I remember that back in the day folks did all their gardening by ordering their seeds from a catalog. I’m sure a few people still pour over the seed catalogs. Those days are long gone now. I do not have the time to wait the month or more for germination. Do you?

It is that same old story, some herb plants work better than others when you start from seeds. Take the dill plant, for example, it grows like a weed and matures quickly too. Germination for the dill plant is a cinch. On the other hand, you’ll already be in herb gardener retirement when your thyme herb finally matures. Annuals are usually grown from seeds, as are some perennials. Since perennials come back every year, they are real bargains for your budget.

I prefer not to start my perennial herb plants in a seed tray or in a regular herb garden bed; instead, I use a pot. They take a while to get going, so it is important that they have room to thrive and not face competition from other herb plants or even weeds. It only takes about 3 to four weeks for most perennials to germinate.

Depending on the climate where you live, you may be able to plant both your annual herb plants and perennial herb plants at the same time, any time of the year. If you live in a colder climate, plant your annuals in the spring, summer or fall—all will do well.

If you’re going to raise from seeds, you cannot miss with these:

• Anise: Also known as the hyssop, the anise plant has a nice licorice aroma and has almost iridescent purple, green and blue notched leaves and spiked blossoms of blue and purple. Most people use anise as a flavoring in many dinners and in teas. You can also use it in your potpourri. It’s best to start your perennial anise early, up to 8 weeks before you plan to move it outside

• Caraway: Do not let its strange appearance fool you. This herb, with its nut-like licorice flavor is serious business. Use it in your German foods, including soups, stews and krauts. The most often used part of the caraway is the seed, but the root is also edible. To have a longer growing season with this biennial, begin your plant indoors from seeds at least 6 weeks before you plan to move it outdoors.

• Coneflower: Add coneflower to your herb garden if you’re looking for a perennial that is a cinch to care for. Although many people call it a wildflower, it’s an herb because of its healing benefits. The healing name for the coneflower is Echinacea, which will hold your allergies at bay and keep your immune system strong.

It can take about 6 weeks for your herbs to sprout, get hardy and be ready to go outside in either containers or beds. This is especially helpful if you live in cold-weather climates—it will give you a jumpstart on the growing season.

Perennials do really well in warm locations. If you live in a warm climate, you can start them anytime.

Sowing seeds for your annuals is pretty easy. Just break up the ground a little and sprinkle the seeds on that location and cover lightly with sod. If you choose your herbs wisely, you can get all self-sowers, which can come back next season from the seeds they “sow” this season.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Herb Garden Kits. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

There are many different types of medicinal herbs, from common medicinal herbs to the more exotic medicinal herbs, and being able to identify them can be a difficult task.As more and more people decide to look at medicinal herbs seriously, the number of herbs and information on them increased.So how does someone choose the dried medicinal herbs that is right for them?  

Many people opt to use a handbook of medicinal herbs that they can get in print or online.  Choosing a particular handbook of medicinal herbs to use can be difficult because there are dozens of different handbook of medicinal herbs to choose from and each of them may have different ingredients and methods for identifying the medicinal herbs.

Information In A Handbook Of Medicinal Herbs

One of the most important things to look for in a handbook of medicinal herbs is whether the book includes specific herb garden information for the medicinal herbs that will allow you to determine the price.Having this information allows you to know which herbs are within your budget.Although a handbook may contain a number of different medicinal herbs that can differ in prices, finding the quality ones that are affordable can be hard to do without searching through the shopping websites.

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A handbook of medicinal herbs can be created differently to suit the different customers.Some books have short information to the point of having minimal information other than basic instructions for using the medicinal herbs.  Some other books will have a lot of information about the specific types of herbs and all of the benefits that each herb is supposed to supply.Choosing the herbs to use will depend on your own personal preferences.

You can bring a new image to your balcony by adding a few potted herb plants. Using pots is helpful because you can easily change their place as you experiment with the quality and amount of sun they get. If you raise your balcony herb plants in pots, they are portable—so you can bring them indoors at the end of the season.

Balconies are all about sunlight and you will want to go with herbs like morning glories that grow well with a lot of sunshine. Morning glories are fabulous because they will handle the bright reflection from your windows and also all the heat that a metal balcony will generate. Check out your balcony at different times of the day to see the quality of sunshine, the heat and the intensity. Check to see which way your balcony faces and whether it gets more morning or afternoon sun.

A principle for balcony plants would include any herb with a thick leaf or a velvety texture as well as any plant that is gray or silver. They will do well because they lose less water in evaporation.

Try some of these fantastic herb plants on your balcony:

• Aloe vera: Aloe vera is an easy plant to grow. It tolerates the sun very well and needs minimal watering. You can use aloe vera easily by snipping off the tip and rubbing it on a burn or other skin problem. It is sticky, but you’ll feel better in no time!

• Cayenne pepper: If you grill out on your balcony, imagine being able to break off a pieces of cayenne pepper to add to your next meal. With a bright pop of color, cayenne pepper can be awesome on your balcony.

• Cucumber: A trailing vine, like a cucumber, can provide an added touch to your balcony. You can also use cucumbers in cosmetics—think facials! Being able to add some cucumber to your salad is a lovely touch too.

• Hens-and-chicks: These are among my most favorite plants. These do not require a lot of watering—they are water-holding succulents—and will tolerate the hot temperature and bright sunshine that you might have on your balcony. They are adorable to look at too!

• Lavender: Just one whiff of the soothing smell of this fragrant herb and you will be more at ease. The brilliant purple buds will make a colorful balcony even better.

