Tidbits From Around the Web

If you're growing basil in your herb patch (and we hope you are), there have been problems the last couple of years with basil blight, and this invasive threat is on the move. The East and Midwest have been affected so far, and the airborne spores of this downy-mildew pesto killer are devastating.

If you notice yellowing on the leaf tips of your basil plants, check the back of the leaf. If you

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Hyssop Tea Recipe

Have a sinus headache? Allergies have you sniffling and miserable? Got a cold you just can't shake? Feel better with a steaming cup of hyssop tea. Hyssop has been the herb of choice in treating upper respiratory problems for centuries. It can clear you sinus passages, sooth a sore throat and relax tense and frazzled nerves.

Hyssop Tea Recipe (Not for use by pregnant or nursing women)

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How to Grow Hyssop

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) is a hearty perennial shrub in the mint family that has a spiky, upright habit and narrow tongue-like leaves. It's a dark, vibrant green when it gets enough nourishment, and sports small, vibrant blue flowers (some variations produce pink, lavender, purple or white flowers). It has an attractive appearance in the garden, but where it really shines is as an herbal

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How to Grow Pineapple Sage

Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) is an underrated herb in the garden. It doesn't need much attention, but has a lot to offer. It will grow up to five feet tall, and its bright leaves are a delicate shade of green all summer long. It produces long, slender, trumpet shaped red flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds, too.

Did we mention that it really does smell like pineapple? You

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A Late Spring Saturday in the Garden

This late spring Saturday is pretty hectic around the old homestead. What with putting up floating row covers to foil squash beetles and keeping a keen eye out for Japanese beetles, not to mention the hordes of other insects that persist in behaving as though my precious acre is an all you can eat buffet, I'm tuckered before noon. The homemade bug sprays are working, but it's been raining

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Herb Fun From Around the Web

Just so you have all the information you need to make the best medicinal use of your herbs and spices, I have a few web pages for you to look at. Tape copies of these to your fridge. They'll be useful year round:

Surprising Healing Benefits of Spices

10 Healing Herbs Used in Teas

11 Medicinal Uses for Food

Healing Herbs: The 15 Most Powerful Healing Herbs in Your Kitchen

We all run across

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