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When I first started stockpiling, I was very confused about how to best store my flour. Heaps of other stockpiled items already came in an item like tin that made it suitable for long term storage. Then I came across this article on All About Bread.

While brief, it has many practical tips on storing flour and protecting it from pests. It is well worth the read.

I’ve had a lot of difficulty in sourcing Brahmi. I’ve only found it stocked in two stores in Australia. They are:

• Herbalistics
• All Rare Herbs

If you have managed to find it elsewhere, please add your comment below. Notes on plant quality and delivery would be greatly appreciated.

Saffron Crocus is a delightful plant but not practical if your growing it for culinary use. However, because its a bulb, you will have more luck finding it online.

The following stores stock it:

• Vogelvry
• All Rare Herbs
• Eplants
• Garden Express

Its very easy to propagate so you only need to buy a couple

In Late October, the vanilla grass develops green tufts as featured in the opposite picture. These are the seed heads waiting to form.

Saving the seeds is simple. I just wait until they are brown and chop them off. I trim the stems down to the dirt and place the seed heads in a paper bag.

Its useful to have the seeds on hand. Dividing the plant is a quicker and easier method however.

Propagating Vanilla Grass is extremely easy.

I just took the plant out of the pot and cut it in half. I used a retired kitchen knife.

It was exactly the same method I use for mint and thyme. I just refill the pot with dirt and wait a few months for the plant to return to its old size.

Its a very useful method as the plant can be so expensive to buy.

Mint grows rapidly and spreads very easily. It not properly contained, it can take over your garden.

The best method of containing it is to dig a hole larger enough for a 30cm container. Place the mint within the hole and refill with dirt. Within time, the mint will grow to the edges of the container.

Be very careful that it doesn’t propagate by layering. If you have one of the rarer types of mint, you can easily divide the roots and use the plants as gifts.

This hint is very simple but has effectively been used in many home herb gardens.

Alas, there is no picture for this article because this experiment was done a decade ago.

Propagating Jade is very simple. Cut off a bit of the plant - my piece was 10cm. Put it in a pot. Wait.

Over the past 10 years, that one cutting has flourished and was used to create even more Jade plants to use as presents. It was a simple introduction to cuttings and one that sparked my love of gardening.

Saffron containers are great when it comes to storing small items like earrings. They keep them together and can be stored in out of way places - even medicine cabinets.

This is great for those who have limited space.