Here are some great uses for Lemon Vitality!
Substitute for Zest: 1 drop for 1 tsp, 7-1 drops for zest of 1 whole lemon.
Tea: 1-2 drops to your favorite tea in a glass container for a flavor boost.
Water Flavor: Add 1-2 drops to your water in a glass, no plastic, for a flavor boost.
Dressing: Use 1-5 drops per 4 ounces of dressing.
Flavor Spray: In a 2 ounce glass food grade bottle, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 10 drops essential oil, and fill the rest with water. Shake well before each use. Spray on food at the end of cooking. Add to salads, meats, or pasta.
Happy Oiling,
Anna
Basic Companion Solution
6 to 8 drops essential oils selected from the attached chart here
2 gallons water
Combine and apply to plants.
What better way to attract pollinators and other beneficial insects to your garden than through the use of Essential oils!
Bees- they like Orange, Coriander, Lemongrass, Lavender, Hyssop, Marjoram, Helichrysm,
Basil, Sage, Roman Chamomile, Rosemary, and Dill
Butterflies-like Lavender, mint, Fennel, Sage, and Helichrysm
Other beneficial insects such as ladybugs like Coriander, Dill, Fennel, and Roman Chamomile
Pollinators favorite blend
12 drops Lavender
8 drops Rosemary
5 drops Orange
Combine oils and add to cotton balls, string or cloth strips and scatter in and around your garden!
I hope you’ve enjoyed these blog posts on gardening with Essential oils! You can also use the plants that the oils come from in your garden! Plant some thyme, or Rosemary, or Lemongrass. Herbs are great companions for your garden. Have fun and use Essential oils combined with different herb plants to make your garden both pretty and pleasing!
Happy Oiling,
Anna
Reference: Essentially Grown. By Jackie Tarlton
This book has such great info and can be found on GrowingHealthyHomes.com
Ughh I really dislike when my plants start looking awful from different issues. Here are some great recipes to help us all out!
Tomatoes looking awful? Blight got them down?
- 3 drops purification
- 1 drop Oregano
- Pint of water
Combine and spray affected plants.
Club Root Remedy
Lemon, Oregano, and or Tea Tree
Quart of water
Add 8 to 10 drops spray liberally around affected plants.
Too much watering causing your plants to get grayish? Try this,
1 capful of Thieves Cleaner
1 quart of water
Remove affected leaves and or fruit. Combine thieves cleaner with water and spray liberally over entire plant and surrounding soil.
Fungi Treatment
Tea Tree, citronella, rosemary, peppermint or thieves
1 quart of water
1 Tblsp baking soda
1 drop liquid Castile soap
Combine 8 to 10 drops of chosen essential oil plus other ingredients, shake thoroughly before applying to plants. Apply once or twice a week.
How about those pesky weeds, the worst!
Weeds be gone!
Cinnamon bark, Palo Santo, or Oregano
20oz white vinegar
1 drop Castile soap
Combine and shake well. Spray on weeds being careful to avoid garden plants.
Tomorrow we will cover some essential oils that plants love!
Happy Oiling,
Anna
Essential oils are great for all the things! Choose the best combos for whatever you are trying to combat.
Here is a recipe for insects
Add 8 to 10 drops of desired essential oil to a gallon of water and spray directly on plants or the soil around them. Click on the link for a table of essential oils best used for each critter.
To deter ground moving pests add 4 to 5 drops of Essential oil to cotton balls and scatter around the area.
More great recipes:
Broad Spectrum garden control spray
- 10 drops Peppermint
- 10 drops Thyme
- 10 drops Clove
Combine in a gallon of water and spray liberally on and around plants.
Fire Ants?
- 16 drops Peppermint
- 5 drops Cinnamon
- 10 drops Orange
- 5 drops Wintergreen
- Pint of water
Combine and spray directly on anthills or infested areas.
Deer and Rabbits be gone
- 20 drops Clove
- 1 cup sour cream or buttermilk
- 2 raw eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp Castile or dish soap
- 1 cup water
Combine in mixer or blender. Add to one gallon sprayer, top with water. Spray plants or around your garden area to protect. Apply every two weeks or after a heavy rain.
Tomorrow I’ll share recipes to treat common problems in the garden.
Happy Oiling,
Anna
Do you love to grow your own garden? Did you know you can use Essential oils for the health of your garden?
Essential oils can help you combat those pesky critters that like to destroy your garden, and your garden plants also love them because they are part of plants.
Are you a fan of pesticides? I sure am not. For one they kill the good guys, like the pollinators and other beneficial insects. Not only that do you really want that stuff on your skin or in your lungs? Ughhh I know I don’t!
How about your fertilizer? Did you know that they are often made of industrial waste, lead, arsenic, cadmium, and even some radioactive components?
And then we have the Herbicides, which can be toxic to both animals and plants. I really don’t want these things near my garden, how about you?
This is where Essential oils and composting come into play. You don’t need all those things for your little garden plot.
Before we get into some ways to use Essential oils let’s first talk safety!
- Do not apply Essential oils to plants when the temp is over 100 degrees. The best time is in the morning.
- Don’t apply if rain is likely.
- Avoid spraying plants in the fall before winter hardening has occurred.
- Do not apply Essential oils to plants along with sulfur or sulfur containing pesticides.
- Do not spray while pets are nearby as they can be sensitive to certain oils.
Composting
Making your own compost can be easy!
You need carbon rich materials such as garden trimmings, dry leaves, straw, wood chips, and sawdust. These are the brown sources. Nitrogen rich materials such as grass clippings, green leaves, plant material, livestock manure, coffee grounds, and kitchen waste are the green sources. Don’t use animal products or dairy products as they can rot and attract scavengers. Layer brown and green materials at a 3 to 1 ratio with a little soil between layers. Keep the pile moist and turn it at least every week or two.
Do you know your soils ph? It should be between 6.5-6.8 for most plants. The most important nutrients for plants are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, while calcium, magnesium, and sulfur are known as secondary nutrients also important to many plants. You can test the mineral content of your soil by purchasing a kit available at most home improvement stores.
Have you planted a garden this year? I love checking my garden and seeing those new little sprouts coming out of the soil!
See you back here tomorrow for more on gardening with Essential oils!
Happy Oiling,
Anna
