Growing Herbs

The plants you start in the garden must not be planted until after the last frost is over. The ground must be warm and ready for growing. If you plant too soon the seeds will only rot and not germinate. The most successful way is to start the seeds indoors. This way there is no chance of the weather turning and having the seeds die.

To start the seeds indoors, it is best to use gardening trays. You can mark each tray with the seed variety you have planted in them. This makes it easy to know which is which. At an early stage they will all look the same. The trays can be purchased in either a self watering variety or you can maintain a constant watering source for them. The herbs are not really hard to grow at all. You just have to have patience.

You will want to use a sterile medium for starting seeds. This can be as simple as a good potting soil. One that is full of sticks and other debris may still hold contaminates. This is not a good potting soil to start the seeds in.

You can use this soil for later use when potting the plants, but do not use it to start your seeds. Some people have had success with it, and some have had major disappointments. It is always safer to just buy a good potting soil with no contaminates.

The soil can be put into the trays for the seeds at about two inches deep. This will allow the new plants to generate a good rooting system. The plant's life is in its roots. You need to make sure the roots will be able to expand.

Watering of a new planting system can be hard. This is why I recommend a self watering system. The soil does not dry out nor does it get too moist. The moisture stays just right for the seeds to germinate.

Some people put the seed trays on heat pads to keep the soil warm. This is not necessary for germination. You should cover the trays with some sort of lid. Many of the trays come with lids. If your tray does not have one you can make one out of plastic wrap. Just make sure to remove the plastic once the plants start appearing.

It can take up to two weeks for some of the herb seeds to start germinating. When they do you will see the little sprouts everywhere. Do not try to thin them at this point. You should, however remove the plastic. One tip you may want to take advantage of is this. The plants were in a warm place while the lid or plastic was on. You may want to remove the lid for a few hours each day for a couple of day to allow the young plants to acclimate.

This will allow the seedlings to get used to the colder air of the house. It will also keep in some of the extra moisture needed by the plants as they grow.

There is no need to fertilize the young plants at this point. That will come soon enough. You will want the plants to get stronger and a little bigger. When the first true leaves have formed, not as they are forming but when they have formed, you can start to weed out the excess plants. Thin the plants to about two inches or more apart. You must remember that natural herbs are actually weeds. The strongest will survive.

The new plants are a little temperamental. You cannot ignore them and expect them to survive. Proper lighting and watering are needed to make them grow. As they get bigger you will want to transplant them into containers so they can grow stronger for the outdoors.

The soil you transplant the new herb seedlings should be light and loose. You will want the roots to be able to breathe and not drown. Proper drainage is necessary when you re-pot the plants, as well. Keep the pots a little on the small side. You want the plants to develop a good rooting system, but you want to force some growth up top as well.

As the plants mature you will want to weather them. This is nothing more than taking them outside for a breath of fresh air. When the weather is warm enough, you can take the new plants outside to soak up the bright sunlight. This will acclimate the plants to the outdoors.

If you do not include this step, the plants can go into shock. Just putting them straight into the garden without any gentle acclimation could cause the young plants to die. They are not used to the colder nights and brighter days. This tends to put them into a state of shock. Plants do not like shock.

Once you have weathered the plants for about a week or so, you can start to transplant them into the garden. Select the spot where you want each herb to grow. I guarantee this is not where they will stay. Natural herbs tend to spread and spread they will. They will spread all over the place if you let them. The nice thing about herbs is the reason you are growing them is to use them. To use herbs you must prune the plant. Pruning and clipping cuts down on the growth and spreading. There is a way to keep your herb garden under control.

You can always grow them in a container. This will make sure growth and spreading do not get out of hand.

One of the best parts about growing an herb garden is being able to use the herbs. From the lemon balm leaf in a glass of tea to the sweet basil in a pot of marinara sauce, herbs can add the most wonderful flavors.

A perfect example of why you would want an herb garden is this. Imagine a hot summer day when the only thing that can cool you off is a frosty glass of ice cold tea. You can brew the tea, pour it over the ice, add a leaf off the stevia plant and one off the lemon balm plant, and you have a wonderful sweetened glass of lemon iced tea.

You must understand something about collecting herbs. You need to do it often to allow the plant to keep growing so well. Once an herb plant has started producing flowers, it will not produce any leaves. Keeping the plant well pruned can keep it from going to flower.

There are three different kinds of herbs:

1) Herbaceous; these will die back come winter and grow back in the spring. These herbs do not need to be carefully cut back. You can just chop off what you need and they will continue to grow. It is advisable to at least let one pair of leaves remain. You will definitely do this in the spring to allow the new growth to form. These herbs are also great for container growing, especially the mint varieties.
2) Evergreen; these herbs require you prune them at least once a year. You can do it more often, and hopefully you are cutting for the kitchen, but you must also allow some of the plant to keep growing. You will want to remove any old growth so the new growth can benefit from the sunlight and not be crowded.
3) Annuals; Annual herbs need to be planted every year. You will not be able to winter these herbs unless you take them indoors. Even when you do take the best care of them possible do not be surprised when they start to die off.

When you do harvest the herbs from your garden, you will want to gather some for fresh use. This allows the plants to keep producing during the growing season. You will want to harvest for the winter later in the year.

When you harvest for the winter months you must make sure you gather all you will need. You will want to make sure before you store the herbs they are dried completely.

