China Bayles' Book of Days (22 page)

APRIL 12

Gardening by the Moon, Part Two

During each lunar month, the Moon moves through the twelve signs of the zodiac, spending two to three days in each sign. The signs are related to the four fundamental elements: earth, air, fire, and water.

• Aries (Fire). Barren and dry. Harvest root and fruit for storage. Cultivate, destroy weeds and pests. Don’t bother planting anything.

• Taurus (Earth). Productive and moist. Very good for planting and transplanting, especially for leafy vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, and spinach. Excellent for root crops and potatoes, biennials, perennials, shrubs. A good time to get your hands dirty.

• Gemini (Air). Barren and dry. Cultivate, destroy weeds and pests, harvest for drying. Stimulate your mind with a good book.

• Cancer (Water). Very fruitful and moist. Excellent for all planting and transplanting. Very good for grafting, and irrigation. Don’t forget your umbrella.

• Leo (Fire). Very barren and dry. Cultivate, harvest root crops and fruit for storage. Mow lawns. Destroy weeds and pests. Indulge your creativity with a trip to the art museum.

• Virgo (Earth). Barren and moist. Not generally favorable for planting or transplanting. Cultivate and destroy weeds and pests. Wear a poncho if necessary.

• Libra (Air). Semi-fruitful and moist. Excellent sign for planting flowers, vines (especially melons), and herbs. Enjoy the garden’s beauty.

• Scorpio (Water). Very fruitful and moist. Excellent planting sign for shrubs and vines, very good for other planting and for transplanting and irrigating. Said to be good for planting corn, but not for harvesting root crops that may rot, like carrots, potatoes. Keep your feet dry.

• Sagittarius (Fire). Barren and dry. Harvest root crops and fruits for storage, and cultivate. Admire tall trees.

• Capricorn (Earth). Productive and dry. Plant potatoes and other tuber crops. Good for grafting, applying organic fertilizer, and pruning to promote growth. Don’t let yourself put down roots.

• Aquarius (Air). Barren and dry. Harvest root and fruit for storage. Cultivate, destroy weeds and pests. Wear a good herbal skin cream to avoid wrinkles.

• Pisces (Water). Very productive and moist. Excellent planting and transplanting sign, especially favoring root growth and irrigation. If the garden is too wet, a good time to go boating.

Read more about gardening by the moon and stars:

Astrological Gardening: The Ancient Wisdom of Successful Planting & Harvesting by the Stars
, by Louise Riotte

The Farmers’ Almanac
(planting information, based on the Moon’s sign and phase)

APRIL 13

Today is the birthday of Thomas Jefferson, who said, “No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden.”

Garden Pinks

One of the stars of Jefferson’s Monticello flower garden is a collection of heirloom garden pinks or carnations (
Dianthus
), a cottage garden favorite. Jefferson sent seeds to a friend in 1786, noting that they were to be sown in March, and were “very fine & very rare.”

THE EDIBLE PINK

The pink most often used in cookery was the clove-scented pink (
Dianthus caryophyllus
), or gillyflower—what we now call the carnation. (Gilly comes from the French
girofle
, or clove, and refers to the spicy scent of the flower.) The blossom was used to make conserves, preserves, syrups, and vinegars, and as a flavoring for wine. The petals add a clovelike flavor to salads and fruit compotes. (Don’t use flowers from the florist, for they have been sprayed.)

CARNATION VINEGAR (FROM THE STORY “VIOLET DEATH,” IN AN UNTHYMELY DEATH)

1 cup red or pink carnation (Dianthus) petals
6 cloves
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
2 cups white wine vinegar

Pull the petals from the flower heads and snip off the white heels. Wash. Place petals in a jar with the cloves and cinnamon stick, and crush lightly. Add vinegar, and store in a dark place at room temperature until it has reached the desired intensity. Strain into a pretty bottle. Use on crisp greens or on a fruit salad.

THE MEDICINAL PINK

John Gerard (1597) praised the clove pink as a restorative, which “wonderfully above measure doth comfort the heart.” John Parkinson (1640) recommended it for headaches.
Dianthus superbus
has been used in Chinese medicine as a tonic for the nervous system, and to treat the kidneys, the urinary tract, constipation, and eczema.

THE FRAGRANT PINK

For most of us, the chief reason for including these beautiful plants in our gardens is their spicy-sweet fragrance. Dry the petals for use in sachets, and use the essential oil (purchased) in candles, bath and massage oils, soaps, and as a body oil.

Read more about Monticello and colonial gardens:

www.monticello.org
, a web site devoted to Monticello, with information about visiting this historic plantation

Herbs and Herb Lore of Colonial America
, by the Colonial Dames of America

APRIL 14

It gives one a sudden start in going down a barren, stony street, to see upon a narrow strip of grass, just within the iron fence, the radiant dandelion, shining in the grass, like a spark dropped from the sun.

—HENRY WARD BEECHER

Dandy Lions

Ever wonder how the dandelion got its name?

The word
dandelion
is an Englishman’s pronunciation of the French phrase
dent de lion
, or tooth of the lion. The plant’s toothed leaves, perhaps? Or maybe the blossom’s color—the same yellow used to picture heraldic lions.

The dandelion’s other names are also descriptive. “The devil’s milk pail” refers to the sticky white sap that oozes from the broken root, used to remove warts and treat other skin ailments. “Swine’s snout” describes the closed blossom. “Puffball” is exactly the right name for the flyaway seeds. And “monk’s head” is a good way of describing the smooth, bald head that pokes up out of the grass after the seeds have blown away.

