Scardanelli -- while scouting around, I found this site, which tells how to make alfalfa "tea" from rabbit food pellets. ""Add a small coffee can of rabbit pellets (alfalfa) to a 5-gallon plastic bucket and then fill with water and 1 tablespoon of molasses. Molasses speeds up microbial growth. Pour the mixture back and forth to a second empty 5-gallon bucket several times (a process called boxing). Let it age three days, boxing it back and forth at least once a day. What do you get? Alfalfa tea for plants. Water your new plantings with it and youÂll have the earthworms doing circus tricks in your soil."" http://www.herbcompanion.com/Gardening/Plants-Need-Tea-Too.aspx?page=2 Re: the question about use of gas to make "tea" -- I think that is confusion between tea brewed in kitchen for human consumption and "tea" manufactured thru method described above for use on plants. Truth to tell, the use of the word 'tea' to describe something made from fertilizer, sort of grosses me out .... wish we had a different popular term for this process to create a liquid fertilizer. [but you know what they say about wishes and horses... :) ] Here is a link that might be useful: Plants need tea, too

Very interesting! -herbalbetty, what is oatstraw? Im guessing its not a combonation of oats and straw... -Annie, now thats a list! Do you use only one of these at a time or do you mix them up? Whats your favorite concoction? And (im not sure id do it or not, just curious) does it have to be a spicific kind of pine needles? I want to try lavender and bergamont sometime. I tried Lemon Balm tea and didnt like it. It was like I was sucking on a citronella misquito candle. Ps. I read something interesting about the history of Calendula officinalis in my herb book. It got its name from the Romans because this plant could be found blooming every month of the calendar year around Rome (Calendar=Calendula). And a long time ago Calendula was used to flavor and color butter and cheeses. Im not really a 'self medicating by herbs' kind of person, but I enjoy reading about them in my herb book. Its called The Complete Book of Herbs- by Lesley Bremness. It has a photo and description of the plant and its history. It also gives culinary, medical, and cosmetic uses as well as info on how to cultivate, harvest, preserve, and use the herbs. CMK

Good ideas and suggestions are already given. I would like to touch on few other issues: 1) Seattle WA gets a lot of rain, drizzles and overcast skies. I knw this because I have relatives living there. Fo this reason, and b'c most herbs that I know of, like well drained soil, your garden should be raised from its surrounding, by about a foot, atleast. 2) Most herbs(that I know of) like/prefer slightly alkaline soil(PH = 7+). Keep that in mind. 3) Some of the herbs that you plan to grow, are very aggressive , if not invasive: such as LEMON BALM, BORAGE, MINTS...So keep that in mind too. I have learned and am convinced that mints should be kept out of herbs garden. Lemon balm propagates by seeds beyond belief and it can get very big. But if you prevent it from going to seed, there should be no problem.

I drink coffee in the morning but tea during the rest of the day. For green, I normally like one that has a flavor enhancer such as jasmine or mint. When I have a cold I love mint tea or earl grey with lavender. I like flavored black teas if I am making iced tea and one favorite is ginger peach black. If I am in an herbal mood or do not want caffeeine a favorite is Rooibos Capetown blend. I have to say though, I am not a fan of Darjeeling. A splash of Gran Marnier in tea is excellent. We tend to only use loose teas which we get from a local coffee shop and I use an infuser like the one linked below. The hinged balls would tend to leak sediment into my tea and I do not like texture. Here is a link that might be useful: tea infuser