Truthfully, I drink no less than five cups of tea a day. I rotate between different blends, depending on the season and my health needs. So when I learned that my favorite organic tea company, Traditional Medicinals, was just a short 20-minute drive from my house, I knew I needed to visit their demonstration garden to learn how to grow herbs for making my own teas. I have no intention to stop buying tea; I simply want to be more experimental and self-sufficient—and have a little farm-to-cup experience of my own.
I asked Abbey Ramirez, head gardener at Traditional Medicinals (which, by the way, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year), about the best herbs to grow in the home garden. Her response:”I picked eight herbs with feasibility, seasonality, safety, and frequency of use in mind. These herbs are all beginner-friendly to grow, generally safe to use, can be cultivated in containers or in the ground, and are relatively easy to dry and store for later use.” Sounds perfect to me. Please keep reading to learn more.
NOTE: Although these herbs are generally known to be safe, always doublecheck the safety of consuming any plants if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or have any medical conditions.
“Calendula is tougher than it looks!” says Abbey. “It grows in a variety of soils but will fare best in soil with good drainage and does better with a weekly deep watering rather than frequent light water.” It prefers full sun but tolerates part sun, requiring at least five hours a day. And even though this plant grows in zones 3-11, it is considered an annual in zones 3-8 and behaves as a semi-evergreen perennial in zones 9-11. If you’re lucky, your calendula could bloom year-round. Bonus: Bees adore it.
Good for: digestive issues such as heartburn and peptic ulcers Plant part used: flowers Tea: fresh or dry How: 1-2 tbsp or 2-4 flowers in 1 cup of hot water for 10-15 minutes Food: fresh (petals only) or dry How: Use in salads, soups, cooked greens, baked goods, or as a garnish (best uncooked for nutritional value).
“Marshmallow has a soothing and lofty presence in the garden,” says Abbey. It needs moisture-retaining soil but also good drainage to avoid root rot. “If planted in full sun, this plant needs more water, but if it is in partial shade, one could get away with less water (this depends on your soil’s drainage and water retention).” Marshmallow grows as a deciduous woody perennial in zones 3-9, and Abbey recommends pruning back two-thirds every winter after it reaches maturity.
Good for: throat, respiratory, and digestive troubles Plant part used: roots, leaves, and flowers Tea: fresh or dry (roots only) How: 1-2 tbsp ground or chopped in 1 cup of hot water for 10-15 minutes (or same ratio in room temperature water overnight) Food: fresh or dry How: Use flowers in salads, baked goods, or garnish; use leaves in soups or sautéed with other greens.
Above: Photograph by Kier Holmes, taken at Traditional Medicinals.
Says Abbey: “Chamomile is a joyful and bee-friendly addition to a medicinal garden.” Though it craves full sun, this plant needs well-draining soil with decent water retention and consistent light drinks of water. Chamomile grows in zones 4-11 and can continuously bloom from April to August. Abbey adds, “This plant is strictly an annual, but I have found it is a prolific re-seeder and will likely propagate itself year to year if left alone to drop its seeds and complete its full lifecycle.”
Good for: sleep, relaxation, and digestion Plant part used: flowers Tea: fresh (stronger, more bitter) or dry (traditional, lighter, and more floral) How: 1-2 tbsp or 6-12 flowers in 1 cup of hot water for 10-15 minutes Food: Fresh or dry How: Use fresh as garnish only, as the flowers are quite bitter; ground dry flowers into powder for baked goods.
Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts known for their therapeutic properties. When used correctly, they can help with canine anxiety. You can help your dog live a happier, more peaceful life by understanding their needs, selecting the right oils, and applying them safely. This article will explore how aromatherapy can help reduce anxiety in dogs, including what oils to use and how to use them safely.
Understanding Canine Anxiety and Its Triggers
Canine anxiety can manifest in many ways. It can cause excessive barking, destructive behavior, and even physical symptoms like trembling. Common triggers include:
Loud noises
Separation from their parents
Unfamiliar environments
Traditional treatments often use medications. But many pet parents want gentler, more natural alternatives like aromatherapy.
