On September 2, DiscoverThis.com sent me three dome terrariums:  The Culinary Herb Garden, The Fairy Triad and Carnivorous Creations.  I thought the dome terrariums would make great gifts for kids, grandkids or even students, and I was right!

Within two weeks, I noticed wobbly, unusually elongated sprouts that didn’t seem like they would survive past the seedling stage.  But after about 5 weeks of absolutely no care, secondary growth (see photo) occurred in both the Fairy Triad and The Culinary Herb Garden.

Steps toward growth were easy:
1.  Spread provided perlite in the base and cover with peat moss.
2.  Water
3.  Cover with dome and leave in a sunny spot
4.  Wait

The Carnivorous Creations batch was decidedly hairier.  I mixed the seeds in a bag and refrigerated (for six weeks!).  Next, I’ll plant the refrigerated seeds and wait 1-3 months for them to germinate.  It’s likely most kids will lose interest way before you see a FlyTrap sprout, but once you do see growth, it’ll likely be the most popular dome.

 I would easily recommend any of these products for kids.  The Culinary Herb Garden would also make a great gift for that special adult in your life with the big black thumb, as almost no care is needed.  Only one thing:  With all that evaporation going on inside that dome, it’s tough to actually see what’s (grow)ing on!

The Particulars

The Fairy Triad includes: Great Blue Lobelia, Clover, Evening Star (although they left mine out), and Thyme, as well as perlite, peat moss, a pinweel, rainbow string, and a little fairy figure (who I named Pauly-ette).

The Culinary Herb Garden includes:  Basil, Cilantro (which can be really tough to grow, but did), Dill, Parsely, and Sage again with perlite and peat moss.

And the Carnivorous Creations Kit includes:  Venus Fly Trap, Yellow Trumpet, Hooded Pitcher Plant, Purple Pitcher Plant, Pale Trumpet, Temperate Sundew Plants and Cobra Lillies as well as perlite, peat moss, and some rubber lizards.

DiscoverThis.com also sells Biblical Garden Kits, Bonsai Village Kits, Graveyard Gothic Kits, Banana Farm Windowsill Kit, Sensory Dome Kit, Witches Woods Kit, and Nickelodeon’s Diego Desert Garden Kit.  They're also full of other fun, scientific gadgets that make for really creative gifts.

 Some people scream “RATS!” when something goes wrong.  Sometimes, though, I think the saying should be “GNATS!”  If you’ve got a bug problem, don’t fret, hope is on the horizon, (or at least in the top layer of your soil).   

Question:  I have noticed more fruit flies in the house now that it's getting cooler. I know that they're attracted to my plants, but they're kind of embarrassing when I have people over. Do you know of a way I can get rid of them, short of walking around and trying to catch each one?? Thanks! - Susan, Kansas

Susan, great question!  First, it’s important to understand the problem:  It’s likely that these buzzers actually aren’t Fruit Flies (Drosophila melanogaster), but a relative insect known as the Fungus Gnat (Sciaridae).  I spoke with an entomologist who said it is a common misnomer.  Even a few exterminators I spoke with had no idea what a Fungus Gnat is (now that is scary, and a good litmus test for a potential exterminator!)   

Fungus Gnats are the most frequent houseplant annoyance and are distinguished from common Fruit Flies because of their darker color.  While Fruit Flies hang out primarily in exposed fruit, rotten food and in leaky fridges, you’ll find Fungus Gnats in wet plant soil, in sewer situations and in household drains.  They’re also attracted to CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) which explains why they’re always right up in your face. 

Adult Fungus Gnats live a week and a half, and in that span can lay up to 200 eggs each in moist soil.  The eggs hatch in 4 to 6 days and feed on plant roots in their larval stage for about 2 weeks.  They love moist, compost-rich potting soils, so it’s more likely you’ll find them in the brand names, like Miracle-Gro®.

Because Fungus Gnats need moist soil in order to complete this four-week life cycle, most experts think you can eradicate the problem by letting your plants completely dry out and get into the practice of watering "...just enough."  But if your watering methods aren't cryptically precise, there are other more accessible solutions.

