from here
It's getting easier for people outside the backyard poultry community to understand why so many of us choose to dedicate a portion of our lives to raising and caring for chickens. I don't get the same reaction I used to from suburbanites when they find out I raise chickens through casual conversation. Instead most people end up telling me about someone in their neighborhood that is raising a few chickens. In fact, it has become quite easy to influence outsiders to take part in this "unusual" hobby simply by telling a story or two about our beloved chickens and their unforgettable antics. Let's face it, stories about dogs and cats are about as interesting as a glass of warm water and dry toast for dinner. Who hasn't heard the one about the dog that chased its tail? It's not that it wasn't funny but I suspect your audience has seen this behavior before. Now tell the story about the rooster that chased your screaming mother-in-law around the backyard, suddenly people become very interested in what you are saying. You'll still have plenty of opportunity to talk about your dog when you raise chickens as the two can produce some entertaining and crowd pleasing stories, provided the story doesn't end with the dog eating the chicken. I remember sitting on he back porch with my wife enjoying an ice cold drink when my 85-pound dog came running across the backyard with his tail between his legs and a Buff Orpington roosting on its back while a Barred Rock chased behind. The chicken on his back quickly jumped off as Farley (my dog) crawled underneath my chair for protection and some comforting. I'm not sure how that all got started but since then we have replaced our "beware of dog" sign with an "Area Patrolled by Attack Chicken" sign.
A good story doesn't always have to involve the chicken but rather the chicken coop. I love to tell the story about my 2-year-old son getting his head stuck inside our chicken tractor yelling "No! No!" as the chickens pecked and pulled at his curly blonde hair. Trust me; you don't have to make this stuff up! Raise chickens long enough (a few weeks will do) and you won't have to look very hard to find a hilarious story to share.
But it's not just the stories we share that make people from the small land owner to the urban adventurer commit to sharing their yard with a few chickens. It's not just the fact that more people realize the health benefits of eggs from backyard hens, not to mention the more humane lifestyle they are exposed to. Could it then be they are looking for the blood pressure lowering effects associated with "pet" ownership that we keep reading about? Or could it be a way for people to escape back to the good old days by incorporating some of the sights and sounds we experienced during visits to Grandma and Grandpa's farm? The real answer is most—or all—of the above.
Most people end up raising chickens after one of three occurrences: 1) Intensive research suggested the positive aspects of raising chickens outweighed any possible negatives, 2) Dad has trouble saying no to his kids and came home from a recent trip to the feed store with six chickens, a toy horse collection, and two bags of candy but forgot the new shovel he went there for, or 3) Drinking beer while looking at poultry-related websites.
Conversely, I think the reasons many people don't raise chickens is because they believe chickens are strictly farm animals that require a lot of space, feel they don't have access to the types of supplies required, or stay completely sober when surfing the internet. In reality you don't need any more room in your backyard for a few chickens than you do for a dog and you can order a chicken coop, chicken feed, and most other poultry supplies online 24 hours a day.
But before you wake up with a hangover and an online order of Barred Rock chicks, let me at least bring forth some answers to the questions that most people ask before jumping into the backyard poultry arena. Keep in mind there are experts in the world of poultry like Gail Damerow, who have written books like The Chicken Health Handbook and Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens that can serve as guides into your new endeavor. However, although I am not qualified to be considered an expert, I did manage to read both books and have raised, or at least eaten, chickens most of my life, and spent the last 17 years in the poultry supply business, so I should be able to provide some unique insight into the world of backyard chickens.
To help do so, I have polled the operators at Randall Burkey Company who sell poultry equipment and live chicks on a daily basis and asked them to help me come up with the top 10 questions asked by people who are either planning to raise chickens or are new to raising chickens. Hopefully these turn out to be some of the same questions you might need answers to. Remember, no question is a dumb question if you don't know the answer. I remind myself of that whenever I talk to a mechanic. "The battery's dead! Doesn't my car run off gasoline?"
So here are the top 10 questions:
#1. Do I need a rooster for my hens to lay eggs?
Okay, stop laughing! You didn't always know the answer to this question. I will tell you that this is the most commonly asked question we get, so no one should be embarrassed. The answer is no, unless you want chicks. If you're just looking for eggs to eat and/or some nice yard pets, hens minus the rooster can provide you with plenty of farm fresh eggs without a single crow to wake you up in the morning.
#2. How long do chickens live?
The life expectancy of most standard chicken breeds shielded from predators and deep fryers can range from 8 to 15 years. There are many reports of pet chickens living as long as 20 years! With the increasing popularity of raising chickens as pets, I imagine someone will develop a new line of chicken coops such as nursing coops or assisted living coops for the growing population of elderly chickens. All joking aside, chickens are very hardy animals that rarely need a trip to a veterinarian, no matter how long they live.
#3. What do I need when my chicks arrive?
Boil some water and grab some clean towels! Isn't this what we heard on television when the mother went into labor? However, with newborn chickens, we only need to boil water if we plan on cooking them. What you do need is a way to keep your chicks warm without cooking them. Depending on the number of chicks and your budget there are several options. Most commonly used and most economical is a single lamp infrared brooder with a 250-watt red glass infrared bulb. Of course you will need a perimeter to contain the chicks inside the heated area —something as simple as an 18" high corrugated paper chick corral will get the job done. Place a small thermometer inside to ensure the correct temperature of 95° F is maintained, dropping 5° each week thereafter. A proper chick feeder and waterer is also necessary and you should provide ample space for the number of chicks inside. Pine shavings will work well as bedding and although there are many other options, you want to avoid using material such as newspaper that does not provide stable footing.
#4. At what age do hens start laying and how many eggs will they lay?
Typically hens will start to lay when they are around 5- 6 months of age and will lay approximately 200 to 300 eggs annually, based on the breed type. Breeds like Rhode Island Reds, Golden Sex Links, and White Leghorns are considered some of the most prolific egg layers. Peak production generally occurs at two years of age and slowly declines thereafter.
#5. How much feed do chickens eat?
The amount of feed a chicken will consume varies dramatically based on breed type, feed quality, climate, and other variables that make it difficult to provide one good answer. However, a typical laying hen will consume around 4 to 6 ounces of feed each day with an increase during cold months and a decrease during warm months. Many types of feeders available today are designed to prevent feed from being scratched out to reduce wasted feed and lower your overall feed bill. Depending on where you are located, your chickens can nearly survive strictly by foraging for their food on a good size piece of property. Foraging for food is really the chickens' preferred method of eating because it makes life much more interesting for them as opposed to standing around the all-you-can-eat food trough. Even during the leaner times you can promote natural foraging behavior by hanging a "Free Range" feeder in your yard. With a timer that can be set to release varying amounts of pelletized feed, you can provide your chickens the sustenance they require while still allowing them the opportunity to act upon their natural instincts.
#6. How big does my chicken coop need to be?
Because chickens spend most of their active time outside of the chicken coop, generally 2 - 3 square feet per chicken is sufficient space. Remember, you will need to provide space to roost at night and space for the nesting boxes. If you plan on keeping them cooped up full-time then 8 - 10 square feet per chicken would do, counting the outside run. In this case, more is always better. If you are planning on buying or building a mobile chicken coop, space requirement is minimized because it offers you the ability to frequently move the coop and chickens onto fresh ground.
#7. How many nest boxes will I need for my hens?
If you asked a slick nest box salesman, he would probably tell you the answer is one box for every hen and then tell you how much he likes you and how he is willing to give you a great deal if you buy today. Fortunately, I don't think there are many "nest box salesmen," especially slick ones. However, there are plenty of poultry supply companies that sell nest boxes and the answer they should give you is approximately one nest box for every 5 - 6 hens. Now this can, and does, vary somewhat but the point is this, if you have 25 hens you don't need to purchase 25 individual nest boxes. In fact, one six-hole nest box would probably be sufficient for 25 laying hens, or 6 extremely pampered laying hens.
#8. What is the best way to deal with internal and external parasites?
Because we are dealing with an animal that we may eat or eat the eggs from, I prefer to recommend the more natural alternatives for treatment opposed to chemical use. "Food grade" diatomaceous earth (DE) is the fossilized remains of microscopic shells created by one-celled plants called diatoms and is the most popular natural product for controlling internal and external parasites. Chickens can be dusted with DE to treat lice and mites, and it can be mixed with their feed to control worms. Another alternative all-natural product is Poultry Protector, used to control external parasites such as mites, lice, and fleas. Poultry Protector uses natural enzymes to control parasites and can be sprayed in all areas of the chickens' living quarters and safely on the birds as well.
#9. What is the best way to protect my chickens from predators?
Obviously, a well-built chicken coop is your first and best defense against predators. The coop should be designed to prevent predators from crawling through small openings or from tunneling under. Most troublesome predators come at night so it may be a good idea to place a few NiteGuards around your coop. NiteGuard Solar emits a flashing red light at night that makes predators think they're being watched by something more terrifying than they are, forcing them to leave the area, and preventing predators from ever approaching your coop.
#10. How do I get my chickens to go in the coop at night?
Chickens instinctively move into their coop when the sun goes down. It may take a little coaxing for grown chickens to move into a newly built coop but once they realize it's home, they generally go right in at night. Your job is to close the door behind them once they enter, and then to open it back up in the morning. If this sounds like something you don't care to constantly deal with, you can buy an automatic chicken coop door such as the new Poultry Butler Automatic Poultry Door.
Whatever reasons made you decide to start raising chickens, personally I think you made a great decision, even if it happened to be alcohol induced. I guarantee you're going to have some great stories to tell about your life with chickens, and I wish I could hear every one of them.
To those of you who already have chickens, don't forget to pet the dog every once in a while. If you're like me, you still love your dog but wish it were eggs he was laying all over the backyard. Now that would be a great story!
what to plant right now
January
It's time for garden catalogs to arrive in the mail. January is a great time to start planning what you will be planting in your garden. Look through your catalogs and find the vegetable seeds for your garden. Some flower varieties should be started in January. In a warmer environment you can plant certain vegetables but must be ready for a frost. Indoor herbs are always great to grow in a sunny windowsill.
Tomatoes and Peppers
Get a head start on the growing season by starting your tomato and pepper seeds indoors. Most tomatoes and peppers will take 6-8 weeks to reach transplant size so plan according to your climate zone!
Suggested tomato variety: Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Roma, Sweetie, Heirloom Blend
Suggested pepper variety: California Wonder, Early Jalapeno, Sweet Banana, Super Chili
Onions
Late January is a great time to start your onion seeds indoors if you live in a warmer gardening zone (6-10) For zones 1-5 start your onion seeds in mid-late February. Let the onions grow to 5-6 inches tall and cut tops off so they will be only 3 inches. Repeating this until they are transplanted helps strengthen the roots and health of the onions.
Suggested onion varieties: Sweet White Walla Walla, Candy Hybrid, Yellow Sweet Spanish, Nebuka Evergreen
Herbs
Herbs are defiantly the most popular indoor plant to grow throughout the winter months. Try your hand at these 5 most popular herbs. Also check out the Urban Farmer Herb Kit
Suggested variety: Basil, Chives, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme
Annual and Perennial Flowers
Now is a great time to get your spring flowers germinating and ready for spring! There are many different varieties of annuals and perennials with different grow times. Pay attention to grow times so that your flowers are ready to be planted after last frost. Below are some good varieties to start in January for a last frost in March and April!
Annuals: Zinnas, Marigolds, Geraniums
Perennials: Rudbeckias, Daisies, Poppies, Coneflowers
February
Get your garden planning started. In some warmer locations you can begin sowing your vegetable seeds outdoors. For cooler areas, February is a great time to sow your tomatoes and peppers. Start drawing out your garden for all the vegetables you want to grow. In late February there are several cool weather vegetables you can directly sow out in the garden. February is a great time to try a Garden Shot!
Broccoli
If you live in a warmer climate and can find a quick growing Broccoli variety you can harvest until it bolts in the hot summer sun!
Suggested variety: Calabrese
Herbs:
Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.
Suggested varieties: Italian Basil, Greek Oregano, Dill
Lettuce
Start a crop of salad mix greens that gets bright sun but not all day. Great for spring crops until the lettuce begins to bolt in the summer sun.
Suggested Varieties: Buttercrunch, Mesclun Mix, Black Seeded Simpson
Onions
Get those onion seeds growing. Be careful to select an onion variety appropriate for your garden zone. Northern areas should plant long day onions. Southern regions should plant short day onions.
Suggest variety: Sweet White Walla, Red Creol, Yellow Spanish
Tomatoes and Peppers
Get a head start on the growing season by starting your tomato and pepper seeds indoors. Most tomatoes and peppers will take 6-8 weeks to reach transplant size so plan according to your climate zone!
Peppers
Fresh, crisp peppers are a garden favorite. Peppers take up little space and can produce high yields when planted close together. Plant as many different varieties as possible. They come small, big, hot, mild, and an array of different colors. Start seeds indoors for best results.
Suggested variety: California Wonder, Early Jalapeno, Sweet Banana, Super Chili
Tomatoes
The most popular garden vegetable. Growing tomatoes is not only fun but treats you to some of the best tasting fruits in the world. Tomatoes come in many colors, shapes, taste, and sizes. Grow a few varieties every year to find your favorites! Start seeds indoors for best results.
Suggested variety: Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Roma, Sweetie, Heirloom Blend
March
March is the perfect time to get those tomato and pepper seeds started indoors ready for an early spring planting! Also a great time to start planting those cool weather vegetables that can withstand those last frost days of March and April. A great time to try a Garden Shot!
Beets
Sow beets now for a fast, early summer treat.
Suggested variety: Detroit Dark Red
Broccoli
If you live in a warmer climate and can find a quick growing Broccoli variety you can harvest until it bolts in the hot summer sun!
Suggested variety: Calabrese
Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the easier plants to grow in the garden. Select a variety that is right for your location (size and maturity length). Be sure to fertilize and water when cabbage head begins to form.
Suggested variety: Premium Late Flat Dutch, Golden Acre, Michihili
Carrots
Planting carrots by mid-July yields a fall crop that will keep in the garden until used.
Suggested variety: Little Finger, Scarlet Nantes
Corn
One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties.
Suggested variety: Peaches and Cream, Incredible, Sugar Buns
Cucumbers
Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.
Suggest variety: Spacemaster 80, Muncher, Marketmore 76
Herbs:
Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.
Suggested varieties: Italian Basil, Greek Oregano, Dill
Lettuce
Start a crop of salad mix greens that gets bright sun but not all day. Great for late summer and early fall crops.
Suggested Varieties: Buttercrunch, Mesclun Mix, Black Seeded Simpson
Melons
Melons are some of the most rewarding plants to grow. Great for hot, long summers. A staple for summer picnics and family fun.
Suggested variety: Sugar Baby, Crimson Sweet, Hales Best
Onions
Get those onion seeds growing. Be careful to select an onion variety appropriate for your garden zone. Northern areas should plant long day onions. Southern regions should plant short day onions.
Suggest variety: Sweet White Walla, Red Creol, Yellow Spanish
Peas
Green peas and sugar peas are good to plant in July, and will produce a moderate fall harvest.
Suggested variety: Sugar Ann, Oregon Giant
Peppers
Fresh, crisp peppers are a garden favorite. Peppers take up little space and can produce high yields when planted close together. Plant as many different varieties as possible. They come small, big, hot, mild, and an array of different colors.
Suggested variety: California Wonder, Early Jalapeno, Sweet Banana, Super Chili
Spinach
Spinach is more of a cool weather vegetable and will produce until hot weather of summer. Planting in early March will ensure you have plenty of harvest before bolting.
Suggested variety: Bloomsdale, Samish
Summer Squash
Yum! Summer squash sowing in June will lead to fresh squash and zucchini in July and August.
Suggested Varieties: Cocozelle, Waltham Butternut
Tomatoes
The most popular garden vegetable. Growing tomatoes is not only fun but treats you to some of the best tasting fruits in the world. Tomatoes come in many colors, shapes, taste, and sizes. Grow a few varieties every year to find your favorites!
Suggested variety: Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Roma, Sweetie, Heirloom Blend
April
Yes, Yes, Yes! April is finally here and your garden soil is finally warming up! April is the best time to plant most of your vegetable seeds after your last frost. It's still not too late to plant tomatoes and peppers from seeds as well. Check out the below vegetables that can be started in April. Be sure to check your gardening zone for last frost dates. Try a Salsa Garden this spring!
Beans:
Start planting both bush and pole beans now that the soil and air are warmed up. Try a continual 7-10 day sowing of different varieties. This will give you continual bean crops and not one large harvest with wasted crop.
Suggested variety: Contender, Kentucky Wonder, Topcrop
Beets
Sow beets now for a fast, early summer treat.
Suggested Varieties: Detroit Dark Red
Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the easier plants to grow in the garden. Select a variety that is right for your location (size and maturity length). Be sure to fertilize and water when cabbage head begins to form.
Suggested variety: Premium Late Flat Dutch, Golden Acre, Michihili
Carrots
Planting carrots by April will give an early summer crop.
Suggested variety: Little Finger, Scarlet Nantes
Corn
One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties.
Suggested variety: Peaches and Cream, Incredible, Sugar Buns
Cucumbers
Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.
Suggest variety: Spacemaster 80, Muncher, Marketmore 76
Herbs:
Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.
Suggested varieties: Italian Basil, Greek Oregano, Dill
Lettuce
Start a crop of salad mix greens that gets bright sun but not all day. Great for late summer and early fall crops.
Suggested Varieties: Buttercrunch, Mesclun Mix, Black Seeded Simpson
Melons
Melons are some of the most rewarding plants to grow. Great for hot, long summers. A staple for summer picnics and family fun.
Suggested variety: Sugar Baby, Crimson Sweet, Hales Best
Onions
Get those onion seeds growing. Be careful to select an onion variety appropriate for your garden zone. Northern areas should plant long day onions. Southern regions should plant short day onions.
Suggest variety: Sweet White Walla, Red Creol, Yellow Spanish
Peas
Green peas and sugar peas are good to plant in April, and will produce a May crop.
Suggested variety: Sugar Ann, Oregon Giant
Peppers
Fresh, crisp peppers are a garden favorite. Peppers take up little space and can produce high yields when planted close together. Plant as many different varieties as possible. They come small, big, hot, mild, and an array of different colors.
Suggested variety: California Wonder, Early Jalapeno, Sweet Banana, Super Chili
Summer Squash
Yum! Summer squash sowing in June will lead to fresh squash and zucchini in July and August.
Suggested Varieties: Cocozelle, Waltham Butternut
Tomatoes
The most popular garden vegetable. Growing tomatoes is not only fun but treats you to some of the best tasting fruits in the world. Tomatoes come in many colors, shapes, taste, and sizes. Grow a few varieties every year to find your favorites!
Suggested variety: Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Roma, Sweetie, Heirloom Blend
May
Finally warm temperatures are here to stay and you don't have to worry about that frost. You may think it's too late to grow all your favorite vegetables from seed but warm May temperatures have made the soil perfect for sowing seeds. Warm soil will allow for fast germination and growing plants. Good choices are summertime kitchen garden staples like squash, beans, cucumbers and melons.
