Beginning Gardening Vegetbale Gardening Guide.

Herbs and herbal mixtures have been used in China for centuries. Traditional Chinese herbs that are used for weight loss, treatment of medical and emotional conditions, pain relief, and other purposes are starting to become popular. For some, wary of the overuse of pharmaceuticals prescribed by Western physicians, traditional Chinese herbs may offer a more palatable and holistic alternative. However, traditional Chinese herbs sometimes need to be approached with caution, especially by those who are unfamiliar with their properties and with the specific liabilities that can sometimes be associated with their use. Let’s take a look at some traditional Chinese herbs uses and some things you need to know if this is a topic that interests you.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (sometimes abbreviated as “TCM”) is a complex body of knowledge that has evolved over many centuries. It speaks of various subdisciplines, including acupuncture, medicinal herb use, various heat and cold therapies, massage, dietary guidelines, and other techniques. Due to the increasing number of interest in “natural” healing techniques and holistic medicine during the past several decades, TCM adherents in the United States and other Western countries are increasing in number. Many users claim to have success in weight loss, depression, and other conditions by using traditional Chinese herbal remedies. Chinese herbs are gaining popularity as well in home herb gardens.

Using Traditional Chinese Herbs: Some Cautions

Because herbal extracts are usually marketed in the U.S. as “dietary supplements,” they didn’t receive the same testing, labeling, and quality control regimens as Western medicines, either over-the-counter or prescribed pharmaceuticals. For this reason, you should be careful when using traditional Chinese herbs, or organic herbs or any other herbal or animal product being sold as a “dietary supplement.” Potencies, purity levels, and even the precise type of substance can vary greatly from one source to another. In some instances, foreign contaminants can even bring in potentially dangerous substances into the body. Because of this, you need to exercise caution, especially if you are thinking about using Chinese herbs that you have not used before, or are using products obtained from a different source. Any adverse reactions should be noted and reported to your doctor.

Chinese Herbs and Western Medicine

Interestingly, some traditional Chinese herbs have been adapted for use in Western medicine. For example, artemisinin, a compound used worldwide to treat resistant strains of malaria, is derived from Chinese wormwood (qinghao), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Other uses for artemisinin, including it being an anti-carcinogen are currently under research and clinical trial.

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Posted under Home Herb Garden

Do you pop pills into your mouth every time you feel ill? If you are one of those people who rely on pills to make yourself feel better, you may want to re-reconsider taking those pills. According to studies, those who take pills regularly are more likely to be sick than those who rely on Chinese healing herbs. Experts suggest that Chinese healing herbs are better than those drugs manufactured by pharmaceutical companies because they are made of all natural ingredients and they have less side effects compared to those drugs that are manufactured by pharmaceutical companies.

Chinese healing herbs are less expensive than pharmaceutical products. Why? First, Chinese healing herbs are sold at its pure state so there is no need for large manufacturing costs. Second, companies that sell Chinese healing herbs do not use large advertisements and spend too much on distribution costs so they are able to sell their products at lower prices~Second, companies that sell Chinese healing herbs do not use large advertisements and spend too much on distribution costs so they are able to sell their products at lower prices}. Third, if you happen to be one of those people who love to grow plants, you can grow your own organic herbs at minimal cost. This means that you can enjoy your favorite Chinese herbs with just a little amount of money anytime you want~This means that you can enjoy your favorite Chinese herbs with just a little amount of money anytime you want~This means that you just need a little amount of money to enjoy your favorite Chinese herbs whenever you want to}. 

Things To Remember Before Getting Into Alternative Medicine

Although Chinese healing herbs are generally good for your body, you still to be take extra care before you start using these herbs especially if you have a history of allergic reactions. Remember that certain types of herbs can cause allergic reactions to people. To stay on the safe side, you need to do some research about certain types of Chinese healing herbs first before you use them, there are plenty of herb garden plants information on the internet. Make sure that you do not have any allergic reactions to these types of herbs. A lot of people end up in the hospital after taking these herbs due to allergic reactions so make sure that you do not make the same mistake.

