Lavender- skin,relaxition after work draws bees and birds

Lavender oil used for an allergen, it is good for the skin, and very good for relaxation. Plant in a well drained soil and in full sun. An alkaline and chalky soil will enhance the fragrance of the plant. Mix compost in the soil. Keep the plants well watered their first season. Flowers will not appear until second year.

Snapdragon- Birds, humming birds, bees, and kids love this

Also known as Antirrhinum. Kids love Snapdragons. Start seeds indoor in a warm well lit area 6 to 8 weeks before last frost for earliest bloom. Plant outdoors in a spot with direct sunlight. Keep soil moist. Pinch off all spikes to encourage new bloom.

Delphinium- Lice, medicine

Extracts of this plant can be used in herbal medicine. The extract can be used for getting rid of lice and their nits, a tincture can be used for asthma. The juice from the flower can be used as ink. Plant seed indoors 8 weeks before the last frost for earliest bloom. Cover seed with 1/8 inch of soil and keep moist. Transplant outdoors to a well fertilized, well drained soil. The plant needs a spot in full sun. Remove faded flowers to encourage new blooms.

Salvia Bonfire-

Are good for attracting Hummingbirds and butterflies. Plant in well drained soil where it can get complete sunlight. After the last frost. Press the seed into dirt but do not cover the seed because light helps it germinate. Keep the seed moist. For an early bloom start indoors 8 weeks before planting. Pinch off spikes to encourage new blooms.

Sunflowers- Humming birds love this

Sunflowers will attract birds and are one of fastest growing plant. When planting pick a sheltered area that has all day sunlight. You need to plant them in a well drained soil. Use a 5 to 10 cm wide pot and fill with soil. Then mix compost and manure to prepare the soil. Moisten the soil then plant two seeds. Cover with water then put it in the sun. Make sure the seed doesn’t dry out. Will germinate best in 70 degree F. Once germinated plant the strongest one. Once the plant gets its second leaves start fertilizing once a week. Make sure you keep the soil moist it is essential to growth.

Basil-

Basil- Basil is a tender low-growing herb. The various Basil have such different scents because the herb has a number of different essential oils which comes together with many different various breeds. Basil can be used as a anti-inflammatory.
May help with ADHD and other things treated with cannabis

Gaillardia Pulchella- Bees, Humming Birds

Commonly known as Firewheel, Indian blanket, Indian Blanketflower, or Sundance. It’s a short-lived annual. Plant after the last frost or in late fall. Space seeds 30 cm to 45 cm. Grow in a sunny spot with moist loamy soil. Supply feed with manure in the spring. Water regularly to keep the soil moist. Make sure you cut off any dead foliage because the dead foliage will prolong the blooming process. Once bloomed then cut back to encourage a second bloom.

Dill-

Dill is a short lived plant. Dill likes well drained, slightly acidic soil in rich in organic matter. Plant it where it will get 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight a day. You will also want to plant them where they are protected from wind because the wind will ruin the plant. Dill doesn’t like being transplanted so you will need to plant directly in the ground. Plant after there is no danger of frost. You can get several crops during summer and fall until the frost. Keep the soil weed free and slightly moist. A light feeding of 5-10-5 fertilizer once in late spring will do for the plant because it doesn’t need a lot of food (for plants in the ground). For plants outdoors in containers or indoor fertilize with liquid fertilizer. Only use ½ the strength recommended on label every 4 to 6 weeks.

Marigolds- keeps ants out, health ad

Pot Marigold is the most common name, but there is some other names you may know them as such as: Virgin Mary, Corn Marigolds, Desert Marigolds, or Marsh Marigold. Marigolds can also be used for medical proposes to. Extracts can be used for anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory. It can also be turned into a cream to treat acne, and some case of radiation dermatitis. Marigolds like rich well drained soil, but can tolerate slightly poor soil. The better the soil the better your Marigolds will do. So use compost and fertilize once a month. Once your flowers start growing they well do really good, even if you leave them unattended. The soil needs to be moist, but not wet. During dry periods you should water them once to twice a week. You can put mulch around your flowers to keep weeds out. Your flowers will continue to bloom until the first frost. Insect will avoid the marigold because of the pungent odor. You can also make a insect repellant with these flowers. You need to keep slugs away from your plant because they will damage your plant.

Cosmos Flowers- This will draw Butterflies

Cosmos flowers will only bloom twice a year and only once a season. It’s the easiest seed to grow in the world. Plant the seeds just before the last frost. Plant the seeds about 12 inches apart. Spread them on fresh bare soil, press into soil, but do not cover the seeds. Cosmos germinates quickly. Will grow 4 to 5 feet in a season. You should pick off the dead leaves to encourage healthy growth. Don’t over fertilize or over water the plant because this will affect the productivity of the plant. They can go a long time without water, but water during long dry spells. They will attract Monarch Butterflies and some birds.

