Flowers' Wellness Center

Hey Folks! I am excited to tell you that I will be launching my Flower's Wellness Center this Fall/Winter. What does this mean?


Flowers' Wellness Center mission is to educate the public on Holistic Nutrition, Real Food, Organic Growing and more to inspire Healthy and Happy Living! I will be providing workshops, How-To videos, Retreats and more to share information and resources that connect you to your Food, your Body and your Right to Be Well!


Please stay tuned...


Much Much More coming Soon!

What I Learned during my SWIHA Externship

For those of you who don't know, SWIHA stands for Southwest Institute of Healing Arts and it is the school I am currently attending. My focus is in Urban Farming and Holistic Nutrition. As part of the course, I had to learn how to put into practice some of the knowledge and techniques I've acquired through the program. It has been fun, challenging at times, and very supportive not only to helping me integrate the material but also helping me build skills for sharing my wealth of knowledge!


Some of the things I learned through the Externship:


How to grow bountiful Organic Raspberries!
How to Build a Compost Bin
Why is Composting Good for Me and The Earth
How to Build a Worm Bin (Vermicompost) and Why I'd want to
Plant Identification including Pacific Native Edibles
Identifying Edible Flowers
How to create a video with pics to share knowledge
How to promote my self and my business


I am very grateful for this experience as it has helped me gain more confidence in sharing what I know. It also has pushed me to organize knowledge in a way that is presentable via online (through videos and blogging). I really enjoyed all of the projects I undertook. I had a challenging time documenting what I was doing due to technical challenges but it all worked out in the end and it made me see how useful current technology is (iphones/internet) for sharing.


I look forward to sharing more information through Youtube and blogging along my journey in Permaculture, Organic Gardening, etc. The more we all know about growing food (and finding it in the woods) the better!

Plant Identification

SWIHA Externship: 2.5 hours


One of my favorite things to do when friends come to my home is to take them around and share my garden and land, pointing out the native edibles and medicinal plants that many don't realize are safe to consume. I also like sharing my garden with other gardener/farmer folks because I always learn something new! There's nothing more humbling than showing an experienced gardener your crops and having them say "wow, I've never seen a tomato plant grown like that" because the pruning was, well, a little uneducated.


SO, I decided to create a video sharing some of the Herbs, Native Medicinal/Edibles and a few of my fruit/vegetable crops. Some of them have added info that I felt you'd want to know. As time goes on, I'll be making videos that identify specific plants including key identification features,  their properties and potential look-alikes. Thank you so much for checking out my video and I hope you are inspired to GROW!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AbY6JRS5XQ&feature=youtu.be

Making A Worm Bin is Easy!

SWIHA Externship: 5 Hrs. Total  (2 hrs. Research, 1 hr. Building Bin, 2 Hrs. Video)




Building a Worm Bin has been on my list of things to do for our home. We have a Regular Compost Bin in the garden but I would like to have the Worms help build nutrient dense soil to amend my greenhouse, herbs and houseplants as needed. We have a 36 ft. greenhouse that is always looking for extra nutrients and I'm so happy to say I now have a Worm Bin!


Here's a quick video on How To Make a Worm Bin with tips on keeping your worms happy and alive! I collected my worms from a huge pile of mushroom compost. Enjoy.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGE3SZLHfnQ&list=UUEr2kYeb_ganVeWkj-cH00A

More on Edible Flowers

SWIHA Externship: 2 Hrs.


I've been enjoying the flowers popping up in my garden throughout the spring and summer! I have come to realize how many amazing edible flowers I have available right in my back yard. So here is a video for you to enjoy with flowers I've found in my yard plus a list of flowers for you to explore yourself! Be sure to do your research on how to eat each particular flower. Some can only be eaten cooked, some can only be eaten as buds... you get the picture!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UscZenX_cCc&list=UUEr2kYeb_ganVeWkj-cH00A&feature=share

Growing Edible Flowers, Who Knew?!

SWIHA Externship: 3 hrs.




I've enjoyed peppery nasturtiums before and even made aromatic lavender cookies (which were delicious!) after being inspired by a friend. But this year I decided I wanted to add more flowers to my garden, namely edible flowers. Upon doing some research, I was blown away and very excited to begin my task of adding more flower food crops to my landscape! I was even more happy to find out that many edible flowers on my new list are already in my garden. I guess my laziness to pull the arugula out and let it flower was actually my subconscious mind leading me to another food discovery!