You should not take Chinese healing herbs without telling your doctor about it if you have some pre-existing medical conditions and you are taking some medications. You must understand that certain types of herbs and medicines do not agree with it each other so you must be extra careful when it comes to ingesting these things. Before you try any of these Chinese healing herbs, discuss the merits and demerits of these healing herbs with your doctor.

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Posted under Home Herb Garden

If you love to cook, you’ll probably want to start you own culinary herb garden. Most people keep these somewhere near their back door so that they can dash outside for a couple of sprigs while they are cooking.

So when you’re planning your culinary herb garden think about what you like to cook and begin with the herb plants that are included in your favorite recipes.

Some good herbs for your kitchen garden are:

• Chives: I love raising and cooking chives because they are so simple. From seed to cooking pot, these are uncomplicated all the way around. If you do have a recipe that calls for fresh chives, just snip the tops off a few of your sprouts and the herb will continue to grow Chives can certainly wake up the other tastes in your meals.

• Dill: Anyone can raise dill—you don’t even need a green thumb. They like full-sun and well-drained sod, but be sure to clip off the tops before they go to seed so that they will not spread all over your yard. The leaves, stems, and seeds are all nice to eat. Try adding some dried dill seed to your tuna or chicken salad.

• Cayenne Pepper: Because this sizzling hot herb can grow to more than 3 feet high, you’ll want to plant it so that it does not block the sun for another plant. If you live in a region that has frost during the colder time of year, you will want to bring your cayenne pepper herb inside. You can start with seeds indoors and move outside after the last frost. As summer winds on, harvest your peppers as soon as they begin to ripen, because they will easily and quickly rot on the plant.

• Tarragon: Tarragon has a fantastic flavor and scent. I make a mouth-watering mayonnaise-based vegetable dip with tarragon that never fails to please. Start with a young plant and clip leaves and stems whenever you need them. You’ll also want to keep the plant trimmed back, so if you need to give it a manicure and don’t have anything on the menu that calls for tarragon; you can also freeze it for the future.

• Cilantro: This star of Mexican cuisine can add a lot of flavor to your next salsa, tacos or Mexican chicken dish. You can successfully raise cilantro from seeds and harvest leaves in any month of the year, which you can add to your delicious Mexican entrees. You can also take it indoors during winter for guaranteed success. The leaves near the bottom of the plant have the best flavor, so begin here when you harvest the leaves for your next Mexican dish.

• Welch Onions: Although these onions are small, don’t count them out, because their mild taste is reminiscent of scallions. Like pearl onions, I use these in dinners to add a bit of visual appeal. Leave a lot of room for your Welch onion because they tend to grow in large clumps.

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

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

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Posted under Kitchen Herb Garden

Did you know that many of the drugs that you purchase in the pharmacy have herbs in them? Wouldn’t it be a lot easier and cheaper if you grew your own healing herb plants? I know I’ve saved countless dollars by raising my own little first aid kit in the garden.

Do you have any of these ailments? Try herbs!

• For aching joints, try chervil, coriander and thyme. Lavender, marjoram, lovage, peppermint and oregano can be used as an antibacterial.

• Do you have bad breath? Anise, mint, parsley and sweet cicely can do you a world of good.

• Constipation can be serious. Both dandelion and fennel will assist in getting things going again.

• I’m surprised that there are so many herbs that assist with flatulence, including beebalm, caraway, coriander, ginger, lemon balm, lovage, peppermint and summer savory.

• There’s nothing more soothing to your frazzled nerves than a nice cup of chamomile tea at the end of the day. Some other herbs that might assist include dill, goldenrod, lavender and lemon balm.

• There’s no better cure for a hangover than thyme. It works better than the raw egg/tomato juice concoction people might tell you to down.

• Do you have a terrible case of hiccups that won’t go away? Try dill. It will be fabulous, and if you like dill, it can be a tasty cure.

• Goldenrod, aloe, summer savory and hens-and-chicks are fantastic for taking the sting out of those insect bites, even mosquito bites.

• Tossing and turning all night? A lot of the same herbs that can calm your nerves can help here too, but chamomile and dill are most likely to help you with your insomnia.

• If you suffer from seasonal allergies or nasal congestion, sage, horseradish and violet are great options. To clean out your nasal passages fast, use a little horseradish.

