Latest / The Beanstalk : A Podcast for Gardeners / Episode 43 – Yarrow – Tough, Timeless, and Useful

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Episode 43 – Yarrow – Tough, Timeless, and Useful · The Beanstalk : A Podcast for Gardeners

• 0:28
  Welcome back to the Beanstalk, fellow beans.
• 0:31
  My name is John, your neighborhood garden buddy, and
• 0:36
  today we're talking about a plant that has quietly followed
• 0:40
  humans around for thousands of years without ever asking for
• 0:44
  much in return. Yarrow is one of those plants
• 0:48
  that doesn't shout for attention, but once you really
• 0:52
  get to know it, you start noticing just how often it shows
• 0:55
  up and how many jobs it does well.
• 1:00
  It's resilient, adaptable, and deeply woven into gardening,
• 1:05
  medicine, and history all at the same time.
• 1:10
  If you've ever wanted a plant that feels both ancient and
• 1:13
  completely at home in a modern garden, Yarrow fits that bill
• 1:17
  perfectly. So let's spend a little time
• 1:20
  with it and see why it deserves a spot in the patch.
• 1:26
  Why grow Yarrow? Because it's one of the most
• 1:30
  dependable multifunctional plants you can put in the
• 1:33
  ground, Yarrow is a pollinator magnet, drawing in bees,
• 1:39
  butterflies, and beneficial insects that help keep the rest
• 1:43
  of your garden healthier. It's also incredibly drought
• 1:48
  tolerant once established, which makes it a great choice for
• 1:52
  folks dealing with water restrictions or hot, dry
• 1:55
  summers. Beyond that, Yarrow has a long
• 1:59
  history of medicinal use and is still valued today for teas,
• 2:04
  SaaS, and tinctures. I also love Yarrow because it
• 2:08
  thrives in poor soils where other plants struggle, quietly
• 2:13
  improving the ecosystem around it rather than demanding rich
• 2:16
  amendments. It's the kind of plant that
• 2:19
  reminds you gardening doesn't always have to be high input to
• 2:22
  be high reward. When it comes to how to grow
• 2:29
  Yarrow, simplicity is your friend.
• 2:32
  Yarrow prefers full sun, though it can tolerate light shade and
• 2:37
  actually does better in well drained, slightly lean soil than
• 2:42
  in rich, heavily amended beds. If you baby it too much, it
• 2:48
  tends to flop or grow lucky, which feels like the plant
• 2:52
  gently reminding you to back off.
• 2:55
  You can start Yarrow from seed divisions or nursery starts, and
• 3:01
  once it's in the ground it establishes quickly.
• 3:05
  Regular watering is important early on, but after that it's
• 3:08
  largely content with whatever rain nature provides.
• 3:14
  Different varieties come in shades of white, yellow, pink
• 3:18
  and red, with some staying compact and others spreading
• 3:22
  more enthusiastically. So placement and variety choice
• 3:27
  matter. Once it's settled, Yarrow pretty
• 3:31
  much runs on autopilot. Harvesting Yarrow is
• 3:37
  straightforward and satisfying, especially if you plan to use it
• 3:42
  medicinally or for drying. The flowers are best harvested
• 3:47
  when they're fully open but still vibrant, usually in mid to
• 3:52
  late summer, And the leaves can be harvested any time the plant
• 3:57
  is actively growing. I like to harvest in the morning
• 4:03
  after the dew has dried, cutting stems cleanly and leaving plenty
• 4:08
  behind so the plant keeps flowering.
• 4:12
  Yarrow dries beautifully when hung in small bundles in a cool,
• 4:16
  dark place, holding both its shape and potency.
• 4:22
  Even if you're not harvesting heavily, dead heading spent
• 4:25
  blooms can encourage additional flowering and keep the plant
• 4:29
  looking tidy. Yarrow is generally tough, but
• 4:35
  it isn't completely immune to problems, and it's worth knowing
• 4:40
  what to watch for. Aphids are one of the more
• 4:44
  common pests, clustering on stems and flower heads and
• 4:48
  weakening the plant by sucking SAP, which often happens when
• 4:53
  plants are stressed or crowded. A strong spray of water,
• 4:58
  encouraging ladybugs or using insecticidal soap usually clears
• 5:03
  them up quickly. Powdery mildew can appear in
• 5:08
  humid conditions or when airflow is poor, showing up as a white
• 5:14
  dusty coating on leaves that reduces photosynthesis and
• 5:17
  overall vigor. Spacing plants properly watering
• 5:23
  at the base and pruning back dense growth helps prevent it,
• 5:29
  and organic sprays can manage it if needed.
• 5:34
  Root raw is another issue, usually caused by heavy, poorly
• 5:38
  drained soils leading to yellowing leaves and a general
• 5:43
  decline. The best solution there is
• 5:46
  prevention by planting Yarrow where water doesn't sit, because
• 5:50
  this is 1 plant that really hates wet feet.
• 5:56
  Overall, most problems with Yarrow come from too much care
• 5:59
  rather than too little. Yarrow is a fantastic companion
• 6:05
  plant and earns its keep in mixed beds.
• 6:09
  It attracts predatory insects like lacewings and parasitic
• 6:13
  Wasps, which helps control pests on nearby vegetables and herbs.
• 6:19
  I like planting it near tomatoes, Peppers and brassicas,
• 6:24
  where it quietly boosts the gardens overall balance.
