On your property your cutting those big thirsty none native trees down. Yes some not all but there all same family but do you want to give mesquite trees a try from seed I mean all 12 or 13 kinds. So there all desert to sub desert trees but can take your weather there i looked. Oh they all make edible fruits but the cotton 1 you don't want to eat but its the 1 used for BBQ the wood is. Thoughts do you think this will be good experience for you never need to water except when you germinate them or just wate for rain lol.
hey, i was wondering what area of San Diego you live in because i live in-between the more mountainous regions and the more coastal regions. i live in the town most known for mission trails park. the main thing i was wondering about is how i can turn my soil, which is just fill dirt, into something much more nutrient rich so i can grow more than just pumpkins. or if you think i should just build some raised ground beds. also, your channel has really helped me a lot since we live in a very similar area.
Can you do a short compilation on the top books you recommend? I've seen you talk about a few here and there, but finding those specific episodes is... challenging.
@@knightly_bear I live in a canyon south of you and found my soil to be just slightly more fertile than plain rocks. To amend it, I used a healthy supply of homemade compost, steer and chicken manure, perlite and peat moss. The resulting soil, after only four months, has a ton of organic life (worms, etc.) and is quite fertile and well draining. My winter peas are producing well, as are the greens (lettuce, turnips, etc.) Only downside I've found is the dormant weeds/grass that found their way into my amended soil. I spent a lot of time early on pulling weed and grass seedlings out but once you pull one, it is gone for good so by now, I only get one or two unwanted visitors.
Hey Kevin, im 12 and i have a homemade tea and csndles company called S & H Farmhouse. You inspired me to start a garden when i was 7 and mow i raise meat rabbbits, and grow and dehydrate all my own tea. it wouldnt be possible without you. thank you
My dehydrator is called "the car". just put it in a tray on a 95 degree summer day and 12 hours later, you've got dried herbs without all the electricity cost of a dehydrator. and the fresh scent of herbs in your car as a bonus too!
If you don't have a dehydrator you can use Alton Brown's beef jerky method to dry things. Get some squareish air filters (preferable natural) and a fan. Put the herbs in the grooves put them all on top of each other if using multiple filters tie to fan turn on low and wait
That sounds like a lot of disposable filter waste... A lot of stray fibers in your herbs, and soon more $ than a used dehydrator off eBay which are not in short supply!
Herbs are about the only thing I don’t kill lol. I had mint that I thought was dead, not a hint of green anywhere. I pulled it out of the corner, gave it a little water and suddenly there were green leaves all over. I was shocked! Oregano too, I thought it was killed after having negative temps last winter. It looked terrible in the spring. But then it took off and I had too much! I use a 25 year old dehydrator my grandmother left me to dry my stuff out
I got into dehydrating this year, it’s addictive. I dehydrated fruits, tomato peels, citrus and rinds, herbs, greens, squash and whatever else I had in my garden. A really good TH-cam video on how to dry all types of foods is Purposeful Pantry. This is a great starter video.
Great video about storage prep! One more tip for storage is to size your jar close to the volume of your contents if you can. Excessive headspace is one of the ways you lose aroma/potency over time. *Of course*, use what containers you have available -- open to the room is the ultimate in exessive headspace -- but if you have the option use tiny jars for your tiny amounts and bigger jars for your bulk spices you'll get longer preservation from your dried herbs.
I mostly grow herbs (currently rent a townhouse; can only have a container garden on my deck), so I make lots of dried herbs for cooking and tea. My wife will herb and spice blends for cooking. We've gone through several spice grinders, and that Cuisanart one is the best.
I grew a ton of basil 🌿 this year and plan to dry and powder much more next year! It’s great in soups, on chicken and roasted vegetables. Excellent way to store excess harvest!
We love our Excalibur dehydrator! My husband made a bunch of chili powder this year. I plan on doing a lot more herbs next year after finding out many types that we commonly use have heavy metals in them. Growing our own seems a lot safer.
When you dehydrate, always leave in a sealed jar for a week to make sure no moisture condenses on the inside of the jar. If it does they are not fully dried.
This is the video I needed right now!!! I've got overgrown herbs everywhere & need to do something quick! Great video from start to finish. Thanks!!!🪱🪱🪱
I've always hung my herbs to dry. Thanks for the obvious idea to use my dehydrator. My basil is doing well in my Aerogarden ( I'm near Seattle ) despite my new puppy chewing the wires in half yesterday. Not fun, but fixed now. 🧑🌾 Looks like you're finally on the chicken train!! Woop woop❣️
Hi Kevin! I wanted to point out that the square Excalibur trays fit perfectly over a standard kitchen sink. So it allows you to rinse off your produce and drain them right on the tray over your sink. Works great for really watery things like tomatoes! It's so convenient that I got rid of my old round dehydrator!