• Peppermint is great for indigestion and stomachache, but dill, lovage and fennel are also beneficial.

Among all these remedies you might think that herbs are the next snake oil. Don’t believe me? Experiment with it for yourself!

• Aloe Vera: I have two different aloe vera herbs that are constantly suffering from me breaking off bits to treat burns (including sunburn) and mosquito bites. Be mindful not to over-water it. It is a succulent and does not need much water or any other special treatment. Just be sure that it gets a lot of light and that its well-drained soil keeps it firmly rooted in the pot or garden bed.
• Chamomile: You may already be familiar with chamomile because it is well-known as a healing herb that will help with both mental and physical maladies. Chamomile comes in two kinds (German and true or Roman chamomile), and if you allow them, both of these plants can raise themselves next season in a process called self-sowing.
• Horseradish: If you need to clean out your sinuses, just take a sniff of this one. Believe it or not, even though it has a peppery flavor, the horseradish herb is a member of the mustard family. Although the leaves can grow to 2 feet long, it is the root that is essential for the herb gardener.

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.

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Posted under Herb Garden Design

When I was a kid, I lived out in a rural community and we only had clay sod once you dug about 6 or 12 inches down. When you are planning your garden, you have got to put sunshine and soil quality at the top of the list of things to consider. Without the correct amounts of both sunshine and water, your garden won’t flourish. With the right combination of water, sod and natural light, you can grow just about anything.

Rather than trying to fix the dirt issues, I changed my garden plan and learned about rock gardening, which uses rocks and only a thin layer of nice earth.

If you have got a similar situation, you can grow your own rock garden. Some herbs truly love the rocky craggy sod that you have in areas like this all over the world. If you do not have the rocky soil and want the aesthetic of a rock garden, be sure you’ve got room for roots to grow and also some good drainage.

When planning your herb garden, be sure that you are choosing herbs that can stay compact, because with limited space you do not want anything taking over. Look at your reference books for the right herbs for rock gardens. A good rule of thumb are those that have silver or gray leaves. It is not a hard-and-fast rule, but it should help in making good choices.

• Hen-and-Chicks: I cannot imagine cutting open a hen or chick and rubbing it on a wart, but this perennial succulent herb, which is also known as St. Patrick’s cabbage, has a long history of healing them. The leaves of this herb store water for periods of drought. Your hen can get up to 4 inches across pretty fast. Soon small off-shoots, or chicks, will sprout up from the edges of your hen. You will enjoy the reddish-pink blooms that can appear atop a 9 inch spike that shoots straight up from the center of each hen in the summer. The herb will continue to add chicks and grow into a colony of herbs.

• Wild Oregano: This perennial from the Mediterranean region will grow energetically up to 30 inches tall with its oval leaves and purple blossoms that come out late in the summer. Although you certainly may eat this variety of oregano, it will not quite be the same as the Greek oregano you are familiar with from Italian meals.

• Marjoram: You can cook with marjoram, but you can use it to landscape your rock garden. It’s a perennial that has a delicate scent with oval gray-green leaves and tiny white flowers. For marjoram to retain its shape and form, keep it trimmer back (use the clippings in your Italian meals) so that it will keep growing well—full sun and the good drainage in your rock garden will help too.

• Thyme: The shiny, little leaves of the thyme plant are clustered along woody stems that are adorned with numerous white or pink blossoms and grows to a height of up to 12 inches. Thyme grows best when the earth is sandy, well-drained and gets a whole lot of light. You’ll want to keep this herb trimmed back to maintain its shape and to help it remain hearty.

The contrast between the rocks and the herb plants will dazzle the eyes, without losing any of the other sensations, including smell and taste.

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

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

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Technorati Tags: gardening, growing herb rock gardens, herb garden designs, outside, rock garden, Website Information

Posted under Herb Garden Design

Does your balcony need a new image? Try potted herbs! Having your herbs in pots makes it a cinch because you can move them around (as you figure out the amount of sun your balcony gets). Their portability also helps for bringing your herb plants indoors at the end of the growing season—you do not want to leave your herbs on the balcony all winter.

