Do they.....or not?

  My son sent me two plants as a Mother's Day gift.  He said that perhaps they would help with the bug problem here on the Bayou. They arrived at the Little Bayou House well-packed in a large box with lots of the Styrofoam peanuts.  As soon as I opened the box, I knew that something smelly was underneath all of those annoying little things!  I carefully pushed them aside to reveal two very pretty plants.  Oooh!  Plants!  My son knows that I love plants of any kind and especially love ones that have some use.  The tag said that these were Citrosa or the "Mosquito Fighter" plants.  Alrighty, then!  This could prove to be very useful indeed! Living on the Bayou, we have our share of those varmints!

  I placed my plants in the window to await their transplanting into larger pots.  I figured that I needed them to get as large as possible if they were going to help dispel the plethora of pests.  They looked right pretty sitting there so even if they did no more than that, I was happy.  Plus, that smell started to grow on me.  I soon became to like the citronella aroma.  Not bad...not bad at all!  In fact, it was a rather nice change over the doggy smell of Ms. Ez!

  I pondered over just how and where to plant the Citrosas to help them do their best.  In researching them, I found a disclaimer.  Citrosa does NOT repel mosquitoes or any other bugs!  WHAT?  That is hogwash, I thought!  Surely these things must repel something!  The article said "Buyer Beware" and went on to claim that studies show that the mosquito repellent claim was not true. Then how can they be marketed as such?  The article went on to say that buyer should crush a leaf or two, rub it on exposed skin and try it.  If after a few hours no rash has appeared and no mosquitoes have bitten, then, by all means, use it!  What?  Rash?  Did I just read that this could cause a rash?  Yep.  That is what the article stated.  This could cause a rash in those that have allergies.  Again, hogwash!  A lot of plants cause rashes especially in folks with allergies.  So, back to square one.  Does this plant repel mosquitoes or not?  Nowhere could I find a positive answer.  I suppose that it is one of those things that may work for some folks and not others. Whatever!  I am going into this with full confidence that the plants that my son sent, will work!  I will be mosquito-free!  On the other hand, so what.  If they don't do all that is touted, I still have pretty plants and my son still cared enough to think of his mom and I am still blessed to have such a thoughtful family.  Life is good.....even if it is not mosquito-free!  (At least it is doggy-odor free!)

Itching for a Remedy!

I was out wandering the hillside after the latest rainstorm when I met up with the largest "swarm" of mosquitoes that I have ever seen!  It seems that the rainy weather has caused every mosquito in a radius of fifty miles to seek out my Bayou!  (Ok..so perhaps I exaggerated a tad but I was being eaten alive!)  My arms itched like crazy!  I headed to the herb garden for a quick fix to this annoying problem.  First, I grabbed a few leaves to relieve the itching and then a sprig to ward off any future bites!  Yep..it does work but some folks just refuse to believe it!

Serrata Basil grows well in the rainy weather we have been having lately!

My "instant" remedy for the itching of the insect bites was merely a handful of basil leaves.  If the tender plant parts are vigorously rubbed over the bite, within a few seconds the itching starts to abate.  Then after a minute or so, the itching stops completely.  My sweet grandniece, Aero, told me once that she loved my "Magic Plant".  She was here and covered with bites.  I showed her how to pick the topmost leaves and rub them on each welt.  Sure enough, in minutes she was itch-free!  Magic Plants, indeed!

The Thai Basil has flowered and will soon make seeds for next years crop!

The other plant is Rosemary.  I should have had the foresight to rub a bit of this on my arms and face before setting out on my hike.  Usually, a stop to the herb garden can prevent a number of bites from ever happening in the first place.  Rosemary is extremely good at preventing bug bites if it is applied liberally.  Recently, I was told that this did not work at all against fly bites!  It seems that deer flies do not mind the smell as much as mosquitoes!  This evening, I decided to test the Rosemary.  My left arm was covered with the herb while the right was left scent-free.  After strolling about the garden, nary a bite on the left.  The right received five more bites almost instantly.  Ok..enough of that test!  I grabbed another sprig of Rosemary and rubbed down the right arm as well!  I was bug-free and happy! Legend has it that a Rosemary Bush planted by the garden gate will protect the home against evil.  This proves that mosquitoes are evil!  Rosemary does a good job protecting me against them!

Plant a Rosemary Bush by your front gate..legend says that it will protect the home from evil!

Just as a note, the herbs have to be garden fresh.  I have tried the same thing with "store-bought" dried herbs and they fail miserably!  Ahh, the pleasures of having an herb garden!

A New Look at Beautyberry!

