Our gardens still sleep during the month of February. Garden catalogs arrive and we can plan our beautiful herb and vegetable gardens looking just as pictured in the catalogs.
February has its moments of “winter doldrums” but signs of spring are quietly appearing. The inside winter projects are getting tiring but that north wind is still giving the temperature a “wind chill.” I am a fan of the four seasons we have here in Nebraska; winter to me is the time to slow down, just a little bit.
I was recently given some chamomile and I am enjoying learning more about it. Chamomile has the unique name “Physician’s Plant” because, when planted near ailing plants, it helps …to revive them. German chamomile’s highly scented dry flower heads contain an aromatic oil that has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. A chamomile infusion can also be made to spray onto seedlings to prevent damping-off.
Chamomile can also be used in herb pillows and potpourri. It is another useful herb that I’ll need to plant in my garden.
- Janet Lindsteadt, Co-President