patchouli, ok I am tipping my hand about my life in the 70's :)

[HiDelight]

I still adore patchouli has anyone grown it? do you know where I could get a plant from a reliable source (not ebay I dont use paypal)

I would love to try to grow it for old times sake

I make a really nice bath oil with essential oils of Patchouli lavender and rosemary ...very soothing

and I am just starting to really try making my own essential oils but it is more complicated and can be more expensive ..than I thought ...but I am getting there!

but I would love to start growing the third herb I need for my bath oil

help please?

anyone grow it?

anyone else love it as well?

 

[COgirl]

I so love patchouli
here is where you need to check

www.richters.com

:rainbow-sun

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi there HiDelight

Here's some info on growing & an address for buying. Hope you can buy one -- they don't seem to be particularly easy to grow.....!! GOOD LUCK!!


http://www.richfarmgarden.com/patchouli.html
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53931/

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[HiDelight]

thanks so much for the info you guys are great!

has anyone ordered from Richters?

I have a grow room in my house and no it is not THAT kind of grow room I just happen to have an extra bedroom we do not use often so I put a grow light in there for my tropical house plants during the winter

one of my neighbors one time was suspiscious I heard from another neighbor they thought I was growing something else in there!!! silly people if they would just ASK me I would show them!!! but I think a big scandle is sometimes more fun for them ... gives them something to think about other than their own lives!

I think I could try this and may send of to Richters if anyone has used them and likes them?

just because I smell like an old hippy does not mean a I am an old hippy ..I am actually too young to be an old hippy

anyway this sounds like a new and exciting plant to add to my indoor collection anyway it would be nice if it was a fragrant one for the house! and I am going to give it a try!

if anyone else has ever grown it or would like to join in please share!
I am kind of excited I never thought of it before and just saw someone's blog who said they had found a plant and purchased it for their garden (but they live in a warm climate)

I may have to send my mother one she used to tease me all the time about wearing patchoulli to hide the smell of something else ..man people are always questioning me and I just do not get it (but I do get a kick out of it anyway! )

 

[jlmann]

Hey Hidelight,

I have some patchouli here at the house , but I don't think a cutting would survive shipping. It can be tough to grow in all but the far south. It is not cold hardy. The best thing to do is to grow it in large planter and bring them inside before first frost. Mine lose most of their leaves over the winter and get pretty sick looking , but they always come back after they've been outside for a while in the spring. They are really prone to getting root bound , so plan on repotting every couple of years. The good news is they root from cuttings fairly easy - you can root them in a glass of water or just stick a cutting in potting soil and keep it fairly damp. In the hottest part of summer they are pretty water intensive , requiring a good soaking at least every other day. Most years mine bloom as soon as I bring them in for the winter and that always makes the house smell nice. Hope this helps! As far as finding plants maybe try at a " hip " farmer's market (we have one not too far from here and that's where mine came from) or a natural foods store. Other than that your best bet would probably be online. I almost forgot - they'll need a sunny window to make it through the winter. I'll be glad to help if you need it , but I just haven't had time to get on here for a while so it might be a while before I answer you if you have any questions. Again , hope this helps and sorry for writing " The Great Book of Patchouli " in my reply.

 

[jlmann]

I forgot something else. I always trim mine in the spring and fertilize them when I first put them outside. Just be prepared when people say " I think I smell a hippie".

 

[HiDelight]

Hey Hidelight,

I have some patchouli here at the house , but I don't think a cutting would survive shipping. It can be tough to grow in all but the far south. It is not cold hardy. The best thing to do is to grow it in large planter and bring them inside before first frost. Mine lose most of their leaves over the winter and get pretty sick looking , but they always come back after they've been outside for a while in the spring. They are really prone to getting root bound , so plan on repotting every couple of years. The good news is they root from cuttings fairly easy - you can root them in a glass of water or just stick a cutting in potting soil and keep it fairly damp. In the hottest part of summer they are pretty water intensive , requiring a good soaking at least every other day. Most years mine bloom as soon as I bring them in for the winter and that always makes the house smell nice. Hope this helps! As far as finding plants maybe try at a " hip " farmer's market (we have one not too far from here and that's where mine came from) or a natural foods store. Other than that your best bet would probably be online. I almost forgot - they'll need a sunny window to make it through the winter. I'll be glad to help if you need it , but I just haven't had time to get on here for a while so it might be a while before I answer you if you have any questions. Again , hope this helps and sorry for writing " The Great Book of Patchouli " in my reply.

AWESOME!!! I just knew someone here would have grown it ..and I love The Great Book of Patchouli!!!
thank you so much!
and I love a challenge for sure!

can you tell me to do you do anything with it or just enjoy it?

I think I overlapped my post with yours and noted I do have a grow room of sorts where I can put it!

we do have the Olympia Food Coop where they may have some so I will check at lunch today I know our farmers mkts do not have it because I know every plant they sell by heart

I would rather buy it here if I can but will concede to ordering online if I have to ...(I like local stores with people in them )

it just occured to me there it the Jungle Fever Exotics in Tacoma may have it...it is a a crazy place of tropical plants
check it out in this blog I just found
http://my.gardenguides.com/members/RKayne/blog/2008/01/21/Jungle_Fever_Exotics


if you are ever in Tacoma this is so worth the visit they inspire me all the time ..ok road trip this weekend (ok it is not really a road trip when it is just a few min away!)

 

[jlmann]

I never really do anything with mine. I have heard that you can make patchouli oil by cooking the blooms ( I hesitate to say buds with all the talk of hippies , but buds is more accurate) in olive oil. We have a sunny window behind our couch and they go back there in the winter. Have you ever grown impatiens? Patchouli can be like those wilty devils if they aren't getting enough water , but if they do wilt they recover if you get water on them in time. I'll post a picture in a little while of one of my patchouli plants that is about 10-12 years old. Sadly I don't think it will make it much longer so my plan is to get some cuttings off of it this year before it dies.

 

[jlmann]

This is my oldest patchouli so ignore that it looks to be near death. You can see the old woody stems underneath the green new growth. With new plants you have to trim the tops off to encourage them to make a "bushy" plant. Sometimes you have to take out some of the woody older growth too. Anyway , here it is:

Shame we can't upload " scratch and sniff " pictures!

 

[jlmann]

That plant used to be about 2 1/2 feet tall and very bushy , so get a big planter!