I have heard of the idea of leaving your dried herbs whole until you need them (maybe not for a mix), and then crush them straight into the pot. It keeps them longer.
Loving your videos. Freeze dryers are also amazing for keeping your herbs (and almost any food) super fragrant and useful for long term storage. I saved up for a year and invested in one. …So worth it. No regrets. Thai basil, sage, carrot tops, parsley, and peppermint still on point. Ginger currently drying now.
Thanks for the info on dehydrating and drying herbs. I live in hot 🥵 area, so dry mostly on racks. I like to use a spice grinder too which is very effective in combining herbs, seeds & spices.
So needed this lesson! I have a very old dehydrator I hope still works. Into gardening again and need to learn how to preserve what I grow. I dried parsley in my oven. Heated my oven to 200 degrees( lowest temp my oven has) spread the parsley on a cookie sheet, placed the sheet into oven, shut oven off and left sheet for a few hours. Parsley dried well. Still want to use my dehydrator.
Thank you for your lovely video and for continuing to show people how wonderful and versatile herbs can be. We need more herb champions! I've had a love affair with herbs for many years--not just for their use in cooking, but for their amazing nutritional, medicinal and practical applications. My chickens & bees love them too. I'd never be without my herbs dotted all around my garden. I like to dry them and then keep them whole in named paper bags. They're stored in a cupboard in the middle of the house, where the temperature stays constant all year round. If I haven't used the last of my herbs from the previous year when I'm ready to harvest again, they go on the compost heap.
You could totally start your own garden center if you haven't already. These videos are so helpful! Watching this spice video request to make mustard straight from your garden 🤔
I use a ton of lemon grass. It's really hard to grow to large size in zone 6, so i grow a lot, then slice the stalks with a slicing blade in a food processor, and vacuum pack for freezer. I find this better for my curry pastes and "by weight" recipes. Makes up for lean years like this one where i lost all 24 starts after using a new potting soil.
I do not have a dehydrator but my oven on its lowest works great. I start first in vitamin then transfer to coffee grinder. Clorine bleach works easily to get yellow stain from utencils
Have a old radiator for heat? Fresh herbs wrapped in paper towels, pressed between two light weight boards over the heat until dry. I used this method in an old apartment.
Love my Cosori dehydrator! I am currently dehydrating a bumper crop of Italian parsley. I run my dehydrator in my house. Running it in a garage will draw dust/dirt into the unit and contaminate your dehydrated herbs.
This is Awesome sir you have single handedly Open my mind up to information about growing And the things we use in our daily life Can be done by us with time and effort. Thanks man I appreciate it keep growing
Great video, I dehydrate my basil, thyme from my aerogarden indoors during winter and my chives from the outdoor garden. I do the same with my morel mushrooms. They will keep for many years in a Mason jar
Thanks! I happen to know I’m getting a dehydrator for Christmas. I’ve moved my herb pots indoors to a sunny window and am hoping they’ll last all winter. Can’t wait to start drying some! Will definitely try growing ginger and turmeric next year.
do a mojito with the lemon grass stalk. mint / lemon grass stalk - 50/50, top with ginger beer. gin/vodka instead of rum and for sugar I try to not use it but use whatever,simple syrup, corn, maple, agave, its just for sweetnin / balancing. muddle those stalks. all that freshness in to the shaker.
Turmeric is absolutely used as a dye for clothing! It can make some beautiful and vibrant yellows and oranges (of course you need some sort of mordant so it doesn't wash out).
I use my sauna to do it. Lemongrass and turmeric are used in curries. It's summer where i am so i just planted san marzano tomatoes and they're doing well.
Only thing I think he should have mentioned was to not prep all of these on the same cutting board without washing it first. It might not bother you to have your lemon grass seasoned with a hint of ginger juice in the dehydration process, but it could possibly create some funky flavors down the road. But yeah this is now one of my favorite saved videos!
Idk about turmeric powder, but you can totally use it to dye stuff! It is pretty potent if memory serves right. Separately wash it or wash it with your black clothing or something so that it doesn't stain
Been waiting for the chicken coop video ever since you gave the sneak peek in the video you posted a few weeks ago. Anyone else waiting for the coop video?🐔
My dehydrator is about 30 years old. It still works, though. It only has one temperature and one speed. I have to rotate the trays for even drying. I have used it took dry herbs; but, my favorite things to dry are banana and apple slices.
Turmeric can absolutely be used as a dye. I've dyed paper, fabric, and Easter eggs with the stuff, and it comes out an intense shade of yellow. Lovely, until you've spilled the dye bath on your counter or on your clothes and can't get the yellow out!
