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Herbs and a Healthy Home

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 07:02:37 +0000

You may want to grow herbs for a lot of reasons. And indeed, I can tell you that home herb garden is wonderful addition to your home and your backyard. With its wide array of uses and applications, you know you’re in for a potful of benefits. Also, the very idea of keeping and nurturing herbs creates an image of a healthy home. Now, who wouldn’t want to have that.

We all strive to make our homes beautiful and pleasant to live in. And every bit, whether it’s a herb plant, or a nice furniture, or a functional home gadget, contributes to this goal. What’s important is that we must make sure that whatever we put inside our homes creates a harmony within us-ourselves and our family, our community, and our environment as a whole.

Herbs, Home and Garden Ideas:
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Using Herbs from a Home Herb Garden

admin — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:46:10 +0000

Using herbs you have sown and planted requires a little bit of know how. In order to make the best use of the herbs, you will need to harvest them.

Timing the harvest is the key factor. Harvesting does not mean to cut down the whole plants: you should leave 2/3 of the plant to allow it to re grow properly. The best time is a calm and dry morning during midsummer, just after the dew has dried and before the flowers open for the day.

Beware of the wind and the heat as these factors can disperse the essential oils of the herbs. You should avoid harvesting on a damp or rainy day as fewer oils are produced on these days. You should also inspect the plant for insects and damaged leaves before you harvest it.

You do not need to use the herbs immediately.

There are three main ways to preserve the herbs for a later use. You can dry the herbs or freeze them. You can also preserve them in a medium like salt or vinegar.

If you want to dry herbs, the most efficient way is to bundle a few stems together with a string and remove any foliage near the base of the stem. The bundle should be hung in a cool location away from sunlight. Individual leaves can be placed on a rack if you want to dry some herbs one by one. And don’t forget to turn them often so that they dry properly. You can also try dehydrators, ovens or microwaves to dry herbs as well although these ways have proven less satisfactory.

Dried Herbs

Freezing herbs is rather easy if you know what you are doing. It is best to cut the herbs into ¼ inch pieces and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. When the herbs are frozen, you can place them together in a bag and store them in the freezer until you need to use them.

Finally, you can preserve herbs through a medium. For instance, you can cover some types of herbs with vinegar and it will be preserved for several months. Or you can make a flavored salt to preserve herbs by alternating layers of fresh herbs between salt. When completely dry separate the brown herb from the flavored salt and store it in an airtight container. Be sure to keep the salt, it can than be used when cooking and will leave a nice aroma to the dish.

You can also use herbs fresh right out of the garden. Take care cleaning the herbs before they are placed fresh in recipes: place the herbs in a bowl filled with cool water, or use the sink. Put about two tablespoons of salt in the water. This will drive away insects and do no harm to the plant. After a few minutes, remove the herbs from the bowl and dry them in a salad spinner.

Different types of herbs are used for many different uses. Each different type of herb has their own list of instructions on how to use, harvest, and chop them. Make sure to research the specific type of herb you are using to use it correctly.

If you’re interested in harvesting and storing herbs that you can use to give to friends as gifts or to make an income out of, I am giving away a free ebook about it here.

Herb Garden Kits

admin — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:42:13 +0000

Growing Herbs in Container

Using a herb garden kit can be a short cut to getting your herb garden alive. Often the lack of knowledge holds us back. We might wonder about things like: do some herbs do better if they are grown from seeds, and which ones? Which kind of soil should we use? All herb garden kits usually include these kinds of information.

Usually herb garden kits contain a large variety of herbs such as Italian herbs, German herbs, international herbs, herbal tea herbs, salsa herbs or culinary herbs… These are just categories.

All kits are slightly different but they all contain items with which to get started with. In addition, some kits may contain a growing dome that helps providing a constant temperature and humidity to help the plants to grow a healthy root system and to thrive. Herb Garden Kits always include an instructional guide with all the information needed to get started. Sometimes you may also get recipes so you can use the herbs you are growing.

Herb Garden Kits are also sold on the Internet and some sites will offer a newsletter you can sign up for and which will hopefully provide additional useful information. You will also most certainly get the planter in which to grow the plants. Again, all kits are different but, most kits will also provide either soil or pellets.