Here's the list of flowers in my garden including the ones I planted after finding out they were edible!
- Arugula, Chives, Calendula, Dandelion, Comfrey, Dill, Lavender, Nasturtium, Oregano, Sugar Snap Pea, Pink Rose, Gladiola, Violet, Echinacea, Day Lillies, Thyme, Red Clover


I also found some wild native plants on our land that carry edible flowers:
 - Wild Rose  - Siberian Miners Lettuce  - Wild violet   - Tigerlilly  - Thimbleberry   - Wild Strawberry  - Chickweed  - Fireweed   - Oxeye Daisy   - St. John's Wort




List of Edible Flowers
- Arugula     - Borage     -Calendula     - Dandelion     -Squash     -Chamomile     - Chives
- Broccoli     -Bee Balm     - Comfrey     - Dill     -Gladiolas     -Hollyhock     -Lavender
-Pink & Purple Mallow     - Nasturtiums     -Oregano     -Oxalis     -Oxeye Daisy    
-Sugar Snap Pea     -Evening Primrose     -Pink & White Rose     -Sage Bergamot     -St John's Wort
- Sweet Rocket     -Thistle     -Violet     -Echinacea     -Marigold     -Chicory      - Bachelors Buttons
-Dahlia     -Garlic     -Orchid     -Snap Dragon     -Day Lillies     - Red Clover     -Coriander
- Cornflower      -Fennel      -Fuchsia     - Geranium     - Jasmine     - Phlox    - Impatiens     - Thyme  




Before consuming flowers off the awesome list I have constructed,  please follow these safety tips for flower consumption that I got from another blog.

Eating Flowers Safely

So. As lovely as eating flowers can be, it can also be a little … deadly! Not to scare you off or anything. Follow these tips for eating flowers safely:

• Eat flowers you know to be consumable — if you are uncertain, consult a reference book on edible flowers and plants.
• Eat flowers you have grown yourself, or know to be safe for consumption. Flowers from the florist or nursery have probably been treated with pesticides or other chemicals.
• Do not eat roadside flowers or those picked in public parks. Both may have been treated with pesticide or herbicide, and roadside flowers may be polluted by car exhaust.
• Eat only the petals, and remove pistils and stamens before eating.
• If you suffer from allergies, introduce edible flowers gradually, as they may exacerbate allergies.
• To keep flowers fresh, place them on moist paper towels and refrigerate in an airtight container. Some will last up to 10 days this way. Ice water can revitalize limp flowers. 

- http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/42-flowers-you-can-eat.html

Companion Planting for a Healthy Garden

SWIHA Externship: 4 hours

Did you know that many plants have substances in their flowers, leaves and roots that can repel insects and/or attract insects depending what you plant them with? Some of these natural chemicals can also help enhance growth, flavor and other positive growing traits.

When I first began gardening, I just planted a bunch of seeds and watered everything. I noticed that some crops did really well while others were struggling just to come out of the ground. Then I read an article on Companion Planting, a permaculture concept that intercrops plants that offer mutual benefit while avoiding mixing crops that inhibit growth or attract unwanted insects. I found that by using this simple concept, my garden began to flourish!

There are many articles and charts available online about Companion planting and if you are serious about it, I'd recommend finding one you like and printing it up so you have the chart readily available when planting. You will find, like I did, that companion planting is an important part of pest management for organic farmers and gardeners. It helps keep a balanced eco-system so that nature can do its job, thriving in diversity. When I have an issue with a crop, the first thing I do is look up the companion plants and add them to the area. I have found it offers amazing results! Of course, starting these plants together at the same time offers more benefits and protection. If you are struggling with a particular pest, you can research which plants protect against and add them to your garden bed!

Companion Plants I group together:

Lettuce, Beets, Onions

Tomatoes, Basil, Chives

Asparagus, Dill

Potatoes, Beans

Pumpkin, Turnips, Borage

Apple, Strawberry

Blueberry, Strawberry

Herbs and flowers I use to divert pests away from my crops:

Calendula

Catnip

Dill

Nasturtium

Chickweed

Plants to AVOID planting together:
Tomatoes and Potatoes
Potatoes and Sunflowers


Many culinary herbs provide benefits for the garden and attract pollinators as well. These include peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, catnip, comfrey, borage, sage, lovage and tarragon. By adding a variety of plants, your garden will build up a natural immunity through helpful insects and natural deterrents.


I have found that by growing catnip on the outside of my greenhouse, I avoid many pests every getting on my food. For those that get inside the greenhouse, nasturtiums are interspersed to lure away bugs from the food crops! (of course, there are plenty untouched nasturtiums for our own eating pleasure). I also allow chickweed to grow on the outside of my garden beds and it helps keep pests at bay. Soil health is important for keeping plants healthy also. If you are having pest problems, make sure the soil you are growing in is nutrient rich and free of chemicals.  


A Green Thumb is gained by experience. The more you grow, the more you know. And yet, there is always more to learn so allow yourself to stay open to the possibility that there is something you may not know, the knowing of which could change everything!
Happy Growing!