A Yarrow Escape

I use my chicken egg shells! I crush them in a mason jar and mix them into the soil I plant my tomatoes with. It makes a huge difference!!

Kitchen scraps can help, but I use them carefully 🌱 A few simple tips I’ve learned:
☕ Sprinkle coffee grounds lightly, not in thick clumps
🍌 Chop banana peels small so they break down faster
🥚 Crush eggshells finely and give them time to work into the soil
🍚 Use rice rinse water fresh, especially for herbs and houseplants
🍵 Mix used tea leaves into soil or compost in small amounts
🚫 Skip anything salty, oily, or seasoned
A little goes a long way, so I treat these as gentle extras rather than a full fertilizer replacement.

I have planted most of these around my coop. I dry lavender, mint and sage to put in the coop, nesting boxes and sand-bath.

Chickens can be surprisingly into herbs 🐓 A few favorites they may enjoy pecking at:
🌼 Chamomile flowers can be a gentle little treat when offered in small amounts.
🌱 Peppermint is fresh and leafy, and some chickens like nibbling it.
🌿 Fennel fronds are soft and feathery, so they’re easy for chickens to pick at.
💜 Lavender is strong, so I’d offer just a little and let them choose.
🌿 Rosemary has tougher leaves, but some flocks still enjoy pecking at it.
🌼 Dandelion leaves and flowers are usually a big hit.
🌿 Parsley is one of those greens many chickens will happily snack on.
🧡 Marigold petals can be a colorful little garden treat.
🌿 Marjoram is mild and leafy, so it’s easy to mix in with other greens.
I like offering herbs as occasional extras, not the main diet, and letting the chickens decide what they actually want.

One healthy geranium in a hanging basket holds enough cuttings to fill every pot on the porch by next month. The same technique works across ten common garden flowers — one stem, one glass of water, no soil until roots appear. 🌿

The method is the same for all ten: take a cutting just below a leaf node, strip the lower leaves so no foliage sits in the water, place in a clean glass in bright indirect light, and change the water every two days. Roots appear at the nodes.

Ten flowers that root reliably in water, with cutting length and approximate timing:

- Geranium: 4-inch stem, let the cut end dry for an hour before placing in water to reduce rot risk. Roots in 3–4 weeks
- Fuchsia: 4-inch soft tip cutting taken in late spring. Roots in 2–3 weeks — among the fastest on this list
- Impatiens: 3-inch stem, roots visible in under 2 weeks. One of the easiest flowering plants to propagate
- Chrysanthemum: 4-inch cutting from soft green growth only, not woody stems. Take in early summer. Roots in 2–3 weeks
- Hydrangea: 5-inch cutting of new season green growth, bottom two sets of leaves removed. Roots in 3–4 weeks
- Salvia: 4-inch tip cutting, roots in 2–3 weeks. Works on both annual and perennial salvias
- Verbena: 4-inch cutting below a node, roots in 2–3 weeks
- Dahlia: 4-inch cutting from basal growth at the start of the season, roots in 3–4 weeks
- Petunia: 4-inch cutting, roots in 2–3 weeks. Take from a healthy trailing stem
- Lantana: 4-inch cutting, roots readily in 2–3 weeks. Invasive caution: do not plant in open ground in Florida, coastal Texas, or Hawaii. Grow in containers in those areas and dispose of spent plants responsibly 🌸

Once roots reach an inch or two in length, transfer to potting mix. Harden off in a shaded spot for a few days before moving to full sun.

Makes all the difference. I plant tomatoes toward the sun ☀️ and basil next to it but away from the sun.

I learned the hard way that sun direction matters 😅 A quick yard-planning tip:
☀️ South-facing spots usually get the strongest, longest sun, so I like them for heat lovers like tomatoes, lavender, rosemary, and coneflowers.
🌿 North-facing areas stay much shadier, which makes them better for hostas, ferns, astilbe, and bleeding heart.
🔥 West-facing beds can get harsh afternoon sun, so I use tougher plants there like sedum, salvia, black-eyed Susans, and ornamental grasses.
🌅 East-facing spots are my favorite for plants that like gentle morning light, like hydrangeas, azaleas, roses, and lettuce.
Before planting, I like to watch the yard for a day or two. It saves so much frustration later 🌱

There’s something so grounding about putting your hands in the soil this time of year 🌱
If you’ve been thinking about starting a garden, this is your sign to begin. Start small, stay consistent, and watch what grows—not just in your garden, but within you too.

Starting seeds in water is such a fun little project, especially when you can actually watch the roots forming day by day 🌱
🥑 Avocado is the one most people know, but there are other fun ones to try too
💧 I change the water often so it stays clear and fresh
☀️ Bright light helps once they start growing
🪴 I think of this more as a fun windowsill project than a quick way to get fruit
It is one of those simple things that is just enjoyable to watch.

Herbs like yarrow, sage, thyme, and plantain have long been used to help soothe sore throats and calm stubborn coughs
🌿 These gentle herbal allies support the body naturally while offering comfort during seasonal wellness challenges.

For extra respiratory support, my Peppermint Lavender V***r Rub is a soothing botanical blend that helps open the chest, ease breathing, and encourage deep relaxation. 💜🌿

Have you tried any of these herbal helpers?

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