Thank you that was awesome. I hope you put some more out there really enjoyed it and you’re easy to follow with your instructions my first time dehydrating even though I’m older lol.
Kind of off topic, but I was watching a different youtube gardener and they were doing a leaf mold pile. I was wondering if you can speed up the process by inoculating it with some Mykos as you build the pile. Maybe speed it up to months instead of a year or more, especially if you grind the leaves to increase surface area. Just a thought.
Yes, adding mycorrhiza definitely helps the process to go a bit faster. Here's my real-life story: I used to add mycorrhiza to my "compost pile" which was only there for the sole purpose of breaking down the dog doo. (Kinda gross, I know!) But here's the thing- I was living in the burbs, houses all squished together, neighbors very much close by, and NOBODY likes smelling the aroma of a neighbors dog, if ya know what I mean! Besides that, where else are you going to put it?!! I never really thought storing it in the trash can was a good idea. I mean, the smell, ick!! Plus, putting it into plastic just seems wrong. Back to the composting... Now yes, the dog's participation in this process comes complete with plenty of microbes, I know. However, my big problem was I didn't always have enough carbon, ie; dried leaves to balance this composting process. We had plenty of grass, but no large trees. So every other month I would add a new sprinkling of mycorrhiza to the pile, and make sure to turn the Compost pile weekly as we added the dog's offerings. Worked like a charm! It never smelled bad, not even after a rain. Probably bcuz I always made sure to cover the new "stuff". The compost pile was only 8 feet away from my neighbor's bedroom window, and they never had any issue with it bothering them, and yes, I did ask! Bcuz really, what would be the point if it was still stinky? An added bonus was when the oldest kid got old enough to take on the chore of collecting the dog's offerings, there was a safe place for them to empty their bucket without getting all dirty. I would follow with turning the compost to cover everything. Also, I should add: ☆ NEVER use the finished composted product from this type of compost pile to ANY food garden!! Even tho it's well composted, "they" say there are still certain pathogens that could be transferred to food plants. I never had it tested, I'm just repeating what "they" say! Anyway, I can honestly say that adding mycorrhiza, even to a well balanced compost pile, WILL help kick start the decomp process whenever you add new offerings (of any kind) to "The Composting Gods"!
Also, in my present location I too have a leaf composting area. Now I have the opposite problem I had in the burbs. Now I have too many leaves, not as much grass! I must admit, I feel this is a much better problem to have! But as you probably know, waiting for leaves (by themselves) to breakdown into compost takes a whole lot longer than a regular compost pile! And I only have the thick Oak leaves. They take the longest! A minimum of 3 years! Talk about playing the long game!! So now I make up for the lack of grass clippings by tossing a light layer of worm castings over my leaf pile. The worm castings are high in Nitrogen, and the dried leaves are the Carbon. There are lots of different ideas out there about the ratio of carbon to nitrogen to have a well balanced compost pile. I can only say at my house, it takes less nitrogen than carbon to breakdown quite nicely. So the amount of worm castings I use is just a light sprinkle over about 1 inch of mulched leaves. Besides, I could never afford to do a 50:50 ratio of nitrogen to carbon using worm castings! That would just be crazy! The worm castings do help the leaf composting process go a bit faster than just leaves by themselves. Some years, if I remember, I add a super light sprinkle of mycorrhiza to my leaf pile, but I haven't been able to tell if it makes the leaf composting go any quicker. That's probably bcuz my leaves are the thicker kind, and they just take a really long time to break down, no matter what. Maybe if you only had the thinner leaves, the mycorrhiza would make a noticeable time difference? That's a good experiment! But it does satisfy the gardener in me to add the mycorrhiza! And hey, a little extra kick start sure can't hurt, right?!!
Very unrelated question... What type of light bulbs do you have in your kitchen? That is a fantastic colour of light. Also, thank you for all the videos, information, and work you put into your channel, it has always been entertaining and helpful.
Do you practice no-till? Realizing that root-based crops, such as turmeric, can be tricky, or impossible, to manage completely as no-till, the theory still applies. For example, grow turmeric, harvest, re-amend, plant a winter cover crop and let it ride until ready to replant with something that doesn't require tilling and counters the npk strain from the previous crop. Wash-rinse-repeat.
This was very satisfying to watch, thank you! How long do you think the ground spices will last and do you think some kind of anti-caking agent would help it keep longer? That Greek Basil plant is basically a shrub, beautiful!
Kevin, I typically allow my herbs to air/hang dry and that works out fine with the oregano and thyme. The rosemary and basil turn dark, and while they are still very flavorful they are not the nicest looking. I guess the dehydrator makes all the difference in terms of color - but what about flavor/taste? Have you noticed a difference?