Beans:
Start planting both bush and pole beans now that the soil and air are warmed up. Try a continual 7-10 day sowing of different varieties. This will give you continual bean crops and not one large harvest with wasted crop.
Suggested variety: Contender, Kentucky Wonder, Topcrop
Beets
Sow beets now for a fast, early summer treat.
Suggested Varieties: Detroit Dark Red
Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the easier plants to grow in the garden. Select a variety that is right for your location (size and maturity length). Be sure to fertilize and water when cabbage head begins to form.
Suggested variety: Premium Late Flat Dutch, Golden Acre, Michihili
Carrots
Planting carrots by mid-July yields a fall crop that will keep in the garden until used.
Suggested variety: Little Finger, Scarlet Nantes
Corn
One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties.
Suggested variety: Peaches and Cream, Incredible, Sugar Buns
Cucumbers
Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.
Suggest variety: Spacemaster 80, Muncher, Marketmore 76
Herbs:
Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.
Suggested varieties: Italian Basil, Greek Oregano, Dill
Melons
Melons are some of the most rewarding plants to grow. Great for hot, long summers. A staple for summer picnics and family fun.
Suggested variety: Sugar Baby, Crimson Sweet, Hales Best
Peppers
Fresh, crisp peppers are a garden favorite. Peppers take up little space and can produce high yields when planted close together. Plant as many different varieties as possible. They come small, big, hot, mild, and an array of different colors. Start seeds indoors for best results.
Suggested variety: California Wonder, Early Jalapeno, Sweet Banana, Super Chili
Summer Squash
Yum! Summer squash sowing in June will lead to fresh squash and zucchini in July and August.
Suggested Varieties: Cocozelle, Waltham Butternut
Tomatoes
The most popular garden vegetable. Growing tomatoes is not only fun but treats you to some of the best tasting fruits in the world. Tomatoes come in many colors, shapes, taste, and sizes. Grow a few varieties every year to find your favorites! You may want to think about buy transplants in May.
Suggested variety: Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Roma, Sweetie, Heirloom Blend
June
Most fruiting plants like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants should already be in the ground. Many vegetables though will grow and produce even more quickly from seed planted in early summer when the soil is well warmed up and teeming with life.
Beans:
Beans are great for a June planting. Fast growing in warm soil will give you a crop in as little as 35 days with some varieties.
Suggested variety: Contender, Kentucky Wonder, Topcrop
Beets
Sow beets now for a fast, mid-summer treat.
Suggested Varieties: Detroit Dark Red
Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the easier plants to grow in the garden. Select a variety that is right for your location (size and maturity length). Be sure to fertilize and water when cabbage head begins to form.
Suggested variety: Premium Late Flat Dutch, Golden Acre, Michihili
Carrots
Planting carrots by mid-June yields a late summer crop that will keep in the garden until used.
Suggested variety: Little Finger, Scarlet Nantes
Corn
One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties.
Suggested variety: Peaches and Cream, Incredible, Sugar Buns
Cucumbers
Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.
Suggest variety: Spacemaster 80, Muncher, Marketmore 76
Herbs:
Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.
Suggested varieties: Italian Basil, Greek Oregano, Dill
Melons
Melons are some of the most rewarding plants to grow. Great for hot, long summers. A staple for summer picnics and family fun.
Suggested variety: Sugar Baby, Crimson Sweet, Hales Best
Peas
Green peas and sugar peas are good to plant in July, and will produce a great summer crop of fresh, crisp peas.
Suggested variety: Sugar Ann, Oregon Giant
Summer Squash
Yum! Summer squash sowing in June will lead to fresh squash and zucchini in July and August.
Suggested Varieties: Cocozelle, Waltham Butternut
July
There are still some great crops that can be planted that will keep your garden pumping out vegetables well into the fall.
Beans:
Start planting both bush and pole beans now that the soil and air are warmed up. Try a continual 7-10 day sowing of different varieties. This will give you continual bean crops and not one large harvest with wasted crop.
Suggested variety: Contender, Kentucky Wonder, Topcrop
Broccoli
Broccoli can be planted in the fall to produce a crop well into November.
Suggested variety: Calabrese
Carrots
Planting carrots by mid-July yields a fall crop that will keep in the garden until used.
Suggested variety: Scarlet Nantes
Corn
One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties. Last practical date to plant any corn variety is the first week in July. Must plant an early maturing corn variety.
Suggested variety: Bodacious, Sugar Buns, Early Golden Bantam
Cucumbers
Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.
Suggest variety: Spacemaster 80, Muncher, Marketmore 76
Kale
Planting kale mid-July through mid-August will yield an excellent harvest in the fall and winter.
Suggested variety: Dwarf Blue
August
August is an ideal time to plant seeds for a second gardening season that can be as productive as your major early spring plantings. Late summer is the time to plant these vegetables and herbs.
Beans:
Start planting both bush and pole beans now that the soil and air are warmed up. Try a continual 7-10 day sowing of different varieties. This will give you continual bean crops and not one large harvest with wasted crop. Early August is the last practical sowing date.
Suggested variety: Contender, Kentucky Wonder, Topcrop
Cucumbers
Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.
Suggest variety: Spacemaster 80, Muncher, Marketmore 76
Flower Bulbs
August is a great time to plant those fall flower bulbs. There are many varieties that can be planted this fall and start blooming early spring. Flower Bulbs
Kale
Planting kale mid-July through mid-August will yield an excellent harvest in the fall and winter.
Suggested variety: Dwarf Blue
Lettuce
Sow lettuce in August for a fall crop. Try growing early harvest varieties that will produce a harvest before cold weather rolls in.
Suggested Varieties: Buttercrunch, Salad Bowl
Peas
Green peas and sugar peas are good to plant in August, and will produce a moderate fall harvest.
Suggested variety: Sugar Ann
Radish
A quick and easy vegetable to grow. Plant now and you can have them ready in 30 days.
Suggested variety: Cherry Belle
Spinach
Spinach is more of a cool weather vegetable and is great to grow in August.
Suggested variety: Bloomsdale, Samish
September
Although September marks the beginning of fall, there are still a few fast growing vegetables that can be planted this month and be harvested before the first frost in most gardening zones. Remember to keep your soil warm by removing all mulch and maybe try using a plastic sheet to trap heat into the soil. Try these vegetables below and you can still take advantage of your garden this fall.
Blueberries
Fall is the perfect time to plant blueberry plants. Planting in the fall will allow for good root growth and early growth this coming spring.
Suggested variety: Blueberry Bluecrop
Broccoli
If you live in a warmer climate and can find a quick growing Broccoli variety you can harvest well into November.
Suggested variety: Calabrese
Flower Bulbs
September is a great time to plant those fall flower bulbs. There are many varieties that can be planted this fall and start blooming early spring. Flower Bulbs
Garlic
Garlic is a vegetable that can be planted in the fall for a larger and earlier harvest this coming spring.
Suggested variety: Italian Garlic
Lettuce
Sow lettuce late summer for a fall crop. Grow fast maturing varieties.
Suggested Varieties: Buttercrunch
Radish
A quick and easy vegetable to grow. Plant now and you can have them ready in 30 days.
Suggested variety: Cherry Belle
Spinach
Spinach is more of a cool weather vegetable and is great to grow in September.
Suggested variety: Bloomsdale, Olympia Hybrid, Samish
October
Fall is here and many vegetables don't have enough time to develop before your first frost. There are still a few vegetables that can be planted in October.
Blueberries
Fall is the perfect time to plant blueberry plants. Planting in the fall will allow for good root growth and early growth this coming spring.
Suggested variety: Blueberry Bluecrop
Flower Bulbs
October is a great time to plant those fall flower bulbs. There are many varieties that can be planted this fall and start blooming early spring. Flower Bulbs
Garlic
Garlic is a vegetable that can be planted in the fall for a larger and earlier harvest this coming spring.
Suggested variety: Italian Garlic
Herbs
Herbs are defiantly the most popular indoor plant to grow throughout the winter months. Try your hand at these 5 most popular herbs. Also check out the Urban Farmer Herb Kit
Suggested variety: Basil, Chives, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme
November
Don't be sad, you can still grow a lot of different plants inside. This is a great time of the year to clone some of your outside plants or grow them from seed indoors. Grow herbs on the windowsill!
Herbs
Herbs are defiantly the most popular indoor plant to grow throughout the winter months. Try your hand at these 5 most popular herbs. Also check out the Urban Farmer Herb Kit
Suggested variety: Basil, Chives, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme
Indoor Plants
Growing flowers indoors can be a good way to pass the winter months. Try growing an indoor Amaryllis flower kit. These beautiful flowers will brighten up your house and give off a nice aroma.
Suggest: Seasonal Decorations
Vegetables
If you live in some warmer climates it is a perfect time to plant vegetables. Try some of the cool weather vegetables that can survive now that the summer heat is over.
Suggest variety: Lettuce, Radish, Spinach, Broccoli, Carrots
December
It's time for the garden seed catalogs to arrive! Start planning your garden wherever you live. Try growing some fresh herbs inside on your kitchen windowsill.
Herbs
Herbs are defiantly the most popular indoor plant to grow throughout the winter months. Try your hand at these 5 most popular herbs. Also check out the Urban Farmer Herb Kit
Suggested variety: Basil, Chives, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme
Vegetables
If you live in some warmer climates it is a perfect time to plant vegetables. Try some of the cool weather vegetables that can survive now that the summer heat is over.
Suggest variety: Lettuce, Radish, Spinach, Broccoli, Carrots
It's time for garden catalogs to arrive in the mail. January is a great time to start planning what you will be planting in your garden. Look through your catalogs and find the vegetable seeds for your garden. Some flower varieties should be started in January. In a warmer environment you can plant certain vegetables but must be ready for a frost. Indoor herbs are always great to grow in a sunny windowsill.
Tomatoes and Peppers
Get a head start on the growing season by starting your tomato and pepper seeds indoors. Most tomatoes and peppers will take 6-8 weeks to reach transplant size so plan according to your climate zone!
Suggested tomato variety: Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Roma, Sweetie, Heirloom Blend
Suggested pepper variety: California Wonder, Early Jalapeno, Sweet Banana, Super Chili
Onions
Late January is a great time to start your onion seeds indoors if you live in a warmer gardening zone (6-10) For zones 1-5 start your onion seeds in mid-late February. Let the onions grow to 5-6 inches tall and cut tops off so they will be only 3 inches. Repeating this until they are transplanted helps strengthen the roots and health of the onions.
Suggested onion varieties: Sweet White Walla Walla, Candy Hybrid, Yellow Sweet Spanish, Nebuka Evergreen
Herbs
Herbs are defiantly the most popular indoor plant to grow throughout the winter months. Try your hand at these 5 most popular herbs. Also check out the Urban Farmer Herb Kit
Suggested variety: Basil, Chives, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme
Annual and Perennial Flowers
Now is a great time to get your spring flowers germinating and ready for spring! There are many different varieties of annuals and perennials with different grow times. Pay attention to grow times so that your flowers are ready to be planted after last frost. Below are some good varieties to start in January for a last frost in March and April!
Annuals: Zinnas, Marigolds, Geraniums
Perennials: Rudbeckias, Daisies, Poppies, Coneflowers
February
Get your garden planning started. In some warmer locations you can begin sowing your vegetable seeds outdoors. For cooler areas, February is a great time to sow your tomatoes and peppers. Start drawing out your garden for all the vegetables you want to grow. In late February there are several cool weather vegetables you can directly sow out in the garden. February is a great time to try a Garden Shot!
Broccoli
If you live in a warmer climate and can find a quick growing Broccoli variety you can harvest until it bolts in the hot summer sun!
Suggested variety: Calabrese
Herbs:
Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.
Suggested varieties: Italian Basil, Greek Oregano, Dill
Lettuce
Start a crop of salad mix greens that gets bright sun but not all day. Great for spring crops until the lettuce begins to bolt in the summer sun.
Suggested Varieties: Buttercrunch, Mesclun Mix, Black Seeded Simpson
Onions
Get those onion seeds growing. Be careful to select an onion variety appropriate for your garden zone. Northern areas should plant long day onions. Southern regions should plant short day onions.
Suggest variety: Sweet White Walla, Red Creol, Yellow Spanish
Tomatoes and Peppers
Get a head start on the growing season by starting your tomato and pepper seeds indoors. Most tomatoes and peppers will take 6-8 weeks to reach transplant size so plan according to your climate zone!
Peppers
Fresh, crisp peppers are a garden favorite. Peppers take up little space and can produce high yields when planted close together. Plant as many different varieties as possible. They come small, big, hot, mild, and an array of different colors. Start seeds indoors for best results.
Suggested variety: California Wonder, Early Jalapeno, Sweet Banana, Super Chili
Tomatoes
The most popular garden vegetable. Growing tomatoes is not only fun but treats you to some of the best tasting fruits in the world. Tomatoes come in many colors, shapes, taste, and sizes. Grow a few varieties every year to find your favorites! Start seeds indoors for best results.
Suggested variety: Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Roma, Sweetie, Heirloom Blend
March
March is the perfect time to get those tomato and pepper seeds started indoors ready for an early spring planting! Also a great time to start planting those cool weather vegetables that can withstand those last frost days of March and April. A great time to try a Garden Shot!
Beets
Sow beets now for a fast, early summer treat.
Suggested variety: Detroit Dark Red
Broccoli
If you live in a warmer climate and can find a quick growing Broccoli variety you can harvest until it bolts in the hot summer sun!
Suggested variety: Calabrese
Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the easier plants to grow in the garden. Select a variety that is right for your location (size and maturity length). Be sure to fertilize and water when cabbage head begins to form.
Suggested variety: Premium Late Flat Dutch, Golden Acre, Michihili
Carrots
Planting carrots by mid-July yields a fall crop that will keep in the garden until used.
Suggested variety: Little Finger, Scarlet Nantes
Corn
One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties.
Suggested variety: Peaches and Cream, Incredible, Sugar Buns
Cucumbers
Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.
Suggest variety: Spacemaster 80, Muncher, Marketmore 76
Herbs:
Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.
Suggested varieties: Italian Basil, Greek Oregano, Dill
Lettuce
Start a crop of salad mix greens that gets bright sun but not all day. Great for late summer and early fall crops.
Suggested Varieties: Buttercrunch, Mesclun Mix, Black Seeded Simpson
Melons
Melons are some of the most rewarding plants to grow. Great for hot, long summers. A staple for summer picnics and family fun.
Suggested variety: Sugar Baby, Crimson Sweet, Hales Best
Onions
Get those onion seeds growing. Be careful to select an onion variety appropriate for your garden zone. Northern areas should plant long day onions. Southern regions should plant short day onions.
Suggest variety: Sweet White Walla, Red Creol, Yellow Spanish
Peas
Green peas and sugar peas are good to plant in July, and will produce a moderate fall harvest.
Suggested variety: Sugar Ann, Oregon Giant
Peppers
Fresh, crisp peppers are a garden favorite. Peppers take up little space and can produce high yields when planted close together. Plant as many different varieties as possible. They come small, big, hot, mild, and an array of different colors.
Suggested variety: California Wonder, Early Jalapeno, Sweet Banana, Super Chili
Spinach
Spinach is more of a cool weather vegetable and will produce until hot weather of summer. Planting in early March will ensure you have plenty of harvest before bolting.
Suggested variety: Bloomsdale, Samish
Summer Squash
Yum! Summer squash sowing in June will lead to fresh squash and zucchini in July and August.
Suggested Varieties: Cocozelle, Waltham Butternut
Tomatoes
The most popular garden vegetable. Growing tomatoes is not only fun but treats you to some of the best tasting fruits in the world. Tomatoes come in many colors, shapes, taste, and sizes. Grow a few varieties every year to find your favorites!
Suggested variety: Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Roma, Sweetie, Heirloom Blend
April
Yes, Yes, Yes! April is finally here and your garden soil is finally warming up! April is the best time to plant most of your vegetable seeds after your last frost. It's still not too late to plant tomatoes and peppers from seeds as well. Check out the below vegetables that can be started in April. Be sure to check your gardening zone for last frost dates. Try a Salsa Garden this spring!
Beans:
Start planting both bush and pole beans now that the soil and air are warmed up. Try a continual 7-10 day sowing of different varieties. This will give you continual bean crops and not one large harvest with wasted crop.
Suggested variety: Contender, Kentucky Wonder, Topcrop
Beets
Sow beets now for a fast, early summer treat.
Suggested Varieties: Detroit Dark Red
Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the easier plants to grow in the garden. Select a variety that is right for your location (size and maturity length). Be sure to fertilize and water when cabbage head begins to form.
Suggested variety: Premium Late Flat Dutch, Golden Acre, Michihili
Carrots
Planting carrots by April will give an early summer crop.
Suggested variety: Little Finger, Scarlet Nantes
Corn
One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties.
Suggested variety: Peaches and Cream, Incredible, Sugar Buns
Cucumbers
Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.
Suggest variety: Spacemaster 80, Muncher, Marketmore 76
Herbs:
Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.
Suggested varieties: Italian Basil, Greek Oregano, Dill
Lettuce
Start a crop of salad mix greens that gets bright sun but not all day. Great for late summer and early fall crops.
Suggested Varieties: Buttercrunch, Mesclun Mix, Black Seeded Simpson
Melons
Melons are some of the most rewarding plants to grow. Great for hot, long summers. A staple for summer picnics and family fun.
Suggested variety: Sugar Baby, Crimson Sweet, Hales Best
Onions
Get those onion seeds growing. Be careful to select an onion variety appropriate for your garden zone. Northern areas should plant long day onions. Southern regions should plant short day onions.
Suggest variety: Sweet White Walla, Red Creol, Yellow Spanish
Peas
Green peas and sugar peas are good to plant in April, and will produce a May crop.
Suggested variety: Sugar Ann, Oregon Giant
Peppers
Fresh, crisp peppers are a garden favorite. Peppers take up little space and can produce high yields when planted close together. Plant as many different varieties as possible. They come small, big, hot, mild, and an array of different colors.
Suggested variety: California Wonder, Early Jalapeno, Sweet Banana, Super Chili
Summer Squash
Yum! Summer squash sowing in June will lead to fresh squash and zucchini in July and August.
Suggested Varieties: Cocozelle, Waltham Butternut
Tomatoes
The most popular garden vegetable. Growing tomatoes is not only fun but treats you to some of the best tasting fruits in the world. Tomatoes come in many colors, shapes, taste, and sizes. Grow a few varieties every year to find your favorites!
Suggested variety: Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Roma, Sweetie, Heirloom Blend
May
Finally warm temperatures are here to stay and you don't have to worry about that frost. You may think it's too late to grow all your favorite vegetables from seed but warm May temperatures have made the soil perfect for sowing seeds. Warm soil will allow for fast germination and growing plants. Good choices are summertime kitchen garden staples like squash, beans, cucumbers and melons.
