Aromatherapy Oils and Fresh Garden Cuisine

Spring?s seeds are finally turning into the fruits of summer! We?ve already worked our way through some of the leafy greens, such as chard, mustard and butter lettuce. Now we?re waiting on our heirloom tomatoes and carrots. Since last year?s blueberry success, you?re confident in this year?s prize of the garden: juicy peaches. Regardless of what specialties you?re nurturing this year, the long months of summer make us pause in gratitude for what the earth offers us each growing season.

For much of the year, our produce is trucked in from distant farmlands. Once summer arrives, though, everyone gets the chance to claim their birthright as gardeners and cultivators of their own food. What?s best, local summer harvests allow us to experiment with simple, nutritious meals. With very little effort, a meal of fresh vegetables and summer fruits can become a lavish feast. And if your simple cuisine asks for a hint of the exotic, you can harvest a bouquet of flavors from the most unlikely of places: your aromatherapy medicine chest.

You already know that when using essential oils, it is always important to find therapeutic-grade oils. Because oils are concentrated substances, distilled from mass quantities of plant matter, you want to find the highest quality oil you can. While this makes sense when you think of essential oils being absorbed into the body through the skin, always sticking with therapeutic-grade oils has an added benefit: these powerful oils can easily be incorporated in cooking, too. Never thought of it that way before? Scent has a stronger influence on our perception of flavor than our taste buds do! With that in mind, here are a few simple ways the repertoire of essential oils can add a splash of flavor to your simple summer menu.

First and foremost, let?s address the issue of food safety. Essential oils are, obviously, plant-derived substances. While you may not want to eat a hunk of frankincense resin straight from the tree, frankincense is still a naturally occurring substance. It is not poisonous in small quantities, but it may make you want to brush your teeth immediately. Many essential oils are expressly dangerous for internal consumption, such as wintergreen and birch, but other oils can be used in small quantities for internal health as well as for cooking. In fact, the FDA has qualified many of the common essential oils as GRAS, Generally Recognized as Safe, substances. This means that, although they are not labeled as food additives, they can be internalized without apparent side-effects. When considering which oils to cook with, this is a good rule of thumb: essential oils of citruses, spices and other commonly-eaten foods are probably going to make good additions to your cuisine. Just be cautious when using essential oils that are known to irritate mucous membranes, such as cinnamon, oregano and peppermint.

How can essential oils improve your summer harvest? Let's first consider one of the gifts of the Mediterranean region: the citruses. Oils like grapefruit and lemon blend beautifully with olive oil for simple, tangy dressings. All it takes is one drop of oil per tablespoon of oil, and your salad will be transformed. Love guacamole? Try a few drops of lime oil mixed with ripe avocado and serve it with corn chips or jicama slices. Still munching on this spring's spinach? Mandarin orange essential oil, which smells heavenly, is refreshing drizzled on greens. How about beverages? Oils add dimension to juices and fizzy waters, too. By mixing grapefruit, mandarin and lime in equal parts, seltzer water is transformed into a healthy citrus soda without the sugar found in commercial brands. As with all aromatic oils, though, don't overdo it. Thankfully, a little bit of oil goes a long way.

Ever thought about those essential oils derived from the bouquet of cooking herbs you've planted in your garden? Oregano, ginger, thyme, marjoram, bay and basil are ideal for cooking. If you love basil (and most of us do!) add a few drops of oil to a simple pasta of red pepper, olives and red onion, and your taste buds will dance. Or maybe you're a stir fry fanatic. Ginger oil, which is extremely powerful, adds kick to Asian food and is great for aiding digestion, too. Ever considered trying coffee with cardamom? A single drop of cardamom turns coffee into a feast for the senses. Try this blend iced on hot afternoons for a refreshing treat or even after meals. When cooking with these oils, though, remember that an excess of oil could potentially make your food inedible because they are so strong. Go easy, and consider tossing the oils in right at the end of cooking so they don't evaporate prior to mealtime.

