The Herb Gardener

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Plant Terms Defined
2008-03-14 23:56:00
Before we start discussing plans for an herb garden, let's define some terms. Herbs and vegetables fall into three broad growing categories that will help you understand what type of future you can expect from them. Annual Herbs Defined Plant s that complete their life cycle in a single season are said to be annual. That season often starts in the spring and ends with the first frost, but with
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What's the Difference Between an Herb and a Vegetable?
2008-03-10 18:07:00
Herbs differ from vegetables in that they are primarily used as an accompaniment and not served alone. Vegetable s can be eaten alone, cooked or raw. Many herbs can be raised with vegetables, and they can make good pairings to promote a pest free growing environment. Herbs are commonly resistant to pests because they have strong flavors and aromas that many pests avoid. Because they are hardy and
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What's the Difference Between Herbs and Spices?
2008-03-10 17:57:00
There is some overlap, but the basic difference between an herb and a spice is that spices are considered tropical or semi-tropical in origin. They can be composed of leaves, bark, roots, dried fruits, seeds, or nuts. Almost all spices are imported, and can come from vines, shrubs, or trees.
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Growing and Harvesting Ginger
2008-03-04 23:26:00
Ginger grows from a spreading, tuberous rhizome. It does well in moist fertile soil in warm winter areas. If you have seen ginger in the grocery store, the root looks like a flattened, beige, segmented bulb. The foliage is tall and dark green in color, springing from upright, rigid stems. Even in areas that experience a hard frost, ginger can be grown in large pots and over-wintered indoors.
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Starting Garlic From Cloves
2008-03-04 03:13:00
You can start garlic from the bulbs you buy at your local grocery store. This is true of regular and elephant garlic. Here's how. Starting Garlic from Cloves Separate the cloves and let them dry on your counter for a few days, but don't peel the paper off. Prepare potting soil to which you have added sand or another loosening agent. If you are planting garlic directly into the garden and have

Produce Department Herb Plants
2008-02-29 04:12:00
The next time you head off to your local produce department, take another look at the fresh herb plants. Usually tucked in an out of the way corner, often by the sacks of peanuts and dried fruits, the culinary herb plants will usually be sitting in black moulded plastic trays. They're green and hardy, or at least they start out that way. They make me a little sad every time I walk by, and I
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Plant Tea This Spring
2008-02-27 04:34:00
There are many herbal teas that are made from ingredients that you can grow in your garden easily: sage, ginger, apple mint, saffron, chamomile flowers, peppermint, dandelion, lemon balm, fennel, and lemon thyme among others, all make good teas that can be blended for their unique flavor and restorative properties. When planning your herb garden this year, don't forget to make a spot for tea
More About: Spring , Plant

Dried Herb Ideas – Useful Decoration
2008-02-25 02:36:00
When I bring in my chili pepper crop, I always dry a batch on the dehydrator (after blanching them in boiling water for about five seconds), and string them on heavy twine with an upholstery needle. This long garland of bright red peppers decorates my kitchen, and pinch-hits as a last minute source of chili peppers for homemade burritos and chimichangas. I will usually take the season end peppers
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Growing Herbs - A Natural Way to Go Green
2008-02-24 19:52:00
Going green is the latest trend, and thank heavens, but herb gardeners have been doing it for ages. What better way to stay healthy, season your food, decorate your home, deal with pests, and treat your minor ailments than with home grown herbs. Growing Herbs is a Natural way to Begin a Green er Lifestyle Growing herbs is a great start on becoming a gardener and an environmentalist. Herbs

Headache Remedy - Accupressure, Aromatherapy, and a Foot Bath
2008-02-20 15:29:00
If you suffer from headaches and are reluctant to take conventional painkillers, there's a fast and easy way to get relief. Take a footbath. Soaking your feet and applying gentle acupressure to the base of your toes while you're doing it will be as effective a many other methods, maybe more so. Include the relaxing benefits of aromatherapy by adding some lavender to the water. If you've made a
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Making Lavender Scented Candles
2008-02-14 02:35:00
Candle making is inexpensive, and once you've done it a few times, it's easy too. Whether you are going in for the more expensive beeswax candles, are opting for parafin, or are thinking about recycling old candles that are lying around the house, combining candle making and aromatherapy can be a great way to enhance your environment, your mood, and your sense of accomplishment. Lavender is a
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Planting Spring Seeds Indoors
2008-02-13 22:40:00
I wrote an article a few days ago and have posted a link to it at the bottom of this page. It will give you some good tips and tricks for starting seeds indoors in February or March. I have thought of an additional tip that can be fun. Small peat coins can be a useful starting medium for seeds, but I like using potting soil with egg shells too. I think of it as being environmentally responsible.
