One of the most appealing things you will learn about herb gardening is how relaxing and simple growing herbs can be. Discovering all the wonderful, various herbs and what they do is a captivating pastime, and can be quite beneficial.
Growing herbs is a great way to get your kids interested in gardening. Herbs are pretty tolerant of most growing conditions and children love to see things grow that they can then eat. Involving them in growing herbs and vegetables is a good way to encourage fussy eaters to try new things.
You can use herbs for cooking, as medicinal aids such as topical dressings or healthy teas, or simply for decorative plants in the garden.
With so many varieties to choose from, herb gardening for beginners can be a bit daunting. A good source of information that you probably have is your cookbook, which often devotes a chapter or two to the uses of different herbs as flavorings and accents. If there is a recipe that you really enjoy then it makes sense to grow the herbs you can use in that dish.
Planting a Basic Herb Garden
Get acquainted with herb gardening by growing herbs you think you’ll use, plus throw in one or two that sound interesting to you. Herb gardens can range in size from small containers to vast outdoor gardens.
To best learn herb gardening, start simple with a small, sunny plot, or use a clay pot filled with potting compost.
The more you learn about herb gardening you will find that there are only two essential needs that herbs must have. They are:
– lots of sun, and
– well-drained soil.
Most herbs have a preference for full or partial sun, and the seed package or nursery will have this information clearly stated. Most herbs will not do well in very wet soil and over watering is one of the major things that can go wrong. Watering about every 2-3 days is usually sufficient. Raised garden beds are a good choice for herb gardens. They have excellent drainage and can be easily arranged for proper sunlight.
When planting herb seeds, cover them lightly with soil, and don’t plant the seeds too deep. A good rule of thumb with herb gardening is “the smaller the seed, the shallower you sow.” If you are using young herb plants already started in growing trays, simply transplant them into your pots or garden bed. Sometimes the plants in the trays are dry; if so, water them first before planting them.
Finally, remember that annual herbs (herb plants which only grow for one season and then die) and perennial herbs (herb plants which will return the following year) do best when planted separately. This avoids disrupting the perennial plants’ roots when it is time to dig out the dead annuals. It also prevents leaving dead root pieces behind which can contribute to fungus growth.
Herb Gardening for Cooking
Cooking with fresh herbs from your garden is a wonderful experience. To get started, here are gardening tips for two well-known herbs that are great for beginning herb gardeners. These are good choices because they are used in lots of recipes and are also easy to grow.
Sweet Basil
Sweet basil leaves are good in salads and are the main flavoring ingredient in tomato dishes such as spaghetti and marinara sauce. In the northern climates, basil is usually grown as an annual plant. In milder climates, sweet basil will return each year on its own, and therefore is considered a perennial plant.
The sweet basil herb is a pleasure to grow because it thrives in average soil, and likes sun or partial shade. Sow the seeds after danger of frost is over, or start them indoors about eight weeks before growing season and then transplant them outside. You can also purchase ready-to-grow starter plants from nurseries and through catalogs.
It’s easy to promote the bushiness of the basil plant leaves by pinching out the tops throughout the summer. Use the leaves fresh during the summer growth months, and in the fall, dry the leaves and store them for use during the winter.
Garlic
Garlic is full of minerals and nutrients, and is known to have great medicinal properties. It is a staple in every chef’s kitchen for cooking dishes from chicken and pasta to seafood and vegetables. We’ve all seen garlic bulbs at the grocery store. But did you know that one simple garlic bulb has enough cloves to begin a garden full of garlic plants? Here’s what you do to grow garlic:
When spring arrives and the weather has begun to turn warm, prepare a small garden bed in a sunny spot. Take the cloves and place them, pointy side up, in the soil. Plant them in clusters, or rows, and put a light layer of topsoil over them with some compost mixed in. When fall arrives, lift the garlic bulbs out of their bed.
Dry the garlic by slicing the bulbs into thin slices and placing them on a rack at room temperature. You can also store the bulbs by braiding the stalks and hanging them in a dark, cool space. You may also freeze the entire garlic bulb!
Herb Gardening For Use In Natural Cures
There are many herbs that have medicinal properties. Some of these plants have been used for centuries. Our grandparents and great grandparents would have used many of these natural cures for many ailments.
As said above garlic has many medicinal properties.
It has benefits to the heart and circulatory system including inhibiting the hardening of the arteries, high cholesterol and hypertension.
There has been some recent research that says it inhibits cancers from forming.
It is very good for the immune system so can ward off illnesses and fight infection.
Garlic is a prebiotic and promotes healthy biodiversity in gut bacteria. Having a healthy colony of gut bacteria can boost immunity, aid weight loss and improve your mood.
It is good for brain health and may slow cognitive decline and Alzheimers.
Some of the most potent helpful ingredients in garlic are reduced by cooking. To get the most benefit you need to eat it raw. One of the easiest ways to do this is to crush it and add it to dressings and sauces.
Learn about growing herbs as plant medicines
There are many herbs that you can grow in your garden for use in natural cures. Some herbs boost immunity, there are herbs to relieve anxiety, herbs for treating arthritis, migraines, skin conditions, curing acid reflux etc.
There are over 800 plants and their medicinal uses detailed in this book of Herbal Remedies. It comes as a package with two more books including how to grow a medicinal garden in a plot that is only 80 sq ft.
Doctor Apelian found that the herbs she could grow were more effective and had no side effects compared to the pharmaceutical drugs she had been prescribed. This article on growing your own medicines lists 17 of the best natural cures with their most common uses.
Learn more about herb gardening with your favorites and then begin to branch out with more. In the meantime, you’ll add wonderful flavors to your recipes, mouthwatering aromas in the kitchen and could even improve your health and cure your ailments.
