Plant Gardens 101

Planter boxes offer a garden plot for those who live in cramped spaces. Even residents of studio apartments can grow their own fresh herbs. If you want to give herb gardening a try, you should first consider the growing requirements of herbs. If your planter boxes can expose your herbs to the proper levels of light, your experiment could succeed. Set up your planters with good drainage and soil before planting your herbs. When the time comes, harvest your herbs and enjoy the crops you’ve produced through your own nurture.

Like all plants, herbs require certain levels of sunlight and water. While herbs can be very tough plants, even withstanding drought, they can’t forgo water. Use your fingertip to gauge the dampness of the soil in your planter boxes and evaluate if you need to water. If the soil feels damp, it’s good. If the soil feels wet, you have likely overwatered. Wait until the soil dries, and use less water next time. If the soil feels dry, water your herbs (but don’t try to compensate by saturating the soil). A slightly drier soil is better than soggy soil for herbs. (more…)

It does not matter if you have a big or a small garden, most people like to have fresh herbs. Having a natural supply of herbs is wonderful for cooking, grilling and even barbecuing. And with the right herb garden layout it also looks wonderful in your garden. Before you can harvest those delicious herbs you need to consider a few aspects of herb garden layout for an effective and sustainable growth of herbs.

Natural elements to consider
For your herb garden layout, it is important to effectively plan and manage the natural elements involved in your garden. The herb garden layout should integrate nicely into the existing garden layout. However keep in mind what conditions the herbs need (sun, shade, moisture etc.). If you do this, you can successfully create a herb garden layout that will give you fresh herbs all year round. (more…)

Before you opening functioning with busy flowers you have to know how to press flowers.

Before you lead working with constrained flowers you be duty-bound to know how to press flowers. Adding repayment and flowers gratification to your commotion of creating a finished and compelled flower piece is you knowing the art flower of criticalAntonym the flowers.

Should you not know how to press flowers, gratify read on as I flowers deliberate a quantity of nitty-gritty of tenacious flowers.How to press flowers?? Flower Preparation ? The idea is to press flower the flowers after there is no vapor comfortable on them. This can be ensured by urgent the flowers flowers right away after picking them.

This will allow you to see the spot-on colors of the flowers flower the minute they blossom.? Press flowers in records ? Buy certain rugged files for a low bill and flowers reserve them for your flower unrelenting needs. (more…)

Herbs have been used by humans since time immemorial. The wonderful thing about herbs is that most of them can be used directly and without any special preparation. This has made them one of the most accessible and primary source of food for people throughout the ages. Another reason why they are popular is because of the multiple uses they can be put to. Throughout history and around the world, across all cultures, varieties of herbs have been used by people in one way or the other.

Herbs grow fairly easily without requiring close attention. They grow as annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees. They can be grown indoors or outdoors. Even for growing outdoors, they do not require much space because herb plants are usually small. Herbs can be used fresh or can be easily dried and stored for future use. (more…)

Herb gardening Is one of the most rewarding pastimes you will begin. I say will begin because by the time you finish reading this you WILL begin! You will need some basic information and knowledge about the herbs you choose to use and grow, but after that the actual process is easy and fast. The best thing is that after you work out what you need to do, it becomes a passion that lasts forever and, even better, it’s a real money saving hobby.

What you Need to Know About Herb Gardening
Basically you need to work out your seasonal needs. Choose the herbs you like or use most often in your cooking. The easiest way is to go to your kitchen shelf and look at what you have accumulated over the past and decide which ones you really use. Then, look up the growing requirements. You can do this on the Internet or go to your local nursery for free tips. Most plants are easy to grow, but will need a little attention and need replanting in spring.

Next you need to learn how to dry your herbs for storage and use during those times when fresh plants are unavailable. Here are my tips for drying herbs successfully:

• Cut off tops of the leafy varieties in midsummer.

• Hang them up just long enough so that the drops of water can evaporate.

• Wash them off with cold water.

• Tie them with string, binding them quite tightly at the end of the stalk.

• Place them in a paper bag with the stem ends at the opening, and then close the bag with a rubber band.

• Then you need to use a paper clip as a sort of hook through the band and then place the other hooked end over your line where you are going to hang the herbs to actually dry.

• Wait for a couple of weeks, to ensure they have dried out completely.

• Remove them from the paper bags, and then crumble the leaves and place them on a shallow pan and dry them out in the oven – just make sure that the oven is not set to be too hot, because you can burn them, and you certainly do not want to do this.