The Power of Essential Oils
Some of the best essential oils for dog anxiety are lavender, chamomile, frankincense, and cedarwood. Each oil offers unique benefits.
Lavender Oil
Lavender is the go-to essential oil for calming anxiety in both humans and animals. Its soothing aroma works wonders on the nervous system. It helps reduce stress, restlessness, and even aggressive behavior in dogs.
Chamomile Oil
Chamomile is a gentle and effective essential oil. It is known for its calming properties, helping to quiet the mind and body. This oil is useful for dogs who are anxious because of storms, fireworks, or loud noises.
Frankincense Oil
Frankincense is a soothing oil that can help stabilize a dog’s emotions. It is an excellent choice for anxious dogs or those struggling with new environments. Its warm, earthy scent fosters a sense of calm and security. It’s helpful during travel or when introducing your dog to new experiences.
Cedarwood Oil
Cedarwood essential oil has a comforting effect on dogs. It’s a great option for dogs suffering from separation anxiety. Its woody scent has sedative effects, helping dogs feel secure when alone.
Safe Application Methods
It’s essential to know how to use essential oils with dogs, as their sense of smell is much stronger than ours. Diffusing is one of the safest methods. This involves using a diffuser to spread the oil’s scent in the air, allowing your dog to enjoy the effects without direct contact. Make sure the area is well ventilated, and don’t run the diffuser for extended periods.
Alternatively, you can make a diluted spray to lightly mist your dog’s bedding or favorite area. Be cautious with topical applications, and don’t apply undiluted oils directly to your dog.
Consulting a Veterinarian
Before starting any aromatherapy for canine anxiety, consult with a holistic or integrative veterinarian. Some essential oils can be toxic to dogs. Getting professional advice is important to avoid any adverse effects. Experts can help you choose the right oils, ensure safe dilution, and suggest the best application for your dog’s needs.
Lorna is the founder of Furry Friends Advisor. She is a passionate and experienced long-time dog parent with a deep love for animals. Lorna’s commitment to understanding and caring for dogs led her to spend countless hours researching and learning about canine health, behavior, and care. When not immersed in writing for her site, she is pampering her French Bulldog, Lucy. Her mission is to make advice about dog care and nutrition accessible to everyone.
Too often pathway gaps are neglected and become a home for weeds. But where some may see awkward spaces between stepping stones, I see potential. Plants between pavers can soften hard lines, adding a lush, living element to a design.
It’s relatively simple to fill the cracks between pavers with creeping plants that will stay low, won’t mind being squashed a bit, and may even be fragrant. Ground cover can triumph over weeds, too. Read on for everything you need to know:
How do you choose a ground cover to grow between pavers?
Above: White blooming Isotoma grows in a pathway, framing pavers with texture and color in a California garden designed by Elizabeth Everdell. Photograph courtesy of Everdell Garden Design.
As a landscaper, I routinely feel like a boss on the plant employee search, hunting for highly qualified plant candidates for the position of ground cover. Listed below is my required criteria:
Height: A plant should be low growing, raging in height from basically flat to 2 inches tall. Anything taller could be trip pedestrians and make the pavers look as if they are sinking, even drowning. Rule of thumb: the larger the scale of the pavers, the taller the filler plants can be.
Foliage: The ground cover should be vigorous (but not invasive) and dense like a carpet to smother competing weeds and cooperatively traverse the spaces for continuity.
Above: Photograph by Matthew Williams for Gardenista. Cotulaleptinella ‘Platt’s Black’ (dollhouse fern) grows densely and has a shallow root system, which makes it ideally suited to creeping between stones to fill cracks. See more of this garden in our Gardenista book.
Hardiness: A plant that grows between pavers should be tough and durable to withstand occasional trampling by foot or paw.
No-Fuss: Ground cover plants for pavers must require as little maintenance as possible. A total given.
Design: The ground cover needs to meet the design needs of foliage color, texture, and form. The choice also should complement the colors and textures of the pathway material rather than compete with it, and be congruent with the current landscape theme.
What are the best plants to grow between pavers?
The options below are by no means the only ones, just some of the popular ones, and you have different options depending on whether your path basks in sun or hides in shade.