It's perfectly normal for some herbs to turn dark when they dry out, and it shouldn't affect the flavor. The key is as Kevin said, to harvest herbs at their peak when they've got the most essential oils.
Question are you willing to try growing all 12 or 13 kinds of mesquite trees in your yard if you remove those trees. Oh grow from seed I mean and yes I looked they can grow in your climate just fine. Oh never water them except when your germinating the seeds. Oh only inground for they have very deep tap roots and hold onto soil very well and they all make edible fruits just let them dry and fall.
Morning :) Nice video. I have a question that has been bumping about in my head and I haven't seen any channel really address it (maybe there is no good solution). Plant Markers: I think many gardeners would agree that it doesn't seem to matter what we use plastic, wood.... nor what marker we use. They fade, smear, wash off during the season making it frustrating to remember what is where. Any suggestions?
I gave up using plant markers years ago. I have the odd one in the garden from recently planted herbs that haven't faded yet--but I try to learn all the herbs, so I know them on sight...they like to spread themselves around the garden if left to themselves! I make a map of the garden and keep a note on my map of at least the place the herb started out. For annual vegetables, I do the same. Map my seedlings in the seedling tray and then transplant to my pre-planned annual vegetable bed :) My garden's a great adventure and nothing grows in lines :)
Are the pruning techniques for lemon & spicy basil the same as regular basil? Also when pruning chives, is there anything particular I need to know or is it the same as green onion?
Tumeric is extremely staining lol, I did in fact dye a shirt with it once (although it always smelled like Indian food) I also did a diy face mask with it once...do not recommend if you have fair skin as my face was orange!
Thanks to Excalibur for sponsoring! Here's the exact dehydrator I have: bit.ly/3BKKzD1
On your property your cutting those big thirsty none native trees down.
Yes some not all but there all same family but do you want to give mesquite trees a try from seed I mean all 12 or 13 kinds.
So there all desert to sub desert trees but can take your weather there i looked.
Oh they all make edible fruits but the cotton 1 you don't want to eat but its the 1 used for BBQ the wood is.
Thoughts do you think this will be good experience for you never need to water except when you germinate them or just wate for rain lol.
hey, i was wondering what area of San Diego you live in because i live in-between the more mountainous regions and the more coastal regions. i live in the town most known for mission trails park. the main thing i was wondering about is how i can turn my soil, which is just fill dirt, into something much more nutrient rich so i can grow more than just pumpkins. or if you think i should just build some raised ground beds. also, your channel has really helped me a lot since we live in a very similar area.
Cool
Can you do a short compilation on the top books you recommend? I've seen you talk about a few here and there, but finding those specific episodes is... challenging.
@@knightly_bear I live in a canyon south of you and found my soil to be just slightly more fertile than plain rocks. To amend it, I used a healthy supply of homemade compost, steer and chicken manure, perlite and peat moss.
The resulting soil, after only four months, has a ton of organic life (worms, etc.) and is quite fertile and well draining.
My winter peas are producing well, as are the greens (lettuce, turnips, etc.)
Only downside I've found is the dormant weeds/grass that found their way into my amended soil. I spent a lot of time early on pulling weed and grass seedlings out but once you pull one, it is gone for good so by now, I only get one or two unwanted visitors.
Hey Kevin, im 12 and i have a homemade tea and csndles company called S & H Farmhouse. You inspired me to start a garden when i was 7 and mow i raise meat rabbbits, and grow and dehydrate all my own tea. it wouldnt be possible without you. thank you
I'm sorry he didn't respond to you. Just wanted to tell you, great job!
That's awesome, I wish I had started at your age.
Congrats man!
Congratulations lil dude. That’s a lot of work but it’s super rewarding
Hey In case you haven’t heard lately you inspire ME.
When slicing your turmeric & ginger a good idea is to use a mandolin you can slice them paper thin.
Good call!
Ahh... The most dangerous kitchen tool.
@@LazyGardenGamer you mean the finger filet
@@LazyGardenGamer Which is why I finally bought the protector gloves!!! LOL Amazon or William Sonoma. Now I can take that mandolin out of the box!!
it always listens when you say just the tip
My dehydrator is called "the car". just put it in a tray on a 95 degree summer day and 12 hours later, you've got dried herbs without all the electricity cost of a dehydrator. and the fresh scent of herbs in your car as a bonus too!
Nice. 🌱💚🌱
If you don't have a dehydrator you can use Alton Brown's beef jerky method to dry things. Get some squareish air filters (preferable natural) and a fan. Put the herbs in the grooves put them all on top of each other if using multiple filters tie to fan turn on low and wait
Love Alton!
i could never get this method to work lol
lol
That sounds like a lot of disposable filter waste... A lot of stray fibers in your herbs, and soon more $ than a used dehydrator off eBay which are not in short supply!