A lot of herb gardening enthusiasts prefer to use the open air as their preferred way to dry herbs. This method however can be messy as insects can interfere with the drying plans and get caught up and become part of your larder! If you are careful and pick them out it may be OK. My view is that open air drying is unnecessary and does not yield better results at all. Michael is the owner of Herb Magic, the BEST site for all herb lovers. You will also find great herb gardening tips and healthy herb recipes and information at www.HerbWorldBlog.com

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Common Thyme or English Thyme (Latin name Thymus vulgaris) is a Mediterranean native plant, perfect for dry herb gardens. This versatile plant is a favorite ingredient in kitchen gardens, grows well between rocks or spilling over containers and is a staple in classic Medieval knot gardens.

These herbs grow as small shrubs or shrublets with tiny, oval leaves measuring just 1/4 inch long. They are perennial and flower in late spring to early summer in little whorls on the tips of the stems. The flowers are shaped like tiny trumpets, usually in white or pale violet. (more…)

The homeowner who wants to start a home garden that is light on the maintenance needed may decide to buy cacti. This is a good plan because they need less water than most plants and are quite hardy. Although there are still care instructions that need to be followed to increase the life and longevity of a cactus.

Cactus plants are used to the heat and being dry, for this reason putting them in a windowsill with full sunlight is optimal. Depending on the cactus and the amount of heat it is getting you may not have to water it for weeks at a time (once a month is the recommended watering schedule). Cacti like coarse soil, it is recommended to use a soil that is meant specifically for a cactus instead of a generic mix. When a fertilizer is needed you should also purchase a fertilizer that is just for cacti. (more…)

Cinnamon is actually more than a delicious addition to food. One of the oldest spices known and long used in traditional medicine, cinnamon is currently being studied for its beneficial effects on a variety of ailments. Indeed, recent findings on the power of cinnamon to promote health, in particular its benefits for people with type II diabetes, have elevated it to the status of a Super Spice.

Perhaps the most exciting discovery concerning cinnamon is its effect on blood glucose levels as well as on triglyceride and cholesterol levels, all of which could benefit people suffering from type II diabetes. In one study of 60 patients with type II diabetes, it was found that after only forty days of taking about half a teaspoon of cinnamon daily, fasting serum glucose levels were lowered by 18 to 29 percent, triglycerides by 23 to 30 percent, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) by 7 to 27 percent, and total cholesterol by 12 to 26 percent. (more…)

Recent findings on the power of garlic to fight cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as its anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, give garlic the bona fide characteristics to elevate it to Superfood status.

Throughout the history of civilization, the medicinal properties of garlic have been prized, and it’s been used to treat an array of ailments, including atherosclerosis, stroke, cancer, immune disorders, cerebral aging, arthritis, and cataract formation. Garlic’s power as a heath promoter comes from its rich variety of sulfur containing compounds. Of the nearly one hundred nutrients in garlic, the most important in terms of health benefits seems to be the sulfur compound allicin-an amino acid. Allicin is not present in fresh garlic. It’s formed instantly when cloves are crushed, chewed, or cut. Allicin seems to be responsible for the super-biological activity of garlic as well as its odor. (more…)

Honey is much more than just a liquid sweetener. One of the oldest medicines known to man, honey has been used in the treatment of respiratory diseases, skin ulcers, wounds, urinary diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, eczema, psoriasis, and dandruff. Today, we know the validity of these timeless treatments, as research has demonstrated that honey can inhibit the growth of bacteria, yeast, fungi, and viruses.

The power of honey comes from the wide range of compounds present in the rich amber liquid. Honey contains at least 181 known substances, and its antioxidant activity stems from the phenolics, peptides, organic acids, and enzymes. Honey also contains salicylic acid, minerals, alpha-tocopherol, and oligosaccharides. Oligosaccharides increase the number of “good” bacteria in the colon, reduce levels of toxic metabolites in the intestine, help prevent constipation, and help lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

The key point to remember with honey is that its antioxidant ability can vary widely depending on the floral source of the honey and its processing. The phenolic content of the honey depends on the pollen that the bees have used as raw material. There’s a very simple way to determine the health benefits of any honey: its colour. In general, the darker the colour of the honey the higher the level of antioxidants. (more…)

The sage herbs you cook with in the kitchen also a makes a delicious addition to dry gardens. They grow to a height of three feet tall and almost as wide. The stems are square and woody, usually covers with short hairs. All parts of this grayish green plant are aromatic. Salvia leaves are long and thin, up to 4 inches long and 1/2 inch across. They are crinkly, fragrant and sticky and can be used in cooking either fresh or dried. Culinary Sage or salvia officinalis is native to the Mediterranean region, making it a perfect plant for dry gardens. Sage grows in full sun to partial, dappled shade, and are hardy to about 20 degrees.