An Indoor Herb Garden Kit has many benefits because it is easier to enjoy the herbs as they will always be within reach and you don’t have to trek out to the garden to add a little seasoning in the salad. In addition, the temperature being more or less constant indoors, it provides constant growing conditions to the herbs which is largely appreciated by these small plants. Besides, a compact Indoor Herb Garden Kit is very convenient for small apartments.

You do not need either to worry either about winterizing herb plants or about which area of the garden will ensure the right amount of light for each plant, nor if the amount of rain is right, as too much rain can be fatal to most herb plants.

By growing herbs indoors with a complete instructional guide, you are able to take the guess work out of this hobby. Your herbs will be successful every time. (If you want my very own step-by-step guide in growing herbs, something I learned from over 20 years of experience as a gardener, you’ll find more about it here.)

Using this method might not give you the same feeling of accomplishment as growing them all on you own. But all new expertise has to be acquired and needs practice. By using a Herbal Kit you get to learn a new and useful hobby in an easy manner. When you get a little bit “seasoned” and get to know the different herbs, you will be able to move them to you garden and you’ll be on your way to becoming an expert in the art of growing herbs.

Herb Garden Plants: Basic Knowledge

admin — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:39:09 +0000

Herb Garden Plants

Herb garden plants come in so many different types and species: they can be annuals, perennials, or biennials just like other types of plants.

This article will get you started in understanding general different types of herb plants and what they are used for. But if you are interested in a specific herb, you need to research that herb in particular to learn how to grow and use it. Or you can find more complete information on growing any herbs here. Anyway, the following advice will give you some useful knowledge.

You need to know that annuals like basil, cilantro, and summer savory will not survive a frost. Every year you will have either seed or to plant new ones.

Sage and winter savory are perennials that can survive during winter and will return year after year.

Biennial herbs form leaves the first year and flowers and seeds during their second year, then they die. Biennial herbs should be sown in late spring directly into the garden. Most common biennial herbs are parsley, angelica, or caraway

When you want to sow these herbs, you need to prepare the soil first. This is done by Tiling, working it to a fine texture and wet it slightly. The seeds should be planted in shallow rows. Then, add some soil on top of the seeds. The fine seeds should be planted in a mixture of sand. During germination, protect the soil by covering it with some paper which will keep it humid.

The most useful herbs are probably the culinary herbs as they can be used in cooking in many different ways. Thyme, basil, sage, marjoram for example have strong flavors and can be used in cooking and only need to be added in a very small quantity. Some herbs are used as a garnish like parsley.

Herbal Tea

Aromatic herbs, such as loyage, mint and rosemary can be used in oils. Their flavor comes either from their foliage or their flowers, or both. These oils are then used in perfumes, or cosmetics.

Some aromatic herb plants such as lavender are also used in the home to scent linens or clothing. Or, when dried and made into potpourri, they will retain their aroma for a long period of time.

Herbs can also be used for medicinal purposes. If some herbs can treat an ailment, some might be poisonous when taken in large quantities or by a person that is fragile for some reason (somebody with a cardiac condition or a pregnant woman).

Other herbs are used solely for their beauty. These herbs have beautifully colored flowers and/ or foliage. The colors range from white or very light colored to very bright red or blue like the flowers of chicory. These herbs really light up your garden, so don’t forget to plant some valerian, borage or chicory.

We have tried to categorize different herbs but in truth many herbs have multiple purposes, like mint for example which can be used as well to brew tea as for pest control or in cooking, or even for decoration a cup of ice-cream.

Understanding the purpose and qualities of the different herb will enable you to make the best use of these wonderful plants. The more you get to know about herb the more amazed you will be at how they can enhance you life, and not only your cuisine. So if you’re seriously considering herb gardening as a new hobby, I highly recommend that you check out the information on this page.

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Grow Herbs Indoors

admin — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:34:51 +0000

Growing Herbs in Pots

If you do not have a garden, you can just as well grow herbs in your apartment. Herbs can also be grown indoors in pots or window boxes. You can also use containers or hanging baskets. Growing an indoor herb garden is not much different from growing herbs in your backyard. The same growing requirements are needed in both cases.

These are sunlight, soil and water. These three things are required to assure a successful growth for any plant, including herbs.

Enough sunlight is the key for growing any plant. Therefore you should place the pots or boxes in a room with a south or west facing window, the most convenient being of course the kitchen, as long as the orientation is good enough. Different sorts of herbs require more or less sunlight but they do all need to be in a sunny location. If needed, you may supplement the sunlight with fluorescent lamps.