Beans:
Start planting both bush and pole beans now that the soil and air are warmed up. Try a continual 7-10 day sowing of different varieties. This will give you continual bean crops and not one large harvest with wasted crop.
Suggested variety: Contender, Kentucky Wonder, Topcrop
Beets
Sow beets now for a fast, early summer treat.
Suggested Varieties: Detroit Dark Red
Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the easier plants to grow in the garden. Select a variety that is right for your location (size and maturity length). Be sure to fertilize and water when cabbage head begins to form.
Suggested variety: Premium Late Flat Dutch, Golden Acre, Michihili
Carrots
Planting carrots by mid-July yields a fall crop that will keep in the garden until used.
Suggested variety: Little Finger, Scarlet Nantes
Corn
One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties.
Suggested variety: Peaches and Cream, Incredible, Sugar Buns
Cucumbers
Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.
Suggest variety: Spacemaster 80, Muncher, Marketmore 76
Herbs:
Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.
Suggested varieties: Italian Basil, Greek Oregano, Dill
Melons
Melons are some of the most rewarding plants to grow. Great for hot, long summers. A staple for summer picnics and family fun.
Suggested variety: Sugar Baby, Crimson Sweet, Hales Best
Peppers
Fresh, crisp peppers are a garden favorite. Peppers take up little space and can produce high yields when planted close together. Plant as many different varieties as possible. They come small, big, hot, mild, and an array of different colors. Start seeds indoors for best results.
Suggested variety: California Wonder, Early Jalapeno, Sweet Banana, Super Chili
Summer Squash
Yum! Summer squash sowing in June will lead to fresh squash and zucchini in July and August.
Suggested Varieties: Cocozelle, Waltham Butternut
Tomatoes
The most popular garden vegetable. Growing tomatoes is not only fun but treats you to some of the best tasting fruits in the world. Tomatoes come in many colors, shapes, taste, and sizes. Grow a few varieties every year to find your favorites! You may want to think about buy transplants in May.
Suggested variety: Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Roma, Sweetie, Heirloom Blend
June
Most fruiting plants like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants should already be in the ground. Many vegetables though will grow and produce even more quickly from seed planted in early summer when the soil is well warmed up and teeming with life.
Beans:
Beans are great for a June planting. Fast growing in warm soil will give you a crop in as little as 35 days with some varieties.
Suggested variety: Contender, Kentucky Wonder, Topcrop
Beets
Sow beets now for a fast, mid-summer treat.
Suggested Varieties: Detroit Dark Red
Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the easier plants to grow in the garden. Select a variety that is right for your location (size and maturity length). Be sure to fertilize and water when cabbage head begins to form.
Suggested variety: Premium Late Flat Dutch, Golden Acre, Michihili
Carrots
Planting carrots by mid-June yields a late summer crop that will keep in the garden until used.
Suggested variety: Little Finger, Scarlet Nantes
Corn
One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties.
Suggested variety: Peaches and Cream, Incredible, Sugar Buns
Cucumbers
Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.
Suggest variety: Spacemaster 80, Muncher, Marketmore 76
Herbs:
Plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage.
Suggested varieties: Italian Basil, Greek Oregano, Dill
Melons
Melons are some of the most rewarding plants to grow. Great for hot, long summers. A staple for summer picnics and family fun.
Suggested variety: Sugar Baby, Crimson Sweet, Hales Best
Peas
Green peas and sugar peas are good to plant in July, and will produce a great summer crop of fresh, crisp peas.
Suggested variety: Sugar Ann, Oregon Giant
Summer Squash
Yum! Summer squash sowing in June will lead to fresh squash and zucchini in July and August.
Suggested Varieties: Cocozelle, Waltham Butternut
July
There are still some great crops that can be planted that will keep your garden pumping out vegetables well into the fall.
Beans:
Start planting both bush and pole beans now that the soil and air are warmed up. Try a continual 7-10 day sowing of different varieties. This will give you continual bean crops and not one large harvest with wasted crop.
Suggested variety: Contender, Kentucky Wonder, Topcrop
Broccoli
Broccoli can be planted in the fall to produce a crop well into November.
Suggested variety: Calabrese
Carrots
Planting carrots by mid-July yields a fall crop that will keep in the garden until used.
Suggested variety: Scarlet Nantes
Corn
One of the most rewarding and fast growing crops to grow. Corn is delicious when cooked only minutes after being pulled off the stalk. Try a small plot of corn, working your way to a large field of several varieties. Last practical date to plant any corn variety is the first week in July. Must plant an early maturing corn variety.
Suggested variety: Bodacious, Sugar Buns, Early Golden Bantam
Cucumbers
Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.
Suggest variety: Spacemaster 80, Muncher, Marketmore 76
Kale
Planting kale mid-July through mid-August will yield an excellent harvest in the fall and winter.
Suggested variety: Dwarf Blue
August
August is an ideal time to plant seeds for a second gardening season that can be as productive as your major early spring plantings. Late summer is the time to plant these vegetables and herbs.
Beans:
Start planting both bush and pole beans now that the soil and air are warmed up. Try a continual 7-10 day sowing of different varieties. This will give you continual bean crops and not one large harvest with wasted crop. Early August is the last practical sowing date.
Suggested variety: Contender, Kentucky Wonder, Topcrop
Cucumbers
Fast growing vine or bush cucumber plants can produce an abundance of cucumber fruits. Be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden. Vine cucumbers can be the best tasting but need far more space than bush varieties.
Suggest variety: Spacemaster 80, Muncher, Marketmore 76
Flower Bulbs
August is a great time to plant those fall flower bulbs. There are many varieties that can be planted this fall and start blooming early spring. Flower Bulbs
Kale
Planting kale mid-July through mid-August will yield an excellent harvest in the fall and winter.
Suggested variety: Dwarf Blue
Lettuce
Sow lettuce in August for a fall crop. Try growing early harvest varieties that will produce a harvest before cold weather rolls in.
Suggested Varieties: Buttercrunch, Salad Bowl
Peas
Green peas and sugar peas are good to plant in August, and will produce a moderate fall harvest.
Suggested variety: Sugar Ann
Radish
A quick and easy vegetable to grow. Plant now and you can have them ready in 30 days.
Suggested variety: Cherry Belle
Spinach
Spinach is more of a cool weather vegetable and is great to grow in August.
Suggested variety: Bloomsdale, Samish
September
Although September marks the beginning of fall, there are still a few fast growing vegetables that can be planted this month and be harvested before the first frost in most gardening zones. Remember to keep your soil warm by removing all mulch and maybe try using a plastic sheet to trap heat into the soil. Try these vegetables below and you can still take advantage of your garden this fall.
Blueberries
Fall is the perfect time to plant blueberry plants. Planting in the fall will allow for good root growth and early growth this coming spring.
Suggested variety: Blueberry Bluecrop
Broccoli
If you live in a warmer climate and can find a quick growing Broccoli variety you can harvest well into November.
Suggested variety: Calabrese
Flower Bulbs
September is a great time to plant those fall flower bulbs. There are many varieties that can be planted this fall and start blooming early spring. Flower Bulbs
Garlic
Garlic is a vegetable that can be planted in the fall for a larger and earlier harvest this coming spring.
Suggested variety: Italian Garlic
Lettuce
Sow lettuce late summer for a fall crop. Grow fast maturing varieties.
Suggested Varieties: Buttercrunch
Radish
A quick and easy vegetable to grow. Plant now and you can have them ready in 30 days.
Suggested variety: Cherry Belle
Spinach
Spinach is more of a cool weather vegetable and is great to grow in September.
Suggested variety: Bloomsdale, Olympia Hybrid, Samish
October
Fall is here and many vegetables don't have enough time to develop before your first frost. There are still a few vegetables that can be planted in October.
Blueberries
Fall is the perfect time to plant blueberry plants. Planting in the fall will allow for good root growth and early growth this coming spring.
Suggested variety: Blueberry Bluecrop
Flower Bulbs
October is a great time to plant those fall flower bulbs. There are many varieties that can be planted this fall and start blooming early spring. Flower Bulbs
Garlic
Garlic is a vegetable that can be planted in the fall for a larger and earlier harvest this coming spring.
Suggested variety: Italian Garlic
Herbs
Herbs are defiantly the most popular indoor plant to grow throughout the winter months. Try your hand at these 5 most popular herbs. Also check out the Urban Farmer Herb Kit
Suggested variety: Basil, Chives, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme
November
Don't be sad, you can still grow a lot of different plants inside. This is a great time of the year to clone some of your outside plants or grow them from seed indoors. Grow herbs on the windowsill!
Herbs
Herbs are defiantly the most popular indoor plant to grow throughout the winter months. Try your hand at these 5 most popular herbs. Also check out the Urban Farmer Herb Kit
Suggested variety: Basil, Chives, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme
Indoor Plants
Growing flowers indoors can be a good way to pass the winter months. Try growing an indoor Amaryllis flower kit. These beautiful flowers will brighten up your house and give off a nice aroma.
Suggest: Seasonal Decorations
Vegetables
If you live in some warmer climates it is a perfect time to plant vegetables. Try some of the cool weather vegetables that can survive now that the summer heat is over.
Suggest variety: Lettuce, Radish, Spinach, Broccoli, Carrots
December
It's time for the garden seed catalogs to arrive! Start planning your garden wherever you live. Try growing some fresh herbs inside on your kitchen windowsill.
Herbs
Herbs are defiantly the most popular indoor plant to grow throughout the winter months. Try your hand at these 5 most popular herbs. Also check out the Urban Farmer Herb Kit
Suggested variety: Basil, Chives, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme
Vegetables
If you live in some warmer climates it is a perfect time to plant vegetables. Try some of the cool weather vegetables that can survive now that the summer heat is over.
Suggest variety: Lettuce, Radish, Spinach, Broccoli, Carrots
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this has got to be one of the coolest things that i have ever seen.
Check the Clouds:
Clouds can tell us a lot about the weather. For example, they can tell us if it’s going to be warmer on a particular night by simply being there. That’s because they prevent heat radiation from escaping. They can also tell you whether there will be rain and whether there will be bad weather in general (when you see clouds moving in opposite directions of each other).
Check the Humidity:
If you’re one of those people whose hair gets all curly when it gets really humid out, you know exactly what this is about. However, even if your hair doesn’t react, you can still figure out that it’s really humid out by look at the leaves of certain trees. For example, pine cone and maple leaves tend to curl in high humidity, just like the hair on some people. You can also tell it’s humid if you can’t get in the front door because wood tends to swell up in high humidity.
Check the Animals:
Birds only fly in the sky when they expect fair weather ahead. On the other hand, if power lines in your neighborhood are covered with birds hanging around, that means the air pressure is dropping rapidly. Cows like to lie down when it’s about to rain and ants tend to build their hills with steep sides just before the rain comes. Cats like to clean their ears before the rain and turtles will seek high ground before the storm hits.
Look at the Rainbow (but only in the west) and look for a Red Sky:
If you see one in the west, it means a major storm front is coming. A red sky at night (again from the west) means that there is a high pressure system with dry air. Look at the sky in the east in the morning. If you see the same red sky it means it means the dry air has already moved on by.
Check the Air:
If it smells like a compost heap, expect some rain soon. Similarly, swamps will give off a nasty smell if a storm is on its way.
Check the Moon:
Seen any red moons lately? That means there is dust in the air. However, if it’s nice and clear, then you should expect some rain soon.
Check the Wind:
If you can tell which way the wind is blowing, you can tell if there is a storm approaching. Easterly winds say that a storm is coming. Westerly winds say the opposite. Strong winds will tell you that high pressure is on its way.
A Few More Ideas:
Make a campfire – If the smoke goes straight up, clear skies ahead. If it curls, then you can expect a rain soaked evening.
Check the grass – if it’s wet and dewy, that means it probably won’t rain. On the other hand if it’s dry, better break out the umbrellas!
Perennial vegetables: Plant once and eat always
By Mark Diacono
from here
The neighbours think I’ve lost it. For the past few weeks they’ve seen me kneeling in the garden, head close to the ground, looking like Jack Nicklaus lining up a winning putt. What they don’t know is I’m at the head of a line of asparagus, looking for the first green noses to break the surface. The first harvest of the growing season – and to my mind the best.
The secret to the finest asparagus in the world is time – getting it from plot to plate as quickly as you can. If you’re a bit of an anorak you’ll have the water boiling before you cut the spears so that you can enjoy them sweet and succulent before the rapid conversion of sugars to starches takes over. Taste home-grown asparagus once and you’ll never reach for the year-round Peruvian supermarket stuff again.
This month, buy year-old plants (known as crowns), and when they arrive choose a well-drained space. Dig a trench to a spade’s depth and width, incorporating a little compost or well-rotted manure, and create a 4in tall mound along the floor of the trench.
Space the crowns 20in apart along the ridge, backfill and water well. Allow 30in between rows. You can even sow sorrel and chicory (both delicious, perennial salad leaves) in the space between rows. The rows will need weeding once in a while but other than that you’ll just need to sit on your hands until next spring when the spears poke through the soil.
However tempted you are, don’t cut any – let the crowns establish. The torture of the wait is more than repaid by decades of springtime eating, starting the following year when you can slice off the wonderful spears that keep popping up for a month or so. When growing such fine food is this easy it almost feels like cheating.
Easy peasy
So good, so early and so effortless… so why aren’t we growing more food that works like this? Planted once, then harvested for ever and a day? Most fruit and herbs are perennial but when it comes to veg, a combination of history and habit seems to dictate a frenzy of planting and sowing from scratch every year.
We copy commercial growers who’ve relied on cheap energy, once provided by horses and now by fossil fuels, to do all the turning of the soil, sowing, weeding, watering, fertilising, harvesting and collecting of seed that goes with growing annual vegetables.
This has reached such an extraordinary state of affairs that the food we buy takes around 10 times the energy to produce as the energy it gives us. According to research carried out by London’s City University (An Inconvenient Truth About Food, Soil Association, 2008), its carbon footprint is huge, due in large part to the use of man-made nitrogen fertilisers – a tonne of which requires one tonne of oil and 108 tonnes of water to make, releasing seven tonnes of greenhouse gases in the process.
Rising prices and dwindling resources are further incentive to grow some of your own food, but if you take out the oil you have to replace it with elbow grease. The alternative is to grow more delicious, low-maintenance, low-energy perennials like asparagus.
Perennials are an increasingly important part of how we feed ourselves and how we garden. They offer the ornamental garden productivity and the productive garden beauty.
Many allotmenters tend to graduate to perennials having served their apprenticeship on annuals; newcomers to edible gardening are often interested in permaculture and low-carbon growing; others who just fancy delicious food without the slog are increasingly starting off with them.
Low carbon food has some compelling arguments going for it – but perhaps the best reason to grow perennial edibles is this: when you can be eating the very best home-grown asparagus, rhubarb, sea kale and garlic cress right now, it’s hard to think of a reason not to.
Plenty of choice
There are dozens of perennial vegetables from every corner of the vegetable world to choose from, and to suit all sizes of garden, including salad leaves, brassicas, roots, onions and edible flowers.
If you’re looking for something architectural, you could do worse than globe artichokes, with their ragged grey/green leaves and towering flowers. It not only looks a treat, but the flesh of the immature flower heads is delicious.
The almost identical cardoon will serve the same ornamental purpose, but it’s the main rib of those huge leaves that makes it to the kitchen. Both can be raised easily from seed or bought as fast-growing, hardy plants.
There are wonderful perennial alternatives to the staples – of the many perennial onions, my favourite is the Egyptian walking onion. You can snip off a few early chive-like leaves, leaving the rest to grow on into spring onions. Pinch some off to enjoy in April and May – the rest will grow taller and begin to develop bulbils on the end of the leaves.
As these grow, the leaves struggle to hold them up and bend slowly to the ground, where the bulbils take root. Harvest a few and allow some to grow into new plants that repeat the cycle as they “walk” around your garden. At the base of the original plant you’ll find shallot-like bulbs, making four harvests every year from the one perennial plant.
And if you’re looking for an alternative to the potato, try oca, another South American tuber that resembles a new potato but tastes a little lemony when just picked, sweetening if matured in the sun, and immune to blight.
There are perennials to harvest at any time of year, but where they really come into their own is early in the season, during the “hungry gap” when few annuals have germinated, never mind grown. This week you could be enjoying garlic cress, sea kale, asparagus and forced rhubarb.
Things of beauty
Generally speaking, perennial vegetables tend to be more beautiful than annuals – or rather, we allow them to be.
Think of day lilies, globe artichokes, cardoons, Jerusalem artichokes – all make a striking presence in the garden, largely because we don’t chop or dig up the whole plant in its prime.
Our relationship with them is quite different from annual veg – it’s in our interest to keep the plant alive and healthy, harvesting a little each year while nurturing the plant for the next.
They’re around for longer, which allows you to include them as a more enduring part of a garden. Being there year-round, in varying states, also broadens their ecological value for a wider range of other organisms.
The soil is also nurtured when growing perennials, as it is rarely, if ever, left exposed to the forces of erosion, rain compaction and nutrient leaching. Digging – which can upset a perfectly balanced soil ecology, expose weed seeds for germination, as well as releasing carbon into the atmosphere – is also minimised. You’ll generally find disease and pest problems much reduced as most perennials out-compete weeds and resist slugs.
I’m not advocating a wholesale move of your garden or allotment over to edible perennials – well, I would but most of you would ignore me – but I am encouraging you to integrate some with the annuals and ornamentals.
Add a few true perennials, some edible prolific self-seeders such as nasturtiums and sweet cicely, along with some cut-and-come-again leaves and you’ll have a productive, beautiful and low carbon garden.
from here
The neighbours think I’ve lost it. For the past few weeks they’ve seen me kneeling in the garden, head close to the ground, looking like Jack Nicklaus lining up a winning putt. What they don’t know is I’m at the head of a line of asparagus, looking for the first green noses to break the surface. The first harvest of the growing season – and to my mind the best.
The secret to the finest asparagus in the world is time – getting it from plot to plate as quickly as you can. If you’re a bit of an anorak you’ll have the water boiling before you cut the spears so that you can enjoy them sweet and succulent before the rapid conversion of sugars to starches takes over. Taste home-grown asparagus once and you’ll never reach for the year-round Peruvian supermarket stuff again.
This month, buy year-old plants (known as crowns), and when they arrive choose a well-drained space. Dig a trench to a spade’s depth and width, incorporating a little compost or well-rotted manure, and create a 4in tall mound along the floor of the trench.
Space the crowns 20in apart along the ridge, backfill and water well. Allow 30in between rows. You can even sow sorrel and chicory (both delicious, perennial salad leaves) in the space between rows. The rows will need weeding once in a while but other than that you’ll just need to sit on your hands until next spring when the spears poke through the soil.
However tempted you are, don’t cut any – let the crowns establish. The torture of the wait is more than repaid by decades of springtime eating, starting the following year when you can slice off the wonderful spears that keep popping up for a month or so. When growing such fine food is this easy it almost feels like cheating.