Sage plants flower in the summer with upright usually with blue or light blue flowers. They are beautiful in arrangements, or dried for kitchen decoration. Salvia can tolerate regular garden watering, but will also do well in drought conditions. After a few years they will need to be cut back to remove dead branches and maintain shape. (more…)

While we all know that garlic has many health benefits such as being a natural antibiotic, you may not know that they can also be healthy for your garden as well. As a companion plant, when they are planted near roses and raspberries, garlic will improve the growth and health of your plants. It has the added benefit of deterring Japanese beetles and aphids. Garlic is easy to grow and each planted clove will produce a full head of Garlic with between 8 to 20 cloves per head. To get started in with planting your garlic, first purchase your garlic of choice. Since the garlic from grocery stores has antisprouting chemicals added to it, be sure and buy your garlic from a reputable source rather than a grocery store. One variety that you may enjoy that is popular here in the Mid-South is the mild flavored ‘Elephant’ garlic which has large clusters.

Planting Garlic

One half pound of garlic seed is a good start and will produce about 15 plants. Garlic is divided into hardnecks (Allium sativum var. ohioscorodon) and softnecks (Allium sativum var. sativum). First, check online catalogs or your local co-op for the variety that will suit your needs best. (more…)

While onion’s health promoting abilities have long been recognized, it’s only recently that their considerable curative abilities have been conclusively demonstrated and thus their elevation to Superfood status.

Onions are a major source of two phytonutrients that play a significant role in health promotion: flavonoids and the mixture of over fifty sulfur-containing compounds. The two flavonoid subgroups found in onions are the anthocyanins that impart a red/purple colour to some varieties, and the flavanols such as quercetin and its derivatives that are responsible for the yellow flesh and brown skins of many varieties of onions. The flavonols are concentrated in the skin of most onions where they contribute to the colour of the vegetable.

We now know that the health promoting compounds in onion, like those in garlic, are separated by cell walls. Slicing an onion ruptures these walls and releases the compounds which then combine to form a powerful new compound: thiopropanal sulfoxide. In addition to mitigating various diseases, this substance also gives cut onions their pungent aroma and their ability to make us cry. (more…)

Do you want to provide your family with wholesome food and save money in the process? Well growing fresh herbs is the way to create a tasty meal and nutritious meal. The effort is well worth it as it takes very little effort on your behalf in growing the fresh herbs and the rewards of growing culinary herbs in food cannot be beaten.

Growing Fresh Herbs – Your Choice

Start by choosing the herbs you plan to use often if you’re growing fresh herbs for the first time. For example, if Italian cooking is your strong point then oregano would be a good first choice as it complements tomato based recipes. Other herbs to consider would be caraway, parsley and chervil that go well with soups salads and stews. Basil, marjoram and tarragon work with meat dishes while cilantro adds zest to soups and beans. Rosemary and sage add savory flavor to stuffing and chamomile and sweet woodruff make fragrant teas. (more…)

Gardening is a productive hobby that should and can be enjoyed by all, not only those who are backyard endowed. An exciting project for the budding gardener, and even children with a hint of green thumb interest, is growing herbs of various sorts in pots and containers. Container or pot gardening is extremely beneficial for city dwellers, as little space is to be had, and little space is needed. A fire escape terrace can be made oh, so much more inviting by adding a little greenery to all that metal. Small spaces are actually quite conducive to herb growth, making an herb garden an ideal candidate for one’s first foray into backyard gardening, especially if space is limited, as when there is no backyard at all.

If your household is one that enjoys eating well, and you and your family especially enjoys cooking, an herb garden should be especially attractive. Adding herbs to your favorite recipes, especially fresh herbs grown in your own little garden will only increase exponentially the wonderful tastes you bring to your dinner table each and every night. Depending of what kinds of cooking you naturally gravitate to, be it Mexican, French, Italian cuisine, etc., a special pot or grouping of pots can be tailored to grow for each style. Now for the growing preparations, because taste buds are growing impatient with all this tasty talk! (more…)