Questions about Fungus Gnats:

So, do I have Fungus Gnats?  - To see if you have larvae in your plants, and can’t tell just by looking, cut a potato into ½ inch slices and set on top of the soil. FG larvae are attracted to the potato and will move to the surface to feed on it. In a couple days, check the slices, and discard if engulfed with Gna-ggots.  My advice, skip this step unless you’re morbid and have a strong stomach.

Ack, I have them!  Make them leave!  - Pour a generous layer of sand on top of the soil and cover with cedar mulch.  FGs are attracted to the top layer of wet soil. Because sand drains quickly, adults are confused by the newly dry top layer of soil, even though your plant is perfectly watered.  The cedar mulch is ornamental and most insects hate the smell.

OK, so the larvae are dying.  But how do I kill the adults? – Smear Vaseline® on a yellow sticky note and hang vertically.  FGs are specifically attracted to the color yellow and will bang up against it if it is hung vertically.  Another trick is to uncap and cut the top ^_1/3 off a soda (pop) bottle, turning it upside down inside the bottle (so it looks like a funnel).  Then fill the base with a mixture of vegetable oil and apple cider vinegar.  Attracted to the fermented smell, the FGs will drown when the surface tension is broken by the vegetable oil.     

I think my case is serious! – Most greenhouses use a peat mixture infused with an FG predator called Hypoaspis miles.  The mite lives and feeds on insect larvae and is commercially available for about $30.  You can also buy Gnatrol, a bacterial insecticide that is human and pet friendly and retails for around $20.  Residential exterminators can also control the problem but for, at minimum, $45.

For more information on indoor gardening, visit my blog entry:  5 Tips for Indoor Gardens 

Product Provided by CleanAirGardening.com

Stand back Cobra Head Hoe.  Look out Crazy Daisy Sprinkler.  There’s a new funny garden gadget in town.  This is the Wearable Gardening Stool - a rather blah name for a hilarious invention.  When I received it to test from CleanAirGardening.com, I appreciated it more for its comedic value than its actual practicality, demonstrating it to my officemates and encouraging them to “sit on it!” (a la Happy Days).

The stool buckles around your waist like a seatbelt, and can be adjusted for different waist, sides and yes, even rear size (for those of us with something of a ba-donka-donk).  That brings up an important point:  I didn’t feel as though I was suffocating the stool, much unlike my bike seat. 

When you stand, the pogo-like contraption points directly out your rear (I know) and makes for a rather amusing sight.  But I have been working on a new garden inspired by our “Mexican Herb Garden” (read: August/September issue), and eventually I overcame the intrinsic embarrassment value and used it.

After a few tens of minutes, I eventually mastered the pelvic thrust required for hands-free seating, and found myself thoroughly enjoying my new tool.  This gadget is the perfect back-saver for planting flowers, weeding, spreading mulch and … milking cows. 

I recorded only a few complaints during my tenure with the stool.  Primarily, having a seat attached to your bum at any given moment makes it that much easier to take breaks, and mud began accumulating in the spring (but easily sprayed off).

Also, sometime in the 2 or 3 hours I was ‘scaping, I managed to lose 1 screw and 2 nuts (and I’m having trouble finding replacements).  So for now, my stool is on hiatus and I’m sad.  I want to do the time warp again, and I hope it's not because of my ba-donka-donk ... !

The Wearable Gardening Stool retails on CleanAirGardening.com for $54.99.

Essential Oils, or EO’s, have infinite purposes.  Here are 19 tried and true practices for the beginning user.  Believe it or not, this list is by no means exhaustive, but it was somewhat exhausting to write! 

Lots of mixing to ensue.

An Essential oil will release its powerful fragrance if cleverly placed … 

 1.  Put a few drops of Peppermint Essential Oil on a napkin, and rub over a lightbulb.  When you switch it on, the bulb will heat and release a beautiful minty scent.  But please use only on tungstens, not compact fluorescents.  If you are more environmentally friendly, a stove top, when warmed, creates a similar effect.

