Meet the Indian Neem Tree... "The Village Pharmacy"

While relatively new in the Western world, all parts of the neem tree – referred to as the ‘Village Pharmacy’- have been used in India for thousands of years.  We use neem oil in horticultural applications to control insect pests, but it is also increasingly used worldwide as an insect repellent, skin care ingredient, contraceptive, and medicine with hundreds of uses.

There’s lots of buzz about neem oil, and other products from the exotic Indian tree, but less so about the tree itself. So what's the scoop on the Neem tree?

Azadirachta indica  is the botanical name for the neem tree, and translates as "The Free Tree Of India"

The neem tree belongs to the botanical family Meliaceae; the same family as the mahogany tree.

It’s an attractive, fast growing shade tree that can with spreading branches with dark green leaves that form a dense, round canopy, up to 60’ wide. The neem tree can grow to 100’ tall but typically tops out around 30’-40’

The neem tree has large clusters of aromatic flowers made up of up to 250 individual white blooms that can be smelled miles away.

The olive like, fruit is oval to round and thin skinned, and while edible, is not especially tasty. Every neem fruit contains one, and sometimes two or three, seeds.

The Neem tree is easy to grow in a wide range of temperatures and conditions, and can live for 150+ years.

Mycorrhizae : The Friendly Fungus

Imagine a sprawling underground network-invisible to the human eye- that would allow your neighbor’s apple tree across the street to share nutrients with the tomato plants growing in your backyard. It’s real, and made possible by a beneficial soil fungi call mycorrhizae.

Scientists believe that mycorrhizae are one of the main reasons plants were able to make the transition from sea to land millions of years ago – helping plants make the drastic transition from nutrient rich ocean life to a harsh, salty land environment.

Mycorrhizae work by creating an extensive network of microscopic filaments that allows nutrient transfer among plants.  They penetrate growing plant root tissues, surround the root mass, and extend far into the surrounding soil, encompassing a much larger volume of soil than is occupied by the plant’s own root system. The fungi’s long threadlike mycelia take in nitrogen, phosphorous, and other nutrients from the soil, consuming some but also generously sharing these nutrients with the host plant.  In return, the plant provides the mycorrhizal fungi with photosynthesized nutrients like sucrose, fructose, and glucose.

While helping plant roots absorb more nutrients, mycorrhizae also improve drought tolerance, and help create ideal soil structure ; aerated soil with good drainage that maintains optimum moisture levels.  The much sought after crumbly, black loam soil texture is the result, in part, of the presence of long term mycorrizal activity. Their long hair like  filaments called hyphae accumulate in the soil over time, and bind larger, sand sized,  soil particles together, helping create friable, high quality soil.

5 Ways to Preserve and Store Fresh Eggs

Refrigeration  (5 weeks)
Store eggs in a closed carton on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator.

Freezing  (1 year)
Only freeze raw eggs with the shells removed.  Break whole eggs into a bowl, blend the yolks and the whites, and press through a sieve. Add ½ teaspoon of salt to each cup of eggs for a main dish, or ½ tablespoon of honey or sugar for a dessert, and freeze in containers. Ideal  storage temperature is 0 degrees F.

Pickling  (6 months)
Pickle small and medium sized eggs in a wide mouth jar. Either use solution from prepared cucumber pickles or pickled beets, or mix up a solution of vinegar and spices like salt, pepper, cinnamon, dry mustard or cloves. Place cooked and hard peeled eggs in a jar, and our boiling solution over them. Refrigerate the eggs, and season eggs for at least 4 weeks.

Oiling (7 months)
Wait 24 hours after eggs have been laid before oiling. Heat white mineral oil to 180 degrees for 20 minutes, then pour into a small bowl and allow to cool to 70 degrees. Dip the eggs into the oil one at a time with tongs or a slotted spoon, and place each egg on a rack so that excess oil can drain. Ideal storage temperature is  31 degrees F.

Water Glass (6 months)
‘Water Glass’ is a sodium silicate solution that can be purchased at drugstores.  Mix one part water glass to ten parts boiling water, and let cool. Place eggs in a jar, filling it so that they are covered by at least 2” of solution. Screw the lid onto the jar and store in a cool place like the refrigerator or basement.  Ideal storage temperature is 34 degrees F.

Preserving Culinary Herbs

The most important thing to remember when harvesting and preserving culinary herbs from your garden is that it is the essential oils in the plant are actually what gives the herb its flavor, fragrance, and any health benefits. Because the essential oil concentration is highest in the morning, it’s best to harvest on a dry day before the early morning dew has evaporated. The oil content is higher in an herb plant before flowering, and most herb gardeners agree it’s best to harvest before the plant flowers. As plants mature, the oils that produce flavor and aroma become less intense. 

Herbs should be dried at cooler temperatures than fruits and vegetables in order to protect their delicate flavors. Dry them in a shaded area with good air circulation, or even in a dehydrator.  Spread herb leaves in a thin layer over drying trays, or in a dehydrator set at 95 degrees or lower, until the leaves crumble to the touch.

