The-Dirty-Hoe.com

Medicinal Succulents

“This is for informational purposes only. Do not use any plants medicinally without consulting your doctor first.”

Adding succulents and cacti to your home help keep your fresh air and remove toxins from the environment. Plants absorb our respiratory waste (carbon dioxide), and they convert it into plant carbohydrates to build strong bodies that in turn create pure, clean, life-empowering oxygen for us to breathe. There are several succulents that have health benefits. Below are three succulents that I have growing in my home and that my family and I use when needed.

ALOE VERA: Leaves & juice of leaves

Aloe Vera gel is widely known to relieve sunburn and help heal wounds. But did you know that your favorite potted plant can be used for much more than sunburn relief and household décor?

Skin care:You can use aloe vera to keep your skin clear and hydrated. This may be because the plant thrives in dry, unstable climates. To survive the harsh conditions, the plant’s leaves store water. These water-dense leaves, combined with special plant compounds called complex carbohydrates, make it an effective face moisturizer and pain reliever.

An alternative to mouthwash: In a 2014 study published in the Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences, researchers found aloe vera extract to be a safe and effective alternative to chemical-based mouthwashes. The plant’s natural ingredients, which include a healthy dose of vitamin C, can block plaque. It can also provide relief if you have bleeding or swollen gums.

Peppermint:

Peppermint is a hybrid cross between water mint and spearmint. It has high menthol content. Mint leaves collected from the garden can be added to tea as it steeps. Mint tea is known for its stomach soothing properties. It aids in indigestion, cramps, nausea, and colic. Peppermint oil can also be used to soothe a sunburn, or joint pain from arthritis.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is a member of the mint family. It gives off a tart, citrus scent like lemons. Lemon balm is a natural antiviral. When used to make tea, it’s great for fighting colds, flu, and fevers. It is also used to calm nerves and upset stomach, and to aid in headaches, as its properties naturally decrease blood pressure. Fresh leaves can also be crushed and applied to insect bites and stings. It acts as an astringent, and helps soothe and reduce swelling and inflammation.

These succulent and herbs above can be grown indoors and start out any many of the planters that are found on the Etsy shop Flymeawaycreations. To see all the different planters at the shop follow the link below:

http://www.Flymeawaycreations.com

Lemon Balm. Medical herbs and plants Isolated green on white background series. Vector illustration. Art sketch. Hand drawing object of nature. Vintage engraving style.

Bears & Succulents

Did you know leaves and flowers form the largest, most dependable portion of the black bear’s annual diet? They seek tender plant parts with nutrients in a digestible, fluid form. In spring, many young plants fit that description. Early foods are catkins (flowers) of aspen, willow, hazel, and alder. Emerging leaves, grass, and small plants come next for example, grass succulents such as horsetail. Green vegetation alone is not enough for black bears to thrive and reproduce, so berries, fruit, and other sources of the land are in their diet as well.

Horsetail is found growing wild along stream banks and river bottoms throughout North America and can also be grown in your favorite planter as well. The primary requirement for growing horsetail is abundant water. It will grow in sandy soil or clay, but is most profuse in rich topsoil. It is happy to grow in part shade or full sun. Horsetails are grown from nursery plants, not seed, so to find this beautiful succulent you will need to visit your local garden shop. When you take this succulent or any other beautiful succulents home remember to water carefully. When growing your succulent keep the plant moderately and evenly moist. Excess water can cause the stems to rot and even kill the succulent. Horsetail works well in a hanging basket and decorates a mixed cactus and succulent container. Flymeawaycreations Etsy shop has a new planter, which was inspired by Black bears. When visiting the shop you can find a cute bear planter, which you can choose a black, brown, or polar bear! These small planters are not able to hold large succulents, so the best option would be air plants. As for the hanging planters that can be found at the shop will work well with larger succulents such as Horsetail or even a few cactus plants!

You can follow the link to check out the Bear or hanging planters for that special succulent!

www.flymeawaycreations.com

bear

Bohemian Gardening

Boho style can be someone who likes to live an unconventional, artistic lifestyle. If you’re something of a free spirit, then naturally you’ll want the areas of your life where you spend the most time to reflect that. This chic style is very reminiscent of the hippie or bohemian look. It’s been popular for quite some time now and it seems to have gained in popularity with regards of gardening too.

One aspect of the Bohemian lifestyle is a love of feeling free and without boundaries, embracing all that nature in her infinite wisdom has to offer. Your choice of living plants can really make or break the overall spirit of your Boho Chic décor.