Easy peasy
So good, so early and so effortless… so why aren’t we growing more food that works like this? Planted once, then harvested for ever and a day? Most fruit and herbs are perennial but when it comes to veg, a combination of history and habit seems to dictate a frenzy of planting and sowing from scratch every year.
We copy commercial growers who’ve relied on cheap energy, once provided by horses and now by fossil fuels, to do all the turning of the soil, sowing, weeding, watering, fertilising, harvesting and collecting of seed that goes with growing annual vegetables.
This has reached such an extraordinary state of affairs that the food we buy takes around 10 times the energy to produce as the energy it gives us. According to research carried out by London’s City University (An Inconvenient Truth About Food, Soil Association, 2008), its carbon footprint is huge, due in large part to the use of man-made nitrogen fertilisers – a tonne of which requires one tonne of oil and 108 tonnes of water to make, releasing seven tonnes of greenhouse gases in the process.
Rising prices and dwindling resources are further incentive to grow some of your own food, but if you take out the oil you have to replace it with elbow grease. The alternative is to grow more delicious, low-maintenance, low-energy perennials like asparagus.
Perennials are an increasingly important part of how we feed ourselves and how we garden. They offer the ornamental garden productivity and the productive garden beauty.
Many allotmenters tend to graduate to perennials having served their apprenticeship on annuals; newcomers to edible gardening are often interested in permaculture and low-carbon growing; others who just fancy delicious food without the slog are increasingly starting off with them.
Low carbon food has some compelling arguments going for it – but perhaps the best reason to grow perennial edibles is this: when you can be eating the very best home-grown asparagus, rhubarb, sea kale and garlic cress right now, it’s hard to think of a reason not to.
Plenty of choice
There are dozens of perennial vegetables from every corner of the vegetable world to choose from, and to suit all sizes of garden, including salad leaves, brassicas, roots, onions and edible flowers.
If you’re looking for something architectural, you could do worse than globe artichokes, with their ragged grey/green leaves and towering flowers. It not only looks a treat, but the flesh of the immature flower heads is delicious.
The almost identical cardoon will serve the same ornamental purpose, but it’s the main rib of those huge leaves that makes it to the kitchen. Both can be raised easily from seed or bought as fast-growing, hardy plants.
There are wonderful perennial alternatives to the staples – of the many perennial onions, my favourite is the Egyptian walking onion. You can snip off a few early chive-like leaves, leaving the rest to grow on into spring onions. Pinch some off to enjoy in April and May – the rest will grow taller and begin to develop bulbils on the end of the leaves.
As these grow, the leaves struggle to hold them up and bend slowly to the ground, where the bulbils take root. Harvest a few and allow some to grow into new plants that repeat the cycle as they “walk” around your garden. At the base of the original plant you’ll find shallot-like bulbs, making four harvests every year from the one perennial plant.
And if you’re looking for an alternative to the potato, try oca, another South American tuber that resembles a new potato but tastes a little lemony when just picked, sweetening if matured in the sun, and immune to blight.
There are perennials to harvest at any time of year, but where they really come into their own is early in the season, during the “hungry gap” when few annuals have germinated, never mind grown. This week you could be enjoying garlic cress, sea kale, asparagus and forced rhubarb.
Things of beauty
Generally speaking, perennial vegetables tend to be more beautiful than annuals – or rather, we allow them to be.
Think of day lilies, globe artichokes, cardoons, Jerusalem artichokes – all make a striking presence in the garden, largely because we don’t chop or dig up the whole plant in its prime.
Our relationship with them is quite different from annual veg – it’s in our interest to keep the plant alive and healthy, harvesting a little each year while nurturing the plant for the next.
They’re around for longer, which allows you to include them as a more enduring part of a garden. Being there year-round, in varying states, also broadens their ecological value for a wider range of other organisms.
The soil is also nurtured when growing perennials, as it is rarely, if ever, left exposed to the forces of erosion, rain compaction and nutrient leaching. Digging – which can upset a perfectly balanced soil ecology, expose weed seeds for germination, as well as releasing carbon into the atmosphere – is also minimised. You’ll generally find disease and pest problems much reduced as most perennials out-compete weeds and resist slugs.
I’m not advocating a wholesale move of your garden or allotment over to edible perennials – well, I would but most of you would ignore me – but I am encouraging you to integrate some with the annuals and ornamentals.
Add a few true perennials, some edible prolific self-seeders such as nasturtiums and sweet cicely, along with some cut-and-come-again leaves and you’ll have a productive, beautiful and low carbon garden.
Second Treatise on Government by John Locke (1690)
Chapter IV
Of Slavery
21. The natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth, and not to be under the will or legislative authority of man, but to have only the law of Nature for his rule. The liberty of man in society is to be under no other legislative power but that established by consent in the commonwealth, nor under the dominion of any will, or restraint of any law, but what that legislative shall enact according to the trust put in it. Freedom, then, is not what Sir Robert Filmer tells us: "A liberty for every one to do what he lists, to live as he pleases, and not to be tied by any laws"; but freedom of men under government is to have a standing rule to live by, common to every one of that society, and made by the legislative power erected in it. A liberty to follow my own will in all things where that rule prescribes not, not to be subject to the inconstant, uncertain, unknown, arbitrary will of another man, as freedom of nature is to be under no other restraint but the law of Nature.
22. This freedom from absolute, arbitrary power is so necessary to, and closely joined with, a man's preservation, that he cannot part with it but by what forfeits his preservation and life together. For a man, not having the power of his own life, cannot by compact or his own consent enslave himself to any one, nor put himself under the absolute, arbitrary power of another to take away his life when he pleases. Nobody can give more power than he has himself, and he that cannot take away his own life cannot give another power over it. Indeed, having by his fault forfeited his own life by some act that deserves death, he to whom he has forfeited it may, when he has him in his power, delay to take it, and make use of him to his own service; and he does him no injury by it. For, whenever he finds the hardship of his slavery outweigh the value of his life, it is in his power, by resisting the will of his master, to draw on himself the death he desires.
23. This is the perfect condition of slavery, which is nothing else but the state of war continued between a lawful conqueror and a captive, for if once compact enter between them, and make an agreement for a limited power on the one side, and obedience on the other, the state of war and slavery ceases as long as the compact endures; for, as has been said, no man can by agreement pass over to another that which he hath not in himself- a power over his own life.
I confess, we find among the Jews, as well as other nations, that men did sell themselves; but it is plain this was only to drudgery, not to slavery; for it is evident the person sold was not under an absolute, arbitrary, despotical power, for the master could not have power to kill him at any time, whom at a certain time he was obliged to let go free out of his service; and the master of such a servant was so far from having an arbitrary power over his life that he could not at pleasure so much as maim him, but the loss of an eye or tooth set him free (Exod. 21.).
Of Slavery
21. The natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth, and not to be under the will or legislative authority of man, but to have only the law of Nature for his rule. The liberty of man in society is to be under no other legislative power but that established by consent in the commonwealth, nor under the dominion of any will, or restraint of any law, but what that legislative shall enact according to the trust put in it. Freedom, then, is not what Sir Robert Filmer tells us: "A liberty for every one to do what he lists, to live as he pleases, and not to be tied by any laws"; but freedom of men under government is to have a standing rule to live by, common to every one of that society, and made by the legislative power erected in it. A liberty to follow my own will in all things where that rule prescribes not, not to be subject to the inconstant, uncertain, unknown, arbitrary will of another man, as freedom of nature is to be under no other restraint but the law of Nature.
22. This freedom from absolute, arbitrary power is so necessary to, and closely joined with, a man's preservation, that he cannot part with it but by what forfeits his preservation and life together. For a man, not having the power of his own life, cannot by compact or his own consent enslave himself to any one, nor put himself under the absolute, arbitrary power of another to take away his life when he pleases. Nobody can give more power than he has himself, and he that cannot take away his own life cannot give another power over it. Indeed, having by his fault forfeited his own life by some act that deserves death, he to whom he has forfeited it may, when he has him in his power, delay to take it, and make use of him to his own service; and he does him no injury by it. For, whenever he finds the hardship of his slavery outweigh the value of his life, it is in his power, by resisting the will of his master, to draw on himself the death he desires.
23. This is the perfect condition of slavery, which is nothing else but the state of war continued between a lawful conqueror and a captive, for if once compact enter between them, and make an agreement for a limited power on the one side, and obedience on the other, the state of war and slavery ceases as long as the compact endures; for, as has been said, no man can by agreement pass over to another that which he hath not in himself- a power over his own life.
I confess, we find among the Jews, as well as other nations, that men did sell themselves; but it is plain this was only to drudgery, not to slavery; for it is evident the person sold was not under an absolute, arbitrary, despotical power, for the master could not have power to kill him at any time, whom at a certain time he was obliged to let go free out of his service; and the master of such a servant was so far from having an arbitrary power over his life that he could not at pleasure so much as maim him, but the loss of an eye or tooth set him free (Exod. 21.).
Flen flyys - 1475
Flen, flyys, and freris populum domini male caedunt,
Thystlis and breris crescentia gramina laedunt;
Christe, nolens guerras, sed cuncta pace tueris;
Destrue per terras breris, flen, flyȝes, and freris.
Flen, flyȝes, and freris, foul falle hem thys fyften ȝeris,
For non that her ys lovit flen, flyȝes, ne freris.
Fratres Carmeli navigant in a bothe apud Eli,
Non sunt in cœli quia gxddbov xxkxzt pg ifmk.
Omnes drencherunt, quia sterisman non habuerunt,
Fratres cum knyvys goth about and txxkxzv nfookt xxzxkt,
Ex Eli veniens praesenti sede locatur,
Nec rex nec sapiens, Salomon tamen ille vocatur.
Pediculus cum sex pedibus me mordet ubique,
Si possum capere, tokl tobl debet ipse habere.
Si tibi strok detur, wyth a round strok evacuetur;
Et si revertetur, loke tu quod retribuetur.
Est mea mens mota pro te, speciosa Magota.
Verum dixit anus, quod piscis olet triduanus;
Ejus de more simili foetet hospes odore.
Est in quadrupede pes quintus, in aequore pulvis,
In cirpo nodus, in muliere fides.
Cum premo, re retrahit, stringit con, inque sigillat,
Sub silet, ob spoliat, sed de gravat, ex manifestat.
Thus, pix, cum sepo, sagmen, cum virgine cera,
Ex hiis attractus bonus est ad vulnera factus.
Vento quid levius? fulgur. Quid fulgure? flamma.
Flamma quid? mulier. Quid muliere? nichil.
Auro quid melius? jaspis. Quid jaspide? sensus.
Sensu quid? ratio. Quid ratione? nichil.
Frigore Frix frixit, quia Tros trux tubera traxit,
Trosque truces Traces secuit necuitque minaces.
Taurus in herba ludit, et optat tangere limpham.
Rumbo murena extat Thamesia plena.
Thystlis and breris crescentia gramina laedunt;
Christe, nolens guerras, sed cuncta pace tueris;
Destrue per terras breris, flen, flyȝes, and freris.
Flen, flyȝes, and freris, foul falle hem thys fyften ȝeris,
For non that her ys lovit flen, flyȝes, ne freris.
Fratres Carmeli navigant in a bothe apud Eli,
Non sunt in cœli quia gxddbov xxkxzt pg ifmk.
Omnes drencherunt, quia sterisman non habuerunt,
Fratres cum knyvys goth about and txxkxzv nfookt xxzxkt,
Ex Eli veniens praesenti sede locatur,
Nec rex nec sapiens, Salomon tamen ille vocatur.
Pediculus cum sex pedibus me mordet ubique,
Si possum capere, tokl tobl debet ipse habere.
Si tibi strok detur, wyth a round strok evacuetur;
Et si revertetur, loke tu quod retribuetur.
Est mea mens mota pro te, speciosa Magota.
Verum dixit anus, quod piscis olet triduanus;
Ejus de more simili foetet hospes odore.
Est in quadrupede pes quintus, in aequore pulvis,
In cirpo nodus, in muliere fides.
Cum premo, re retrahit, stringit con, inque sigillat,
Sub silet, ob spoliat, sed de gravat, ex manifestat.
Thus, pix, cum sepo, sagmen, cum virgine cera,
Ex hiis attractus bonus est ad vulnera factus.
Vento quid levius? fulgur. Quid fulgure? flamma.
Flamma quid? mulier. Quid muliere? nichil.
Auro quid melius? jaspis. Quid jaspide? sensus.
Sensu quid? ratio. Quid ratione? nichil.
Frigore Frix frixit, quia Tros trux tubera traxit,
Trosque truces Traces secuit necuitque minaces.
Taurus in herba ludit, et optat tangere limpham.
Rumbo murena extat Thamesia plena.
How to Make Lye from Wood Ash
from here
Largely forgotten by the modern world, lye is still important to those interested in self sufficiency. Historically, lye has been used to make many foods like hominy, lutefisk, German pretzels, and Chinese noodles. Animal fats or vegetable oils are combined with lye to make homemade soap. Lye can also be used to chemically pulp plant matter for making paper. The modern world wouldn’t be the same without lye either; oven cleaner, drain opener, and biodiesel production all use lye.
Lye is a powerful base (alkali) that can be created using rain water and wood ashes. Lye created from wood ash is potassium hydroxide (KOH) whereas commercial lye is composed of sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Modern chemical engineering has all but replaced the traditional method of producing lye. For many homestead applications the difference in chemical formulae are inconsequential, but there are exceptions.
You only need two ingredients to make lye: wood ash and water. Collect rainwater -- it should be free of chemicals and excessive mineral levels that are found in city and well water. Using wood ash from broad-leaved hardwood trees will result in better quality lye than if you use ash from soft woods or conifers. Before discussing how to make lye, it is important to note that lye is very dangerous and extreme caution should be used when making or handling lye -- whether commercial or homemade.
Lye should never come in contact with aluminum as it will react with the metal. Lye can cause chemical burns if it comes in contact with skin, and blindness if it gets in your eyes. In fact, when you get lye on your skin, it will begin reacting with the fatty acids on your skin and begin making soap. Always make and use lye in a well-ventilated area, and keep pets and children at a safe distance. Pants, a long sleeved shirt, rubber gloves, and eye protection should be worn when making or using lye. If you get lye on your skin, use vinegar to neutralize the solution. Immediately call 911 or the poison control center if an emergency arises while working with lye.
There are numerous ways to make lye from wood ash. Some instructions suggest that you mix ash with hot water and let it set before filtering out the ash. Others will tell you to drill holes in the bottom of a barrel, cover with straw, and then fill with ash. Water is poured over the ash and lye is leached as the water filters thru the barrel and is collected by a pan underneath the barrel. This works, but your lye is likely to be discolored by the straw. When lye reacts with lignin in the straw, the bonds are broken down and the fibers are left behind. After enough leachings, the remaining straw fibers work as an effective filter, but will no longer discolor the lye.
Regardless of the method used, the more times you run the lye solution through a bed of ashes, the stronger the lye will become. Instead of successive leachings, you can also boil the lye to strengthen it. The water will evaporate but the lye will not, so the solution will contain a higher percentage of lye.
One of the difficulties when making lye is determining proper strength. One traditional method of determining strength is to see if a chicken feather will start to dissolve when placed in the lye water. A more accurate measure is to float an egg (still in the shell) in the lye solution. If the lye is of proper strength, the egg will float but only a quarter sized circle of the egg will be raised out of the water. If it floats too high, the lye is too strong. If it doesn’t float high enough, then the lye is too weak. Discard the egg after testing; it is not safe to eat.
Related Articles:
Making Soap From Goat Milk
Washing Clothes by Hand
The ease of manufacturing and the wide variety of uses makes lye production a skill every homesteader should learn. We do not recommend that lye be used for food production due to the inherent risks, and extreme caution should be exercised at all times when working with lye. When used with proper care, however, lye is a powerful tool to reduce your dependence on the outside world.
Largely forgotten by the modern world, lye is still important to those interested in self sufficiency. Historically, lye has been used to make many foods like hominy, lutefisk, German pretzels, and Chinese noodles. Animal fats or vegetable oils are combined with lye to make homemade soap. Lye can also be used to chemically pulp plant matter for making paper. The modern world wouldn’t be the same without lye either; oven cleaner, drain opener, and biodiesel production all use lye.
Lye is a powerful base (alkali) that can be created using rain water and wood ashes. Lye created from wood ash is potassium hydroxide (KOH) whereas commercial lye is composed of sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Modern chemical engineering has all but replaced the traditional method of producing lye. For many homestead applications the difference in chemical formulae are inconsequential, but there are exceptions.
You only need two ingredients to make lye: wood ash and water. Collect rainwater -- it should be free of chemicals and excessive mineral levels that are found in city and well water. Using wood ash from broad-leaved hardwood trees will result in better quality lye than if you use ash from soft woods or conifers. Before discussing how to make lye, it is important to note that lye is very dangerous and extreme caution should be used when making or handling lye -- whether commercial or homemade.
Lye should never come in contact with aluminum as it will react with the metal. Lye can cause chemical burns if it comes in contact with skin, and blindness if it gets in your eyes. In fact, when you get lye on your skin, it will begin reacting with the fatty acids on your skin and begin making soap. Always make and use lye in a well-ventilated area, and keep pets and children at a safe distance. Pants, a long sleeved shirt, rubber gloves, and eye protection should be worn when making or using lye. If you get lye on your skin, use vinegar to neutralize the solution. Immediately call 911 or the poison control center if an emergency arises while working with lye.
There are numerous ways to make lye from wood ash. Some instructions suggest that you mix ash with hot water and let it set before filtering out the ash. Others will tell you to drill holes in the bottom of a barrel, cover with straw, and then fill with ash. Water is poured over the ash and lye is leached as the water filters thru the barrel and is collected by a pan underneath the barrel. This works, but your lye is likely to be discolored by the straw. When lye reacts with lignin in the straw, the bonds are broken down and the fibers are left behind. After enough leachings, the remaining straw fibers work as an effective filter, but will no longer discolor the lye.
Regardless of the method used, the more times you run the lye solution through a bed of ashes, the stronger the lye will become. Instead of successive leachings, you can also boil the lye to strengthen it. The water will evaporate but the lye will not, so the solution will contain a higher percentage of lye.
One of the difficulties when making lye is determining proper strength. One traditional method of determining strength is to see if a chicken feather will start to dissolve when placed in the lye water. A more accurate measure is to float an egg (still in the shell) in the lye solution. If the lye is of proper strength, the egg will float but only a quarter sized circle of the egg will be raised out of the water. If it floats too high, the lye is too strong. If it doesn’t float high enough, then the lye is too weak. Discard the egg after testing; it is not safe to eat.
Related Articles:
Making Soap From Goat Milk
Washing Clothes by Hand
The ease of manufacturing and the wide variety of uses makes lye production a skill every homesteader should learn. We do not recommend that lye be used for food production due to the inherent risks, and extreme caution should be exercised at all times when working with lye. When used with proper care, however, lye is a powerful tool to reduce your dependence on the outside world.