Above: Different varieties of thyme such as ‘Minimus Russetings’ and ‘Purple Carpet’ soften the pavers in this Brooklyn rooftop garden. Photography by Marni Majorelle. For more, see Brooklyn Oasis: A City Roof Garden, Before & After.
Full Sun:
Creeping thyme (Thymus spp): Considered one of the finest ground covers for filling in between flagstones. It meets all of the criteria of a good plant employee. This petite herb comes in many varieties, all with tiny, rounded fragrant leaves in shades of dark green, lime green, and even yellow with a white edging. Elfin or woolly thyme are especially good varieties that will grow in difficult soils, stay flat and are frighteningly easy to grow.
Dymondia (Dymondia margaretae) is a good alternative. Its phenomenally flat, tidy appearance bears slender leaves that are green on top and gray underneath. A slight upward curl on each leaf edge provides a frosted, two-tone look and it occasionally bears small yellow daisy flowers.
Using cinnamon for plants as an antifungal is an old wives’ tale I’ve heard about for years. Like magic fairy dust, gardeners sprinkle cinnamon in their potting soil to help their seedlings. I wanted to know just how much truth there was to this claim, so I did some digging. Here’s what I found out about using cinnamon for plants.
Based on scent alone, cinnamon holds a special place in my heart. But it also has plenty of robust health and cleaning properties.
It’s a proven fact that cinnamon has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Many studies have shown cinnamon as a powerhouse spice for human health, but how much does it help plants?
Many gardeners have used cinnamon as a natural fungicide for plants. There’s lots of anecdotal evidence to suggest that cinnamon for plants is a great antifungal agent, but let’s dig a little deeper into the effects of cinnamon in the garden.
This post will cover…
What Does Cinnamon Do for Plants? The Myths in Question
When it comes to cinnamon, there are a handful of claims about its benefits for the garden.
Perhaps the biggest is that cinnamon is a natural fungicide for plants. You can use it as a spray to help prevent fungal disease, especially for damping off. When planting seedlings, people will sprinkle cinnamon in their potting soil.
Another common way to use cinnamon for plants is as a rooting hormone. People will use it alongside honey when they take clippings to encourage root growth. They roll the ends of the plants in cinnamon powder.
Finally, people also use cinnamon as an ant repellent.They will sprinkle it in the garden or as a border to stop them from entering the home.
Now, let’s see how true all of these cinnamon claims are!
What is Cinnamon?
It may seem like a simple question, but there’s more to the cinnamon you find at the grocery store than you might think.
Cinnamon is a spice that comes from the inner bark of Cinnamomum trees. There are over 300 species in the Cinnamomum genus, and a handful of them are used to make cinnamon.
To gather cinnamon, they cut stems and branches from the tree and then extract the inner bark into strips. Once dried, it curls and rolls and turns into the cinnamon sticks we find at the store. Then, those sticks can be ground into powder.
Cinnamon powder comes from grinding cinnamon sticks.
The Different Kinds of Cinnamon
You’ll want to be aware of two main types of cinnamon. Ceylon (also known as Sri Lanka) cinnamon is known as the “true cinnamon,” and it’s only found at specialty stores. It comes from Cinnamomum verum trees. True cinnamon is more fragrant and has a light brown colour. It’s slightly sweeter in flavour, though most consumers can’t tell the difference.
The other kind of cinnamon is called cassia or Chinese cinnamon, which is called “fake” cinnamon. It’s made from Cinnamomum aromaticum trees. It’s what you find for sale at the grocery store and is more inexpensive. It has stiff, dark, and thick rolls.
There are a few more cinnamons you might find for sale, including C. burmannii, C. loureiroi, C. citriodorum, and C. tamale. These are also considered “fake” cinnamon varieties.
Now, the problem with all these different kinds of cinnamon is that they’re all called, well, cinnamon! This can make it confusing when reading about all the different benefits of cinnamon as they’re not all equal in their benefits and uses.
Cinnamon can also refer to the plant, the powder, the essential oil, or an extract. These can be important distinctions when using cinnamon for plants.
Several kinds of cinnamon can be found at the grocery store as “fake” cinnamon.