Herbs are about the only thing I don’t kill lol. I had mint that I thought was dead, not a hint of green anywhere. I pulled it out of the corner, gave it a little water and suddenly there were green leaves all over. I was shocked! Oregano too, I thought it was killed after having negative temps last winter. It looked terrible in the spring. But then it took off and I had too much! I use a 25 year old dehydrator my grandmother left me to dry my stuff out
wow
My dehydrator is also that old, but in my case I am the grandmother that still owns it! Lol
I got into dehydrating this year, it’s addictive. I dehydrated fruits, tomato peels, citrus and rinds, herbs, greens, squash and whatever else I had in my garden. A really good TH-cam video on how to dry all types of foods is Purposeful Pantry. This is a great starter video.
Thank you- I have had the Excaliber for over 8 years and never use it- I really need to do this!!
Oooo that sounds fun! I'm curious, what did you use the tomato peels for? Also does it retain a major or minor flavor profile?
I dehydrated my extra jalapenos and chili peppers this year, and ground them up into a fine, extra spicy powder that adds some POP to any dish!
Freezing chunks of ginger works good too. Then just take them out and grate them into food. You get the fresh flavor that way.
Great video about storage prep!
One more tip for storage is to size your jar close to the volume of your contents if you can. Excessive headspace is one of the ways you lose aroma/potency over time. *Of course*, use what containers you have available -- open to the room is the ultimate in exessive headspace -- but if you have the option use tiny jars for your tiny amounts and bigger jars for your bulk spices you'll get longer preservation from your dried herbs.
Good to know! ☺️
Good tip! Thanks!
Makes sense! I had a lot if small spice jars when I dried my parsley. This way I only open one jar to the air until it is empty.
I mostly grow herbs (currently rent a townhouse; can only have a container garden on my deck), so I make lots of dried herbs for cooking and tea. My wife will herb and spice blends for cooking. We've gone through several spice grinders, and that Cuisanart one is the best.
Great idea making your own Italian spice blend. Plus health benefits of homegrown turmeric, ginger and turmeric are off the charts.
I grew a ton of basil 🌿 this year and plan to dry and powder much more next year! It’s great in soups, on chicken and roasted vegetables. Excellent way to store excess harvest!
We love our Excalibur dehydrator! My husband made a bunch of chili powder this year. I plan on doing a lot more herbs next year after finding out many types that we commonly use have heavy metals in them. Growing our own seems a lot safer.
When you dehydrate, always leave in a sealed jar for a week to make sure no moisture condenses on the inside of the jar. If it does they are not fully dried.
Great timing. Gardening goal 2022 is growing my own taco seasoning.
Yes, you actually can use tumeric as a dye, one of my all time fave herbs! Love this channel.
Such a versatile herb!
I make tumeric and roasted onion sourdough all the time! It's so tasty and great for instagram haha
This is the video I needed right now!!! I've got overgrown herbs everywhere & need to do something quick! Great video from start to finish. Thanks!!!🪱🪱🪱
You bet!
How long have you been growing the herbs?
I've always hung my herbs to dry. Thanks for the obvious idea to use my dehydrator. My basil is doing well in my Aerogarden ( I'm near Seattle ) despite my new puppy chewing the wires in half yesterday. Not fun, but fixed now. 🧑🌾 Looks like you're finally on the chicken train!! Woop woop❣️
Hi Kevin! I wanted to point out that the square Excalibur trays fit perfectly over a standard kitchen sink. So it allows you to rinse off your produce and drain them right on the tray over your sink. Works great for really watery things like tomatoes! It's so convenient that I got rid of my old round dehydrator!
I have heard of the idea of leaving your dried herbs whole until you need them (maybe not for a mix), and then crush them straight into the pot. It keeps them longer.
Loving your videos. Freeze dryers are also amazing for keeping your herbs (and almost any food) super fragrant and useful for long term storage. I saved up for a year and invested in one. …So worth it. No regrets.
Thai basil, sage, carrot tops, parsley, and peppermint still on point. Ginger currently drying now.
Absolutely love my freeze dryer!
The color and flavor are amazing with a freeze dryer. One of my favorite uses for ours. Cayenne pepper is so bright.
@@epicgardeningwhat is the name of your freeze dryer?
Love the hard work you put in Kevin.
The thick joke had me in stitches 😄
Hi I can’t wait till after winter to restart my garden
Soon!
Thanks for the info on dehydrating and drying herbs. I live in hot 🥵 area, so dry mostly on racks. I like to use a spice grinder too which is very effective in combining herbs, seeds & spices.