How to Make Lye from Wood Ash
from here
Largely forgotten by the modern world, lye is still important to those interested in self sufficiency. Historically, lye has been used to make many foods like hominy, lutefisk, German pretzels, and Chinese noodles. Animal fats or vegetable oils are combined with lye to make homemade soap. Lye can also be used to chemically pulp plant matter for making paper. The modern world wouldn’t be the same without lye either; oven cleaner, drain opener, and biodiesel production all use lye.
Lye is a powerful base (alkali) that can be created using rain water and wood ashes. Lye created from wood ash is potassium hydroxide (KOH) whereas commercial lye is composed of sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Modern chemical engineering has all but replaced the traditional method of producing lye. For many homestead applications the difference in chemical formulae are inconsequential, but there are exceptions.
You only need two ingredients to make lye: wood ash and water. Collect rainwater -- it should be free of chemicals and excessive mineral levels that are found in city and well water. Using wood ash from broad-leaved hardwood trees will result in better quality lye than if you use ash from soft woods or conifers. Before discussing how to make lye, it is important to note that lye is very dangerous and extreme caution should be used when making or handling lye -- whether commercial or homemade.
Lye should never come in contact with aluminum as it will react with the metal. Lye can cause chemical burns if it comes in contact with skin, and blindness if it gets in your eyes. In fact, when you get lye on your skin, it will begin reacting with the fatty acids on your skin and begin making soap. Always make and use lye in a well-ventilated area, and keep pets and children at a safe distance. Pants, a long sleeved shirt, rubber gloves, and eye protection should be worn when making or using lye. If you get lye on your skin, use vinegar to neutralize the solution. Immediately call 911 or the poison control center if an emergency arises while working with lye.
There are numerous ways to make lye from wood ash. Some instructions suggest that you mix ash with hot water and let it set before filtering out the ash. Others will tell you to drill holes in the bottom of a barrel, cover with straw, and then fill with ash. Water is poured over the ash and lye is leached as the water filters thru the barrel and is collected by a pan underneath the barrel. This works, but your lye is likely to be discolored by the straw. When lye reacts with lignin in the straw, the bonds are broken down and the fibers are left behind. After enough leachings, the remaining straw fibers work as an effective filter, but will no longer discolor the lye.
Regardless of the method used, the more times you run the lye solution through a bed of ashes, the stronger the lye will become. Instead of successive leachings, you can also boil the lye to strengthen it. The water will evaporate but the lye will not, so the solution will contain a higher percentage of lye.
One of the difficulties when making lye is determining proper strength. One traditional method of determining strength is to see if a chicken feather will start to dissolve when placed in the lye water. A more accurate measure is to float an egg (still in the shell) in the lye solution. If the lye is of proper strength, the egg will float but only a quarter sized circle of the egg will be raised out of the water. If it floats too high, the lye is too strong. If it doesn’t float high enough, then the lye is too weak. Discard the egg after testing; it is not safe to eat.
Related Articles:
Making Soap From Goat Milk
Washing Clothes by Hand
The ease of manufacturing and the wide variety of uses makes lye production a skill every homesteader should learn. We do not recommend that lye be used for food production due to the inherent risks, and extreme caution should be exercised at all times when working with lye. When used with proper care, however, lye is a powerful tool to reduce your dependence on the outside world.
Largely forgotten by the modern world, lye is still important to those interested in self sufficiency. Historically, lye has been used to make many foods like hominy, lutefisk, German pretzels, and Chinese noodles. Animal fats or vegetable oils are combined with lye to make homemade soap. Lye can also be used to chemically pulp plant matter for making paper. The modern world wouldn’t be the same without lye either; oven cleaner, drain opener, and biodiesel production all use lye.
Lye is a powerful base (alkali) that can be created using rain water and wood ashes. Lye created from wood ash is potassium hydroxide (KOH) whereas commercial lye is composed of sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Modern chemical engineering has all but replaced the traditional method of producing lye. For many homestead applications the difference in chemical formulae are inconsequential, but there are exceptions.
You only need two ingredients to make lye: wood ash and water. Collect rainwater -- it should be free of chemicals and excessive mineral levels that are found in city and well water. Using wood ash from broad-leaved hardwood trees will result in better quality lye than if you use ash from soft woods or conifers. Before discussing how to make lye, it is important to note that lye is very dangerous and extreme caution should be used when making or handling lye -- whether commercial or homemade.
Lye should never come in contact with aluminum as it will react with the metal. Lye can cause chemical burns if it comes in contact with skin, and blindness if it gets in your eyes. In fact, when you get lye on your skin, it will begin reacting with the fatty acids on your skin and begin making soap. Always make and use lye in a well-ventilated area, and keep pets and children at a safe distance. Pants, a long sleeved shirt, rubber gloves, and eye protection should be worn when making or using lye. If you get lye on your skin, use vinegar to neutralize the solution. Immediately call 911 or the poison control center if an emergency arises while working with lye.
There are numerous ways to make lye from wood ash. Some instructions suggest that you mix ash with hot water and let it set before filtering out the ash. Others will tell you to drill holes in the bottom of a barrel, cover with straw, and then fill with ash. Water is poured over the ash and lye is leached as the water filters thru the barrel and is collected by a pan underneath the barrel. This works, but your lye is likely to be discolored by the straw. When lye reacts with lignin in the straw, the bonds are broken down and the fibers are left behind. After enough leachings, the remaining straw fibers work as an effective filter, but will no longer discolor the lye.
Regardless of the method used, the more times you run the lye solution through a bed of ashes, the stronger the lye will become. Instead of successive leachings, you can also boil the lye to strengthen it. The water will evaporate but the lye will not, so the solution will contain a higher percentage of lye.
One of the difficulties when making lye is determining proper strength. One traditional method of determining strength is to see if a chicken feather will start to dissolve when placed in the lye water. A more accurate measure is to float an egg (still in the shell) in the lye solution. If the lye is of proper strength, the egg will float but only a quarter sized circle of the egg will be raised out of the water. If it floats too high, the lye is too strong. If it doesn’t float high enough, then the lye is too weak. Discard the egg after testing; it is not safe to eat.
Related Articles:
Making Soap From Goat Milk
Washing Clothes by Hand
The ease of manufacturing and the wide variety of uses makes lye production a skill every homesteader should learn. We do not recommend that lye be used for food production due to the inherent risks, and extreme caution should be exercised at all times when working with lye. When used with proper care, however, lye is a powerful tool to reduce your dependence on the outside world.
Practical Answers Technical Information Online Soap Making
from here
Introduction
Making simple plain soap is relatively easy and involves basic equipment. However, there are certain hazards to workers when making soap which any potential producer must be aware of. This Technical Brief describes the procedures needed to make a variety of simple soaps and includes a number of recipes for different types of soap.
Ingredients
There are three main ingredients in plain soap - oil or fat (oil is simply liquid fat), lye (or alkali) and water. Other ingredients may be added to give the soap a pleasant odour or colour, or to improve its skin-softening qualities. Almost any fat or non-toxic oil is suitable for soap manufacture. Common types include animal fat, avocado oil and sunflower oil. Lyes can either be bought as potassium hydroxide (caustic potash) or from sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), or if they are not available, made from ashes. Some soaps are better made using soft water, and for these it is necessary to either use rainwater or add borax to tap water. Each of the above chemicals is usually available from pharmacies in larger towns.
Caution !
Lye is extremely caustic. It causes burns if splashed on the skin and can cause blindness if splashed into the eye. If drunk, they can be fatal. Care is needed when handling lye and 'green' (uncured) soap. Details of the precautions that should be taken are given below.
Because of these dangers, keep small children away from the processing room while soap is being made.
How to make lye from ashes
Fit a tap near to the bottom of a large (e.g. 250 litre) container, barrel or tub. Do not use aluminium because the lye will corrode it and the soap will be contaminated. Make a filter inside, around the tap hole, using several bricks or stones covered with straw. Fill the tub with ashes and pour boiling water over them until water begins to run from the tap. Then shut the tap and let the ashes soak. The ashes will settle to less than one quarter of their original volume, and as they settle, add more ashes until the tub is full again. Ashes from any burned plant material are suitable, but those from banana leaf/stem make the strongest lye, and those from apple wood make the whitest soap.
If a big barrel is not available, or smaller amounts of soap are to be made, a porcelain bowl or plastic bucket can be used. Fill the bucket with ashes and add boiling water, stirring to wet the ashes. Add more ashes to fill the bucket to the top, add more water and stir again. Let the ashes stand for 12 - 24 hours, or until the liquid is clear, then carefully pour off the clear lye.
The longer the water stands before being drawn off, the stronger the lye will be. Usually a few hours will be enough. Lye that is able to cause a fresh egg to float can be used as a standard strength for soap-making. The strength of the lye does not need to always be the same, because it combines with the fat in a fixed proportion. If weak lye is used, more lye can be added during the process until all the fat is made into soap (saponified).
How to make potash
Potash is made by boiling down the lye water in a heavy iron kettle. After the water is driven off, a dark, dry residue remains which is known as known as 'black salts'. This is then heated until it melts and the black impurities are burned away to leave a greyish-white substance. This is potash. It can be stored for future soapmaking in a moisture-proof pot to prevent it absorbing water from the air.
How to make soda lye and caustic soda
Mix 1 part quicklime with 3 parts water to make a liquid that has the consistency of cream. Dissolve 3 parts sal soda in 5 parts boiling water, and add the lime cream, stirring vigorously. Allow the mixture to boil until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Then allow it to cool and settle, and pour off the lye. Discard the dregs in the bottom. Caustic soda is produced by boiling down the lye until the water is evaporated and a dry, white residue is left in the kettle. Most commercial lye is caustic soda, and it can be bought and substituted for homemade lye to save time. Lye is supplied in tins and the lid should be kept tightly fitted to stop the lye absorbing water from the air and forming a solid lump.
Care with lye, potash and caustic soda
You should always take precautions when handling these materials as they are dangerous. Be especially careful when adding them to cold water, when stirring lye water, and when pouring the liquid soap into moulds. Lye produces harmful fumes, so stand back and avert your head while the lye is dissolving. Do not breathe lye fumes. Use rubber gloves and plastic safety goggles. You should also wear an apron or overalls to protect your clothes. If lye splashes onto the skin or into your eyes, wash it off immediately with plenty of cold water.
When lye is added to water the chemical reaction quickly heats the water. Never add lye to hot water because it can boil over and scald your skin. Never add water to lye because it could react violently and splash over you. Always add the lye to the water in small quantities at a time.
How to prepare tallow
Cut up beef suet (fat), mutton fat or pork scraps and heat them over a low heat. Strain the melted fat through a coarse cloth, and squeeze as much fat as possible out of the scraps.
Clean the melted fat by boiling it in water. Use twice as much water as fat, add a tablespoon of salt per 5 kg fat, and boil for ten minutes, stirring thoroughly all the time. Allow it to cool and form a hard cake of fat on top of the water. Lift off the cake of fat and scrape the underside clean. This is then ready to store or use in a soap recipe.
How to prepare oil
Vegetable oils can be extracted from oilseeds, nuts or some types of fruit (see the separate Technical Brief on 'Oil Extraction'). Oil can be used alone or mixed with fat or other types of oil. Note: solid fats and 'saturated' oils (coconut, oil palm, palm kernel) are more suitable for soap making. 'Unsaturated' oils (e.g. safflower, sunflower) may produce soap that is too soft if used alone (see Table 2) and are not recommended.
Soap making
There are two types of soap: soft soap and hard soap. Soft soap can be made using either a cold process or a hot process, but hard soap can only be made using a hot process. To make any soap it is necessary to dilute the lye, mix it with the fat or oil, and stir the mixture until saponification takes place. In the processes described below, the word 'fat' is used to mean either fat or oil. The cold process may require several days or even months, depending upon the strength and purity of the ingredients, whereas the hot process takes place within a few minutes to a few hours.
Dispose of soap-making wastes carefully outside the house. Do not put them in the drain.
Fats Oils
Goat fat Canola
Lanolin Coconut
Lard Cottonseed
Mutton fat Palm
Pork fat Palm kernel
Suet Soybean
Tallow
Table 1 : Types of fats and oils used in soapmaking
Soft soap
Cold process
A simple recipe for soft soap uses 12 kg of fat, 9 kg of potash and 26 litres of water. Dissolve the potash in the water and add it to the fat in a wooden tub or barrel. For the next 3 days, stir it vigorously for about 3 minutes several times a day, using a long wooden stick or paddle. Keep the paddle in the mixture to prevent anyone accidentally touching it and being burned. In a month or so the soap is free from lumps and has a uniform jelly-like consistency. When stirred it has a silky lustre and trails off the paddle in slender threads. Then the soap is ready to use and should be kept in a covered container.
Boiling process
Soft soap is also made by boiling diluted lye with fat until saponification takes place. Using the same amounts as above, put the fat into a soap kettle, add sufficient lye to melt the fat and heat it without burning. The froth that forms as the mixture cooks is caused by excess water, and the soap must be heated until the excess water evaporates. Continue to heat and add more lye until all the fat is saponified. Beat the froth with the paddle and when it ceases to rise, the soap falls lower in the kettle and takes on a darker colour. White bubbles appear on the surface, making a peculiar sound (the soap is said to be 'talking'). The thick liquid then becomes turbid and falls from the paddle with a shining lustre. Further lye should then be added at regular intervals until the liquid becomes a uniformly clear slime. The soap is fully saponified when it is thick and creamy, with a slightly slimy texture. After cooling, it does not harden and is ready to use.
To test whether the soap is properly made, put a few drops from the middle of the kettle onto a plate to cool. If it remains clear when cool it is ready. However, if there is not enough lye the drop of soap is weak and grey. If the deficiency is not so great, there may be a grey margin around the outside of the drop. If too much lye has been added, a grey skin will spread over the whole drop. It will not be sticky, but can be slid along the plate while wet. In this case the soap is overdone and more fat must be added.
Hard soap
The method for making hard soap is similar to that for making soft soap by the boiling process, but with additional steps to separate water, glycerine, excess alkali and other impurities from the soap. The method requires three kettles: two small kettles to hold the lye and the fat, and one large enough to contain both ingredients without boiling over.
Put the clean fat in a small kettle with enough water or weak lye to prevent burning, and raise the temperature to boiling. Put the diluted lye in the other small kettle and heat it to boiling. Heat the large kettle, and ladle in about one quarter of the melted fat. Add an equal amount of the hot lye, stirring the mixture constantly. Continue this way, with one person ladling and another stirring, until about two-thirds of the fat and lye have been thoroughly mixed together. At this stage the mixture should be uniform with the consistency of cream. A few drops cooled on a glass plate should show neither separate globules of oil or water droplets. Continue boiling and add the remainder of the fat and lye alternately, taking care that there is no excess lye at the end of the process. Boiled hard soaps have saponified when the mixture is thick and ropy and slides off the paddle.
Up to this point, the process is similar to boiling soft soap, but the important difference in making hard soap is the addition of salt at this point. This is the means by which the creamy emulsion of oils and lye is broken up. The salt has a stronger affinity for water than it has for soap, and it therefore takes the water and causes the soap to separate. The soap then rises to the surface of the lye in granules and looks like milk curd. The spent lye contains glycerine, salt and other impurities, but no fat or alkali. Pour the honey-thick mixture into soap moulds or shallow wooden boxes, over which loose pieces of cloth have been placed to stop the soap from sticking. Alternatively, the soap may be poured into a tub which has been soaked overnight in water, to cool and solidify. Do not use an aluminium container because the soap will corrode it. Cover the moulds or tub with sacks to keep the heat in, and let it set for 2 - 3 days.
When cold the soap may be cut into smaller bars with a smooth, hard cord or a fine wire. It is possible to use a knife, but care is needed because it chips the soap. Stack the bars loosely on slatted wooden shelves in a cool, dry place and leave them for at least 3 weeks to season and become thoroughly dry and hard.
Be careful! Uncured or 'green' soap is caustic since the lye has not reacted fully with the fat and neutralised it. This is known as the curing process. Wear rubber gloves when handling the hardened soap until it has been cured for a few weeks.
Difficulties involved with the soapmaking process
Problems that can occur in soapmaking and their possible causes are described in Table 2 :
Problem Possible causes
Soap will not thicken quickly Not enough lye, too much water, temperature too low, not
enough stirred enough or too slowly, too much unsaturated oil (e.g.
sunflower or safflower).
Mixture curdles while stirring Fat and/or lye at too high temperature, not stirred enough or
too slowly.
Mixture sets too quickly, while in Fat and lye temperatures too high.
the kettle
Mixture is grainy Fat and lye temperature too hot or too cold, not stirred enough
or too slowly.
Layer of oil forms on soap as it Too much fat in recipe or not enough lye.
cools
Clear liquid in soap when it is cut Too much lye in recipe, not stirred enough or too slowly.
Soft spongy soap Not enough lye, too much water, or too much unsaturated oil
Hard brittle soap Too much lye
Soap smells rancid Poor quality fat, too much fat or not enough lye.
Air bubbles in soap Stirred too long
Mottled soap Not stirred enough or too slowly or temperature fluctuations
during curing.
Soap separates in mould, greasy surface layer on soap Not enough lye, not boiled for long enough, not stirred enough or too slowly
White powder on cured soap Hard water, lye not dissolved properly, reaction with air.
Warped bars Drying conditions variable.
To improve hard soap
Better-quality soap may be made by re-melting the product of the first boiling and adding more fats or oils and lye as needed, then boil the whole until saponification is complete. The time required for this final step will depend on the strength of the lye, but 2 - 4 hours' boiling is usually necessary. If pure grained fat and good quality white lye are used, the resulting product will be a pure, hard white soap that is suitable for all household purposes. Dyes, essences or essential oils can be added to the soap at the end of the boiling to colour it or to mask the 'fatty lye' smell and give a pleasant odour.
Hard soap recipes
The simplest and cheapest type of soap is plain laundry soap, but a few inexpensive ingredients can be used to soften the water or to perfume the product and create fine toilet soaps too. The following recipes are a few examples of easily made soaps. There are many more recipes in the information sources given at the end of this Technical Brief.
Simple kitchen soap
Dissolve 1 can of commercial lye in 5 cups cold water and allow it to cool. Meanwhile mix 2 tablespoons each of powdered borax and liquid ammonia in ½ cup water. Melt 3 kg fat, strain it and allow it to cool to body temperature. Pour the warm fat into the lye water and while beating the mixture, gradually add the borax and ammonia mixture. Stir for about 10 - 15 minutes until an emulsion is formed, and pour the mixture into a mould to cool.
Boiled hard white soap
Dissolve 0.5 kg potash lye in 5 litres of cold water. Let mixture stand overnight, then pour the clear liquid into a second 5 litres of hot water and bring it to a boil. Pour in 2 kg of hot melted fat in a thin stream, stirring constantly until an emulsion is formed. Simmer for 4 - 6 hours with regular stirring, and then add 5 litres of hot water in which 1 cup of salt is dissolved. Test to ensure that the mixture is saponified by lifting it on a cold knife blade, to ensure that it is ropey and clear.
