Recipes for the Garden

This Page is going to be a work in progress.  I will only add recipes that I have used and found to be useful.  As the garden season progresses I will add the ones that I am using as I go along, so they will actually be listed by their seasonal use.  If you want to share some of your own please do so in the comments.

A Soak for Seeds and A Spray for Seedlings

Chamomile Spray

Damping Off disease hits young seedlings -usually just below the soil line – and seemingly cuts the little plants off.  It is a fungus that is brought on by warmth and humidity.

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) is a an herb that has a daisy like flower.  It has been called the “plant doctor” because it is a beneficial to so many other plants and it has great anti-fungal properties.  This is the reason it makes a good spray for seedlings.  You can spray the soil with the tea before planting the seeds and then give them a light misting periodically to help prevent damping off. You can also soak your seeds in chamomile tea before planting.

To make the tea:  Use about a 1/4 cup of chamomile blossoms to 2 cups of boiling water.  Allow to steep until cool and then strain it really well.  Pour the tea into a spray bottle and use as a light mist when needed.  It only lasts about a week before it begins to sour.

Cinnamon

Sprinkle powdered cinnamon on the soil and the seedlings to help with fungal growth in flats and containers.