I have Cuban Oregano which is something I haven't seen before it grows like crazy here in Phoenix it's such a strong and beautiful fragrance
So needed this lesson! I have a very old dehydrator I hope still works. Into gardening again and need to learn how to preserve what I grow. I dried parsley in my oven. Heated my oven to 200 degrees( lowest temp my oven has) spread the parsley on a cookie sheet, placed the sheet into oven, shut oven off and left sheet for a few hours. Parsley dried well. Still want to use my dehydrator.
Thank you for your lovely video and for continuing to show people how wonderful and versatile herbs can be. We need more herb champions! I've had a love affair with herbs for many years--not just for their use in cooking, but for their amazing nutritional, medicinal and practical applications. My chickens & bees love them too. I'd never be without my herbs dotted all around my garden. I like to dry them and then keep them whole in named paper bags. They're stored in a cupboard in the middle of the house, where the temperature stays constant all year round. If I haven't used the last of my herbs from the previous year when I'm ready to harvest again, they go on the compost heap.
You could totally start your own garden center if you haven't already. These videos are so helpful! Watching this spice video request to make mustard straight from your garden 🤔
I use a ton of lemon grass. It's really hard to grow to large size in zone 6, so i grow a lot, then slice the stalks with a slicing blade in a food processor, and vacuum pack for freezer. I find this better for my curry pastes and "by weight" recipes. Makes up for lean years like this one where i lost all 24 starts after using a new potting soil.
I do not have a dehydrator but my oven on its lowest works great. I start first in vitamin then transfer to coffee grinder. Clorine bleach works easily to get yellow stain from utencils
Have a old radiator for heat? Fresh herbs wrapped in paper towels, pressed between two light weight boards over the heat until dry. I used this method in an old apartment.
Love my Cosori dehydrator! I am currently dehydrating a bumper crop of Italian parsley. I run my dehydrator in my house. Running it in a garage will draw dust/dirt into the unit and contaminate your dehydrated herbs.
This is Awesome sir you have single handedly Open my mind up to information about growing And the things we use in our daily life Can be done by us with time and effort. Thanks man I appreciate it keep growing
So nice of you
Great video, I dehydrate my basil, thyme from my aerogarden indoors during winter and my chives from the outdoor garden. I do the same with my morel mushrooms. They will keep for many years in a Mason jar
Thanks! I happen to know I’m getting a dehydrator for Christmas. I’ve moved my herb pots indoors to a sunny window and am hoping they’ll last all winter. Can’t wait to start drying some! Will definitely try growing ginger and turmeric next year.
do a mojito with the lemon grass stalk. mint / lemon grass stalk - 50/50, top with ginger beer. gin/vodka instead of rum and for sugar I try to not use it but use whatever,simple syrup, corn, maple, agave, its just for sweetnin / balancing. muddle those stalks. all that freshness in to the shaker.
the color on your tumeric and ginger is so much more vibrant than store bought powders
Turmeric is absolutely used as a dye for clothing! It can make some beautiful and vibrant yellows and oranges (of course you need some sort of mordant so it doesn't wash out).
I use my sauna to do it. Lemongrass and turmeric are used in curries. It's summer where i am so i just planted san marzano tomatoes and they're doing well.
Only thing I think he should have mentioned was to not prep all of these on the same cutting board without washing it first. It might not bother you to have your lemon grass seasoned with a hint of ginger juice in the dehydration process, but it could possibly create some funky flavors down the road.
But yeah this is now one of my favorite saved videos!
When dehydrating my ginger and turmeric I choose juicing.. And I will dehydrate the pulp :)
Homegrown are the best, I love keeping my taragon in balsamic vinegar 👌 yum
Idk about turmeric powder, but you can totally use it to dye stuff! It is pretty potent if memory serves right. Separately wash it or wash it with your black clothing or something so that it doesn't stain
Been waiting for the chicken coop video ever since you gave the sneak peek in the video you posted a few weeks ago. Anyone else waiting for the coop video?🐔
Love lemon grass for a great tasting tea!
My dehydrator is about 30 years old. It still works, though. It only has one temperature and one speed. I have to rotate the trays for even drying. I have used it took dry herbs; but, my favorite things to dry are banana and apple slices.
4 comments 44 likes and 4 minutes ago right in alignment with #STABILITY #STRUCTURE #FOUNDATIONS #PILLARS HalleluYAH!!!! Shalom 🕊💖✨👑💛✨
a great way to strip herb leaves is to pull the stem through a strainer, it removes the leaves and you have them all in the strainer / colander
kevin can basically see the future of his herbs right now.
Ah it's so windy and cold here, it's so strange to see warm weather again lol
Enjoy it and hug a palm tree for me!
Will do!