Not surprisingly, essential oils also enhance desserts. Two of the most well-loved dessert flavorings come as essential oils: vanilla bean and cacao. The aromatic oils, however, do not come laden with sugar, nor are they soaking in alcohol, the process used to create extracts. If you find yourself craving a sweet vanilla, try blending your essential oil with honey instead of sugar and see if your craving is curbed. The same can be said for cacao. This bitter, dark essential oil is not a candy bar, but it signals the brain the same way chocolate does. A decadent way of indulging your sweet tooth without jeopardizing your diet is to drip two drops of cacao or vanilla into yogurt and eat like ice cream.

We think of summer cuisine, and its accompanying picnics and patio parties, year-round. The season's harvest helps us eat right and participate in the cultivation of our own food, a rare treat for many living in urban environments. Using aromatic oils to add variety and spice to our diet is easy and often enables us to forgo unnecessary trips to the grocery for specialty items. This summer, when a friend stops by unannounced and you're down to rice milk and coffee, don't despair. Take a drop of grapefruit oil and turn water and ice into a refreshing citrus drink. After all, that's how it's done in the summertime!

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How Patio Doors Are Built

Patio doors were originally created to replace French doors, offering an uninterrupted view of the natural daylight coming into the house, and providing easy access to the outdoors. As a result, patio doors are still hugely popular and due to demand, have become somewhat more elaborate over the years. However, they were not completely able to replace French doors; whereas the style and design of a French door is still seen as a classic and timeless look. However, the two are able co-exist on the market, benefiting the home-owner who has a choice of door options to consider.

At one point, a patio door was not a very secure entryway and easily accessible from the outside. Over time improvements have been made so now this is not as great an issue as it previously had been. There is also another issue of safety because the door, being a solid sheet of glass, is often seen as being open when it is actually not. To help remedy possible injuries, safety glass is now used to prevent people, especially children, from running headlong into the closed doors and getting severe lacerations.

When it comes to being energy efficient, patio doors perform very well. They are made with a series of brushes and seals which adhere to very stringent building code regulations. Producing the vinyl for door and window frames requires three times less energy to produce than manufacturing aluminum, thus making this product not only more cost effective, but also environmentally /energy friendly. To put this in perspective, it saves enough energy to heat almost 20, 000 single swelling family homes a year.

Most patio doors are made from vinyl or metal frames. The vinyl frames are made with up to 80% vinyl resin and then the remaining 20 % can be made up from various additives such as stabilizers to help prevent cracking and peeling. Pigments are also added to add the desired color as well to help create UV protection. Other additives help in preventing damage done during the shipping process.

Once the vinyl compound has been made, the chemical additives are locked in. Then, the resulting material is softened and forced through a die creating the unique shape that will eventually become the frame. These extruded pieces are shipped on pallets to the window / door fabricator where they are cut to the specified lengths and dimensions required to make the patio door.

After machines have cut the components to be assembled, the frames are often fusion welded together to form air tight and water tight seals at the corners. The installation of locks, keepers, balances, weather stripping, and finally the glass, are completed and the process is sent to quality control where the work is checked for air tightness, water tightness, and for any possible damages done to the frame or glass during assembly.

The use of vinyl frames for patio doors and windows helps your glass door maintain an even temperature so that there are limited condensation and humidity differences in the home. The quality of the air in the household is also greatly improved because glass doors mean less electricity is needed to heat and light the house. Lastly, an additional environmental bonus is the elimination of paint, stains, strippers, thinners which are not needed to maintain the patio doors appearance and function; saving the environment from harmful odors, chemical disposal, as well as leaving the home owner with free time to enjoy the view.

Patio doors are a great addition to any home and they can even increase the value of the home.

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The Basics Of Using Correct Plant Fertilizers

There isn't a one size fits all fertilizer that works on all plants. You must learn how to not only pick the right fertilizer, but also how to use it for your selected plant. Fertilizer is key to maximizing the potential that your flowers and plants have, so learning the basics is necessary.

The best type of fertilizer is the one that mother nature creates by itself with plenty of hydration and sunlight. Before worrying about a fertilizer you should read up on your particular plant to see how much sun and water does it best. Over watering a plant can be just as bad as starving it, so double check your sources before engaging in the routine.

