Creating Self-Sustainability in Your Home

Upon purchasing my home in 2019, my goal was to turn my home in to a sanctuary filled with many different species of plants to serve as a place of relaxation. I knew this would be very challenging because I was moving my wife, and kids to the desert where individuals have difficulty growing plants. I started off by buying and building two greenhouses. One greenhouse serves as a house for my organic cannabis plants, and the second greenhouse houses my starter plants, and different plants depending on what time of the year it is. I have been pretty successful with growing plants, and harvesting them. I have also had some failures from simple mistakes I’ve made during the winter season. All in all, the whole family have been involved in turning our yard in to a mini agricultural farm, and a sanctuary for plants.

Along with my two greenhouses, I built 6 raised beds using bricks. I filled them with a mixture of organic soil, native soil, and compost. Having 6 raised beds, and two greenhouses gives me endless opportunities to grow many fruits, vegetables, and herbs. I have well over 50 plants and seedlings that are growing in both our greenhouses, and raised beds. They are flourishing, and I am always sowing new seeds. I organize my beds by what grow well together, and I am prepping new areas in my yard for planting. I have a wide range of plants in my yard. Here are the different variety of plants I have to show how you can create self-sustainability in your yard.

Oregano, marjoram, mint, chocolate mint, spearmint, peppermint, sweet mint, sage, rosemary, chamomile, aloe vera, lavender, Spanish lavender, cannabis, parsley, cilantro, purple basil, curly kale, dinosaur kale, swiss chard, arugula, purple tomatoes, strawberries, goji berries, blueberries, watermelons, cucumbers, yellow peppers, jalapeños, lemon tree, lime tree, strawberry guava tree, plum tree, pear tree, almond tree, cherry tree, and more than what I can think of at this current moment.

My goal is to show and teach individuals how to utilize what they have to grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Plants can be used as food and medicine. It is important that we learn how to tap in to all that plants have to offer. Plants can be used as a tool to help us deal with our mental health, and overall health.

Must Have Plant in Your Garden: Mint

I will be discussing a must have plant that is essential to building a home garden. This plant is undoubtedly one of the most used herbs. We can find this herb in many of our daily foods and beverages such as salads, soups, smoothies, alcoholic drinks, toothpaste, teas, and ice cream. If you haven’t guessed by now, the herb I am referring to is mint. Mint is one of the most commonly used herbs, and we do not even realize how much of the food, beverages, and medicine we use contains mint. Mint is essential to our health. The nutrients that are packed in a mint leaf will amaze you, and the best thing about mint is that it grows at a very rapid pace, they are hard to get rid of, and they can withstand pretty much any weather. I grow a variety of mint, and they have lasted through extreme heat, and through 25-degree weather. My mint even survived a snowy Thanksgiving. I was very surprised to see how hardy my mint plants were.

There are a variety of mint plants. To name the most commonly used mint plants, we have mint, peppermint, sweet mint, spearmint, and chocolate mint. Each mint brings their own flavor, and can be used for both culinary, and healing purposes. I am going to discuss five common benefits mint plants have. Mint plants share many of the same benefits. Hopefully, after reading this blog, you are inspired to plant a variety of mint plants in your garden.

Benefits of having mint

1.      Mint is good for allergies. When you are having symptoms for an allergy, peppermint, either fresh, dry is a good herb to take to get relieve those symptoms. This is due to the antioxidants that are in the peppermint plant.

2.      Mint is great for oral health. As we all know, peppermint is a common plant used for oral health. Peppermint leaves can be used as a breath freshener.

3.      Mint improves brain function. This has been proven through science. Studies have proven that smelling the aroma improved their brain functionality in memory, calmness, and alertness. Mint also helps aid in decreasing anxiety, and frustration. In other words, the smell of mint has powerful healing power. That is why mint is one of the most commonly used essential oil.

4.      Mint is powerful in relieving colds. Peppermint is my home remedy for relieving colds. Whenever I feel like a cold is coming, I make peppermint tea, and it will go away almost immediately. Mint leaves can easily use as tea by drying them, and putting them in a tea bag, or by boiling mint leaves. It works wonders for colds.

5.      Mint is easily the easiest herb to grow. It is a must herb to implement in to your daily life. We are already using mint on a daily basis. Why not use it intentionally, and more extensively? It grows rapidly, and you will always have mint once you grow it. Once you have an abundance of mint, you can make your own ointments, oils, and teas. Mint is a must have in your garden. Now let’s live in abundance.