 2.  I always put a few drops of essential oil on my new furnace filters.  When the air blows through the vent, it circulates the beautiful scent throughout your house (much cheaper and healthier than those room-to-room evanescent fresheners!)  If you use a disinfecting oil, like Lavender or Tea Tree, you can stop some nasties before they invade or to cut back on dust mites, use Eucalyptus.  Every week or so, add a few more drops for continued enjoyment.

 3.  If the night lights in said “fresheners” (Tip 2) are just too irresistible to give up, refill the reservoir with a few drops of Essential Oil and water for an easy-peasy, CHEAP, solution.

 4.  Harvest and dry some of your summer flowers, your spike speedwells and roses, your lavenders and mums.  Dry them by hanging them upside down, and then cut ‘em into small pieces.  Mix in a few drops of your favorite smelling EO, wrap in a tissue or thin cloth and BAM, instant potpourri.

5.  For an air freshener that lasts, mix 10 parts vodka with 1 part of your favorite EO (maybe Bergamont or Cedar) in a spray bottle.  But just don’t drink it, kapeesh?

6.  And why not mix in some EO with a bucket of paint (might I suggest lemon)?  Essential oils aren’t fatty, so oil spots shouldn’t be a problem.  But if you’re a worry-wort (like me), experiment on a small patch of wall and let dry.

7.  ¡Amor, amoré!  Scent love letters by stretching a half cotton ball, doused with a couple drops of Jasmine EO and seal in an envelope.  Caution:  Jasmine is an aphrodisiac.  Well, that may not be so much of a caution, really as just a … a head’s up.   

Many essential oils are concentrated enough, they disinfect!

8.  Vinegar is a super-effective cleaner but smells egregiously bad.  And anti-bacterial sprays do only that, kill bacteria.  But fungal spores are a growing problem (literally), and EO’s can save the day.  In a large spray bottle, mix Tea Tree or Lavender oil (and be generous) with a cup of vinegar.  It’s an instant multi-surface cleaner, so use it.

9.  For caked on gunk (in the bath or kitch), mix in a bowl some baking soda and lemon juice until you have a paste, then add an EO for extra scent and as an antiseptic.  The baking soda is used as a mild-abrasive, and the citric acid in the lemon juice cuts through the grease and grime.  Basically, Lemon juice + EO = Love.

10.  Brush a TINSY bit of EO onto your microfibre or brand name duster to super-scent your daily dust-bust.

11.  Last night I dropped a couple drops of Peppermint EO in the dishwasher with the detergent, and as the dishes heated, the aroma warmed my home.

12.  For a home-made carpet deodorizer, mix some EO with baking soda in a large bowl.  Let the oil dry for several hours (or you’ll have oil spots), then stick in a mason jar and punch holes in the lid.  Shake-it-like-a-salt-shaker on your carpets, let it breathe for 4 hours, and vacuum away!

And surely you’re aware of the health benefits …

13.  The EO vs. the Dust Mite.  Ah, how I hate the dust mite (See the post:  Attack of the Killer Tea Bag).  All my friends have allergies, and I’ve been trying to find effective solutions to make them more comfortable visitors.  I read a study on the USDA Web site that says, in small quantities, Eucalyptus oil, when added to the wash, kills dust mites on fabric (which is tough to do, because most can survive washing AND drying).  Don’t put too many drops of EEO on fabrics or you could potentially damage your washer.  Like they say, a lil’ dab’ll do ya.

14.  After you’ve applied tip 13 in the wash, put a few drops of Lavender EO on a damp cloth and throw it in the dryer with your bed sheets.  Bugs hate it (see tip 15), and studies have shown Lavender to be an effective sleep aid.  Don’t let the bed bugs bite!  You can use the same trick for towels, because it won’t reduce static like fabric softener or dryer sheets (so your towels will still absorb water).

15.  Eucalyptus oil can be your one stop shop for essential health:  Put a drop on your toothbrush to wake up your gums.  Rub a bit under your stuffy nose to clear your nasal passages.  Sit a bottle on your desk at work, and inhale every so often to keep you awake.  Mix with a bit of baby oil and massage on achy joints or muscles.  Mix one teaspoon with some Epsom salts and soak your worked-out feet.  And mix a few drops of Eucalyptus oil with your shampoo to stimulate blood flow to the scalp (baldness-be-gone). 