• 6:28
  Its deep roots could help break up compacted soil, and its
• 6:32
  presence seems to encourage stronger growth in neighboring
• 6:35
  plants. Just be mindful of more
• 6:39
  aggressive varieties, as Yarrow can spread if it's happy, and
• 6:44
  you'll want to give it enough space so it doesn't crowd out
• 6:47
  less assertive neighbors. Saving Yarrow seeds is easy if
• 6:54
  you let the flowers fully mature on the plant.
• 6:58
  Once the blooms dry and turn brown, you can cut them and
• 7:02
  gently crumble the flower heads to release the seeds.
• 7:07
  Let everything dry thoroughly before storing the seeds in a
• 7:10
  labeled envelope or jar in a cool, dark place like B balm,
• 7:17
  Yarrow can produce some variation when grown from seed,
• 7:21
  especially in color, which can be a fun surprise rather than a
• 7:25
  drawback. It's also very easy to propagate
• 7:29
  Yarrow by division, making it a generous plant to share with
• 7:33
  friends and neighbors. There are plenty of pros to
• 7:38
  growing Yarrow, starting with its resilience, drought
• 7:42
  tolerance, and support for pollinators and beneficial
• 7:45
  insects. It's low maintenance, adaptable
• 7:50
  and useful both in the garden and beyond it.
• 7:55
  On the downside, some varieties can spread aggressively, and
• 7:58
  it's medicinal use does require proper research and care.
• 8:04
  A few people also find it scent strong when crushed, though
• 8:08
  that's part of its charm for many gardeners.
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  Like most plants, it shines brightest when you understand
• 8:16
  its nature and work with it, rather than trying to force it
• 8:18
  into a roll it wasn't meant for. And now for the best part, the
• 8:24
  recipe. Because Yarrow deserves a place
• 8:28
  in the kitchen as well as the garden.
• 8:32
  One of my favorite beginner friendly uses is a simple Yarrow
• 8:36
  infused honey, which is great for tea or soothing sore
• 8:39
  throats. You'll need One Cup of fresh
• 8:43
  Yarrow flowers, lightly packed, and 1 cup of raw honey.
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  Place the flowers in a clean jar, pour the honey over them
• 8:54
  until fully covered, and stir gently to remove air bubbles.
• 9:00
  Seal the jar and let it sit in a warm, dark place for about four
• 9:04
  weeks, turning it occasionally. After that, strain out the plant
• 9:11
  material and store the honey in a clean jar.
• 9:15
  It's simple, effective, and a great example of how garden
• 9:18
  plants can quietly support everyday life.
• 9:24
  Here are some fun facts about Yarrow that really highlight how
• 9:27
  remarkable this plant is. Yarrow, scientific name
• 9:33
  Achilles, comes from Achilles who, according to legend, used
• 9:39
  the plant to treat wounds on the battlefield.
• 9:43
  The plant has been found in archaeological sites dating back
• 9:46
  10s of thousands of years, suggesting humans have relied on
• 9:51
  it for a very long time. Yarrow is often used in
• 9:57
  permaculture systems because it accumulates nutrients and
• 10:00
  supports soil health. Despite its delicate looking
• 10:06
  flowers, it's incredibly tough and thrives in harsh conditions
• 10:10
  where many plants fail. Some gardeners use Yarrow as a
• 10:15
  dynamic accumulator, chopping and dropping it as mulch to feed
• 10:19
  other plants. And finally, Yarrow has been
• 10:23
  used historically not just medicinally but also in brewing
• 10:28
  and dyeing, making it a true multi purpose plant.
• 10:36
  Welcome to the garden nerd corner fellow beans.
• 10:42
  Botanically speaking, Yarrow is a composite flower, meaning each
• 10:46
  bloom is actually made-up of many tiny flowers working
• 10:49
  together. It's feathery leaves increase
• 10:53
  surface area, helping the plant manage heat and moisture
• 10:57
  efficiently. From an ecological standpoint,
• 11:02
  Yarrow plays an important role in stabilizing disturbed soils
• 11:07
  and supporting early succession landscapes.
• 11:12
  Its long standing relationship with humans makes it a great
• 11:15
  example of ethnobotany in action.
• 11:20
  When you plant Yarrow, you're participating in a story that
• 11:23
  stretches back thousands of years.
• 11:26
  That kind of continuity is one of the quiet joys of gardening.
• 11:34
  Next time on the Beanstalk, we'll be diving into nasturtium,
• 11:39
  a plant that's bold, edible, and surprisingly versatile.
• 11:45
  We'll talk about how it earns its keep in the garden, why it's
• 11:49
  loved by beginners and experienced gardeners alike, and
• 11:53
  all the ways it can show up on your plate.
• 11:58
  It's a fun one with a lot of personality, and I think you're
• 12:01
  really going to enjoy it. Thanks again for hanging out
• 12:07
  with me today on the Beanstalk, fellow Beans.
• 12:11
  If you want to keep the conversation going, we've got a
• 12:14
  growing community over at the Beanstalk Garden Club on
• 12:17
  Facebook. Come join us, share your garden
• 12:21
  photos, swap ideas, and dig a little deeper into all things
• 12:26
  that grow together. If you're enjoying the podcast,
• 12:31
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• 12:34
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• 12:38
  feedback or questions for future shows.
• 12:42
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• 12:45
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• 12:48
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• 12:52
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• 12:56
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• 13:00
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• 13:08
  climbing.