We Adopted 250 Lemon Verbena Babies Today

This is our first year growing Lemon Verbena commercially, so we got a little help from our friends with a perennial nursery in Dallas. Here are the 250 little plugs we picked up today, to bring home and transplant into various size pots. 

It's the perfect time of year, and the tiny starter plants are ADORABLE! Not only was it a nice, sunny day, about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but it's a good day for transplanting in Blum's old-fashioned almanac! Who could ask for more?

Pots and growing mix and trays are all in place, thanks to our friend Leon Sloan of Leon's Wholesale Greenhouse in Kingston, Oklahoma. He's been growing commercially for about 40 years, and it's good to have his expert guidance, too. 

People are asking, "Why Lemon Verbena?  What's it used for? Is it for healing, or just for making tea? Will it keep insects away from me?"

Visit my Lemon Verbena board on Pinterest to see how other people use the highly-scented herb for making herbal medicine, soap, jelly, potpourri, infused vinegar, flavored vodka, scented candles and laundry soap.

And, yes, it's also used for herbal healing, often in the form of aromatherapy. 

Commercially, Lemon Verbena essential oil (which is very expensive and somewhat rare) is used by manufacturers of shampoo, deodorant, lip balm, air freshener, laundry soap, and dryer sheets, besides hand soap and scented candles. Due to it's rarity, lemongrass and citronella oil may be added.