Organic Shampoo and Conditioner

For a cheap organic shampoo and conditioner you can use a combination of baking soda and water (shampoo) and apple cider vinegar and water (conditioner).

It may seem odd in today's chemical society to think that baking soda and apple cider vinegar can effectively clean and condition your hair, but it works great. After a while of using the baking soda and vinegar, the chemicals built up in your hair will dissipate and you will find that your hair is much healthier and that the natural oils will come back to your hair.

The baking soda is a weak (gentle) alkaline. The apple cider vinegar is mildly acidic and counteracts the alkalinity of the baking soda. Together, the baking soda and the apple cider vinegar make a great hair cleaning and conditioning combination. However, used alone, the baking soda can make your hair dry and frizzy (unless some sort of conditioner is used). The apple cider vinegar, however, will work with any shampoo.

The baking soda will gently strip the build up of styling products and conditioners from your hair and help restore your hair to its natural, healthy condition; leaving you with soft and glimmering hair. The baking soda also helps to strengthen the hair shaft. The apple cider vinegar will balance your hair's PH level, kill bacteria, and help cure dandruff.


I have read a lot of differing recipes which are all fairly similar. Some recipes to consider are:

Shampoo - 

• Mix 1/4 to 1/2 baking soda to water mixture (1 part baking soda to 4 or  parts water) to make a thick paste. Put the paste on wet hair, rub into the the roots, wait 5 minutes, rinse.
• Use a 1:5 (1 part baking soda, 5 parts water) mixture in a bottle. Shake well before and during use. Apply the mixture to dry scalp and massage into the roots and scalp. Let it sit if you like, rinse well.
• 1 tablespoon of baking soda to one cup of water (this is closer to the recipe that I personally use on my hair).

Considering the above recipes, I have found that using an old bottle (with a resealable cap) and filling the bottle with baking soda approximately 1/8 to 1/4 full of baking soda. Then, I add water to the bottle each time I wash my hair to make the mixture the consistency I prefer. Then I apply to my hair and rinse after a couple of minutes. With a little trial and error I am sure that you will find the right mixture for you.

Conditioner - 

• Apple cider vinegar 1:5 mixture (1 part apple cider vinegar, 5 parts water). Apply to the hair and let sit 5 minutes to 30 minutes. Rinse.
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar to 1 quart of water. Leave it in for a few seconds and rinse. 
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to 1 cup water.

Again, I have found that using an old bottle with a resealable cap is a simple and cheap applicator. I fill the bottle 1/8 to 1/4 of the way full with apple cider vinegar and add water to make the mixture the strength I prefer. Then I apply to my hair and rinse after a couple of minutes.

Note: A word of warning for those with colored/dyed hair - The baking soda may strip the color from your hair. I have read that the apple cider vinegar will not harm your color treated hair and is still a great conditioner (although I recommend consulting your hair professional to confirm this).

How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar

Requires:

• 4-5 ripe apples without worms or blemishes (there is a high content of sugar in ripe apples)
• 1 package of cake or wine making yeast
• Optional - Honey or sugar syrup

How to prepare:

1. Wash and core the apples, cut them into small pieces.
2. Blend the apples and mash them to release the juice.
3. Strain the juice with a cheesecloth to remove the mash.
4. Pour the juice into a non-metallic (preferably glass) container - note that vinegar reacts with metal
5. Keep a cup of apple juice aside and stir in the yeast until it is completely dissolved. Add the mixture into the rest of the apple juice and stir it in.
6. Cover the container with a cheesecloth and place in a dark place at room temperature (65 degrees to 80 degrees Fahrenheit). 
7. Stir the mixture every two days (use a wooden ladle) for about three to four weeks.
8. After three to four weeks, taste the Apple Cider Vinegar for the desired flavor; if the flavor is not up to par, wait a few days and try again. 
9. Once you find the taste you like, filter the vinegar to strain the yeast. Transfer the vinegar into a large Heavy bottom pot.
10. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit  in order to pasteurize it. 
11. Let the mixture cool, then pour the cider into a glass bottle, secure the lid and place the bottle in a hot water bath. 
12. Let the bottle cool and store it in a dark, dry, cool place.