Bugs vs. Essential Oils, a one-sided war …

16.  My grandma has this beautiful trunk that reeks of moth balls, gross.  There’s a better solution:  Lavender, Rosemary and Sweet Basil all contain a chemical compound known as camphor, which is the effective ingredient in moth balls.  Camphor has a distinctive smell that moths hate, and most of the aforementioned essential oils have retained some camphor in the oil process, but smell good.  Mix it with a Cedar EO in potpourri and wrap them in a tissue or thin fabric to put in drawers, chests or trunks.  BEWARE:  Moth balls, when consumed or inhaled, can be fatal! 

17.  Put Citronella oil on a rag and wipe buggy or spidery walls.  Insects hate it, and if there are no bugs, there are no spiders.

18.  Put a dab of Eucalyptus oil between the shoulder blades of your dog (where they can’t lick it off) to discourage ticks.

  19.  2 cups of water + 1 TSP of Eucalyptus Oil + ½ TSP of Dishwashing Fluid = bug repellent spray for plants.

I’ll keep posting Essential Oil posts as I discover new uses.  Feel free to contribute (with a credit, of course) by writing tmiller@ogdenpubs.com.

Also, a BIG thanks to CleanAirGardening.com for the new  Display Gnome .  The beautiful and detailed 15” Gnome was created by the famous Dutchman, Rien Poortvielt, and retails on CleanAirGardening.com for just $39.99, watch for him in future posts. 

I’m now accepting name ideas for the little guy, so, please, comment away!

People here at The Herb Companion can tell you, I am a total neat freak.  The first thing I did as a new hire was grab some eco-friendly multi-surface cleaner and take care of some nasties left by the former desk-lady.  So, I am more than willing to find you a natural solution for your home pollution!  This question comes from an allergy victim and her dust-offending family.

Question:  My sister and brother-in-law do a reasonable job of tidying their farm house, but when it comes to dusting, well, they don't.  Too overwhelming, I guess.  I love visiting, but my allergies simply cannot tolerate the dust, and I hate to have my kids in that environment.  Easy fixes!?   - Mary, Missouri

I suspect that the level of dust mites (and their poo-poos) are to blame for your allergic reactions, and it's good you have kept your kids at bay.  More than 9 percent of kids in the US today have asthma, and according to the CDC, the prevalence is especially high in the Midwest.  Some studies suggest that parents can possibly alleviate, if not prevent, these asthma onsets with thorough cleaning.  But, it doesn't really sound like your family is UP for that. 

Solution:  Mix 2 parts tea (I might recommend a light colored tea) with 2 parts water in a sprayer, mist the air in the room and the tea will fall evenly on carpets and upholstery.  Don't spray directly on surfaces as it could stain, let it sit for about 4 hours and vacuum.

Why does this work?  Tea tannins, and tea chemicals known as polyphenols are what's known as protein denaturing agents.  That's a fancy way of saying, they hitchhike on dust mites, and like in the horror flicks, these hitchhikers kill.  But they do more than just kill the mites, they also saturate and destroy mite-eggs.  When the tea tannins have bonded to the mites and their eggs, it's much easier and more effective to vacuum them up.

Denaturing is the process by which the tea tannins will crush the "skeleton" of proteins and amino acids (remember high school science?  Put A with T and C with G, and happy we all will be!).  It causes disruption, and eventually the proteins (and mites) will, essentially, fall apart.  Tea works similarly for us, bonding with free radicals and helping them pass through the body, instead of being absorbed.

But best of all, this process is an all-natural solution safe for pets, children and pregnant women.  And it's cheap!  But if your sibs just won't do it, get a sneaky little spray bottle and DIY.

To learn more about the awesome benefits of Tea (and there are a TEA-TON), stay tuned for the next issue of The Herb Companion, hitting the stands September 30.

Or, to learn more about asthma, dust and protein denaturing agents, I might reccomend Asthma and Immunological Diseases in Pregnancy and Early Infancy, by Michael Schatz available on Amazon for an arm and a leg, or free on Google Books (skip to page 270).