Turmeric can absolutely be used as a dye. I've dyed paper, fabric, and Easter eggs with the stuff, and it comes out an intense shade of yellow. Lovely, until you've spilled the dye bath on your counter or on your clothes and can't get the yellow out!
merci from France
Thank you that was awesome. I hope you put some more out there really enjoyed it and you’re easy to follow with your instructions my first time dehydrating even though I’m older lol.
Do you wash and dry all these before dehydrating? Or is simply dusting them off what you usually do?
Love the comment on nobody complains on it being to big ,,:)
Turmeric is a fugitive dye, meaning the color will fade very quickly with any washing or extended exposure to light.
Your videos are awesome man 👍 so glad I found your channel. It’s my first year growing anything and your videos have helped me tremendously!
Nice harvest there, can highly recommend the Excalibur- it was an investment, but totally worth it.
Totally agree
Turmeric does have an R in there.
Put the heavier/thicker material at the top.
#Husbandgoals this is absolutely amazing. I love just watching his videos for the education
Oh! Your turmeric harvest is beautiful!!!
I really didn’t need these items for prime day 😂 BUT! Thank you Kevin for recommending some awesome products! How should I dry chives? Thanks!
That 'thick' joke was hilarious. I never feel bored watching your videos. But this added sth to it.
Kevin!! Not the "I'm sorry about that one"!!! 😂🤦🏾
And I'm looking forward to growing lemongrass next year! 😁
Kind of off topic, but I was watching a different youtube gardener and they were doing a leaf mold pile. I was wondering if you can speed up the process by inoculating it with some Mykos as you build the pile. Maybe speed it up to months instead of a year or more, especially if you grind the leaves to increase surface area. Just a thought.
I bet you could!
Yes, adding mycorrhiza definitely helps the process to go a bit faster.
Here's my real-life story:
I used to add mycorrhiza to my "compost pile" which was only there for the sole purpose of breaking down the dog doo.
(Kinda gross, I know!)
But here's the thing-
I was living in the burbs,
houses all squished together,
neighbors very much close by,
and NOBODY likes smelling the aroma of a neighbors dog,
if ya know what I mean!
Besides that, where else are you going to put it?!!
I never really thought storing it in the trash can was a good idea.
I mean, the smell, ick!!
Plus, putting it into plastic just seems wrong.
Back to the composting...
Now yes, the dog's participation in this process comes complete with plenty of microbes, I know.
However, my big problem was I didn't always have enough carbon, ie; dried leaves to balance this composting process. We had plenty of grass, but no large trees.
So every other month I would add a new sprinkling of mycorrhiza to the pile, and make sure to turn the Compost pile weekly as we added the dog's offerings.
Worked like a charm!
It never smelled bad, not even after a rain. Probably bcuz I always made sure to cover the new "stuff".
The compost pile was only 8 feet away from my neighbor's bedroom window, and they never had any issue with it bothering them, and yes, I did ask! Bcuz really, what would be the point if it was still stinky?
An added bonus was when the oldest kid got old enough to take on the chore of collecting the dog's offerings, there was a safe place for them to empty their bucket without getting all dirty. I would follow with turning the compost to cover everything.
Also, I should add:
☆ NEVER use the finished composted product from this type of compost pile to ANY food garden!!
Even tho it's well composted, "they" say there are still certain pathogens that could be transferred to food plants.
I never had it tested, I'm just repeating what "they" say!
Anyway, I can honestly say that adding mycorrhiza, even to a well balanced compost pile, WILL help kick start the decomp process whenever you add new offerings
(of any kind)
to "The Composting Gods"!
Also, in my present location I too have a leaf composting area.
Now I have the opposite problem I had in the burbs.
Now I have too many leaves, not as much grass!
I must admit, I feel this is a much better problem to have!
But as you probably know, waiting for leaves (by themselves) to breakdown into compost takes a whole lot longer than a regular compost pile! And I only have the thick Oak leaves. They take the longest! A minimum of 3 years! Talk about playing the long game!!
So now I make up for the lack of grass clippings by tossing a light layer of worm castings over my leaf pile. The worm castings are high in Nitrogen, and the dried leaves are the Carbon.
There are lots of different ideas out there about the ratio of carbon to nitrogen to have a well balanced compost pile.
I can only say at my house, it takes less nitrogen than carbon to breakdown quite nicely. So the amount of worm castings I use is just a light sprinkle over about 1 inch of mulched leaves.
Besides, I could never afford to do a 50:50 ratio of nitrogen to carbon using worm castings!
That would just be crazy!
The worm castings do help the leaf composting process go a bit faster than just leaves by themselves.
Some years, if I remember, I add a super light sprinkle of mycorrhiza to my leaf pile, but I haven't been able to tell if it makes the leaf composting go any quicker. That's probably bcuz my leaves are the thicker kind, and they just take a really long time to break down, no matter what. Maybe if you only had the thinner leaves, the mycorrhiza would make a noticeable time difference?
