Growing Vanilla

[Lindy]

I just found out that we can grow Vanilla here - so - does anyone here know how to render the beans down for use in soaps?

TIA

 

[starduster]

Vanilla plants =gorgeous

That is so fabulous Lindy. I read quite a bit on it and have been looking and asking around for plants over here for quite some time.
I was totally fascinated by the whole story the history and all.
Vanilla was virtually another currency. There was blood, murder, intruige involved.
Do you know you will probably need to polinate your plants if you don't have the right midge around.
Thanks to you I just found this site
https://www.vanillaplantations.com.au/index.htm
and I am emailing them to see if I can buy plants from them.
I don't have any idea about the rendering down.Maybe a mortar and pestal ,with cloth over so you don't have to pick some of the little fellows of the ceiling. :shock:
Best of luck.

 

[IanT]

as far as curing, all thats needed is to sun dry the pods and let them cure for a month or so , split em open and voile!... at least to my knowledge

 

[starduster]

Right on

as far as curing, all thats needed is to sun dry the pods and let them cure for a month or so , split em open and voile!... at least to my knowledge

I think they need to be turned over a lot and paper changed to make sure mold grows on them.
I read that they are rolled in newspaper tightly in little bundles. That is for sale of pods. So I used that method for tying up sage into smudging bundles. :shock: Once again my ignorance showed as apparently they were the perfect funny cigaret roll. :roll:
Never mind, when I am 90 years old it's on my agenda to need that info.Prepare ahead, thats my moto.
:wink: Poking tongue out.

 

[Lindy]

Mary! Wow look at you go - thank you for finding that site for me! I'm looking forward to a good long read!

Ian - thanks I'm going to buy a couple bushes and see what I can grow!!! I am so pumped that we can grow them here...

 

[Lindy]

Well I just found out that the plant I wanted to buy is not Vanilla bean it is just something with Vanilla in its name - I am so disappointed but I'm pretty sure I'll get over it - soon....

 

[TessC]

A man I met here in town has a vanilla planifolia vine growing up an oak in his back yard, it's the true vanilla orchid. He said it's a pretty fragile beast as far as cold sensitivity, and he has to pollinate the flowers by hand because their natural pollinators are absent here, but I want one sooo badly.

There's a nice little bit of information on them here, I love the Dave's Garden site. Hope you can find one and give it a shot, trying new plants out is so exciting!

 

[IanT]

sweet thanks for the link!