Metro Garden NYC (Zone 7)
so in my garden i have this gigantic thing sort of bush sort of tree, and it’s wide about 6 or 7 or so feet and about 18 or so feet high at the highest point.
last year this flowery bushy tree thingy was sort of meh, had a hard time but this year it’s blooming like crazy and it’s awesome!
i keep asking for its name but like the rest of them it wont say. does anyone know who this is?
a korean style front yard garden around my neighborhood (queens, ny). i love the bamboo stick clouche thingy. and those earthen jars, you know what’s fermenting in those jars :P
“If you have your own home-produced food and drink on hand, by that much you are free.” —risa bearWe can because we can!, a gallery by risabee2007 on Flickr.
Photos by The Library of Congress, katlupe, Chiot’s Run, kendra-jane and AgriMissouri
i’m just dying right now. this is absolutely hilarious! Urban Plant Tags.
check out more “urban plant tags and plant nursery style tags for sidewalk fixtures” over at laughing squid.
Anonymous Asks:
metrogarden Said:
how small is the area? 4x4? 60sq/f? acre?
A sunflower in the bronx. a work in progress. this bronxp’s sunflower on a window sill.
A couple of improvised cloches from the recycle bin for the watermelon seedlings. I planted them a week back when it was nice and warm and then this cold front turned up. I hope they hang in there!
improvised cloches for seedlings.
yesterday (day 4 of my vacation) i was pretty much spent. could not move due to stiffness in all parts of my body, ha! i did manage to screw together 4 pieces of wood for a raised bed. i also did some light cleaning around the yard and found some plastic toys, probably from the previous tenant. i took one and decorated one of the planters.
today was a much better day. got my second wind and made out to home depot and picked up some stuff. i had decided to bring my foldable metal shopping cart, but when i loaded it up with 100 lbs worth of compost and potting mix at home depot, the poor thing just collapsed. had to discard it, oops. but home depot had these garden carts, good thing, so i decided to get one and used it to haul my purchases home.
tomorrow i plan on filling the raised bed and then call it a week!
Herbs for Depression
It should be noted that if you have serious depression, you might want to seek professional help. However, herbs have helped me. They are calming and soothing and can also, instead of having side effects of making you lethargic, actually improve your energy levels. Herbs are not as fast acting or powerful as psychiatric medications. They also need to be given time.
Motherwort
Motherwort is the herb for depression I have used most commonly. It is known as a nerve tonic and is really good for anxiety. Motherwort is very soothing. The best way to take it, due to its bitter taste is in tincture form. 10-30 drops a day every day is what’s advised. I took it in the morning, but you can also take it before bed to help insomnia. It can be effective immediately in high stress situations and should be taken every 5 to 10 minutes.
Skull Cap
Skull cap can be make you very sleepy, so be aware of that before taking. I like to take it before bed. It escalates the nervous system during times of stress and can be used to treat anxiety, depression, and insomnia. There is also a difference between American and Chinese skull cap and American is the variety you want when attempting to treat depression. It’s good as in infusion or tincture several times a day.
Oatstraw
Oatstraw infusion is a great way to treat depression. You make an infusion by a cup of the dried herbs in a quart of boiling water, steeping for four hours, then straining. Refrigerate and drink as needed. It’s most effective when used over time and can also be very relaxing.
Lavender
Lavender is a wonderful nerve tonic, good for headaches, migraines, depression, restlessness, and stress. It’s incredibly calming and works in many ways. I love to use lavender essential oil, personally. It’s also great as a tea, tincture, in oils, and in the bath tub.
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm, pat of the mint family, is a mild sedative that soothes the nervous system in a gentle way. It helps anxiety and works with the thyroid an output of excess T3 (which can cause tension). It helps insomnia, pains, headaches, and can calm the stomach. It can be used as a tincture, but also makes a delicious tea. I’ve never taken it specifically for depression, but love to use it for beverage teas rather than medicinal infusions.
Licorice
Licorice is wonderful in any tea or decoction to enhance flavor and is also available as capsules and extractions. Licorice actually contains glycyrrhzin that helps the body breakdown cortisol so it can better deal with stress. It also contains natural serotonin reuptake inhibitors. I use it in most teas I make and I advise it. Just watch out for any side effects.
Hops
Hops are incredibly bitter, so it’s best as a tincture. It’s effective for insomnia and is relaxing to the nervous system. However, since hops is a strong sedative some say it can make depression worse. If used, use at night and pay close attention to how you feel.
Kava
Kava is a wonderful herb because it heightens awareness while relieving stress and relaxing. It helps insomnia and anxiety disorders. Watch your dosage however, because it can make you sleepy. A tincture is best for treating depression. Kava should be taken with moderation and can impair liver functioning. Do not take it with medications or two weeks before surgery. It is a very strong diuretic.
St. John’s Wort
St John’s Wort is one of the most commonly recommended herbs for depression. I have never taken it because it can effect psychiatric medication and speeds liver functioning. You should not take it with any medications. However, it has strong scientific evidence as being very effective for treating depression.
GLA or Gamma-linolenic acid
GLA is found in evening primrose, borage and black currant seed oils. Hops also contains GLA. Essential fatty acid/GLA deficiency can cause depression, so taking capsules that contain GLA can be effective.
(via no-worries-mon)
Our first ever jalapeno is almost fully grown, with a few more coming right behind it. Can’t wait to eat, since we put it on and in everything around this house!!!
Red Chile plant still going from last year. A foot and a half tall, over 20 peppers growing right now and another dozen or do starting. So awesome!!!
awesome! what is your secret? i tried growing a fews peppers last year and was only able to get one to grow.
day 3 of my vacation. day 2 of working in the yard. it’s slow going today because i’m pretty sore from yesterday, especially the back. but i tell you though, gardening, a full days of it, is an excellent cure to insomnia.
anyway, dug some more of the yard, and planted one patch under the tree with tons of shady wild flowers. and along one fence planted some of the wild sunflowers. fin for today.
the pic above are cucumber seeds. last year i had bought a starter cucumber from the hanyang market nearby, asian grocer. and saved this one huge cucumber for seeds. i sort of didn’t know what to do with it and just ended up putting that cucumber in a plastic grocer bag and hung it on the outside storm door.
it rotted and dried out all winter and this spring. today, i took a look inside and it was completely dried, no smell, just skin and these seeds. i took it in and rinsed it out and strained it. the red stuff ignore, that’s red quinoa i had for lunch (was too lazy to rinse out the strainer).
so now here they are, drying on this paper plate. hopefully these are still viable. i planted a few outside in a test area. i’ll let these dry for a bit and plant them later. later.
if these cucumbers go and grow, i’m dedicating this post and these cukes to mamisgarden, awesome fellow tumblr and gardener.
black gold!
so, i’m on my second full day of my vacation. i decided not to go or travel anywhere because i have too much to do around the apartment.
i had a good day in the yard today. checked on the compost bin and it’s coming along pretty good, i must say so myself. thank you thank you and thank you. not bad for not paying attention to it all winter long. the worms were already busy working it and if you look closely you can see one in the first pic. (yes that’s an egg shell). there were quite a few in the bin too. hey, how did they get in there? amazing, they, the worms have been working so hard and made me feel so guilty for horsing around yesterday for doing absolutely nothing.
so i also dug up pretty much half the yard, around the fences and the borders. i’m getting ready to plant some flowers around the borders. a lot more to do, but not for today, will continue tomorrow because woo! i’m poooped. but woo i’m feeling good! there’s definitely something in the soil. Mycobacterium vaccae.
doodlings.
