Best Way to Ship Live Plants

Posted on April 20, 2011 by herbie

If you’re interested in shipping seeds or herbs through the mail, it certainly is possible. With the number of nurseries and greenhouses around, I’m sure it’s done every day.

The best method for packing green plants for mailing is to use damp newspaper to cover the roots and plastic bags to retain humidity around the foliage. Check these links for great explanations:

The best tip is to make sure not to get the foliage wet. If the greenery does get wet, tamp it with paper towels and let dry before packing in plastic bags. Any herb leaves that are wet during transport will rot.

 

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Chamomile Small Seeds Sprouting

Posted on April 19, 2011 by herbie
German chamomile (Matricaria recutita).

Image via Wikipedia

A couple of weeks ago I started some seeds indoors. I was glad to see some sprouting going on already. It took 4 days for the first seeds to sprout and the temperature ranged from 62 to 65 degrees F. A grow lamp was hung a foot above the seed pots.

The first seeds to sprout were Chamomile. The seeds are miniscule, smaller than poppy seeds. As the days went on the little plants got stronger, but alas…they reached a point where damping off killed them. Perhaps it would be better to start Chamomile seeds directly where you want it to grow. Does anybody know? I’ll try it in a couple of weeks when the temps outside warm up a little more. Out last frost date is May 15, so maybe around then I’ll plant the Chamomile.

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15 Bean Soup Totally Nutritious

Posted on April 12, 2011 by herbie

Well, my bean pot is empty and I have a couple containers of bean soup in the freezer for some future dinner.

Nutritionally speaking, this 15 bean soup can be described as a low fat, no cholesterol, hi potassium, hi fiber and hi protein food. Each serving of 1/2 cup cooked beans (~ 35 g dry) has 120 calories with only 5 calories due to fat.

Per 1/2 cup serving:

120 calories
5 calories from fat

total fat 0.5 g
cholesterol 0 g

sodium 70 mg
potassium 470mg

total carbs 20g
dietary fiber 9 g
sugars 1 g

protein 8 g

calcium 4%
iron 10%
vit A 0%
vit C 0%

The 15 bean soup is a great dish for anyone wanting to watch their weight because it’s a low calorie food. This soup will help to increase fiber intake and it’s very filling. The low saturated fat intake is good for your heart, too!

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