The time tested method of hanging bundled herb stalks upside down in a shaded, ventilated area is also effective, albeit with some loss of flavor because of the extended drying time.

Storage jars or containers should be as small as possible, and filled up to exclude air, and maximize flavor and aroma. If stored in a cabinet or pantry, dried herbs can keep their flavor for several months, but should be tossed in the compost bin after a year has passed.

Common Kitchen Garden Herbs & Uses

Tarragon              tomato dishes, salads, vinegar
Rosemary            salads, vegetables, lamb dishes
Oregano              spaghetti sauce, pork, wild game, tomato dishes
Sage                      poultry, cheese, omelets, sausages
Basil                      soups, stews, tomato dishes     
Celery                   salads, casseroles, soups
Bay                         soups, stews, spaghetti sauce
Marjoram            sausages, stews, lamb dishes
Chives                  casseroles, salads, omelets
Thyme                  onion soup, meatloaf, lamb dishes
Chervil                 cheese dishes, salads, eggs
Dill                         pickles, stews, cabbage
Fennel                  candies, rolls, cookies, soups, casseroles
Garlic                    omelets, chili, Italian foods
Anise                    sweet rolls, cookie batter, salads
Parsley                 sauces, soups, vegetables
Cumin                   bread dough, sausages, cheese spread
Mint                      lemonade, roast lamb, mint jelly
Savory                  bean dishes, stuffing
Chilies                  stews, soups

Growing Strawberries

How Strawberries Grow

Of all fruit and berry varieties, strawberries are perhaps the most popular among backyard gardeners, and for good reason – they’re a naturally sweet treat that’s fun to grow and should be included in every backyard homestead. Although strawberries grow best in moist, cool regions, with supplemental watering in the hot summer months and windbreaks, they can be grown in hot, dry climates as well.

Strawberries need two years to produce the best yields, and when planted in prepared soil in early spring, they’ll quickly take root, and by mid June, send out runners which will form new plants around the original.

Although strawberry plants will produce blossoms in the first year, they should be pinched off before developing into berries. Pinching the blossoms off during that first year encourages the plants to develop strong root systems and healthy growth.  In the spring of the following year, the buds that formed the previous fall , will develop into blossoms, and eventually berries. Depending on your region and growing season, you can get early season, mid season, or late season bearing varieties.  If you live here in the Carolinas, the Pocahontas, Raritan, and Surecrop varieties are all good bets.

Planting Strawberries

Your strawberry plants will be growing in the same spot for two years, and because the small, shallow rooted plants will have to get all of their water and nutrients from the top few inches of soil, you’ll need to prepare the ground well.  Soil should be rich, and slightly acidic ; between 5.5-6.0. Enrich the soil with compost or peat moss to improve the water holding capacity of the soil during dry weather. Strawberries perform best in moist soil in full sun.

Strawberries are sold in bare root bundles, and you should snip the roots to about 4” before planting. Remove all but a few of the youngest leaves, which will reduce water loss once the plants are in the ground.  Dig a trowel straight down into the ground, opening a seam. Place the roots in the slit, fanning them out so that they don’t bend. Place the top of the crown just above the soil line so that the crown doesn’t rot, and lightly tamp the soil down around the plant, gently adding water. As the plant begins to grow, pinch off all new flowers for about 3 months, allowing additional flowers to produce berries after that.

Growth, Care & Harvest

The Matted Row method is an easy way to grow a large bed of strawberries. Simply plant rows of strawberry plants 12” apart, and as runners emerge, arrange them in a circular pattern around the original plant. Once the area fills out with a new plant about every four inches, remove additional runners so the strawberry plants don’t become overcrowded.

The Double Hill system is another method that is very effective in raised beds.  Start by removing runners from the mother plants, and placing them in 12” apart in paired, hilled rows that are 12” apart. Space pairs of rows 18” apart. Mulching the soil around strawberry plants will help retain moisture and also protect plants from frost damage in winter months.

Watering & Fertilization

Beginning in the spring of the first year and continuing into the fall, apply a low analysis fertilizer like fish emulsion, every other week. Here in the southeast, additional phosphorous may be needed.  Beginning with the second season, fertilize the plants  at the beginning of the growing season, and when blossoms open.  Strawberries need about 1” of water per week while the berries are ripening. Too much water will dilute the sweet flavor of the berries, and remember to carefully apply water directly to the soil, as soaking the leaves too often will encourage the spread of foliar diseases.

Harvest

In cooler weather, strawberries ripen about 30 days after blooming, sooner in warmer weather. As the berries ripen, their color changes from white to pink to red, and as the colors change, sugars are deposited in the fruit. Strawberries picked before turning red will not be as sweet as fully ripe ones, and it’s best to pick berries early in the morning, when they are firm.