The green revolution is constantly pushing new organic standards. The organic fertilizers you will find in the local store will be more expensive than fertilizer that contains chemicals. Even though that may be true, in buying organic fertilizer you will be helping the environment, saving your plants from potential chemical exposure, and enjoying higher produce yield.

Fertilizer has become very convenient in recent years. These days we can go weeks without even having to apply a single grain of fertilizer. With a granular fertilizer, water will gradually break down the materials and feed the plant over time. Sometimes this time period can be many weeks, as compared to the week or two that liquid fertilizer is associated with. Your schedule can be hectic, and you will still be able to enjoy applying fertilizer on time.

You wont have to be a chemistry major to understand fertilizer types, but it is good to know the three nutrients that are the most well known. Potassium and phosphorous are important for warding off disease and encouraging roots to grow in strength. Nitrogen is key to making the plant a livelier color and growing up with vigor. Not all plants will require each of these nutrients, and feeding too much of one nutrient to a specific plant can spell disaster if you aren't careful.

Plants may enjoy fertilizer, but that doesn't mean that humans always do. A fertilizer that has a pesticide in it will be toxic to humans more often than not. Even when working with organic materials, you should observe proper safety precautions. Always where gloves, and if you do come into contact with the fertilizer, you should proceed to wash your hands thoroughly before touching anything else. Otherwise you could accidentally harm yourself or others.

In Conclusion

Growing flowers is more scientific than some would think. Fertilizer is advanced in composition, and many types exist to cater to different types of plants. For a more thorough explanation you should consult gardening books and other reading material for up to date guides to plant food.

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Amazing and Portable Greenhouse

Portable Greenhouse is the special place where growing plants are being nurtured until they are able to sustain the outside world. This is a peculiar type of plant shelter that is designed to be movable. It can be moved from one location to another as the gardener pleases. It is another form of a hobby greenhouse which is specially designed for particular enthusiasts with plants as their main object of interest.

This type of greenhouse is quite different from the traditional types that are commonly seen on garden areas. This type is rather smaller and they have very amusing designs for a plant house. The materials are durably fair and the sizes of this sort of house are also amazing. The children would love to stay under it if it were not for the presence of the plants.

It is very easy to assemble too and it is totally hassle-free. Portable Greenhouse is very portable and collapsible. It can be carried along and can be utilized as a camping house for any outdoor activity. It is an ideal outfit for an overnight stay on the beach.

As a greenhouse, it serves as the prefect shelter of ornamental plants that are usually found inside the house of the enthusiast. These types of plants do not need to be exposed to too much sunlight for they get wilted quite easily. This is the best place for these ornamental greens where they can savor a bit of the sun rays indirectly.

Portable Greenhouse designs and models will always fit your gardening style. As another form of hobby greenhouse, it comes in several colors and styles that can suit to the enthusiasts personal taste. You can see a lot more of this type online on certain web sites that offer this type of product.

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Compost Bin Designs You Should Consider

Many people who live in urban areas and who are concerned about the smell of their compost disturbing their neighbors choose an enclosed compost bin design.

One of the most notable types of enclosed compost bin designs is the compost tumbler. In order to mix the materials, all you have to do is to turn the tumbler using a crank that is attached to the structure. You may notice that there is not a surplus of wooden compost bin designs. This is because of a very important reason. The waste materials are placed inside and the lid is closed.

As the waste materials break down, they have a tendency to also cause most woods to rot. When considering the purchase of a wooden compost bin always check to make sure that the wood is either naturally resistant to rot or treated. Some woods, such as cedar, are more resistant to rot and as a result can be used in compost bin designs. This type of compost bin design is an excellent choice if you do not have a lot of space.

This is a very simple and space saving way to benefit from composting. First, think of whether you need an enclosed compost bin. Of course, if you have more space available to you then you may wish to choose a larger compost bin design. Only limited types of wood can be efficiently utilized to produce compost bins. Compost bins can be produced from a variety of different materials.

