Papaya - a world class meat tenderizer, natural digestive aid, prevents ulcers, and also a soft contact lense cleaner.Catnip The Safety Factor
Catnip is considered nontoxic. but some people may experience upset stomach.
The Food and Drug Administration lists catnip as an herb of “undefined safety,” but no significant toxic reactions have ever been reported. For otherwise healthy nonpregnant, nonnursing adults, catnip is considered safe in amounts typically recommended.
Catnip should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If catnip causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience any unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.
Protect Plants from Cats
Catnip is a gray-green aromatic perennial that grows to 3 feet and bears all the hallmarks of the mint family: a square stem, fuzzy leaves, and twin-lipped flowers.
Catnip grows easily from seeds or root divisions planted in spring or fall. It thrives in almost any well-drained soil under full sun or partial shade. Some growers say keeping soil on the dry side produces more aromatic plants. Thin seedlings to 18-inch spacings.
Harvest the leaves and flower tops in late summer when the plants are in bloom. Dry and store in opaque, tightly sealed containers to preserve the volatile oil.
Gardeners’ mythology holds that cats are not attracted to catnip in the ground An old rhyme says: “If you set it; the cats will get it; But if you sow it; The cats won’t know it.” Don’t you believe it. Cats often destroy sown plants. The current consensus is that sowing, per se. does not keep cats away. The key is to prevent bruising of the leaves. Carefully cultivated, completely unbruised plants reportedly hold little attraction for cats. But any bruising releases the plant’s aromatic oil, and the cats come running.