Cinnamon’s Antifungal Properties
The distinctive smell and flavour of cinnamon come from the oils in the plant. The plant’s derivatives, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, and cinnamate, give it powerful health properties. Cinnamaldehyde is the sure standout.
Many studies have proven the antifungal and antimicrobial properties of cinnamon for humans. It can kill fungi that cause respiratory tract infections and inhibit the growth of bacteria, including listeria and salmonella, amongst other kinds of infections. It even has anticancer properties.
There have been fewer studies of cinnamon as a natural fungicide for plants, but there is still good evidence to support that these antifungal properties work in the garden, too.
One study tested 49 essential oils against grey mould (Botrytis cinerea), and cinnamon leaf was the strongest antifungal. It also has been proven to have antifungal activity amongst other fungal diseases such as powdery mildew (Oidium murrayae) and Colletotrichum gloesporioides.
Damping off is a horticultural disease caused by mould or a fungus that commonly affects new seedlings.
Does Cinnamon Work in the Garden?
It would be easy to suggest that all these studies prove that cinnamon’s antifungal properties would translate as magic in the garden.
The only problem is that these studies were in a controlled environment and done in a way very different than home gardeners. The study may use a specific type of cinnamon in an extract form, tested in vitro tests (in a test tube). Meanwhile, you’re using a cinnamon that comes from a different plant in powder form in a spray bottle. It’s not the same thing!
The reality is that most of these studies aren’t studying the powders we find at the grocery store. More often, they’re a more expensive cinnamon in an oil form.
Does that mean cinnamon powder won’t work in your garden? No. Does that mean it will work? Maybe. It’s definitely worth exploring and will likely have some effects on your garden. Just don’t expect it to be the miracle antifungal the internet may suggest!
If you’re looking for a natural fungicide for plants, I recommend making my chamomile fungicide as a base and adding some cinnamon. This way, you’ll be doubling up on your efforts with two potentially powerful antifungal ingredients.
Studies have shown cinnamon oil to be effective at killing mosquito larvae, controlling thrips, and the bean weevil. It has strong potential as a pest repellent, and I could see it being a great ingredient for my natural pest control spray.
How to Stop Damping Off and Other Fungal Issues
I also like to remind people that it’s not about treating fungal issues but preventing them from happening in the first place. It’s a much more effective strategy.
Here are a few tips for preventing fungal disease.
Sterile Ingredients
Use sterile ingredients that won’t stimulate fungal or bacterial growth. Most soil ingredients do not have active biology except compost. If you want to use compost inside the home, you must bake the moist soil in the sun or the oven at 180° F for at least 30 minutes. Store any leftover compost in an airtight container for future indoor and seed-starting potting mixes.
Water Correctly
Avoid overhead watering. Instead, focus the water at the base of the plant, where it will soak into the soil and the roots rather than get the leaves wet. Also, water early in the day so excess moisture will evaporate in the later sun rather than sitting overnight.
Location
Try to place plants in their ideal location as much as possible. While you may want to put some pretty annuals in a shady spot rather than the full sun they ask for, don’t force it. The reality is that the area might be too damp for them and encourage fungal growth.
Also, don’t crowd plants. Give them the right spacing requirements to promote airflow. Air circulation is essential for preventing fungal growth.
The proper sunlight requirements are among the best ways to prevent horticultural disease.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cinnamon for Plants
How often should you use cinnamon on plants?
Cinnamon powder or oil is best added to potting soil before planting seeds.
If you’re diluting cinnamon, like you would if you add it to my chamomile fungicide spray, you can spray it daily to water your seedlings or mist your established plants and soil as often as daily.
Will cinnamon hurt plants?
Cinnamon oil can affect plant growth in high concentrations. The use of cinnamon oil could be a possible natural herbicide. However, this is only in high concentrations, and the normal use of cinnamon shouldn’t affect plant growth, but there have been few studies on this. I always recommend applying a test in your garden before using it everywhere.
Can cinnamon act as a rooting agent?
I could find no evidence to suggest that cinnamon works as a rooting agent. You can use it in the water to prevent bacteria from growing, which can aid in the root developmental process, but it won’t encourage it. Try adding a drop or two of cinnamon essential oil alongside my willow water rooting hormone.