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Herb Gardening in the Desert
2008-02-11 21:14:00
Keeping herbs in the desert can be challenging, but they provide so much value to your home and garden that they are worth some extra effort. Herb s and Desert Soil Herbs are often native to poor soils, but desert dirt has special problems when it comes to sustaining plants. The presence of salts and acidic minerals makes gardening herbs and other temperate plants more difficult. Raised beds
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Make Lavender Water
2008-02-08 18:10:00
Lavender water is a good way to add the fragrance of lavender to your linens, general cleaning, and crafts. Lavender Water Recipe 4 Cups Distilled Water 5 Tablespoons of Vodka (Cheap Vodka is okay) 30 Drops of Essential Oil of Lavender Mix thoroughly and decant into decorative bottles, atomizers, or all-purpose spritzer bottles. You can also use it in spritzer bottle when ironing clothes, or
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Snuggle up With Lavender in Your Bed Pillow
2008-02-08 04:51:00
Put your dried lavender flowers to good use in helping you get a restful night's sleep. Just tuck a muslin bag filled with a tablespoon or two of dried lavender flowers into your pillow or under your sheets near the top of the mattress. The essential oil in the lavender will help your body relax by helping to slow your central nervous system. Just try it once and you'll be hooked. If you suffer
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Make Lavender Facial Scrub
2008-02-07 00:14:00
Lavender facial scrub uses the antibacterial properties of lavender and the soothing qualities of almonds to exfoliate and rejuvenate your skin. It smells wonderful, and can be a great overall relaxing agent if you apply the scrub while you are still in the bath or shower. Consider it a small aromatherapy benefit to the process. If you have dry or sensitive skin, the almonds are particularly
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History of the Wild Mustard Plant and the Conquistadors
2008-02-06 00:36:00
One of my favorite stories about herbs involves the Conquistadors. The mustard plant was introduced to the Americas by the conquistadors or their attendant Padres (depending on who you're listening to), who planted the fast sprouting seeds to mark their trails. The fast-flowering plants were seeded to show them a golden road back along their route (the yellow brick road?). An annual, wild
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Make Pico de Gayo
2008-02-04 20:30:00
Pico de Gayo is a refreshing summer salsa made from fresh ingredients. An uncooked chow-chow, pico de gayo is easy to make and is full of vitamins and minerals. Use it as a dip, condiment, or as an ingredient in more complex dishes like chimichangas, omelets, or rice dishes. What Types of Herbs are in Pico de Gayo Pico de Gayo uses some herb favorites like cumin, cinnamon, garlic, cilantro,
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No Tears Onions
2008-02-03 22:18:00
If you think that onions are the spice of life, you'll be pleased to learn that scientists in New Zealand have perfected a no tears onion. Using the wonders of biotechnology, they were able to switch off the gene controlling the enzyme that causes us to cry. This discovery could put an end to the days of slicing onions for your French onion soup under water, and other strategies for chopping
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Herb Notes for February
2008-02-03 04:39:00
The following are a few thoughts on the herbs I keep around the house. Peppermint Grow peppermint in a glass of water. A kitchen window is great for this. It will root readily and be available for garnishes all winter long. Fresh peppermint is a flavorful addition to English Breakfast tea, or hot chocolate. Chives Indoor grown chives make a convenient substitution for green onion in omlettes
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Making Peel and Eat Shrimp
2008-02-02 22:48:00
I've been preparing to write this entry for a few hours now. My original plan was to explain how to make lavender facial scrub, but the topic isn't doing much for me today. I'm into Super Bowl preparation, and all of my creative juices are intent on appetizers for the big game tomorrow. So, here are my tips for creating some of my husband's and my favorite special occasion munchies, starting
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The History of Tussie-Mussie
2008-02-01 00:31:00
Have you heard of the infamous and misunderstood tussie-mussie? Currently thought of as a nosegay, or compact bouquet of flowers and herbs, it has a colorful, if obscure, past with hilarious connotations. In light of its modern bridal and festive associations, I really couldn't pass on the irony. The language of flowers, having robust historical and literary antecedents, includes this little gem
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Growing Your Own Saffron
2008-01-30 23:15:00
Saffron is an expensive spice that has a very distinct flavor and aroma. It is prized throughout the world, but often only used for special-occasion dishes because it is so expensive. Where Does Saffron Come From, Anyway? Saffron comes from the three stigmas of an autum blooming crocus plant, the Crocus Sativus. The Crocus Sativus is hardy from zones six through nine in the United States, and
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Using Herbs for Dental Care
2008-01-30 02:42:00
Because commercial toothpastes and other tooth cleaners and whiteners contain harsh abrasives, detergents, and bleaches, you can give your teeth a break by buying herbal toothpastes, or making your own. Here are some tips for quick, effective tooth care: A sage leaf rubbed over the teeth and gums will help clean them and make them feel smooth and fresh. Alpine strawberry rubbed over the teeth
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Do Poppy Seeds Contain Drugs?
