in the chemical world. There are many salts resulting of an acid and an alkali reacting together. -Acids tend to smart the skin and range from weak ones like acetic acid (vinegar) to extremely strong dangerous acids. -Alkali bases range from weak to strong - baking soda is an alkali -Fatty acids are fats and oils. Commercial soap on the market today is not real soap by the true definition but is detergents created from petroleum based products. This soap has little similarity to the handmade soaps made by our ancestors. Natural Cleaning Products: Window Cleaner 1 1/2 Tbsp vinegar 1 cup water Mix together in a spray bottle and mist window. Wipe with paper towel or newspaper. Organic Gardening Tips: Growing Great Spinach Timing – Spinach does the best in cool weather. Plant any variety indoors in February and outdoors from beginning March to mid April. After Aug 1 for fall crops. Soil – heavy feeder requiring rich soil and fairly neutral pH. Dig in plenty of complete organic fertilizer. (I use our compost) Seed Spacing – Plant in rows 12” to 18” apart, about 1” apart in the row – thin to 6 inches apart using the thinnings in salads, etc, as they are delicious and very nutritious. Diseases & insects – Pale, soft tunnels on the leaves are leaf miners which can be organically prevented by covering with floating row covers. Destroy affected leaves. Harvest – Cut whole plant just above the soil line. Spinach is useful so many things – from stir fries to salads, to baked lasagne, etc. Health and Wellness This is my favourite lunch. It’s quick, easy, delicious and very healthy. Each year I freeze lots of the raspberries and blueberries that we grow and this is a great way to use them. Muesli Yogurt with Blueberries & Raspberries: Put 1/2 cup natural yogurt into a cereal bowl. (I make my own homemade yogurt but any natural yogurt will do.) Add the following: 1 sliced banana 1/4 cup organic raspberries 1/4 cup organic blueberries 1 Tbsp honey (optional) 1/4 cup English-style all natural “muesli” cereal. Stir well and enjoy. Thanks for visiting! Susan |
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