I think one of the most important aspects of arranging your boho chic décor is color! This indoor garden arrangement will bring a small explosion of color into your interior space. A few plants that have a bohemian style are; coral cactus, air plants, Aloe Vera, Pincushion Cactus, and Mammillaria. These beautiful plants could be characterized by a mixture of recycled objects, bright splashes of color, plants and flowers that grow in the wild and a pinch of diversion, the bohemian chic invades the garden to our delight. Flymeawaycreations has a couple of Bohemian style planters that would work well with the listed plants above. The elephant planter that is found at the shop works great with air plants and the bright teal or gold pop of color brings that touch of bohemian style into any room. Also the Buddha planter that is listed at the shop has a stone finish which brings elegance and a contrast to a colorful cactus or flowering succulent!

You can follow the link below to check out the Boho style planters and more at Flymeawaycreations Etsy shop. www.Flymeawaycreations.com

Watercolor boho floral bouquets. Watercolour bohemian natural frame: leaves, feathers, flowers, Isolated on white background.Artistic decoration illustration.

Growing Winter Herbs

Just because it’s colder, doesn’t mean you have to give up on your herb garden. Have you tried growing herbs in the winter? It can be easily done by using seeds from one of the listed herbs below and using a small planter to plant your little herb garden!

So, here are some herbs that do a little better in chilly weather—the perfect winter herbs to grow and eat. Remember that you can freeze or dry fresh herbs throughout the year to give yourself a supply of your own herbs through the winter months!

Rosemary is a perennial herb, which means that it can be grown year-round, and sturdy enough to defend it against icy temperatures. This herb will bloom throughout the year.

Rosemary pairs well with heartier meats like lamb and beef and its oils—have been used to treat things like poor memory, migraines, and digestive issues

Mint and parsley are both cold-hardy and parsley in particular will keep growing even through a little snow. Its slow growth, though, and you won’t be able to use that much of it unless you have a lot of plants. Parsley pairs great with beef, carrots, chicken, and fish. Parsley tea is an antioxidant, which means it flushes out toxins from the body. It is rich in vitamin C, which supports the absorption of iron in the body.

Thyme is also a great accompaniment to sage, as well as pork. These sturdy little shrubs will add brightness to your dishes few other herbs do thanks to its lemony tones. They will survive over the winter will little to no up-keep, though there will be very little growth as well. Thyme essential oil, which is obtained from its leaves, is often used as a natural cough remedy.

To keep your winter herbs thriving they will need as much natural light as possible. Place them in a sunny spot near a window where they’ll get at least 6 hours of sun daily. Windows that face south or southwest are your best shot at sun, though east- or west-facing windows also will do. North-facing windows are not bright enough. To find a cute decorative planter to start your garden you can find unique 3D printed planters at Flymeawaycreations shop on Etsy!

www.flymeawaycreaitons.com 8920-herbs-on-windowsill

Holiday Succulents

Succulents have been a hot trend for many years with no signs of leaving the spotlight. Not surprising, given they are an easy plant to maintain and come in a wide variety of forms; this is why I fell in love with these beautiful flowers! You can incorporate them into your planters such as many designs at(Flymeawaycreation Etsy shop) or your own DIY terrariums. They’re so picturesque; it would be a shame not to include them in our holiday decorations. From wreaths to a new take on the Christmas tree, succulents are the perfect way to spice up traditional holiday décor

Adding succulents is a chic way to update the typical holiday centerpiece for your fireplace mantel or dining room table. Even if you’re looking for the typical red, green and white color combo, the unusual color and textures of succulents will keep it interesting. Try adding roses and berries to bring in shades of red, or you can use candles to add the color of your choice.

Apart from a Christmas tree, wreaths might just be the most widely used holiday decoration, so why not make yours original? Succulent wreaths are popping up everywhere which makes them even easier to source. If you find (or make) one that isn’t geared toward the holidays, just add berries or red ribbon for an easy fix. Or go another method and cover a grapevine wreath with moss and add a simple cluster of succulents to make it pop.

The succulent kissing ball is a new twist on the traditional mistletoe version. Using a metal basket or moss ball to help form your base and then add a mixture of your favorite succulents and berries to create a one of kind kissing ball!

You can follow the link below to read instructions on creating your own succulent kissing ball!

http://www.goodshomedesign.com/how-to-make-a-succulent-ball/