2008-01-29 01:53:00
The poppy is a red flower with a thick seed pods that carry the popular poppy seeds used in cooking. Although there's been a great deal of misinformation about the ability of poppy seeds to create false positives in drug testing, more modern testing does not confuse culinary poppy seed ingestion for drug use, and you shouldn't refrain from eating or using poppy seeds in cooking because of it. If
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Natural Hangover Remedies
2008-01-01 15:39:00
If you're feeling a little the worse for wear after your New Year's Eve celebration, try taking some honey. Natural ly high in fructose, honey will help your body metabolize any residual alcohol. Staying hydrated by drinking lots of water will help too.Other herbs that will help you deal with the day after headache and sour stomach are: ginko seeds, ginseng, cherry birch bark, mint, and ginger.Why don't you try a little ginger or mint tea to which you've added a liberal helping of honey.
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Note: New Year's Eve
2007-12-31 19:46:00
Scout and I are hoping that you have a safe and sane New Year's celebration. Remember to pick a designated driver, or catch a ride if you have any doubts about the wisdom of getting behind the wheel. I have lots of good posts coming up in the new year, and I wouldn't want you to miss a single one of them. Happy New Year.
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Choose Rosemary for Remembrance
2007-12-31 15:23:00
I like rosemary. It smells clean and refreshing to me. When I lived in California I saw it used frequently as a hedge, or as an indestructible shrub around business parks. I often used it as a base for wreaths because it dried beautifully and was easy to find.Since moving to Kentucky, I keep my rosemary bushes indoors during the winter months and move them onto the deck in May (on Derby day). Because of the low winter temperatures, it's not abundant here, so I've switched to sage and other herbs for wreaths, but rosemary is still a good friend.I'm a lover of lamb and eggplant, so my fresh rosemary comes in handy. I also like to dry the stems as an aromatic for summer grilling and smoking.I mention it today because of its association as the herb of remembrance. The famous line from Shakespeare's Hamlet: "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance;", and it's inclusion as a memory enhancer in medical journals dating from the 1600s gives it a poignant significance to me on this th...
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The Charmed House - Solarium and Kitchen
2007-12-31 02:31:00
After I made my comments about the wonderful house and garden used in the movie "Practical Magic", friends started talking about other great houses and gardens. The series "Charmed ", now cancelled, had one of the most beautiful conservatories I've seen outside of Monticello, and I remember that I visited a website once that had a virtual tour of it. This link isn't the site I remember, but it has photos and a tour. I've had trouble getting the video to run consistently, it's notional, but keep trying: Visit the Charmed house.There's also a second video with a mock up of the house with some interesting shots of the back garden and attic. Check that one out too: Haliwell Manor Tour
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Safe Indoor Pest Control for your Plants
2007-12-29 22:13:00
If you brought any unwelcome freeloaders in with your plants this fall, I have a great safe way to deal with them. I'm not sure where I saw this, but for years I've been afraid to spray pesticide indoors because of my pets. So, to treat any insects that may have come on on my plants' leaves, I place a flea collar around the base of the pot. After a few days, I move the collar to any plant that looks like it's in trouble. It works like a charm. Many of the outlet stores carry private label flea collars that are very reasonably priced. Give it a try.
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