The soil needs to be rich and well drained. If you grow herbs in a container, add two parts of potting soil and one part coarse sand. It is also important to add about an inch of gravel at the bottom of each pot. This will ensure a good drainage. If you grow you herbs in a pot, you can add one teaspoon of lime per 5 inch pot which will make the soil sweet, something that herbs appreciate!

Herbs that are grown inside do need to get more water than the herbs growing in a garden but do not drench the roots. You can try to keep the pebbles moist and spray mist on the plants frequently.

Growing Herb Indoors

If you have the possibility to put you herbs outside during summer time, this can be a good idea and it is easy to move around the herbs when they are planted in a container. Be careful though to take the plants inside before the first frost. Otherwise they may loose their foliage. Chives, tarragon and mint are exceptions to this rule as they grow back, after a rest period, even firmer when they have been exposed to light frost.

Talking about mint, this is an herb that needs to be planted in a container even if you have a garden because it is capable of taking over the garden. It is very vivacious.

As you can see, maintaining an indoor herb garden is not difficult. It is also very convenient as the herbs are always within reach when needed and you will be more prone to using them when cooking or preparing a salad.

Just follow the advice listed above and you will be able to grow fresh and healthy herbs. Don’t forget to re-pot every year. With these tips listed above, you will be able to care for your herbs and ensure a healthy plant. Of course you will need to replant annuals each year. Make good and active use of you herbs and harvest them from time to time, this is essential in order to encourage new growth. If you do not use all the herbs you grow, give them to friends. They will appreciate it as well and your plants will strive.

For those seriously interested in growing herbs, you’ll find more information about growing herbs indoors and herb gardening in general here.

Grow an Italian Herb Garden

admin — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:21:17 +0000

Italian Herbs

Some of the most famous herbs come from Italy. These herbs are amongst the tastiest too and contribute to the renowned Italian cuisine. These herbs are mainly: basil, parsley, oregano, fennel, rosemary, garlic and sage.

Basil is widely used in Italy for cooking and adds flavor to many receipts. But it is not it’s only use because basil is very useful in the garden to other plants.

Did you know that planting basil next to your tomatoes or peppers will improve their flavor?

And also, basil has the can serve as a repellent for flies and mosquitoes. Just put a pot with basil on the window pane and you will not see a mosquito in the house.

Parsley is used not only in Italy but by many other cultures. Parsley plants are not easy to grow though. You’d be surprised to learn that parsley used to serve as breath mint before these were invented, as eating parsley after a meal helped to cover up the bad breath left over from eating a flavorful meals full of garlic, for example. This is why parsley was usually served at the end of a meal. This tradition is probably the reason why we still serve parsley as a garnish.

Oregano is a decorative and flavorful herb. It’s flowers are purple and they sprout out when the herb is mature. This is also the best time to harvest because it is most full of flavor when it has flowered.

Fennel seeds is used to enhance the flavors of Italian sausage. It is an easy plant to grow as it is a perennial plant. You will only need to divide and replant it every few years to fully enjoy it. Do note that the herb looses its flavor as it matures.

Rosemary plants have pretty little blue flowers. It is very beneficial to the garden as it attracts bees. It grows in large shrubs. It is a tough perennial plant but it does not like frost. So it will need to be protected during winter months.

Garlic is certainly the most used herb in Italy. It is a must in an Italian herb garden. It is easy to grow also. Garlic gloves can be planted in all kinds of gardens and will need very little attention. The good thing is that you can harvest the garlic and store it for a long time. They can be stored in the refrigerator or even be frozen.

Sage can be used as well in cooking meats as in salads. You find the most flavor in new shoots of sage. It is therefore wise to trim the plants frequently as it will encourage the growth f new shoots. Wait until the plant blooms before harvesting.

Italian Herbs

There are many plants that constitute an Italian herb garden. It might not be possible to grow all. You need to learn a little more about the growing conditions of each herb before you can assess if you can provide ideal surroundings. Italian herbs are a wonderful add on in cooking but they do also make amazing additions to the design of your garden thanks to their colors and their aroma.

By planting Italian herbs in your garden, you will be rewarded with the wonderful sent that will remind you of the Italian hill side. It will be like taking a trip to the country of the pope.

To know more about herb gardening and how you can specifically grow any herbs, you’ll find more information on this page.