Mentha Flora

As I was checking on all of my plants this morning, I noticed that all of the mint is flowering now! Harvest for this is herb is fast approaching, when all of the plants have flowered and begun to dry up, it's time to collect the leaves for teas.

I already have the basement ready, extra space next to the Lavender that's drying now. To dry the herbs, I gather between four and ten branches together and tie them together at the cut ends with garden string; cutting the string long enough to form a loop so I can slip the string onto a stick I place in the rafters of the basement ceiling. After that is the easy part; leaving the herbs there in the dark and cold basement air to dry for two to three weeks.

  

Mint blossoms. Actually, the flower above is many, many little flowers clustered together. The individual flower is called a "disk flower". 

  

Honey bee pollinating. There's been more honey bees this year, surprisingly.

じゃね。