What would we run out of first?

[redskies]

The lady at Poyntzfield has both turmeric and ginger plants - both well worth getting, for medicinal and culinary purposes. And, as far as the turmeric goes for me, it's excellent for dyeing fleece! I tend to buy the really cheap stuff by the kilo for that; wouldn't use it for anything else as you can sometimes find heavy metals in it, depending on the source.

Witchazel is spectacularly useful for all sorts of things. I use the distilled bp version as a base for the reuseable wipes I make, including facial/medical wipes. It's also good for small cuts and scrapes, bruising, twisted ankles, that sort of thing. And it's not bad on bites either. You can distil it yourself quite easily, and the bp version you buy in the shops is a tincture, so again, not too difficult to make.

Arnica is excellent, in particular, for bruising. Although if I were treating heavy bruising that was fresh, leeches would also be quite handy to have about the place.

When the tea tree and things get big enough, and we have enough put by and dried, I'll build the kit to produce essential oils. It's not hard to do either.


These things are, to me, essential. Without them, I can't do anything for the folks that come to me for help with minor ailments, nor for us. I don't ever take money, but am always open to half a dozen eggs or something else we can use, and, in a post SHTF world, my knowledge of healing, as well as the ability to produce what I need to help folks, will be very valuable indeed, to them and us. At present, there's no need for the other skills I have, but don't have qualifications for, such as suturing or setting simple breaks etc, but again, I can see that if it all goes tits up, then yes, they'll be useful.

Oh, add Melissa (Lemon Balm) and Feverfew to the previous list, both, again, very very useful wee plants.

[diamond lil]

**eta - right, I'm definitely getting rid of the useless, unattractive foliage plants in my border **

Yes def do that - too many useful plants waiting!

[maxilaura]

Love the clip Deeps - I keep going back to it to see it again and again - really funny!

[greyman]

Deeps your a wrong 'un
Q: redskies,the plants you suggest,witch hazel,soapwort etc are they all perenial( think that's the right word?)
And are they all ideal for a bit of guerilla gardening?
Cheets

[Arzosah]

Thanks again redskies - I was having another look late at night, and noticed the turmeric, brilliant idea!

Even for houseplants, as that would be, I don't think its a very good time of year to buy them, though, is it?

Still, I can do a lot right now to prepare (prepper site, hey ho!)

Greyman - I have two lemon balm in my back garden, and I do absolutely nothing to them, they're perennial, no trouble at all. In fact, one just hatched a baby a few feet away which is great.

[itsybitsy]

I'd sooner have a martini though...

[redskies]

**eta - right, I'm definitely getting rid of the useless, unattractive foliage plants in my border **

Yes def do that - too many useful plants waiting!

And lots of them are very very pretty too

Thanks again redskies - I was having another look late at night, and noticed the turmeric, brilliant idea!

Even for houseplants, as that would be, I don't think its a very good time of year to buy them, though, is it?

Still, I can do a lot right now to prepare (prepper site, hey ho!)

Greyman - I have two lemon balm in my back garden, and I do absolutely nothing to them, they're perennial, no trouble at all. In fact, one just hatched a baby a few feet away which is great.

Since the plants are sitting in the nursery *anyway*, why not? She doesn't just grow for spring, she's got the plants there all the time. Was feeding hubby fresh strawberries and toms when we were there, and has quince growing up one wall. I've just started herbs and lemon trees. I don't expect them to sprout and go mad in the winter, but they're growing, and will get a good head start for the summer. Except for the Basil, which is triffid like and grows incredibly quickly. Two three inch plants in a wine bottle planter with root systems well over three foot between them, all the way down through the cork and into the water. Scary fast wee buggers.

Lemon Balm is indestructible. So is Feverfew. Dry them as you pull them - I'm sitting leaves on trays in the dehydrator, but not turning it on, works fine

[Arzosah]

Since the plants are sitting in the nursery *anyway*, why not? She doesn't just grow for spring, she's got the plants there all the time. Was feeding hubby fresh strawberries and toms when we were there, and has quince growing up one wall. I've just started herbs and lemon trees. I don't expect them to sprout and go mad in the winter, but they're growing, and will get a good head start for the summer. Except for the Basil, which is triffid like and grows incredibly quickly. Two three inch plants in a wine bottle planter with root systems well over three foot between them, all the way down through the cork and into the water. Scary fast wee buggers.

Mmmm .... you got me!

My brother runs his garden as an allotment, I'm wondering now whether he'd like indoor plants too. Still travels for work, though, so I'm not sure they'd survive.

Lemon Balm is indestructible. So is Feverfew. Dry them as you pull them - I'm sitting leaves on trays in the dehydrator, but not turning it on, works fine

Thats a brilliant idea thanks!

I'm having to rearrange the kitchen somewhat - the discovery of rancid butter in the fridge was not pleasant so I thought I'd better improve my storage of fats and oils. Which means I have proper space for my dehydrator

[Deeps]

Since the plants are sitting in the nursery *anyway*, why not? She doesn't just grow for spring, she's got the plants there all the time. Was feeding hubby fresh strawberries and toms when we were there, and has quince growing up one wall. I've just started herbs and lemon trees. I don't expect them to sprout and go mad in the winter, but they're growing, and will get a good head start for the summer. Except for the Basil, which is triffid like and grows incredibly quickly. Two three inch plants in a wine bottle planter with root systems well over three foot between them, all the way down through the cork and into the water. Scary fast wee buggers.

Mmmm .... you got me!

My brother runs his garden as an allotment, I'm wondering now whether he'd like indoor plants too. Still travels for work, though, so I'm not sure they'd survive.

Lemon Balm is indestructible. So is Feverfew. Dry them as you pull them - I'm sitting leaves on trays in the dehydrator, but not turning it on, works fine

Thats a brilliant idea thanks!

I'm having to rearrange the kitchen somewhat - the discovery of rancid butter in the fridge was not pleasant so I thought I'd better improve my storage of fats and oils. Which means I have proper space for my dehydrator

I keep mine in the garage, its a minor pain in the arse, its attached to the house but no direct access so have to go in via the front but it does mean some of the smellier stuff isn't stinking out the house, not a deal breaker for me but Her Maj isn't keen on the onions/garlic type pongs.

[Decaff]

With you on the garlic smell Deeps, I stank the place out, including the stairwells for a few days Finally got rid of the smell by burning a cedar scented candle. Next time I do garlic I will light the candle at the same time! I have a sage one which is rather strong, but better than garlic dehydrating I don't mind the onions, they get blanched first to open up the pores so to speak so they rehydrate properly and the smell is much reduced by doing this. Still got half a jar left of the garlic I did way back in the beginning if the year and I use it a lot!