These are great if your home produces a lot of yard and kitchen waste and you want to make use of it by turning it into compost. This will help you to avoid having to replace your compost bin in the near future because of rot. There are many different types of compost bin designs available today. If you have never composed before trying to decide among the many different types of compost bin designs can certainly be quite confusing. While an enclosed compost bin is certainly not an essential, you may find it more convenient depending upon your needs.

You will find metal as well as plastic compost bin designs. This is why it is essential that you never place your compost bin directly next to a wooden structure. There are enclosed bins as well as open bins. It can be easily placed anywhere you wish.

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Learn Why You Should Use Compost Activator

Composting can provide many benefits, but when you are first getting started, it can be somewhat confusing. It is a combination of nutrients and micro-organisms. They are typically available in powder form and poured into holes within the compost pile. What is a compost activator and how does it benefit your compost? The compost activator is also sometimes referred to as a compost inoculate.

Herbal compost activators may contain such ingredients as dandelion, chamomile, yarrow, oak bark, nettle, valerian and honey. The pile will then be efficiently composted within one month to three months, depending on the time of year. There are also other types of natural compost activators that are produced from other materials such as comfrey leaves, chicken manure and grass clippings. You can choose to add compost activators to your compost pile when you first start it in order to give it a kick start or you can add compost activators in at different times of the year as you see that they are needed. Generally, compost piles will take some time to decompose naturally on their own.

This is something that you naturally want to avoid, thus the need for the compost activator. When using these types of compost activators, they are usually just added to directly on top of the other compost scraps. One element that you will run across and need to understand is the compost activator. A compost activator can also be used to provide the heat activation that the compost pile needs when the weather is below 50 F. Herbal compost activators are completely natural and work efficiently and quickly.

The ingredient mix in herbal compost activators creates a compost pile that has a sweet scent to it. While you could certainly allow your compost pile to decompose on its own without adding in a compost activator, you run the risk of attracting odors and flies as well as other pests to your compost pile. A compost activator works by providing the nitrogen that a compost pile typically lacks naturally on its own. Nutrients, including potassium, may also be added to these compost activators. The holes are then filled back in.

It is added to the compost pile for the express purpose of speeding up the breakdown of the scraps in the pile. Other options for compost activators include fish, cottonseed, alfalfa meals and bone meal.

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Gardening Tips For Urban Home Owners In Tight Spaces

Rural areas give home owners the choice to start up a garden at will. For relatively little money, you could start a garden and watch it thrive. Urban areas are less forgiving to gardeners. However, you can still make your own garden and watch it grow even if you live in a small apartment area.

Apartments are hard to get light into, even with windows. During winter it's not possible to keep plants out in the sun on the window sill due to extreme weather. Luckily we can recreate the effect the Sun has on our plants by using approved lighting sources. Try to allot a certain part of your apartment, or even an entire room, to your small garden. That way the light won't interfere with your normal routine.

If you still crave the open areas that a real garden provides, community gardens are an option. If you live at a condo, you will have better odds at creating a garden since you have a stake in the building. The garden would probably have restrictions on what is grown and where, but you and the real estate on which you live will both see a better outlook from the experience of a community garden.

Any type of garden that can ease your dependence on grocery stores is a good garden indeed! Some common plants that do well on the inside that also provide food would be small tomato plants, Lettuce is also a great addition if you have a bit of space in which to grow it. Of course, spices like mint and thyme are just as good too.

Duplexes are great since they allow you to have a small pet. In the case of gardening, you can raise a couple of chickens in order to get fertilizer for your plants. Chickens have to be fed and properly cared for, so if you don't have the time, this is probably not a good option. Instead, buying the fertilizer yourself would save you time and effort that you would otherwise exert.

Even long vines that you wouldn't think would look good in an apartment can look great in a room if expertly placed. The vines can be stretched out to make a border around a room or make for a decorative centerpiece for the living room. Decorative plants are just as good as food bearing plants, and are a sheer joy to maintain over the lonely winter months.

In Conclusion

Apartments are cheap and work well for what you need when in the city. You don't need your own real estate to get started with a garden, though. Look out for more tips on gardening in an urban environment by visiting home and garden shops near you.

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