It is not hard to collect the herbs. A simple snip or cut and you are done. Drying can be a problem when you do not know how to do it. When you remember that an herb is just like any other plant it is easier to understand how to treat them.

You must first gather the herbs you are going to dry. It is best to cut longer stems than many short ones. You are going to hang the herbs upside down in a well ventilated area. You do not want to hang them in bright sunlight. Although the sunlight will make the herbs grow wonderfully, the light can cause the herbs to lose some of their potency when drying.

When you have cut four or five long (8 to 10 inches) stems off your herb plant, you need to shake them off gently. This will ensure there are no insects on the leaves or branches. Strip off any dead or diseased leaves. Make sure you also strip about the last three inches of the stem. You need to tie the cuttings together at the bare end. You can use string or even a rubber band if you wish.

After you have tied the herbs into bundles, insert them into a brown paper bag which you have cut holes into for ventilation. Tie the end of the bag shut with the bare branches sticking out. You can then hang the entire package upside down by the same string you tied everything together with. Keep a close eye on the herbs as they dry. You do not want them to become moldy. Once they are completely dried, you can prepare them for storage. This can take a week or two. Just be patient.

You can also air dry the herbs. Air drying is simply spreading the leaves of the herbs onto screens so the air can penetrate both sides of the leaf. This will allow the herbs to dry uniformly. It is best to use one screen for each type of herb. You do not want to risk drying your peppermint with the oregano. This could result in some rather strange tasting Italian dishes!

Do not make the mistake of thinking you will not use that much. In the summer when you have a good supply of fresh herbs, you may not realize how much of the herb you use. This is because the plant is constantly growing and replenishing your supply.

Dried herbs are stronger than the fresh ones. Fresh herbs contain water. The dried herbs contain a more concentrated essential oil. You will find you do not need to use as much of the dried herbs to get the same flavors. Yet with the ability to store your own herbs, you might want to make sure you have enough until next spring.

There is a misconception that herbs can be oven dried or heated to force dry them. This is not the best way to dry your herbs. The heat can actually release the essential oils which give the herbs their wonderful aroma and flavor. It makes no sense to use a drying system which will prematurely release the very thing which makes the herbs so desirable.

Many people are finding traditional medicines less favorable to the herbal remedies being offered. There are fewer allergic reactions. Herbal medicines have fewer, if any, side affects. There are even some doctors who are prescribing herbal remedies when other medications just are not working.

There are all types of old wives tales about herbs that cured coughs and colds. Some people will talk about Grandma's tonic that cured what ailed them. These are the herbal remedies that many people still use today. Things like jewel weed to help relieve poison ivy or rose hips to add vitamin C are simple remedies that have been used for years.
There are many herbs which have some powerful healing properties. These herbs can help with allergies, rashes, and other ailments. Some of the herbs you find growing in the ditches and even in your own back yard can be useful for treating common problems like coughs, bee stings, and sore muscles.
There is always the possibility of an allergic reaction to any form of medication, whether prescribed, over the counter, or even natural herbs. This is why it is always important to speak with a medical professional before you decide to try any type of self medication with natural herbs. Just as some people are allergic to things like milk and strawberries, someone could be just as allergic to valerian or burdock.
In defense of the natural herb remedies, some of them seem to work better than the prescribed medications. Clove oil can relieve a toothache as well as any gel you can buy. Chamomile tea works wonders as a sleep aid. Peppermint can help with heart burn better than some anti-acids. When you start researching herbal remedies you may be surprised what these little weeds can do for your health.
Here are common herbs and what illnesses they can help.
Although these herbs are listed as helping with the ailments, any use should first be analyzed by your physician.
There are many herbs growing all over the world. Whether you call them weeds or herbs, the plants are everywhere. These versatile wonders are used for everything from beautifying the landscape to accenting a meal. You will find herbs on drugstore shelves, listed as herbal remedies. There is no end to their use.

When you are in the garden, the anxiety and stress of the day seem to melt away. There is no time for phone calls or car pools. It is a time to relax and enjoy nature. The smell of the natural herbs floating in the air is enough to make your mind wander to faraway lands. You can create an entire paradise with the herbs you plant in the garden.

Herbs do not need to be contained in one section of the garden, either. You can plant such herbs as echinacea and calendula right in the flower beds. Black cohosh makes a fantastic backdrop to some of the other flowering herbs.

It is a joy to be able to walk outside and pull off a sprig of mint to chew on, or clip fresh basil for a truly awesome pesto sauce. Knowing you have an entire spice shelf at your disposal can make you become a more creative chef. You may find certain herbs are just naturally able to blend together, such as cloves and cinnamon or rosemary and oregano.

As you become more familiar with the herbs and the flavors they can add to your dishes, you will become inclined to use them. You will also want to add some new varieties to the garden. Knowing there is an herb for every dish, even cakes and cookies, can make you want more of the aromatic plants.

You will find yourself being willing to try new recipes just to experiment with the herbs. The freshness in taste will show in every dish you create. You will be complimented on the blend of seasonings you have added.

Whether you decide to plant an herb garden for the simple joy of it or because you want to have the spices on hand, the effort will pay off. You can even pick the fresh herbs and dry them for gifts. There is no end to the creative ways herbs will influence your lifestyle.