Select a collection of interesting pots for your balcony or use a hanging basket lined with a coconut husk for good outcomes. I once made my own balcony basket with chicken wire and moss. It was my first try at something like that. It wasn’t fantastic, but it worked. The key is to choose a pot or basket that will allow for good drainage.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Windowsill Herb Garden. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

I like to cook with fresh herb plants. Don’t you? Not only do they taste great, they smell wonderful too! It’s easy to use fresh herbs too. You can always lop off what you need and add to the rest of your ingredients for a fresh flavor you’ll love.

But what do you do when it is winter and fresh herbs are few and far between?

Try freezing as a fresh alternative to drying your herbs because it is a simpler and better way to keep your herbs fresh. Just grow the herb plants, snip your herbs and put them in a freezer bag. You don’t have to do anything special to prepare your herb plants for freezing, other than rinsing them. If they’re not packed too tightly, you can crumble the frozen herb plants in your hands before you open the freezer bag.

If you do want them measured before you freeze your herbs, you can dice them up and freeze your herbs in ice trays. Once you dice the herb plants, put a tablespoon of herb plants into the ice cube tray compartments and cover with water. Put these cubes into the freezer bags and later, when you are ready toss a few cubes into your soups, stews and other dishes.

If you want to try freezing herbs, these are some good ones to start with:

• Basil: Remove the foliage from the stem just before the flowers of your basil when you are ready to harvest your herbs and dry your herbs. Put the dried foliage into a freezer bag so that you can make use of them later on. If you do not have much time, just take the leaves and put them into a freezer bag and stick your herbs in your freezer to keep your herbs fresh. You can even put them in a container and cover them with oil, which will bring out the taste. You can keep your herbs like this for several months.

• Parsley: Do not keep this fantastic plant as just another ornamental garnish.  Parsley will work well in almost any Italian dish. Nobody appreciates parsley for it’s positive attributes. It cannot help it if the other Italian herbs (like oregano, basil and garlic) have stronger, more memorable tastes.  Parsley works hard to help other herbs taste better. Sprinkle some crushed parsley into your pot along with your other ingredients and your it will enhance the flavors of the other herbs. I generally take the leaves and put your herbs into a freezer bag, put the bags on the shelf of my freezer and then put a box of vegetables on top of my bagsto freeze your herbs flat. When you’re ready to use them, just crunch the bag up in your hand and they’re instantly chopped.

• French Tarragon: Harvest sprigs of this fabulous herb throughout the summer months, but stop in late summer so that you don’t damage the plant. Fresh leaves are better than frozen, but in the middle of winter, I’ll take anything. Add your herbs to your chicken or fish meals. French tarragon also goes well with cream sauces, vinegars and mustards.

Do not forget to write the name of the herb on the freezer bag so that when you pull your herbs out of the freezer you will know what it is.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Italian Herb Garden. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

There is something special about tomatoes that you grow yourself. From your own Italian herb garden, they seem redder, tastier, plumper, and they are just perfect for any salad or recipe you need to use them for. When you see them at the supermarket, their coloring is pink. They just do not look healthy. In fact, they look sick. If you are desperate, and you need a tomato in your salad that evening, you buy it anyway. And you are always sorry you spent that money on a tomato that was not properly ripened and was too expensive.

Very first you need to choose what herbs you require the most. Perhaps they  ought to be planted within the exact same section of the garden as the  vegetables you’ll use to go with them. You need to read the directions on the  herb packages, as most herbs will adore the direct sunlight all day lengthy,  but some cannot stand as well much sunlight. You will find also various times  from the year to plant them. Since you is going to be eating them, they ought  to be planted with an all organic fertilizer. Should you would like to make  this mixture your self, you are able to do that utilizing your personal soil  and some organic matter, like rabbit manure, for instance. This will give your  plants lots of excellent nitrogen. Other amendments might require to be added,  according to the herbs you plant.

Should you cook Italian foods, you’ll want plenty of parsley, basil, thyme, and  oregano. Should you like East Indian food and Mexican, you’ll require a great  deal of cilantro. Try to maintain the cilantro separate from the parsley,  because they appear the same and also you don’t wish to mix them up, because  they have really various tastes. You may want some peppers to go together with  your herbs, too. You will find sweet bell peppers of all colors that you simply  can plant, together with some hot ones.

Dill is excellent in potato salads and deviled eggs. It looks like a really  delicate plant, but don’t let it fool you. In some cooler places it grows like  a weed, and it doesn’t even require direct sunlight. Should you like having  lamb for dinner, you’ll wish to grow some woody rosemary plants. And sage is  fantastic for soups and stews.

If your summers are lengthy, you’ll have sufficient time to grow plenty of  herbs and vegetables to share with buddies, neighbors and loved ones. You might  even have sufficient to open your personal veggie stand for additional cash, or  sell them to your local markets. Perhaps you’d think about giving some to food  pantries which are so much in require.

If your summers are short, you’ll wish to grow as a lot as you are able to, and  there are lots of points you are able to do to use your home grown create for  that rest of the 12 months. Numerous of them could be frozen for later use. The  peppers could be cut up into pieces, placed in baggies, and they’ll last all 12  months within the freezer for whenever you require them. Hot peppers could be  dried and hung in decorative bunches. They could be added to vinegars, placed  in decorative bottles and given as gifts.

You may want to maintain some of the basil frozen, too, and also you ought to  put a few drops of olive oil on it to maintain the leaves separated because  they freeze. They is going to be simpler to pull apart whenever you require  them. Sage can dry and be placed inside a vase for your constant use during the  rest from the 12 months. Other herbs could be really slowly dried inside a warm  oven, and then bottled because they do with your seasons within the stores.

The a lot more herbs you plant this springtime, the a lot more you’ll have all  12 months for cooking. You’ll save so a lot cash by not having to buy them at  the supermarket or health food shop, simply because you grew them your self.