Labour-saving soap
Dissolve 0.5 kg soda lye and 1 kg yellow bar soap cut into thin slices in 12 litres of water. Boil for 2 hours and then strain. Clothes soaked overnight in a solution of this soap need no rubbing. Merely rinse them out and they will be clean and white.
English bar soap
Use 5 litres of soft water, 0.5 kg of ground (or agricultural) lime, 1.75 kg soda lye, 30g borax, 1 kg tallow, 0.7 kg pulverised rosin and 14g beeswax. First bring the water to a boil, and then gradually add the lime and soda, stirring vigorously. Add the borax, boil and stir until it is dissolved. Pour in the melted tallow in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Add the rosin and beeswax, and boil and stir until it thickens. Cool in moulds.
Transparent soap
Any good quality white soap may be made transparent by reducing it to shavings, adding one part alcohol to 2 parts soap, and leaving the mixture in a warm place until the soap is dissolved. It may be perfumed as desired.
Bouquet soap
Shave 14 kg tallow soap and melt it in 2 cups water. When it is cool, add 14g essence of bergamot, 30g each of oils of cloves, sassafras and thyme. Pour it into moulds.
Cinnamon soap
Shave 23 kg tallow soap and melt it over a low heat in 1.2 litres water. Cool and add 200g oil of cinnamon and 30g each of essences of sassafras and bergamot. Mix and add 0.5 kg finely powdered yellow ochre. Mix well and pour into moulds.
Citron soap
Mix 180g shaved soap with 300g attar of citron, 15g lemon oil, 120g attar of bergamot and 60g attar of lemon.
Medicated soaps
Camphor soap
Dissolve 0.5 kg hard white soap in 1 cup boiling water. Continue boiling over a low heat until the soap is the consistency of butter. Add 180g olive oil, mixed with 30g camphorated oil. Remove it from the heat and beat until an emulsion forms. This soap can be used to clean cuts and scratches.
Sulphur soap
Shave 60g soft soap and add 8g Flowers of Sulphur. Perfume and colour may be added as desired. Mix the ingredients thoroughly in earthenware bowl.
Iodine soap
Dissolve 0.5 kg white, finely shaved soap in 90g distilled water or rose water. Add 30g tincture of iodine. Put in double boiler, melt and mix by stirring.
Glossary
Lye, Lye water, potash lye - interchangeable terms for alkali made from wood ashes soaked in water
Potash (caustic potash) - lye water evaporated to a powder.
Lime (or stone lime) - ground or agricultural limestone.
Quicklime - lime that has been baked.
Soda lye - quicklime slaked in water and heated with soda.
Soda - hydrated sodium carbonate.
Caustic soda - soda lye evaporated to a powder.
Commercial lye - usually caustic soda and is the equivalent of 'lye' in most recipes.
Equipment list
The following equipment is needed to make soap:
1. a large iron soap kettle for making soap in commercial quantities.
2. a long-handled wooden ladle to stir the soap.
3. a kitchen grater or a meat grinder to make soap flakes for laundry use or to grind soap
for some recipes.
4. flat wooden boxes, moulds or tubes, cut plastic bottles or plastic tubs, to mould the soap.
5. pieces of cloth to stop the soap sticking to the wooden moulds.
6. a plate on which to cool and test a few drops of the liquid soap.
Introduction
Making simple plain soap is relatively easy and involves basic equipment. However, there are certain hazards to workers when making soap which any potential producer must be aware of. This Technical Brief describes the procedures needed to make a variety of simple soaps and includes a number of recipes for different types of soap.
Ingredients
There are three main ingredients in plain soap - oil or fat (oil is simply liquid fat), lye (or alkali) and water. Other ingredients may be added to give the soap a pleasant odour or colour, or to improve its skin-softening qualities. Almost any fat or non-toxic oil is suitable for soap manufacture. Common types include animal fat, avocado oil and sunflower oil. Lyes can either be bought as potassium hydroxide (caustic potash) or from sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), or if they are not available, made from ashes. Some soaps are better made using soft water, and for these it is necessary to either use rainwater or add borax to tap water. Each of the above chemicals is usually available from pharmacies in larger towns.
Caution !
Lye is extremely caustic. It causes burns if splashed on the skin and can cause blindness if splashed into the eye. If drunk, they can be fatal. Care is needed when handling lye and 'green' (uncured) soap. Details of the precautions that should be taken are given below.
Because of these dangers, keep small children away from the processing room while soap is being made.
How to make lye from ashes
Fit a tap near to the bottom of a large (e.g. 250 litre) container, barrel or tub. Do not use aluminium because the lye will corrode it and the soap will be contaminated. Make a filter inside, around the tap hole, using several bricks or stones covered with straw. Fill the tub with ashes and pour boiling water over them until water begins to run from the tap. Then shut the tap and let the ashes soak. The ashes will settle to less than one quarter of their original volume, and as they settle, add more ashes until the tub is full again. Ashes from any burned plant material are suitable, but those from banana leaf/stem make the strongest lye, and those from apple wood make the whitest soap.
If a big barrel is not available, or smaller amounts of soap are to be made, a porcelain bowl or plastic bucket can be used. Fill the bucket with ashes and add boiling water, stirring to wet the ashes. Add more ashes to fill the bucket to the top, add more water and stir again. Let the ashes stand for 12 - 24 hours, or until the liquid is clear, then carefully pour off the clear lye.
The longer the water stands before being drawn off, the stronger the lye will be. Usually a few hours will be enough. Lye that is able to cause a fresh egg to float can be used as a standard strength for soap-making. The strength of the lye does not need to always be the same, because it combines with the fat in a fixed proportion. If weak lye is used, more lye can be added during the process until all the fat is made into soap (saponified).
How to make potash
Potash is made by boiling down the lye water in a heavy iron kettle. After the water is driven off, a dark, dry residue remains which is known as known as 'black salts'. This is then heated until it melts and the black impurities are burned away to leave a greyish-white substance. This is potash. It can be stored for future soapmaking in a moisture-proof pot to prevent it absorbing water from the air.
How to make soda lye and caustic soda
Mix 1 part quicklime with 3 parts water to make a liquid that has the consistency of cream. Dissolve 3 parts sal soda in 5 parts boiling water, and add the lime cream, stirring vigorously. Allow the mixture to boil until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Then allow it to cool and settle, and pour off the lye. Discard the dregs in the bottom. Caustic soda is produced by boiling down the lye until the water is evaporated and a dry, white residue is left in the kettle. Most commercial lye is caustic soda, and it can be bought and substituted for homemade lye to save time. Lye is supplied in tins and the lid should be kept tightly fitted to stop the lye absorbing water from the air and forming a solid lump.
Care with lye, potash and caustic soda
You should always take precautions when handling these materials as they are dangerous. Be especially careful when adding them to cold water, when stirring lye water, and when pouring the liquid soap into moulds. Lye produces harmful fumes, so stand back and avert your head while the lye is dissolving. Do not breathe lye fumes. Use rubber gloves and plastic safety goggles. You should also wear an apron or overalls to protect your clothes. If lye splashes onto the skin or into your eyes, wash it off immediately with plenty of cold water.
When lye is added to water the chemical reaction quickly heats the water. Never add lye to hot water because it can boil over and scald your skin. Never add water to lye because it could react violently and splash over you. Always add the lye to the water in small quantities at a time.
How to prepare tallow
Cut up beef suet (fat), mutton fat or pork scraps and heat them over a low heat. Strain the melted fat through a coarse cloth, and squeeze as much fat as possible out of the scraps.
Clean the melted fat by boiling it in water. Use twice as much water as fat, add a tablespoon of salt per 5 kg fat, and boil for ten minutes, stirring thoroughly all the time. Allow it to cool and form a hard cake of fat on top of the water. Lift off the cake of fat and scrape the underside clean. This is then ready to store or use in a soap recipe.
How to prepare oil
Vegetable oils can be extracted from oilseeds, nuts or some types of fruit (see the separate Technical Brief on 'Oil Extraction'). Oil can be used alone or mixed with fat or other types of oil. Note: solid fats and 'saturated' oils (coconut, oil palm, palm kernel) are more suitable for soap making. 'Unsaturated' oils (e.g. safflower, sunflower) may produce soap that is too soft if used alone (see Table 2) and are not recommended.
Soap making
There are two types of soap: soft soap and hard soap. Soft soap can be made using either a cold process or a hot process, but hard soap can only be made using a hot process. To make any soap it is necessary to dilute the lye, mix it with the fat or oil, and stir the mixture until saponification takes place. In the processes described below, the word 'fat' is used to mean either fat or oil. The cold process may require several days or even months, depending upon the strength and purity of the ingredients, whereas the hot process takes place within a few minutes to a few hours.
Dispose of soap-making wastes carefully outside the house. Do not put them in the drain.
Fats Oils
Goat fat Canola
Lanolin Coconut
Lard Cottonseed
Mutton fat Palm
Pork fat Palm kernel
Suet Soybean
Tallow
Table 1 : Types of fats and oils used in soapmaking
Soft soap
Cold process
A simple recipe for soft soap uses 12 kg of fat, 9 kg of potash and 26 litres of water. Dissolve the potash in the water and add it to the fat in a wooden tub or barrel. For the next 3 days, stir it vigorously for about 3 minutes several times a day, using a long wooden stick or paddle. Keep the paddle in the mixture to prevent anyone accidentally touching it and being burned. In a month or so the soap is free from lumps and has a uniform jelly-like consistency. When stirred it has a silky lustre and trails off the paddle in slender threads. Then the soap is ready to use and should be kept in a covered container.
Boiling process
Soft soap is also made by boiling diluted lye with fat until saponification takes place. Using the same amounts as above, put the fat into a soap kettle, add sufficient lye to melt the fat and heat it without burning. The froth that forms as the mixture cooks is caused by excess water, and the soap must be heated until the excess water evaporates. Continue to heat and add more lye until all the fat is saponified. Beat the froth with the paddle and when it ceases to rise, the soap falls lower in the kettle and takes on a darker colour. White bubbles appear on the surface, making a peculiar sound (the soap is said to be 'talking'). The thick liquid then becomes turbid and falls from the paddle with a shining lustre. Further lye should then be added at regular intervals until the liquid becomes a uniformly clear slime. The soap is fully saponified when it is thick and creamy, with a slightly slimy texture. After cooling, it does not harden and is ready to use.
To test whether the soap is properly made, put a few drops from the middle of the kettle onto a plate to cool. If it remains clear when cool it is ready. However, if there is not enough lye the drop of soap is weak and grey. If the deficiency is not so great, there may be a grey margin around the outside of the drop. If too much lye has been added, a grey skin will spread over the whole drop. It will not be sticky, but can be slid along the plate while wet. In this case the soap is overdone and more fat must be added.
Hard soap
The method for making hard soap is similar to that for making soft soap by the boiling process, but with additional steps to separate water, glycerine, excess alkali and other impurities from the soap. The method requires three kettles: two small kettles to hold the lye and the fat, and one large enough to contain both ingredients without boiling over.
Put the clean fat in a small kettle with enough water or weak lye to prevent burning, and raise the temperature to boiling. Put the diluted lye in the other small kettle and heat it to boiling. Heat the large kettle, and ladle in about one quarter of the melted fat. Add an equal amount of the hot lye, stirring the mixture constantly. Continue this way, with one person ladling and another stirring, until about two-thirds of the fat and lye have been thoroughly mixed together. At this stage the mixture should be uniform with the consistency of cream. A few drops cooled on a glass plate should show neither separate globules of oil or water droplets. Continue boiling and add the remainder of the fat and lye alternately, taking care that there is no excess lye at the end of the process. Boiled hard soaps have saponified when the mixture is thick and ropy and slides off the paddle.
Up to this point, the process is similar to boiling soft soap, but the important difference in making hard soap is the addition of salt at this point. This is the means by which the creamy emulsion of oils and lye is broken up. The salt has a stronger affinity for water than it has for soap, and it therefore takes the water and causes the soap to separate. The soap then rises to the surface of the lye in granules and looks like milk curd. The spent lye contains glycerine, salt and other impurities, but no fat or alkali. Pour the honey-thick mixture into soap moulds or shallow wooden boxes, over which loose pieces of cloth have been placed to stop the soap from sticking. Alternatively, the soap may be poured into a tub which has been soaked overnight in water, to cool and solidify. Do not use an aluminium container because the soap will corrode it. Cover the moulds or tub with sacks to keep the heat in, and let it set for 2 - 3 days.
When cold the soap may be cut into smaller bars with a smooth, hard cord or a fine wire. It is possible to use a knife, but care is needed because it chips the soap. Stack the bars loosely on slatted wooden shelves in a cool, dry place and leave them for at least 3 weeks to season and become thoroughly dry and hard.
Be careful! Uncured or 'green' soap is caustic since the lye has not reacted fully with the fat and neutralised it. This is known as the curing process. Wear rubber gloves when handling the hardened soap until it has been cured for a few weeks.
Difficulties involved with the soapmaking process
Problems that can occur in soapmaking and their possible causes are described in Table 2 :
Problem Possible causes
Soap will not thicken quickly Not enough lye, too much water, temperature too low, not
enough stirred enough or too slowly, too much unsaturated oil (e.g.
sunflower or safflower).
Mixture curdles while stirring Fat and/or lye at too high temperature, not stirred enough or
too slowly.
Mixture sets too quickly, while in Fat and lye temperatures too high.
the kettle
Mixture is grainy Fat and lye temperature too hot or too cold, not stirred enough
or too slowly.
Layer of oil forms on soap as it Too much fat in recipe or not enough lye.
cools
Clear liquid in soap when it is cut Too much lye in recipe, not stirred enough or too slowly.
Soft spongy soap Not enough lye, too much water, or too much unsaturated oil
Hard brittle soap Too much lye
Soap smells rancid Poor quality fat, too much fat or not enough lye.
Air bubbles in soap Stirred too long
Mottled soap Not stirred enough or too slowly or temperature fluctuations
during curing.
Soap separates in mould, greasy surface layer on soap Not enough lye, not boiled for long enough, not stirred enough or too slowly
White powder on cured soap Hard water, lye not dissolved properly, reaction with air.
Warped bars Drying conditions variable.
To improve hard soap
Better-quality soap may be made by re-melting the product of the first boiling and adding more fats or oils and lye as needed, then boil the whole until saponification is complete. The time required for this final step will depend on the strength of the lye, but 2 - 4 hours' boiling is usually necessary. If pure grained fat and good quality white lye are used, the resulting product will be a pure, hard white soap that is suitable for all household purposes. Dyes, essences or essential oils can be added to the soap at the end of the boiling to colour it or to mask the 'fatty lye' smell and give a pleasant odour.
Hard soap recipes
The simplest and cheapest type of soap is plain laundry soap, but a few inexpensive ingredients can be used to soften the water or to perfume the product and create fine toilet soaps too. The following recipes are a few examples of easily made soaps. There are many more recipes in the information sources given at the end of this Technical Brief.
Simple kitchen soap
Dissolve 1 can of commercial lye in 5 cups cold water and allow it to cool. Meanwhile mix 2 tablespoons each of powdered borax and liquid ammonia in ½ cup water. Melt 3 kg fat, strain it and allow it to cool to body temperature. Pour the warm fat into the lye water and while beating the mixture, gradually add the borax and ammonia mixture. Stir for about 10 - 15 minutes until an emulsion is formed, and pour the mixture into a mould to cool.
Boiled hard white soap
Dissolve 0.5 kg potash lye in 5 litres of cold water. Let mixture stand overnight, then pour the clear liquid into a second 5 litres of hot water and bring it to a boil. Pour in 2 kg of hot melted fat in a thin stream, stirring constantly until an emulsion is formed. Simmer for 4 - 6 hours with regular stirring, and then add 5 litres of hot water in which 1 cup of salt is dissolved. Test to ensure that the mixture is saponified by lifting it on a cold knife blade, to ensure that it is ropey and clear.
Labour-saving soap
Dissolve 0.5 kg soda lye and 1 kg yellow bar soap cut into thin slices in 12 litres of water. Boil for 2 hours and then strain. Clothes soaked overnight in a solution of this soap need no rubbing. Merely rinse them out and they will be clean and white.
English bar soap
Use 5 litres of soft water, 0.5 kg of ground (or agricultural) lime, 1.75 kg soda lye, 30g borax, 1 kg tallow, 0.7 kg pulverised rosin and 14g beeswax. First bring the water to a boil, and then gradually add the lime and soda, stirring vigorously. Add the borax, boil and stir until it is dissolved. Pour in the melted tallow in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Add the rosin and beeswax, and boil and stir until it thickens. Cool in moulds.
Transparent soap
Any good quality white soap may be made transparent by reducing it to shavings, adding one part alcohol to 2 parts soap, and leaving the mixture in a warm place until the soap is dissolved. It may be perfumed as desired.
Bouquet soap
Shave 14 kg tallow soap and melt it in 2 cups water. When it is cool, add 14g essence of bergamot, 30g each of oils of cloves, sassafras and thyme. Pour it into moulds.
Cinnamon soap
Shave 23 kg tallow soap and melt it over a low heat in 1.2 litres water. Cool and add 200g oil of cinnamon and 30g each of essences of sassafras and bergamot. Mix and add 0.5 kg finely powdered yellow ochre. Mix well and pour into moulds.
Citron soap
Mix 180g shaved soap with 300g attar of citron, 15g lemon oil, 120g attar of bergamot and 60g attar of lemon.
Medicated soaps
Camphor soap
Dissolve 0.5 kg hard white soap in 1 cup boiling water. Continue boiling over a low heat until the soap is the consistency of butter. Add 180g olive oil, mixed with 30g camphorated oil. Remove it from the heat and beat until an emulsion forms. This soap can be used to clean cuts and scratches.
Sulphur soap
Shave 60g soft soap and add 8g Flowers of Sulphur. Perfume and colour may be added as desired. Mix the ingredients thoroughly in earthenware bowl.
Iodine soap
Dissolve 0.5 kg white, finely shaved soap in 90g distilled water or rose water. Add 30g tincture of iodine. Put in double boiler, melt and mix by stirring.
Glossary
Lye, Lye water, potash lye - interchangeable terms for alkali made from wood ashes soaked in water
Potash (caustic potash) - lye water evaporated to a powder.
Lime (or stone lime) - ground or agricultural limestone.
Quicklime - lime that has been baked.
Soda lye - quicklime slaked in water and heated with soda.
Soda - hydrated sodium carbonate.
Caustic soda - soda lye evaporated to a powder.
Commercial lye - usually caustic soda and is the equivalent of 'lye' in most recipes.
Equipment list
The following equipment is needed to make soap:
1. a large iron soap kettle for making soap in commercial quantities.
2. a long-handled wooden ladle to stir the soap.
3. a kitchen grater or a meat grinder to make soap flakes for laundry use or to grind soap
for some recipes.