The dandelion’s scientific name—
Taraxacum o fficinale
—has a different ring to it.
Taraxacum
derives from a Greek combination that means “to unsettle,” because the plant was used as a stimulating tonic. And the Latin word
officinale
, which is tacked on to the names of so many herbs, refers to the plant’s use as a medicinal.

What sort of medicine is it? We can find one clue in the inelegant name “piss-a-bed.” The plant produces
taraxacin
, stimulating the kidneys to produce urine. Because the dandelion is high in potassium, a vital nutrient lost when the kidneys do their job, herbalists prefer it to chemical diuretics. The plant also stimulates the liver to produce bile. For centuries, the dandelion has been used to treat heartburn, liver complaints, gall stones, jaundice, and dropsy (what we now call congestive heart failure).

All parts of the dandelion have their uses. The blossoms make a tasty wine. The young leaves are a zesty substitute for iceberg lettuce in a salad or on your tuna sandwich—another folk name for the plant is Wild Endive. And some folks swear by dandelion coffee, which is brewed from the dried, roasted, and ground roots. (But be absolutely sure that your dandelion harvest is organic.)

Read more about dandelions:

The Dandelion Celebration: A Guide to Unexpected Cuisine
, by Peter Gail

Roses are red,
Violets are blue;
But they don’t get around
Like the dandelions do.
—SLIM ACRES

APRIL 15

He who sees things grow from the beginning will have the best view of them.

—ARISTOTLE

Good Beginnings: From Susan’s Journal

For me, spring hasn’t begun until I’ve sown my first herb seeds outdoors. My herb garden gets sun for most of the day, so the soil is warming up, the nighttime temperatures are in the 50s, and my last frost date is past. (Check your soil, nighttime temperatures, and the frost date in your area.) Here are some of the herbs I grow from seed, with my favorite varieties.

• Catmint (
Nepeta mussinii
). I prefer to grow catmint rather than catnip—the blooms are prettier, and my cat enjoys it just as much. She rarely bothers plants I grow from seed. Sow 4 inches apart, thin to 12 inches.

• Cilantro (
Coriandrum sativum
). My favorite is the “slow-bolt” variety. Cilantro doesn’t transplant well, so outdoor sowing is best. Plant 1-2 inches apart, thin to 4 inches. Planting every two weeks will give you cilantro all summer long. The blossoms are nice in salads, the spicy leaves a must for salsa. A staple in Southwestern cuisine.

• Dill (
Anethum graveolens
). Fresh dill leaves are wonderful with grilled salmon, eggs, and salads, and the seeds are an essential ingredient in pickles. I grow the shorter variety, ‘Fernleaf,’ although many people prefer the old-fashioned taller varieties for flavor.

• Lemon balm (
Melissa officinalis
). Great for bees, a necessity for herbal teas.

• Parsley (
Petroselinum crispum
). I’m partial to the curly, crispy varieties. Try it as a border plant, and as close to the kitchen door as possible.

• Sage (
Salvia officinalis
). Is a perennial, but starting new plants every year ensures that you will have plenty. The gray-green leaves (or try the attractive tricolor sage) make it an attractive landscape plant. I like a variety called ‘Berggarten,’ which has larger leaves and a softer taste.

• Nasturtiums (
Tropaeolum majus
). I love the bright, cheerful colors. And did you know that you can pickle the seeds and use them like capers? ‘Dwarf Jewel’ is a favorite in my garden.

Read more about good beginnings, from an expert herbalist:

Growing Herbs from Seed, Cutting & Root
, by Thomas DeBaggio

You may yet slip Lavender, Thyme, Peneroyal, Sage, Rosemary etc., and the oftener you clip and cut them, the more will they thrive.

—JOHN EVELYN, 1620-1706

In the floral calendar, today’s flower: greater stitchwort (dead man’s bones).

APRIL 16

Today is National Stress Awareness Day (appropriate, since yesterday was National Send-in-Your-Taxes Day).

You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry, and stop to smell the flowers along the way.

—WALTER HAGEN

Stressed? Use Some Scents!

Remember those lacy lavender-filled sachets your grandmother tucked under her pillow? And the soft scent of roses from the necklace of rose beads that your great-aunt loved to wear? Now, scientists are learning that roses and lavender don’t just smell good, they’re therapeutic, and especially helpful in relieving stress. In other words, aromatherapy. Here are some fragrances you can use—in a bath, massage, aroma lamp, compress, or facial steam—to reduce the stress of your everyday life. And if you need to lower the stress of commuting, place a few drops of essential oil on a tissue or scent diffuser and stow it in the car, renewing as necessary.

FRAGRANCES THAT SOOTHE

• chamomile, for sleeplessness, depression, irritability

• eucalyptus, for mental fatigue, emotional stress

• jasmine, for anxiety, fearfulness, tension

• lavender, for sleeplessness, nervousness, depression

• orange, for apprehension, nervous tension

• rose, for depression, irritability

• ylang-ylang, for sleeplessness, nervous tension

Read more about the uses of fragrance:

The Aromatherapy Book: Applications and Inhalations
, by Jeanne Rose

The Aromatherapy Companion
, by Victoria H. Edwards

If odours may worke satisfaction, they are so soveraigne in plants and so comfortable that no confection of the apothecaries can equall their excellent Vertue.

—JOHN GERARD, HERBAL, 1597

APRIL 17

According to some sources, the Celtic month of the Willow began on April 15 (April 15-May 12).