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Growing and Using Herbs

One way to approach learning about herbs without getting overwhelmed, is to think about their intended use. Taking a particular recipe that sounds good, and learning about the herbs in it, allows you to put your new knowledge to use right away.

I am interested in potpourri so I found potpourri recipes and learned about the herbs they mentioned first. Then I wanted to make herb tea, so I found tea recipes and learned about the herbs they mentioned. I just looked up the herbs by name on Google. I also got herb books from the library and used them to look up the herbs I was interested in.

Types of Herbs

A particular herb, of course, can fall into more than one category: potpourri, medicinal, tea, culinary, etc. It all depends on the intended use. Below is a list of just a few herbs and their general category, however there are many more herbs and uses out there.

  • Culinary (Cooking)
    Parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, dill, tarragon, greek oregano, pot marjoram, mint, winter savory, basil.

  • Tea
    Rosemary, sage, lemon verbena, rosehips, mint, hops, chamomile, bergamot, beebalm, catnip, lavendar, borage, anise hyssop, stevia, angelica, lemon balm.

  • Potpourri
    Scented geraniums, fragrant roses, calendula (pot marigold), lemon balm, lavendar, mint.

  • Medicinal
    Echinacea (Purple Cone Flower), feverfew, garlic, ginger, ginko, ginseng, St. John's wort, ma huang, chamomile, golden seal, milk thistle, saw palmetto, valerian.


Growing Herbs

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For a beginning herb garden you can make a circle on the ground, and divide it like a pizza, then plant a different herb in each section. Or take an old ladder, lay it on the ground, and plant a different herb in each rung section. The thing to pay attention to when growing herbs is how much water each herb needs, so that you can only water the herbs that need it, and don't over-water those that don't. Planting herbs with similar water needs next to each other is helpful.

Herbal tea maker and author, Frederique Lavoipierre, says, "Almost any garden situation, from formal to naturalistic, can accommodate a few tea herbs. Mints, elder, lemon balm, sweet woodruff and alpine strawberries will thrive in a semi-shaded situation. The dry garden is ideal for Mediterranean herbs such as thyme, rosemary, sage and fennel, while roses, hollyhocks and lemon verbena are at home in an ornamental border. In a moist area, plant mints, elder, angelica and bee balm. Many tea herbs grow well in containers, and even just a few plants on a patio can provide plentiful pots of fragrant tea."


Herbal Teas

Julie Baron, tea manager and co-owner of Taylor Maid Farms, has wonderful advice for beginning tea makers, "In the beginning, start with individual herbs and taste them alone, because they change when they're combined with other herbs,'' says Baron. "Then keep it simple—three herbs at the most makes a good blend. The theory behind blending is the same as with wine or perfume. Ideally, there's a base note, a top note, and body.''

She notes that sometimes, beginner blenders are disappointed when choosing flavors to blend, as they choose too many "top notes'' such as lemon or mint flavors when body is needed as well."

Soothing Catnip and Chamomile Tea

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup dried catnip
  • 3/4 cup dried chamomile
  • 1 cup dried lemon balm
  • 1/4 cup dried mint
  • 1/4 cup dried lemongrass

Preparation:

Mix the herbs thoroughly, and store in an air tight container. For a cup of tea, use 2 teaspoons in a cup of boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes and strain out the herbs.


Useful Herb Books


Herb Links