Grow incense in the backyard
If you’re interested in growing your own homegrown incense, right in your backyard, then there are two plants in particular that are absolutely ideal. The first is the sweet herb or Hierochloe odorata. Sweetgrass grows primarily in Canada, however you can also find it sprouting up in Northern Europe. Sweetgrass has a vanilla-like scent and is commonly used to make dry braids in addition to frankincense. The other plant that is very suitable for growing your own incense is white sage (Salvia apiana), also known as “bee sage” or “holy sage”. White sage thrives primarily in a small portion of southern California on the coast and also in northwestern Mexico.
White sage is used as incense purification. It was used by Native Americans in a process called spotting, where smoke from burned white sage leaves is spread over the body with a feather or bird’s wing. In addition, white sage also possesses medicinal value (sinus cleansing, stomach tonic, etc.) and the leaves are usually burned to produce incense through the use of grouped leaves called smudging sticks.
The great thing about these two herbs is that they can be grown conveniently and efficiently in your own backyard with a little specialized care. The first thing to do is make sure the soil is continually replenished with the nutritional elements these plants need, such as phosphorous, nitrogen, and calcium. This is important because every time you harvest the leaves of your plants, minerals are removed that are not effectively replenished with chemical fertilizers alone. Rather, an all-natural fertilizer, such as bone meal or blood meal, is appropriate to replace a wide variety of soil nutrients required by sweet grass and white sage, without affecting soil microbes that facilitate growth. of the plants.
Sweetgrass stands (areas where sweetgrass grows) are created primarily through the use of root plugs, because a large number of sweetgrass seeds are unable to reproduce. These root plugs should be grown in plastic pots that are not too deep or too narrow and then after keeping them in a shady area and filling the pot, they can be transferred to your garden. Make sure that the soil is rich in nutrients, especially trace elements, and also that it is moist and not clay-filled or poorly drained. It’s also important that your sweetgrass plants have access to plenty of sunlight and are fertilized at least twice during the growing season with a natural fertilizer.
As for white sage, it can also be initially planted in pots and then transferred. It is possible to start with the seed, however white sage seed is difficult to grow unless it is in sandy soil with plenty of water every day. White sage is not as cold-weather hardy as sweet grass, so outside of its natural habitat it should be brought indoors for winter in pots or used as an annual rather than a perennial. White sage also needs excellent drainage, as it will not withstand a lot of excess water. All things considered, using an all-natural fertilizer is the best way to ensure that your sweet grass and white sage grow effectively outside of their natural growing areas. If you follow the guidelines for planting these herbs and avoid using chemical fertilizers that can easily burn the plants, then you will have your own supply of frankincense in your backyard!