 For some medicinal uses for Apple Cider Vinegar which have been around for centuries, see my previous post: Benefits and Uses of Apple Cider Vinegar

Benefits and Uses of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar can and has been used for centuries for such ailments as:

• Relieve the pain and discomfort of heartburn - take spoonful before each meal to avoid heartburn
• Relieve diarrhea - 3 spoons with an 8 ounce glass of water (apple cider vinegar contains pectin which helps to thicken the stool)
• Relieve constipation -  3 spoons with an 8 ounce glass of water (it is the fibrous pectin when consumed with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables which will help with the constipation problem)
• Control Diabetes - Apple Cider Vinegar helps to keep the blood glucose level in check and the acids in the vinegar help to absorb the nutrients from food better and help improve digestion overall
• Strengthen bones - Apple Cider Vinegar contains minerals (including calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous) that help maintain and build bone health
• Sore throat - gargle with Apple Cider Vinegar to get rid of the infection- the Apple Cider Vinegar absorbs the infection and germs in your throat
• Cure colds - sprinkle the Apple Cider Vinegar on brown paper, dust it with a little black pepper and then place it on the chest, cover it with a cloth and relax for 15 minutes or so
• Cure coughs - splash a few drops of Apple Cider Vinegar on the pillow
• Relieve hiccups - slowly sip from a glass of water with a spoon of Apple Cider Vinegar
• Lower blood pressure - combine 1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar and 1 teaspoon of honey in glass of water (the magnesium in the Apple Cider Vinegar helps to relax the walls of the blood vessels and the potassium in the Apple Cider Vinegar helps to maintain the sodium level in the blood)
• Insomnia - mix 1 spoon of Apple Cider Vinegar in a cup of honey - take one spoon of this mixture before settling down for the night
• Relieve sinusitis - mix 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar in a cup of warm water - put a little of this solution in your palm, close one nostril and sniff the mixture into the other nostril, repeat with the other nostril
• Acne - mix 2 spoons of Apple Cider Vinegar in a glass of water, dab a cotton swab soaked in this solution on the acne
• Burns and insect bites - pour straight Apple Cider Vinegar on the affected area - this may be a little painful, but let the Apple Cider Vinegar absorb into the skin for the body to absorb the nutrients
• Bruises - add 1 teaspoon of salt to a half a cup of warm Apple Cider Vinegar and apply on the bruise
• Underarm odor - wipe the underarm with Apple Cider Vinegar once a a day to reduce odor causing bacteria
• Foot odor - 1 pan of warm water and 1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar - soak your feet in this mixture three times per week
• Dandruff - apply pure Apple Cider Vinegar to the scalp, let it sit for half an hour then wash your hair thoroughly (this will not only relieve the itch but will remove the bacteria and fungus)
• Nail infections - combine Apple Cider Vinegar with hydrogen peroxide, olive oil, or other cleaning agents - apply to the affected nail for several days to reduce the fungal infection
• Relieve headaches - inhale the vapors from Apple Cider Vinegar (through a vaporizer) or drink a Apple Cider Vinegar tonic to relieve a headache

 There are plenty of other uses for Apple Cider Vinegar (as if this list wasn't enough). I should note, however, that the above uses involve the use of organic Apple Cider Vinegar (the brown kind). See my related link on how to make your own apple cider vinegar.

Camellia Japonica - tea and cooking oil

All green tea, white tea, black tea, oolong tea, pu-erh tea are extracted from the Camellia Sinensis plant. So why couldn't one drink the Camellia Sinensis's close relative the Camellia Japonica as a tea? ------- Well, you can.

You can clip the leaves of your Camellia Japonica to make tea and you can make cooking oil from the seeds.

For making the tea you simply select the young light green leaves. You can use the darker green, older leaves as well; however, the leaf age changes the taste of the tea. You want to tip tip prune the plants. Now you can make fresh green tea or process the leaves to make one of the many other teas. Here is a blog I found describing how they made black tea from their Camellia Japonica: Taurus Rising.

Camellia Japonica is also a great source of cooking oil. The oil is also used in beauty products. To make oil you simply shell the seeds and then use a press to extract the oil. I haven't tried the oil out yet for the obvious reason of not having a suitable press readily available. But, I plan to try my Camellia leaves out for tasty (hopefully) cup of tea in the very near future.

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - Trimming -- Update

Here is an update to the status of the corn plants that I trimmed last fall. 

First, I'll start with the mother plant which grew too tall last fall and I had to cut her down to size. Here's her progression through September of this year.

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - shortly after trimming last fall

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - winter 2010

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - late winter early spring 2011

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - mid spring 2011

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - late spring 2011

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - Fall 2011

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - Fall 2011

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - Fall 2011 - top view

When I trimmed the plant I actually cut a section out of the plant; the top cutting died (see below) but the midsection is doing great.

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - mid spring 2011

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - Fall 2011

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - Fall 2011

Now for the very top part of the plant that I cutoff. The top part actually died, leaving just a section of root which a new shoot branched out of. Here's the rebirth of the top section of the plant.