That's a good experiment!
But it does satisfy the gardener in me to add the mycorrhiza!
And hey, a little extra kick start sure can't hurt, right?!!
I have a designated coffee grinder for spices, and it's like $10-20.
Very unrelated question... What type of light bulbs do you have in your kitchen? That is a fantastic colour of light. Also, thank you for all the videos, information, and work you put into your channel, it has always been entertaining and helpful.
Do you practice no-till?
Realizing that root-based crops, such as turmeric, can be tricky, or impossible, to manage completely as no-till, the theory still applies. For example, grow turmeric, harvest, re-amend, plant a winter cover crop and let it ride until ready to replant with something that doesn't require tilling and counters the npk strain from the previous crop. Wash-rinse-repeat.
At 1:00 You got a great friend, lacewing egg.
Happy 🎄 Holiday's
Love my Excalibur -- thanks for the video!
Also, all dehydrated items should be conditioned for 7 - 10 days. That way, we can check for hidden moisture.
Was wondering if you dehydrated lemon grass can it be turned into lemon grass powder like other herbs you see in the stores
I havr lemon grass powder I bought in a store. It doesn't taste much. I think it might be bad quality.
For sure!
This was very satisfying to watch, thank you! How long do you think the ground spices will last and do you think some kind of anti-caking agent would help it keep longer? That Greek Basil plant is basically a shrub, beautiful!
Love it! But sadly were in 5ft of snow right now 🤣 all of my herbs are growing in the house under my lights for now 😁
Kevin, I typically allow my herbs to air/hang dry and that works out fine with the oregano and thyme. The rosemary and basil turn dark, and while they are still very flavorful they are not the nicest looking. I guess the dehydrator makes all the difference in terms of color - but what about flavor/taste? Have you noticed a difference?
It's perfectly normal for some herbs to turn dark when they dry out, and it shouldn't affect the flavor. The key is as Kevin said, to harvest herbs at their peak when they've got the most essential oils.
Excellent explanations! Thanks so much!!!
Yes, turmeric is used as a dye. What is the difference between spice grinder, and coffee grinder?
Question are you willing to try growing all 12 or 13 kinds of mesquite trees in your yard if you remove those trees.
Oh grow from seed I mean and yes I looked they can grow in your climate just fine.
Oh never water them except when your germinating the seeds.
Oh only inground for they have very deep tap roots and hold onto soil very well and they all make edible fruits just let them dry and fall.
Man- a month late. I actually dried my herbs by hanging in my breakfast nook for a month. Just gotta keep them out of the sunlight.
« Nobody ever complained about it being too thick »
Kevin Espiritu, 2020
Hey Kevin, you should get a bush of Marjoran. It's so delicious!
Thank you! This is great info.
Excellent video thanks. Do you wash the herbs at any point?
Turmeric in a solution makes a good low cost pH indicator for demos' at Scout STEM events. However, it will stain everything when wet.
This is great Exactly what I was looking for. I want to start dehydrating my herbs. Do I use the same technique for celery and it's leaves?
Hell yeah a video I've been waiting for! Too much fresh herbs and dried herbs haha
Dehydration can also be accomplished in the oven at 159 degrees
Interesting. Thank you
LOVE this!
Morning :) Nice video. I have a question that has been bumping about in my head and I haven't seen any channel really address it (maybe there is no good solution). Plant Markers: I think many gardeners would agree that it doesn't seem to matter what we use plastic, wood.... nor what marker we use. They fade, smear, wash off during the season making it frustrating to remember what is where. Any suggestions?
I gave up using plant markers years ago. I have the odd one in the garden from recently planted herbs that haven't faded yet--but I try to learn all the herbs, so I know them on sight...they like to spread themselves around the garden if left to themselves! I make a map of the garden and keep a note on my map of at least the place the herb started out. For annual vegetables, I do the same. Map my seedlings in the seedling tray and then transplant to my pre-planned annual vegetable bed :) My garden's a great adventure and nothing grows in lines :)
Are the pruning techniques for lemon & spicy basil the same as regular basil?
Also when pruning chives, is there anything particular I need to know or is it the same as green onion?
OG Clairmont love from NorCal my friend...Can't wait till 22'
Yeahhh boi! 6:55 lol whoever edited this is an absolute legend!!
Thanks for the video! I assume that it's the same process for oregano?
I've actually got my dehydrator going right now full of herbs to make a some seasonings
Incredible!
Thanks for this.
Tumeric is extremely staining lol, I did in fact dye a shirt with it once (although it always smelled like Indian food) I also did a diy face mask with it once...do not recommend if you have fair skin as my face was orange!
Great video! Thanks
Great vid. What kind of herb grinder is that?