Parsley- bees and butterflies

Parsley can be grown in moist well drained soil in full sun. It’s usually grown from seeds. Germination can take 4 to 6 weeks and often difficult because of its seed coat. To speed the process up soak your seeds in warm water for 24 hours before planting. Space your seeds about 10cm apart. Cover with 1/8 inch of soil. It needs 6 to 8 hours of sun, although it can handle some shade. Don’t let the plant dry out completely in between watering. Fertilize once to twice during the season. It’s easy to grow as long as is gets plenty of sun. Parsley attracts some wild life, swallowtail butterflies (which uses the parsley to lay their larvae), bees and other nectar feeding insects. Seed eaters like the Goldfinch feed on the seeds.

Catnip- go numb, drive your cat nuts and keeps all bugs away

Real name Nepeta Cataria. Good for your house hold cats, but it can also be use for human medicine. You can use it for its soothing properties. It could be numbing and could be consumed in tea, tinctures, infused, or smoked. To grow it you will have to start with a small amount of dirt on it and lightly water twice a day until established. Plant in full sun. Water frequently to start. You might want to put a support fence around your plant to avoid cats getting into it. Once its starts to grow it will really take off. It is a weed so it might pop up in unwanted places. Catnip will repels almost everything, but cats.

Petunias- keeps aphids away

Grows best in full sun, but can handle partial shade, especially in hotter areas. They are slow to grow so plant the seed 10 to 12 weeks before you want to plant them in the ground. The seeds need light to sprout so do not cover seeds. Sprinkle top soil and pat lightly for good contact. They like warmer temperatures to germinate. You will want to start your seeds on a heating pad or on top of your fridge. Once germinated move from warm area to a cooler one. Move them indoors when frost comes. When planting pinch back seedlings to encourage a more fuller growth. If the seedling is gangly then you must pinch it back by half. They don’t like being dry for long periods of time, but they also don’t like being really wet. Keep out the rain though cause its can turn the plant into slimy mush. Monthly feeding will give the plant energy for proper flowering. Keeps away aphids, budworm caterpillars. Dose best grown around tobacco, cape gooseberries, tomatoes, potatoes, and chili peppers.

Chrysanthemums- repells roaches, and good health

Prepare a rich and well drained soil with plenty of sunlight and good air circulation. Absolutely required for growing healthy. Try not to select spots with partial-shade. A good supply of fertilizer should be spread into soil before planting. Can be planted anytime of the year as long as roots are establish before frost arrival. Dried/wilted leaves needs to be removed to keep the nutrients and energy for healthy parts. You may prune when the plant reaches 6 inches tall. Should be covered with 3 inches of straw or mulch after blooming. After flowering stem should be cut at soil level. Fertilize twice a year. Keep soil moist all the time. Soak ground twice a week in summer time. Avoid walking on plant ground cause they do not like compacted soil. They are good for repelling roaches. They have a reputation for reducing high blood pressure, improving eyesight, relieving eye fatigue, aiding liver functions and treating cases of wind-heat syndrome that are accompanied by sore throat and fever. The herb is recommended for cooling the body in hot environments, relieving headaches in the presence of fever, and aiding deafness in some cases.

Applications: Antihypertensive/Anti-inflammatory/Antipyretic
Antihypertensive: Chrysanthemum reduces high blood pressure.
Anti-inflammatory: Chrysanthemum reduces swelling and inflammation; cools inflamed tissue.
Antipyretic: Chrysanthemum prevents and relieves fever.

Heliotropium Arborecens- Attract Bees

Vanilla scented fragrance. Commons names are: “Cherry pie”, “Common Heliotrope”, and “Garden Heliotrope”. It can also be referred to as Valerian (herb). Plant outdoors in full sunlight and well drained soil, after all danger of frost has passed. Space 1 to 2 feet apart. Water moderate; to much water decreases the plants scent. Fertilize every 4 to 6 weeks. Trim off spent flowers to encourage more blooms. Attractive to bees, butterflies, and/or birds.

Jems useful Herbs and Flowers

When it comes to pest control in your food garden You as The Gardener have many choices to make, you can just plant away with no thought of the pest to come, and then wait till the bugs start eating up your food, and then poison your food with spray to kill the bugs. Or if you like me dont want to give your family food covered with poison and bug sprays go Organic. To grow food without bug spray you'll need to think ahead. Different Herbs and flowers keep different bugs and pests away and some attract helpful bugs, which can be imported to your garden to help remove nasty pests. For now lets think ahead and simply plant to keep bugs out of the Garden. In the next sets of post I'll be listing info on Herbs and Flower that every garden should have. Plants that keep bugs like Roaches, lice, fleas, and even those nasty spider mites away, later maybe we'll talk about bugs. Hope this info is helpful to you. All these plants can be ordered from Food Homegrowns Urban Nursery hit us on our facebook page at www.facebook.com/foodhomegrown and please check out our other blog Watch our Garden grow at http://foodhomegrown.blogspot.com/