Home Remedies and Natural Cures
Filed under: Lifestyle — permalink
Once you have selected the plants you desire for your herb garden, you will need to dig holes for your seedlings or plants, allowing sufficient room for them to grow. Also, don’t forget to read the planting instructions that come with your herb purchases.
Planting Seeds: Annual herbs are known to grow better when a gardener plants their own seeds. Paying a visit to your local garden center will provide you with the seeds you need to grow an herb garden. Hard-to locate seeds may reside at special herb nurseries. You may also obtain your seeds from mail order or Internet resources.
Annual seeds should be sown during the spring, directly in the area where you expect them to grow. The sowing of perennial seeds respond better during late summer, kept safe throughout the winter, and then planted in the garden when spring arrives. Annual medicinal herbs to consider purchasing include German chamomile; pot marigold; and borage. Fennel, skullcap; and lady’s mantle represent perennial herb favorites.
If this is your first herb garden, there is a wide-range of options that provide a satisfying foundation for a beginner. In regards to usefulness, pot marigold (great astringent); St. John’s wort (good for inflammations and burns); thyme (one of the best antiseptics); purple sage (makes a great mouthwash); fennel (seeds treat digestive woes); and chamomile (satisfying sleep aid) are well-worth the try.
As your herb garden begins to take shape, you may notice some varieties grow quicker than others, prompting attentive garden maintenance. Taking care of an herb garden may call for pruning, which involves cutting back dead flower stalks or leaves. Keep in mind that self-seeding herb plants can take over an entire garden. Controlling these varieties is a must to ensure the proper growth of all herbs.
Most herb garden treasures are best harvested during the summer season (before or during flowering). Depending on the type of herbs selected, you might collect seeds and bark in early autumn; pluck roots in early spring or autumn; and gather leaves at any time (except during the threat of a frost). The types of herbs you select for your garden also determine the parts of the plant that are safe to use for medicinal purposes, such as the flowers, leaves, seeds, berries, bulbs, roots, bark, sap, or gel.
After a harvest, the medicinal preparation required of your herbs will determine the next course of action. This may include keeping the herbs fresh, dried, frozen, or simply stored in an airtight, dry container; dark glass; or pottery vessel. After a harvest, the fun of owning an herb garden continues as you discover the ins and outs of making your own herbal creams, infusions, teas, tinctures, and more.