Dill Vinegar

Dill lends itself well to herbal vinegar. Add it to fresh vegetables from the garden like carrots, cauliflower, or cucumbers. It also makes a nice low cal ingredient in salad dressing, sauces, and marinades. Make up a batch to instant-pickle your peppers, or spice up your mustard crusted salmon.Dill Vinegar Recipe3 cups of cider vinegar8 to 12 sprigs of fresh dill (You can also use two

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The Facts About Dill

Dill is a popular pickling herb with an impressive historical pedigree. Its uses date back to the bible. That lanky, fernlike, yellow flowered plant you see in the produce department of your grocery store was once so valuable that it was kept under lock and key. And even though its monetary value has plummeted over the centuries, its appeal hasn't.

The Colorful History of Dill

Once an important

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Lavender Bubble Bath

You can use relaxing lavender aromatherapy oil to make an indulgent but inexpensive bubble bath. Here's how:Lavender Bubble Bath Recipe1½ cups of water¾ cup unscented shampoo (an inexpensive shampoo works fine)¾ teaspoon salt15 to 20 drops of lavender oilred and blue food coloring (optional)Combine all ingredients but food coloring and blend well. Combine food coloring in a separate container

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Sterilize Garden Soil

If you have a bad patch of soil, one that's been giving you problems that chemical solutions just don't completely fix, try a more natural solution. Cook your soil clean. I've created a post on my gardening blog that explains the steps. Take a look: Sterilize Your Garden Soil

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Periwinkle, A Shade Loving Herb

One of the lovelier flowering herbs, periwinkle (Vinca major) is a popular shade plant that isn't picky about soil as long as it drains well.Propagating Periwinkle In spring, it can be divided or propagated from cuttings. Take five-inch lengths of stem and place them in a porous potting mix. Provide plenty of water and dappled light until they root. Periwinkle also roots readily as it creeps

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Herbal Flea Control and Your Dog

Don't let fleas get out of hand this summer. Natural herbal flea control can help you get a handle on fleas. Eucalyptus is a natural enemy of fleas, and eucalyptus oil is used in many flea control preparations.

To foil the nasty little pests in your home, place eucalyptus in dog bedding, under carpeting, and in furniture. Sachets of eucalyptus can also be placed in linen closets, and in

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The Spider in my Garden

Spring is here, and boy am I ready. One of my favorite memories of last season was a friendship I developed with a spider that lived in my garden. She'd built her web along the deck railing and could be seen in her spot at its center each morning. I started watching because she'd decided to set up shop right next to the chair where I sat to drink my morning coffee. Being a decent housekeeper, I

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