4. flat wooden boxes, moulds or tubes, cut plastic bottles or plastic tubs, to mould the soap.
5. pieces of cloth to stop the soap sticking to the wooden moulds.
6. a plate on which to cool and test a few drops of the liquid soap.
Soap Making
from here
The Lye to Fat Table
Basic Instructions
Soap making is not hard to do if you are armed with just a little bit of information. Read this page carefully and you shouldn’t have any problems.
Water: For best results, use rain, distilled or soft water. You should generally use 6 oz of water to 16 oz of fat. Another way to figure the same thing is: water wt=fat wt X 0.38. Don't worry too much about getting it exact, however, as this measurement isn't terribly critical.
Lye: You should know a little bit about lye, sodium hydroxide. Lye is a very strong base and if you get it on you, you will find it's bad stuff. (Be sure to store lye where kids or pets can NEVER get at it.) You must use care in determining what utensils and mixing containers you use when handling lye. Use wooden or plastic spoons and enameled, plastic or glass bowls for mixing. (Lye will eat up Aluminum in a hurry. Also, lye instantly and permanently takes the shine off Formica. Formica is so sensitive to lye that it left timeless streaks across the table where I wiped a few dry crystals off with my hand. Now, with our table top and kitchen counter top ruined, Brendy ushers me outside when I mix my lye.) You would be wise to wear eye protection and rubber gloves when handling the lye crystals or the lye solution after you have mixed it into the water.
Dissolve lye in cold water. Never pour the water into the lye or it could possibly explode all over the place. If you don’t stir it immediately as you pour the lye into the water, the lye will settle to the bottom and quickly solidify. This isn’t a problem as tapping it with the stirring utensil will break it up. As you mix it a chemical reaction takes place between the lye and the water, heating it up. If you are making a large batch of soap, the lye can possibly start the water boiling - with little droplets of lye water splattering all over the place. If this starts happening, stop stirring it until the bubbling stops. Generally, it doesn’t take more than a minute to dissolve the lye crystals in the water. You know this has happened as the water will become relatively clear. The lye water will now have to cool below 100 degrees F before pouring in the fat.
Fats and Oils used in soap making. In my experiments I have learned almost any fat or oil can be used to make soap. Fats for soap making include animal fats such as tallow (fat from beef), lard (fat from pork), and the various plant derived oils. Traditionally animal fat has been used, with beef tallow making the best soap, pork lard in the middle, and chicken fat the worst. It's generally accepted that the harder fats make better soap.
There are a multitude of fats and they each bring their own unique qualities to soap. If you want to know what a particular fat will do, make a small batch of only that fat and see what it does. Armed with this knowledge you can mix fats to give your soaps the qualities you want. And this is how soap recipes are born.
Whatever type of fat or oil you use, you must ensure it is clean and free of impurities. It shouldn’t be rancid, have excess salt in it, or any solid particles.
Rancid and dirty fat can be cleaned by boiling it for a few minutes in a large pot with four parts water to one part fat. Set it aside and let it cool. After it has solidified, remove the fat from the pot in one piece. One way to do this is to run hot water around the outside of the pot, melting a thin layer of fat next to the pan. It should then slide out. Scrape all the foreign matter off the bottom of the fat. If it is still dirty, repeat the cleaning process again. It is also fairly easy to render your own fat.
What are your best fats for soap making? Amazingly, the soap making professionals feel that lard beats tallow and vegetable oils for gentleness to your skin. However, soap made with 100% lard doesn't lather very well. But it cleans beautifully. There is a predominant idea today that you have to get bubbles for the soap to do it's job. Soap making professionals have told me this is not the case. But if you want bubbles, you can have the kind of bubbles you want by using different oils.
Different Fats that create bubbles:
Coconut Oil gives big, fluffy bubbles. 100% coconut oil soap is sometimes used around maritime operations as it will even lather in sea water.
Olive oil gives very fine, silky bubbles.
In your soap making, use at least 25% of these fats as part of your overall fats to get the desired effect you are seeking.
Saponification (Sap) Value: Each fat requires a different amount of lye to change the fat to soap. See the Lye to Fat Ratio Table soaptable for a short discussion on this and a listing of different fats and the lye required to convert them to soap.
The temperature of the fat you pour into the lye water is important. It needs to be a bit above it’s melting point. This is 130 degrees F for beef tallow, or 85 degrees F for pork lard, or about the same temperature for vegetable oil.
Mixing: With the lye water and fat at the right temperature, gently pour the fat into the lye water. Stir gently, pulling the lye water up through the fat. This may take several minutes. You should insulate your mixing pot with old rags, etc, to prevent the fat from hardening before the process is complete.
Saponification and it's role in the mixing process: Simply stated, saponification is the name for the chemical process that happens between lye and fat as they turn into soap. It doesn't happen all at once, but actually takes days to complete. There are different levels of this process, and the most important one for you to know about is the "Trace" stage. This is the point at which your soap has thickened up somewhat. As you let the soap run off your mixing spoon back into the mixture, the falling soap stays on top and doesn't blend in, but leaves it's "trace" mark on top. Another way to know when trace occurs is it's thickness, much like the thickness of pudding after you have mixed it.
It can take a long time to get your soap to the trace stage depending on the type of fat you are using. The lighter the fat (or oil) you are using the longer it will take for it to trace. You can expect a wait of anywhere from 30 minutes for animal fats to several hours or even days for the vegetable oils. Does this mean you need to sit and stir your soap for several hours until it traces? I don't. After mixing it for about 15 minutes, I do other things and mix it back up every 15 or 20 minutes when I happen to go by it. (You may wish to set your timer so you don't completely forget it!) I say mix it back up because as it sits it separates into two or three layers of fat and lye. And this is why you have to wait for it to trace. At the trace stage of thickness it won't separate out into layers when you put it in your setting trays or molds.
A False Trace can happen when making soap with fats that are solid at room temperature, such as tallow, lard, or shortening. If the temperature of your soap mix drops below the melting temperature of your fat, it will start to solidify. As it does, your batch will start to thicken up just like it was tracing - but it's not! To prevent this from happening, be sure that the soap you are mixing stays above the melting temperature of the fat. In fact, the warmer your soap, the quicker it will saponify (one of the reasons I like to cook it). It wouldn't hurt to keep your soap up to around 115 degrees F to speed this process along a little more quickly. At 120 degrees F lanolin will curdle your batch.
Vegetable oils can also be used for making soap. These oils are liquid at room temperature and without employing a trick or two usually require many hours of mixing before they trace.
Trick 1: Use a blender. The more finely the lye and fat molecules are intermixed the faster it will saponify. Hours (and even days, sometimes) can be reduced by using a blender. Don't use an upright blender unless you don't mind millions of tiny air bubbles being permanently whipped into your soap. Use the hand-held type instead. With one of these, even your most stubborn oils should trace within 20 minutes. And you will get a trace with animal fats within seconds. Anyone who has sat around for hours stirring a batch of soap will be ecstatic with this.
Trick 2: Cook it. There are a couple of processes that I have developed myself yet are rather unorthodox. And this is one of them. If you don't have a blender, perhaps cooking your soap is for you. After it has cooled, pour or spoon it into the soap mold or tray and treat it like you would for the no-cook recipes. Even though it has been cooked, the chemical reaction that slowly turns vegetable fats into soap will take much longer than for soap made with animal fat that has been cooked. But I expect you will be just as pleased with your finished product.
When your soap has traced you can add
your superfatting, coloring and perfume oils.
Superfatting oil: When your soap gets to it's trace stage, the saponification process is around 90% complete. Fat added at this point makes your soap softer. There is a reason why the superfatting fat is added after tracing instead of at the beginning with all the other fats. If it was added at the beginning you wouldn't have any control over which fat or oil ended up as your 'free fat' as all fats would saponify together. This is presupposing you are going to superfat with a different fat or oil than you used to make your soap with. Exotic oils are generally used in superfatting. They are added at trace to give the benefit of their desirable qualities without having to use so much that it empties your wallet. A good rule of thumb is to use 1 oz. per pound of total fat used in the recipe. (That's one part superfatting oil to 16 parts total fat.) Let me list just 2 of the more common superfatting oils:
Avocado Oil: Feels very soft to the skin and makes an excellent shaving soap.
Cocoa Butter: Makes a hard bar. It smells and looks nice, but doesn't lather.
Coloring Dyes: Several things are used to color soap. Approved items are clays, mineral pigments and spices. You can get these items from soap supply companies. Moving back into the area of unorthodoxy again, I color all my soap with a piece of crayola. Be aware that crayola as a wax isn't approved for skin use. If you are going to use a crayon to color your soap, don't sell it. The Gov. will get upset if they find you. Just because it isn't approved, it doesn't mean that it's bad, however. After all, it's only wax! We eat tons of it in chocolate.
I melt crayola into my soap after it has traced. Don't be tempted to put your crayola in at the beginning as the lye will change it's color. You may need to heat it just a little bit to get your soap up to the melting temperature of the crayola. Even adding a crayon at this late stage of mixing, you may notice a slight color shift over time. I'm excited with using crayons for another reason. I've found that my 100% lard soap will lather with only a small amount of crayon in it. How much? About 1 inch of 1/4 in. diameter crayola per pound of fat. After a bit of experimenting, I've also found the same amount of paraffin wax, another non-approved substance for skin care, will do the same thing. When adding it, be sure your soap is above the melting point of wax, then mix your already melted paraffin well into your batch. You don't have to pre-melt the crayola as it melts much easier. And the cost? A piece of crayon or a little piece of paraffin is just about free compared to the cost of coconut or olive oil. It's also available just about anywhere.
Fragrance Oils: There are two types of fragrance oils, FO's (fragrance oils) and EO's (essential oils). An EO is made from a distilling process and a fragrant oil is a chemical fragrant that is steeped in alcohol. EO's are usually used in soap making as FO's have been known to seize soap, or turn it into a yucky ball that doesn't saponify correctly. EO's are much more expensive and harder to find than FO's. If it is an EO, it will most often say it on the label. You will also know it by the exorbitant cost. FOs can often be used safely at trace however. Make a small test batch first to see if your FO is going to work alright before making a big batch. Be aware that rose and cucumber FOs are notorious for seizing soap. If you want to use an FO that can possibly seize soap, you can safely use it during a rebatch.
The Setting Tray: Mrs. Mertz used a galvanized tub. Other old timers used a wooden box in the shape of a tray with a cloth laid in the bottom of it. The cloth was used to help remove the hardened soap from the tray. If you are going to use a solid tray, may I recommend plastic wrap instead of cloth as a barrier between your soap and the tray. But there is something even simpler than this. If you have any square edged, flexible plastic trays with lips at least as high as a bar of soap is wide, use this. (After the soap has hardened, a slight flexing of the tray will dislodge the soap.) When the soap begins to harden (1-3 days for the non-cook process), use a knife to section it into bars. After it has further hardened (3-7 days), remove it from the tray, and break it into bars following the knife marks made earlier. Even though your soap looks hard at this stage, it is far from done. There's a good chance it contains a bit of lye that should dissipate into the soap as the saponification process continues. This will be true so as long as you had your lye/fat ratio correct soaptable in the first place. Your soap will need to sit for 2-6 weeks, depending on the fat you used, to dry out and cure. Use litmus paper to test the lye content of your finished soap. Be sure to wash off any soda ash that has formed before testing. Soda ash has a high PH value. Your soap should be below a PH of 9 within 36-72 hours after it has traced. The closer the PH of the finished soap is to 7 the better. If your soap is over a PH of 9, let it sit around for a week or two. Hopefully as the soap continues to saponify the lye will get transformed and the PH will drop. Your soap should be below a PH of 9 before you use it. I may get some real flames on the following comment: If you don't have any litmus paper and you want to know if your soap is ready for use, taste it. Your tongue will tingle if there is still too much lye in it. Of course, you don't want to swallow this stuff. This was suggested to me as a possibility by Mrs. Mertz and also by a more contemporary soap maker who sells soap.
Final Curing and Storage: With the soap out of the tray (or molds if you have them), stack it up and set it in a warm dry place for at least two weeks. When it has fully cured, place it in a plastic bag or air tight container, and store it in a cool, dry place. You will probably notice a thin, white powdery layer on the outside of your soap. This is soda ash, and forms as a result of the carbon dioxide in the air interacting with the lye in the soap. This outer layer quickly washes off the first time you use it. "If this is a concern, cover your setting soap with plastic wrap so the air can't get to it. After saponification is pretty well complete, you can remove the air barrier to let your soap dry out." After all this, if there is still a thin layer of soda ash on your soap after it has cured, wash it off, then let the surface of your soap dry before storage.
Final Soap Making Tips:
My experience: The recipes I used left a lot to be desired. The instructions weren’t sufficiently detailed for me to really figure it all out and so I made several mistakes which I will now point out.
The first thing I had trouble with was getting the lye/water/fat ratio correct. Often the recipe simply said ‘a can of lye.’ Obviously, in yesteryear all lye cans must have been the same size. Not so any more. From analyzing several recipes both relatively modern and old, I find the lye to fat ratio in many recipes to be lye heavy. I suggest you figure the lye yourself using the fat to lye table soaptable before using a recipe. Then alter it accordingly when making your soap. Let’s not forget the 0.38 parts of water to one part fat by weight. (Water, lye and fat are the primary ingredients for all soap recipes I’ve found, and will make a good bar of soap all by themselves.) The fat to lye ratio does not have to be overly critical, however. You will end up with "soap" with fat/lye ratios from 2.4 oz (69gm) to 1oz (26gm) crystallized lye to 1 cup (8oz or 210gm) of fat. And you may actually want lye or fat heavy soap depending on what plans you have for it. Mix it:
2.4oz (69gm) lye to 1 cup (8oz or 210gm) of fat for really tuff cleaning jobs, like laundry soap. This is extremely lye heavy soap.
1.05 oz (28gm) lye to 1 cup (8oz or 210gm) fat for general hand soap
As far as 1oz (26gm) to 1 cup (8oz or 210gm) fat for a more delicate facial cleaner
Note: For those of you who do not have a way of measuring weights, my experience has been that 1 lb of lye (455gm) measures out to 1 3/4 cups (462ml). By volume, lye can weigh more or less depending on how tightly it is packed. Unless you find yourself in such unusual circumstances that you have no other option, use scales rather than volume measurements when measuring crystal lye.
Note: in playing around with the mixture ratio, I have gone as far as 6/10ths oz (17.3gm) to 1 cup fat (8oz or 210gm). This still made soap, but it was very soft and would probably go rancid if not used fairly quickly. The more lye in the soap, the harder it is. (One of my friends told me how before the days of the automatic washing machine, his mother always threw a bar of home made soap into the wash during her ‘manual wash cycle’ then pulled it out before the ‘rinse.’ The same bar of soap lasted several batches!)
The second thing I had trouble with was adding the different ingredients at the right times. I’ve created some real messes with this one. Here is a suggested order to add things:
Water
Sugar (Sugar won’t dissolve if you try to add it after the lye, or fat or oil have been mixed in, and tends to separate out when the fat is mixed in. If you cook it, it separates out at about 300 degrees in the form of very hard, dark brown scales. After making several different types of soap, I wonder why anyone ever put sugar on the recipe list in the first place. I no longer use it, and only left it on the recipe page to keep it intact with what was in the book.
Salt (ditto) It may be of interest to know that the commercial soap makers use salt to separate out the glycerin which is a natural byproduct of soap making. Then they sell it as a byproduct even though by removing it, they reduce the quality of their soap.
Ammonia (I didn’t like this in my soap. It made it smell terrible until it finally all evaporated out - then there wasn’t any in the soap any more. It was a waste of 1/4 cup of ammonia.)
Borax
Lye
Mix all your fats together before adding them to your lye water
Fat or Oil
Lanolin (Lanolin, being oil based, mixes with the fat very nicely as you melt the fat in preparation for mixing it.
Coal Oil
Lemon Juice
After Trace: All the following items are optional:
Ground Oatmeal (abrasive element)
Vitamin E This is an antioxidant, and acts as an anti-rancidity agent. Poke a hole in one end of the pill with a pin and squeeze it out into your batch.
Coloring Dyes
Superfatting Oil
Fragrance oils: To prevent the lye from eating up your perfume, you also need to add this as late as possible in the saponification process.
The third thing I had trouble with was getting it to set correctly.
Three methods of getting soap to trace have already been discussed. When I first started making soap I didn't know the first thing about "trace." Because of this, I had several failed batches until I developed a unorthodox way of setting soap that incidently is a lot faster than waiting for it to trace. This method will only work with fats that are solid at room temperature, like tallow, lard, and shortening. And you can't color or scent your soap if you do it this way as you should only add these things after tracing. Professional soap makers are leery of this method as they feel it is important to stir the batch to trace as it keeps the molecules moving. Yet I add this last method here as I have had excellent luck with it.
The Intentional False Trace: After all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, set your mixing container in cold water and continue to stir, especially the sides and bottom. I use a big spatula to do this as the fat will solidify first on the sides and bottom of the pan. This solidifying fat must be remixed into the warmer mass in the center of the pot. As the mixture cools, continue to quickly stir it while the whole batch thickens. When it gets to the consistency of thick gravy or pudding, (trace consistency) pour it into your setting tray. The idea here is to get it so thick there is no way it can separate, yet fluid enough so it will flow. With it in the setting tray, put it in the refrigerator so the fat in the soap can continue to solidify. After it is cold, take it out of the refrigerator and set it aside. Unless you make the soap during very hot weather, it won’t re-melt and separate. After a day or two it is ready to be cut into bar sized pieces. Note: Don't get confused here. If you actually traced your soap, you shouldn't put it in the refrigerator. The refrigerator is only used when you thickened your soap in cold water before tracing.
Final curing: As mentioned before, it takes soap days for the saponification process to complete, then weeks before it has cured, or all the water has finally evaporated. My experience is that it takes about 1 to 3 days for the soap to set up hard enough to cut the soap in the pan into hand soap sized bars without it melting back together again. Check it once or twice a day. You don’t want it so hard you can’t run a table knife through it. After sectioning the soap in the setting tray, leave it in the pan to further harden 3 - 5 days. You want it to be hard enough so it will maintain its shape and not break up as you are taking it out of the tray. You can’t hurt it by leaving it too long, but if you take it out too soon you can accidentally break pieces off or put big cracks in the bars that will later break. When it has cured long enough, remove the now solid soap and break it up into bars from the knife marks made earlier. If you used a solid pan lined with plastic wrap, after the soap is removed, use your finger to smooth out the small grooves made by the wrinkles in the plastic wrap. (If you wait, it will be too hard and you won’t be able to do this.) It is then stacked up and left to further dry (cure) for two or more weeks.
Using It: Even mentioning this may seem like over kill. When I first used that initial bar of lye heavy soap from my first ever attempt at soap making, I rubbed and rubbed, and didn’t hardly get anything. But I soon learned that I was just breaking it in. After I used it a few times, it was much easier to use. If you have kids, to decrease their resistance to using soap ‘you’ made, break it in first then put it out for them to use. They will hardly notice the difference.