Ahh..Beautyberry..that wonderful bush that grows wild everywhere on the Coast! I have always loved this little bush and try to leave as many as possible in my yard. The purple wads of berries on each stem bring back memories of growing up on the farm..our chickens loved eating these berries. It always tickled me to see the fat hens jumping up and down to reach the higher berries until one would get the bright idea of flying onto a branch. The slender branches would not support the weight of the chubby chicken and both the branch and the bird would fall to the ground. This would cause a flurry of activity as all the others would rush in to eat as many berries as they could before the branch would straighten again. I can also remember picking these same branches to put in buckets with the Ditch Daisies (aka wild Black-eyed Susans) to use as decorations for the Halloween Carnivals held at the local elementary school. (None of those cheap paper cut-outs for our carnivals! Real cornstalks, daisies, Beautyberries and scarecrows from the fields decorated the booths! But that is another post!) Now, I just love the bright purple berries as an ornament in my yard..not quite..it is not as simple as that! I have found another use for this old favorite! Recently, it was brought to my attention that the leaves of this very same plant can be used as an effective mosquito repellent! WooHoo! I now adore this bush! Who would have imagined that??? Even better..these same leaves when rubbed on your shoes and pant legs will repel deer ticks..those nasty things that might give you a not-so-lovely gift..Lyme Disease. PLUS! Fireants can be repelled by using the oils distilled from the leaves! Ok..so face it..I live in South Mississippi..a plant that will repel mosquitoes, deer ticks and fireants??..a dream come true for sure! And there are some people that will tell you that the berries make wonderful jelly..this I cannot say as I have never even tried to eat any. Still I think this plant is amazing! If there ever was a "multi-purpose" bush this is it! American Beautyberry.. the Gerber or Leatherman tool of the plant world!

Oh, I just had to show you this picture. As I was cutting grass today, I noticed several nice large mushrooms growing near the Grapefruit tree. Perched on top of one was one of my least favorite critters found near the Bayou..the Lubber Grasshopper. He so reminded me of something out of "Alice and Wonderland" that he won a reprieve and was allowed to continue sitting there undisturbed. Tomorrow, I will probably find he has eaten one of my prized lilies and I will regret not ridding my yard of his presence!

Basil Lovers, Beware!

I just read where a fungus is killing off the Basil crops across the country! At first glance, this highly concerned me as I use a lot of Basil. Then as I read down further into the article, it stated that the fungus was not so much a problem for large farms but more for home gardeners and small herb farms. It seems that the large farms have access to fungicides that kill this menace. Ahh, now I feel much better! The commercial farmers can spray a chemical on their plants before sending them to market..wait..do I see any problem with this? Chemical sprays and I do not get along well in the garden. I try to use only natural fungicides and insecticides in the garden as I feel all this use of chemicals cannot be good for our bodies. The article, however, goes on to state that to prevent the fungus, plant the herbs with enough room to provide good air flow. Now that makes sense and no harmful sprays will touch the plants!

While on the subject of Basil, I am "babysitting" two nice large Basil plants for my son and daughter-in-law while they are out of the state. I must say these two plants appear to be quite healthy and well tended. I only hope that I can return all of their plants in the same wonderful condition as they brought them. I believe their Basil is Sweet Basil, the beautiful green-leafed type that is bought in the produce section at the grocery store. This type Basil has a very pungent, sweet taste and is used in so many foods from chicken and fish to soups and pastas (and everything in between!). It is best to remember though, when cooking with Basil, to add it a the last moment before serving as heat will quickly destroy the flavor. It is also a favorite in herbal medicines and is claimed to have antioxidant and antiviral properties. It is used in home remedies to treat stomach ailments, respiratory problems and to reduce stress.

The only Basil that I have growing this year is Purple Basil. My Sweet Basil and Lemon Basil fell prey to the rabbits in the backyard. I have planted more seeds and I have high hopes of having an abundant crop later in the season. For now though I have the Purple. It is mixed in with the flowers because of it showy foliage. Purple Basil, like the Sweet Basil, is edible but has a much different taste. These plants were designed to create a beautiful purple leafed plant but along the way, they have lost much in the way of flavor. It is used more in salads where the color can be appreciated. This plant will run rampant in the garden but is easy to control with a bit of thinning in the spring. They seem to require a lot of water and will wilt flat during the heat of the day if left too dry. A good soaking with the hose will rejuvenate them by the evening though so do not panic if the plant appears to be dead. Soak it good and leave it..it should revive quite rapidly. Another good factor is that this plant tends to reseed itself year after year if allowed to flower. I have had the mine for at least twenty years even through droughts, freezes and Katrina's salt water floods.

Another fine quality of Basil of any sort is that tests show that it is toxic to mosquitoes! I use it as a repellent for these pests and also to kill any itch if I do get bitten. Simply rub a fresh basil leaf onto the mosquito bite and the itch is almost instantly quieted. Something that is important to know when you live on a Bayou!