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - Early spring 2011

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - Early spring 2011

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - Fall 2011

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - Fall 2011

Then, there was a top section of the plant that actually fell off of the plant a week or so before I trimmed the plant. Here's how it is doing. Oddly enough the part that fell off flowered last fall.

Corn Plant (Dracaena) Flowering - Late fall 2010

Corn Plant (Dracaena) Flowering - Late fall 2010

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - Early spring 2011

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - Mid spring 2011

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - Fall 2011

Corn Plant (Dracaena) - Fall 2011

Organic Apple and Pear Seed Planting - Day 6

Organic apple seedlings and pear seedlings day 6 after planting:

Pear Seedlings - Day 6 after planting

Pear Seedlings - Day 6 after planting

Pear Seedlings - Day 6 after planting

Organic Apple Seedlings - Day 6 after planting

Organic Apple Seedlings - Day 6 after planting

Organic Apple Seedlings - Day 6 after planting

Organic Apple Seedlings - Day 6 after planting

Organic Apple Seedlings - Day 6 after planting

Organic Apple and Pear Seed Planting - Day 2

Day 2 after planting the organic apple seeds and pear seeds:

Organic Apple Seedlings - Day 2

Organic Apple Seedlings - Day 2

Organic Apple Seedlings - Day 2

Pear Seedlings - Day 2

Pear Seedlings - Day 2

Organic Apple and Pear Seed Planting - Day 1

The day after planting the organic apple seeds and the pear seeds.

Organic Apple Seeds - Day 1 after planting

Organic Apple Seeds - Day 1 after planting

Organic Apple Seeds - Day 1 after planting

Organic Apple Seeds - Day 1 after planting

Organic Apple Seeds - Day 1 after planting

Organic Apple and Pear Seed Planting

We placed some organic apple seeds folded into a moist paper towel in a plastic bag back in July and they have sprouted. Along with some pear seeds that we planted; unfortunately, the pear seeds weren't organic. We are hoping to be able to get some fruit from the trees (never know with all the genetic modification out there). Guess we'll have to wait 7 or so years and find out.

Organic Apple Seed Sprouts

Organic Apple Seed Sprouts After Planting

Plumeria (Frangipani) - red and pink

Just a couple pictures of my mom's pink and red Plumeria (Frangipani):

Red Plumeria

Red Plumeria

Pink Plumeria

Pink Plumeria

Pink Plumeria

Squash Vine Borer

My summer garden suddenly took a turn for the worse when I noticed some sudden yellowing of the leaves. 

squash plants turning yellow

At first I thought I might not have been watering enough (it's been hot, dry summer up to this point). So I increased my watering, to no avail. Then, after some internet research I began to think it might (hopefully) be a nitrogen deficiency; or, possibly an iron or zinc deficiency.

I read that if the basal leaves turn more yellow than the leaves closer to the shoot tip, that it could be a nitrogen deficiency. But, if the leaves are more yellow away from leaf veins and have more green near the vein, then it could be an iron or zinc deficiency.


I thought (hoped) the deficiency could be caused by over watering. I read that over watering can leach the minerals out of the soil. So I cut back my watering, to no avail. That's when I began to explore the more bleak possibilities of why my squash plants are turning yellow.

So I went out to look for signs of frass; frass is a tell tale sign of the dreaded squash vine borer.

Squash Vine Borer Frass

Squash Vine Borer Frass

Squash Vine Borer Frass

Squash Vine Borer Frass

The troublesome squash vine borer (Melittia satyriniformis Lepidoptera: Ageiriidae), is actually the larvae of the adult squash vine borer. The adult moth, which is often mistaken for a wasp, lays dark reddish brown, disk shaped eggs at the base of the plant. When the eggs hatch, the larvae (which are whitish, wrinkly, brown headed worms) burrow into the plant stem and essentially eat the plant from the inside out; leaving behind a wet sawdust looking substance which is the frass (squash vine borer poop).

I read that there really isn't much hope if you discover the squash vine borer after it has done much damage to the squash plants. About the only cure at this point is removal of the insect. You slit the vine open where the insect appears to be and hope you find it. Once you find it, you remove and dispose of it. Then you cover the damaged area of the vine with fresh dirt and hope for the best.

So I decided to slit a vine open to look for the squash vine borer.

Squash Vine Borer

Squash Vine Borer

Squash Vine Borer

Then you cover the damaged area of the vine with fresh dirt and hope for the best.

Now I guess I just hope for the best.