Basic Instructions
The Lye to Fat Table
Basic Instructions
Soap making is not hard to do if you are armed with just a little bit of information. Read this page carefully and you shouldn’t have any problems.
Water: For best results, use rain, distilled or soft water. You should generally use 6 oz of water to 16 oz of fat. Another way to figure the same thing is: water wt=fat wt X 0.38. Don't worry too much about getting it exact, however, as this measurement isn't terribly critical.
Lye: You should know a little bit about lye, sodium hydroxide. Lye is a very strong base and if you get it on you, you will find it's bad stuff. (Be sure to store lye where kids or pets can NEVER get at it.) You must use care in determining what utensils and mixing containers you use when handling lye. Use wooden or plastic spoons and enameled, plastic or glass bowls for mixing. (Lye will eat up Aluminum in a hurry. Also, lye instantly and permanently takes the shine off Formica. Formica is so sensitive to lye that it left timeless streaks across the table where I wiped a few dry crystals off with my hand. Now, with our table top and kitchen counter top ruined, Brendy ushers me outside when I mix my lye.) You would be wise to wear eye protection and rubber gloves when handling the lye crystals or the lye solution after you have mixed it into the water.
Dissolve lye in cold water. Never pour the water into the lye or it could possibly explode all over the place. If you don’t stir it immediately as you pour the lye into the water, the lye will settle to the bottom and quickly solidify. This isn’t a problem as tapping it with the stirring utensil will break it up. As you mix it a chemical reaction takes place between the lye and the water, heating it up. If you are making a large batch of soap, the lye can possibly start the water boiling - with little droplets of lye water splattering all over the place. If this starts happening, stop stirring it until the bubbling stops. Generally, it doesn’t take more than a minute to dissolve the lye crystals in the water. You know this has happened as the water will become relatively clear. The lye water will now have to cool below 100 degrees F before pouring in the fat.
Fats and Oils used in soap making. In my experiments I have learned almost any fat or oil can be used to make soap. Fats for soap making include animal fats such as tallow (fat from beef), lard (fat from pork), and the various plant derived oils. Traditionally animal fat has been used, with beef tallow making the best soap, pork lard in the middle, and chicken fat the worst. It's generally accepted that the harder fats make better soap.
There are a multitude of fats and they each bring their own unique qualities to soap. If you want to know what a particular fat will do, make a small batch of only that fat and see what it does. Armed with this knowledge you can mix fats to give your soaps the qualities you want. And this is how soap recipes are born.
Whatever type of fat or oil you use, you must ensure it is clean and free of impurities. It shouldn’t be rancid, have excess salt in it, or any solid particles.
Rancid and dirty fat can be cleaned by boiling it for a few minutes in a large pot with four parts water to one part fat. Set it aside and let it cool. After it has solidified, remove the fat from the pot in one piece. One way to do this is to run hot water around the outside of the pot, melting a thin layer of fat next to the pan. It should then slide out. Scrape all the foreign matter off the bottom of the fat. If it is still dirty, repeat the cleaning process again. It is also fairly easy to render your own fat.
What are your best fats for soap making? Amazingly, the soap making professionals feel that lard beats tallow and vegetable oils for gentleness to your skin. However, soap made with 100% lard doesn't lather very well. But it cleans beautifully. There is a predominant idea today that you have to get bubbles for the soap to do it's job. Soap making professionals have told me this is not the case. But if you want bubbles, you can have the kind of bubbles you want by using different oils.
Different Fats that create bubbles:
Coconut Oil gives big, fluffy bubbles. 100% coconut oil soap is sometimes used around maritime operations as it will even lather in sea water.
Olive oil gives very fine, silky bubbles.
In your soap making, use at least 25% of these fats as part of your overall fats to get the desired effect you are seeking.
Saponification (Sap) Value: Each fat requires a different amount of lye to change the fat to soap. See the Lye to Fat Ratio Table soaptable for a short discussion on this and a listing of different fats and the lye required to convert them to soap.
The temperature of the fat you pour into the lye water is important. It needs to be a bit above it’s melting point. This is 130 degrees F for beef tallow, or 85 degrees F for pork lard, or about the same temperature for vegetable oil.
Mixing: With the lye water and fat at the right temperature, gently pour the fat into the lye water. Stir gently, pulling the lye water up through the fat. This may take several minutes. You should insulate your mixing pot with old rags, etc, to prevent the fat from hardening before the process is complete.
Saponification and it's role in the mixing process: Simply stated, saponification is the name for the chemical process that happens between lye and fat as they turn into soap. It doesn't happen all at once, but actually takes days to complete. There are different levels of this process, and the most important one for you to know about is the "Trace" stage. This is the point at which your soap has thickened up somewhat. As you let the soap run off your mixing spoon back into the mixture, the falling soap stays on top and doesn't blend in, but leaves it's "trace" mark on top. Another way to know when trace occurs is it's thickness, much like the thickness of pudding after you have mixed it.
It can take a long time to get your soap to the trace stage depending on the type of fat you are using. The lighter the fat (or oil) you are using the longer it will take for it to trace. You can expect a wait of anywhere from 30 minutes for animal fats to several hours or even days for the vegetable oils. Does this mean you need to sit and stir your soap for several hours until it traces? I don't. After mixing it for about 15 minutes, I do other things and mix it back up every 15 or 20 minutes when I happen to go by it. (You may wish to set your timer so you don't completely forget it!) I say mix it back up because as it sits it separates into two or three layers of fat and lye. And this is why you have to wait for it to trace. At the trace stage of thickness it won't separate out into layers when you put it in your setting trays or molds.
A False Trace can happen when making soap with fats that are solid at room temperature, such as tallow, lard, or shortening. If the temperature of your soap mix drops below the melting temperature of your fat, it will start to solidify. As it does, your batch will start to thicken up just like it was tracing - but it's not! To prevent this from happening, be sure that the soap you are mixing stays above the melting temperature of the fat. In fact, the warmer your soap, the quicker it will saponify (one of the reasons I like to cook it). It wouldn't hurt to keep your soap up to around 115 degrees F to speed this process along a little more quickly. At 120 degrees F lanolin will curdle your batch.
Vegetable oils can also be used for making soap. These oils are liquid at room temperature and without employing a trick or two usually require many hours of mixing before they trace.
Trick 1: Use a blender. The more finely the lye and fat molecules are intermixed the faster it will saponify. Hours (and even days, sometimes) can be reduced by using a blender. Don't use an upright blender unless you don't mind millions of tiny air bubbles being permanently whipped into your soap. Use the hand-held type instead. With one of these, even your most stubborn oils should trace within 20 minutes. And you will get a trace with animal fats within seconds. Anyone who has sat around for hours stirring a batch of soap will be ecstatic with this.
Trick 2: Cook it. There are a couple of processes that I have developed myself yet are rather unorthodox. And this is one of them. If you don't have a blender, perhaps cooking your soap is for you. After it has cooled, pour or spoon it into the soap mold or tray and treat it like you would for the no-cook recipes. Even though it has been cooked, the chemical reaction that slowly turns vegetable fats into soap will take much longer than for soap made with animal fat that has been cooked. But I expect you will be just as pleased with your finished product.
When your soap has traced you can add
your superfatting, coloring and perfume oils.
Superfatting oil: When your soap gets to it's trace stage, the saponification process is around 90% complete. Fat added at this point makes your soap softer. There is a reason why the superfatting fat is added after tracing instead of at the beginning with all the other fats. If it was added at the beginning you wouldn't have any control over which fat or oil ended up as your 'free fat' as all fats would saponify together. This is presupposing you are going to superfat with a different fat or oil than you used to make your soap with. Exotic oils are generally used in superfatting. They are added at trace to give the benefit of their desirable qualities without having to use so much that it empties your wallet. A good rule of thumb is to use 1 oz. per pound of total fat used in the recipe. (That's one part superfatting oil to 16 parts total fat.) Let me list just 2 of the more common superfatting oils:
Avocado Oil: Feels very soft to the skin and makes an excellent shaving soap.
Cocoa Butter: Makes a hard bar. It smells and looks nice, but doesn't lather.
Coloring Dyes: Several things are used to color soap. Approved items are clays, mineral pigments and spices. You can get these items from soap supply companies. Moving back into the area of unorthodoxy again, I color all my soap with a piece of crayola. Be aware that crayola as a wax isn't approved for skin use. If you are going to use a crayon to color your soap, don't sell it. The Gov. will get upset if they find you. Just because it isn't approved, it doesn't mean that it's bad, however. After all, it's only wax! We eat tons of it in chocolate.
I melt crayola into my soap after it has traced. Don't be tempted to put your crayola in at the beginning as the lye will change it's color. You may need to heat it just a little bit to get your soap up to the melting temperature of the crayola. Even adding a crayon at this late stage of mixing, you may notice a slight color shift over time. I'm excited with using crayons for another reason. I've found that my 100% lard soap will lather with only a small amount of crayon in it. How much? About 1 inch of 1/4 in. diameter crayola per pound of fat. After a bit of experimenting, I've also found the same amount of paraffin wax, another non-approved substance for skin care, will do the same thing. When adding it, be sure your soap is above the melting point of wax, then mix your already melted paraffin well into your batch. You don't have to pre-melt the crayola as it melts much easier. And the cost? A piece of crayon or a little piece of paraffin is just about free compared to the cost of coconut or olive oil. It's also available just about anywhere.
Fragrance Oils: There are two types of fragrance oils, FO's (fragrance oils) and EO's (essential oils). An EO is made from a distilling process and a fragrant oil is a chemical fragrant that is steeped in alcohol. EO's are usually used in soap making as FO's have been known to seize soap, or turn it into a yucky ball that doesn't saponify correctly. EO's are much more expensive and harder to find than FO's. If it is an EO, it will most often say it on the label. You will also know it by the exorbitant cost. FOs can often be used safely at trace however. Make a small test batch first to see if your FO is going to work alright before making a big batch. Be aware that rose and cucumber FOs are notorious for seizing soap. If you want to use an FO that can possibly seize soap, you can safely use it during a rebatch.
The Setting Tray: Mrs. Mertz used a galvanized tub. Other old timers used a wooden box in the shape of a tray with a cloth laid in the bottom of it. The cloth was used to help remove the hardened soap from the tray. If you are going to use a solid tray, may I recommend plastic wrap instead of cloth as a barrier between your soap and the tray. But there is something even simpler than this. If you have any square edged, flexible plastic trays with lips at least as high as a bar of soap is wide, use this. (After the soap has hardened, a slight flexing of the tray will dislodge the soap.) When the soap begins to harden (1-3 days for the non-cook process), use a knife to section it into bars. After it has further hardened (3-7 days), remove it from the tray, and break it into bars following the knife marks made earlier. Even though your soap looks hard at this stage, it is far from done. There's a good chance it contains a bit of lye that should dissipate into the soap as the saponification process continues. This will be true so as long as you had your lye/fat ratio correct soaptable in the first place. Your soap will need to sit for 2-6 weeks, depending on the fat you used, to dry out and cure. Use litmus paper to test the lye content of your finished soap. Be sure to wash off any soda ash that has formed before testing. Soda ash has a high PH value. Your soap should be below a PH of 9 within 36-72 hours after it has traced. The closer the PH of the finished soap is to 7 the better. If your soap is over a PH of 9, let it sit around for a week or two. Hopefully as the soap continues to saponify the lye will get transformed and the PH will drop. Your soap should be below a PH of 9 before you use it. I may get some real flames on the following comment: If you don't have any litmus paper and you want to know if your soap is ready for use, taste it. Your tongue will tingle if there is still too much lye in it. Of course, you don't want to swallow this stuff. This was suggested to me as a possibility by Mrs. Mertz and also by a more contemporary soap maker who sells soap.
Final Curing and Storage: With the soap out of the tray (or molds if you have them), stack it up and set it in a warm dry place for at least two weeks. When it has fully cured, place it in a plastic bag or air tight container, and store it in a cool, dry place. You will probably notice a thin, white powdery layer on the outside of your soap. This is soda ash, and forms as a result of the carbon dioxide in the air interacting with the lye in the soap. This outer layer quickly washes off the first time you use it. "If this is a concern, cover your setting soap with plastic wrap so the air can't get to it. After saponification is pretty well complete, you can remove the air barrier to let your soap dry out." After all this, if there is still a thin layer of soda ash on your soap after it has cured, wash it off, then let the surface of your soap dry before storage.
Final Soap Making Tips:
My experience: The recipes I used left a lot to be desired. The instructions weren’t sufficiently detailed for me to really figure it all out and so I made several mistakes which I will now point out.
The first thing I had trouble with was getting the lye/water/fat ratio correct. Often the recipe simply said ‘a can of lye.’ Obviously, in yesteryear all lye cans must have been the same size. Not so any more. From analyzing several recipes both relatively modern and old, I find the lye to fat ratio in many recipes to be lye heavy. I suggest you figure the lye yourself using the fat to lye table soaptable before using a recipe. Then alter it accordingly when making your soap. Let’s not forget the 0.38 parts of water to one part fat by weight. (Water, lye and fat are the primary ingredients for all soap recipes I’ve found, and will make a good bar of soap all by themselves.) The fat to lye ratio does not have to be overly critical, however. You will end up with "soap" with fat/lye ratios from 2.4 oz (69gm) to 1oz (26gm) crystallized lye to 1 cup (8oz or 210gm) of fat. And you may actually want lye or fat heavy soap depending on what plans you have for it. Mix it:
2.4oz (69gm) lye to 1 cup (8oz or 210gm) of fat for really tuff cleaning jobs, like laundry soap. This is extremely lye heavy soap.
1.05 oz (28gm) lye to 1 cup (8oz or 210gm) fat for general hand soap
As far as 1oz (26gm) to 1 cup (8oz or 210gm) fat for a more delicate facial cleaner
Note: For those of you who do not have a way of measuring weights, my experience has been that 1 lb of lye (455gm) measures out to 1 3/4 cups (462ml). By volume, lye can weigh more or less depending on how tightly it is packed. Unless you find yourself in such unusual circumstances that you have no other option, use scales rather than volume measurements when measuring crystal lye.
Note: in playing around with the mixture ratio, I have gone as far as 6/10ths oz (17.3gm) to 1 cup fat (8oz or 210gm). This still made soap, but it was very soft and would probably go rancid if not used fairly quickly. The more lye in the soap, the harder it is. (One of my friends told me how before the days of the automatic washing machine, his mother always threw a bar of home made soap into the wash during her ‘manual wash cycle’ then pulled it out before the ‘rinse.’ The same bar of soap lasted several batches!)
The second thing I had trouble with was adding the different ingredients at the right times. I’ve created some real messes with this one. Here is a suggested order to add things:
Water
Sugar (Sugar won’t dissolve if you try to add it after the lye, or fat or oil have been mixed in, and tends to separate out when the fat is mixed in. If you cook it, it separates out at about 300 degrees in the form of very hard, dark brown scales. After making several different types of soap, I wonder why anyone ever put sugar on the recipe list in the first place. I no longer use it, and only left it on the recipe page to keep it intact with what was in the book.
Salt (ditto) It may be of interest to know that the commercial soap makers use salt to separate out the glycerin which is a natural byproduct of soap making. Then they sell it as a byproduct even though by removing it, they reduce the quality of their soap.
Ammonia (I didn’t like this in my soap. It made it smell terrible until it finally all evaporated out - then there wasn’t any in the soap any more. It was a waste of 1/4 cup of ammonia.)
Borax
Lye
Mix all your fats together before adding them to your lye water
Fat or Oil
Lanolin (Lanolin, being oil based, mixes with the fat very nicely as you melt the fat in preparation for mixing it.
Coal Oil
Lemon Juice
After Trace: All the following items are optional:
Ground Oatmeal (abrasive element)
Vitamin E This is an antioxidant, and acts as an anti-rancidity agent. Poke a hole in one end of the pill with a pin and squeeze it out into your batch.
Coloring Dyes
Superfatting Oil
Fragrance oils: To prevent the lye from eating up your perfume, you also need to add this as late as possible in the saponification process.
The third thing I had trouble with was getting it to set correctly.
Three methods of getting soap to trace have already been discussed. When I first started making soap I didn't know the first thing about "trace." Because of this, I had several failed batches until I developed a unorthodox way of setting soap that incidently is a lot faster than waiting for it to trace. This method will only work with fats that are solid at room temperature, like tallow, lard, and shortening. And you can't color or scent your soap if you do it this way as you should only add these things after tracing. Professional soap makers are leery of this method as they feel it is important to stir the batch to trace as it keeps the molecules moving. Yet I add this last method here as I have had excellent luck with it.
The Intentional False Trace: After all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, set your mixing container in cold water and continue to stir, especially the sides and bottom. I use a big spatula to do this as the fat will solidify first on the sides and bottom of the pan. This solidifying fat must be remixed into the warmer mass in the center of the pot. As the mixture cools, continue to quickly stir it while the whole batch thickens. When it gets to the consistency of thick gravy or pudding, (trace consistency) pour it into your setting tray. The idea here is to get it so thick there is no way it can separate, yet fluid enough so it will flow. With it in the setting tray, put it in the refrigerator so the fat in the soap can continue to solidify. After it is cold, take it out of the refrigerator and set it aside. Unless you make the soap during very hot weather, it won’t re-melt and separate. After a day or two it is ready to be cut into bar sized pieces. Note: Don't get confused here. If you actually traced your soap, you shouldn't put it in the refrigerator. The refrigerator is only used when you thickened your soap in cold water before tracing.
Final curing: As mentioned before, it takes soap days for the saponification process to complete, then weeks before it has cured, or all the water has finally evaporated. My experience is that it takes about 1 to 3 days for the soap to set up hard enough to cut the soap in the pan into hand soap sized bars without it melting back together again. Check it once or twice a day. You don’t want it so hard you can’t run a table knife through it. After sectioning the soap in the setting tray, leave it in the pan to further harden 3 - 5 days. You want it to be hard enough so it will maintain its shape and not break up as you are taking it out of the tray. You can’t hurt it by leaving it too long, but if you take it out too soon you can accidentally break pieces off or put big cracks in the bars that will later break. When it has cured long enough, remove the now solid soap and break it up into bars from the knife marks made earlier. If you used a solid pan lined with plastic wrap, after the soap is removed, use your finger to smooth out the small grooves made by the wrinkles in the plastic wrap. (If you wait, it will be too hard and you won’t be able to do this.) It is then stacked up and left to further dry (cure) for two or more weeks.
Using It: Even mentioning this may seem like over kill. When I first used that initial bar of lye heavy soap from my first ever attempt at soap making, I rubbed and rubbed, and didn’t hardly get anything. But I soon learned that I was just breaking it in. After I used it a few times, it was much easier to use. If you have kids, to decrease their resistance to using soap ‘you’ made, break it in first then put it out for them to use. They will hardly notice the difference.
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