Ingredient Spotlight: Henna

Henna is the common name for the shrub Lawsonia inermsis. The plant is best known for its green leaves, which when dried, powdered, and mixed into a paste, are used for skin and hair dying. Other common names for the plant are the Mignonette tree, Egyptian privet and Mehndi. This plant grows as a native shrub in Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Palestine and  Syria. There plants may reach 8 to 10 feet high or more. The henna plant can also be grown in the United States in USDA growing zones 9b, 10a, 10b, and 11. The plant likes full sun and needs to be taken inside when the weather gets cold. I grew this plant in Daytona Beach for a while. It was growing really well for a while, but if I recall right I did not give it enough water. The plant can also be grown indoors. Cultivation is possible from cuttings or seeds.

Henna is used decoratively and medicinally in India. As a skin dye henna is popular as a wedding body decoration particularly for brides. The bride's hands and soles of her feet are painted in elaborate fertility and floral designs. This plant is also used in traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine for treatment of skin irritations such as heat rash. Henna leaves and flowers may be applied in external preparations to inflamed skin conditions including burns, boils and sores.

The henna powder was used in ancient times is a hair dye in countries where it grew natively. In the late 1800's it also became popular as a hair colorant in Europe. By mixing the henna with other herbs different shades of color can be achieved, for example Indigo powder can be added to darken the color. You can check out our latest blog post to learn how to dye hair red naturally with henna.

How to Grow and Harvest Amaranth

Amaranth is a healthy vegetable that can be grown for it's leaves or seeds (grain). I have grown it for both purposes. When growing Amaranth for leafy greens, direct sow seeds 4-6 inches apart in a moderately sunny area. When the plant starts getting leafy you can pinch off about 8 leaves at a time when they get to be about 7 inches long. Then you will be able to make one or two more harvests over the next couple weeks.



If you are growing Amaranth for grain harvest the plants need more space. The will thrive in a full sun area. The plants pictured here were grown in full sun facing south. Ideally the seeds can be direct sown in rich soil with 12 inch spacing. These plants were so tall, almost 7 feet and fell over under their own weight. Supports can be helpful.

Whether you are growing Amaranth for seed or leaves, it can be helpful to plant Amaranth on the outskirts of your garden. Amaranth is quite attractive to pests. These outlying plants can provide food for pests making less pressure on your cultivated vegetables. Usually there will be some bugs eating the leaves of your older Amaranth plants if you are growing them for seed. Usually this doesn't not significantly impact seed production. You can however use a diluted spray neem oil and castile soap in water to deter pests.



After your Amaranth turns red with flowers you can start checking to see if the seed is ready for harvest. Rub a bit of the red flowering area between your fingers. If you hear a popping noise when you do this all over the flowering tops, then they are ready for grain harvest. Cut the tops one a dry sunny day and rub the seed and chaff out onto a clean sheet. Remove large pieces of stem and leaf. The next step is winnowing and should be done when there is a nice breeze. Winnowing separates the seeds from the chaft. All you have to do is gently take handfuls of the seed and chaff mixture and drop it from a height over the sheet while the wind is blowing. In the end you will be left with your Amaranth grains like these.



Visit my Etsy shop if you would like to pick up some Amaranth Seeds today.

Tips for Basil Cultivation

I have had some growing questions from Etsy customers about cultivating various plants from my Free Seeds with Purchase section.  So I will do my best to give you all the tips you need for growing successfully as needed, starting here with the Basils.  I have 4 types of Basil in my Etsy shop presently: Thai Basil (pictured above), Holy Basil (Rama & Vana varieties), and Genovese.  The directions apply to all the basils.  I am a Central Florida gardener so I planting times I will leave out, except to say that I am lucky enough to grow it year round here (I just cover the plants with a sheet when a freeze is coming).  If you live in a more temperate area, then wait until after the last frost to plant outside.  

The first step for growing basil is a rich soil and a large pot.  For seeds that I haven't grown before I like to start them in large plastic or glazed ceramic pots.  Orange clay pots are too drying for basil in general and other seedlings.  I fill the pots with homemade or store bought organic potting soil or top soil.  Fill the pots to the top with this soil.  The next step is optional, but sometimes I like to soak my seeds in water before planting; rain or well water is best.  If you want to soak your basil seed just a few hours is sufficient.  I sprinkle the basil seeds evenly over a container and then gently shake a handful of soil just barely covering the seed.  Put the pot in full or partial sun and keep watered daily.  You can put a catch pan of water underneath the pot to keep the soil moist.  When the plants start to come up you may want to thin them in case some of them come up right next to each other.  Next the plants will start getting tall and leafy.  When there are about six leaves I pinch off the top two leaves so they can bush out.  From this point on you will be in harvesting mode for a while.  If they over grow their pot you may have to divide them and put them into the ground or more pots.  Keep collecting the nice fresh big leaves and flowers to use.  You will want to keep the plants well watered during this time.  You can add small amounts of coffee grounds or composted manure at the edge of the pot during this time too (once or twice during the harvesting period).  The harvesting period can go on for months depending on your growing zone, and you can continue to pinch them back to encourage growth and bushiness.  It is very important that you keep picking off the flowers during the harvesting phase.  Once the flowers go to seed then the plant dies back.  Eventually though the plants will start to get more woody rather than tender stems, and the leaves will become smaller and smaller.  At this stage, I let the plants flower and go to seed.   Snip off the long stalk when the seed pods turn completely brown.  Rub the pods gently to get the seeds out.  Put the seeds in envelopes to save them with the date and store them in a dry place for next year.  

Good luck with your basil plants!

When and How To Harvest Your Luffa Gourds

Here is a Luffa cylindra 'sponge' AKA Loofa that I harvested and peeled recently. The first time I grew luffa many years ago I was told I should wait until the outside of the Luffa turned dark brown before harvested them. That worked for me the first time I grew them, but not with last years crop. Some of the Luffa gourds from last year that I was waiting on to turn brown actually kind of disintegrated inside from the excessive Florida summer humidity. This year I have been harvesting the gourds just when they turn this beautiful ripened yellow color. The peel comes off easily by hand at this stage. The 'sponge' is kind of soft coming out of the peel. If you let it dry out and harden for a couple of days, then you can get the seeds out by hitting it on a hard surface and shaking the seeds out. Some people suggest to wash out the gourds right after harvest, but they are very clean coming right out of the peel. I haven't cleaned them out that way, because I wanted the seeds to dry in good condition for seed saving.

These are the really big long gourds that I have been waiting on for making soap with. I'm very excited to collect them. It think they will be ready to pick today or Saturday at Fair Share.

Would you like some seeds for yourself? I have Luffa seed free with purchase in my etsy shop.