Balconies are all about natural light and you will want to go with herbs like morning glories that grow well with a lot of sun. Morning glories are fantastic because they can handle the bright reflection from your windows and also all the heat that a metal balcony can generate. Observe the amount and type of natural light, heat and intensity on your balcony during a regular day. You will also want to know which way your balcony is facing—will you get more morning or afternoon sun?

A good rule of thumb for balcony herbs would include any plant 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 a few of these great herbs on your balcony:

• Aloe vera: Aloe vera is an easy herb to grow. It doesn’t need much water and it tolerates a lot of sun and heat. It is also very helpful for burns, just clip a small piece off and rub it on the burn. It’s 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. This herb should do very well on your balcony and add some color too.

• Cucumber: A trailing vine, like a cucumber, will provide an added touch to your balcony. Cucumbers are wonderful for facials, ladies. You can also grab a few cucumbers to slice for your salads, straight from the balcony!

• Hens-and-chicks: These are among my very favorite plants. Because they are succulents, they can hold water very well (less watering for you) and they will handle the bright sun and hot temperatures you may have on your balcony. They are adorable to look at too!

• Lavender: Because lavender is a fragrant plant, you will be able to breathe in the soothing smell of lavender when you put it on your balcony. It is also a beautiful plant that provides a nice pop of color.

You can select a few nice-sized pots to put on your balcony or use a hanging balcony basket that has an inside layer from a coconut liner. I once made my own balcony basket with chicken wire and moss. It was my first attempt at something like that. That basket was not the best thing since sliced bread, but it was functional. It will work better if you carefully consider the drainage when you are buying your basket or container.

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.

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Posted under Herb Garden Design

I collect cookbooks and like to experiment with interesting meals from other culture like a Mexican mole. How about you? Like me, you raise many of the ingredients if you begin your own themed kitchen herb garden.

You can cultivate the major herb plants in your own garden and have the freshest ingredients to add to your recipes, or experiment on your own.

You do not have to have a special place for your themed kitchen herb garden. You can raise them in containers or in your usual garden bed.

Look no further than these recommendations for your own themed kitchen herb garden:

• Asian: From Thai and Vietnamese to Indian and Chinese, Asian cuisine has a lot of tastes and spices to choose from. Some wonderful herbs to grow in your Asian-themed garden are lemongrass, cayenne pepper, cardamom and anise. Try the licorice taste of anise in your next Indian meal, or try its warm sweetness in your baked goods. You can also use it in tea and in baking a savory-sweet cookie. Although it used to be pretty popular in American cooking, it kind of died out, but in the last few years has been growing in popularity in the kitchen.

• Mexican: Not a week goes by when I do not chow down on a Mexican meal. I love to eat my favorite Mexican meals, such as burritos, fajitas or quesadillas at least once a week. The best Mexican recipes usually include these: Cayenne pepper, Cilantro and Garlic.

• Italian: Just about everybody I know has their favorite Italian dish. Mine is baked ziti with grilled herbed chicken. Among the best herb plants to try in your Italian meals are basil, fennel, parsley, garlic, marjoram, oregano, rosemary and thyme. You can add garlic to all your favorite Italian dinners and savor the oniony flavor! You can add garlic to your mashed potatoes and even roast it with some olive oil to eat it by itself. Be warned, the longer you cook it, the milder the flavor becomes so don’t overcook it!

• Middle East: If you have not tried any of the exciting and flavorful foods from the Middle East and Northern Africa, you are missing some fabulous dishes. The flavors are so varied and the recipe items are so out of the norm for most of what I usually have in my recipes, such as chick peas, figs and couscous. Try these herbs to spice up your Middle Eastern dinners: cardamom, garlic, parsley, rosemary and saffron.

• German: You can have your own Oktoberfest any time you like if you have got all the right German herbs. These are a few of the best and most often used in authentic German dishes: chives, dill, horseradish, sage and thyme. As a relative of mustard, horseradish is a condiment herb that you can use for extra taste. It can also clear up your sinuses! Use horseradish to add an extra twang to beef, fish, cream cheese spreads, potato salad, mayonnaise and meat loaf.

One of the wonderful things about herb gardening it that herbs are a gift that keeps on giving. Once you lop off some lemongrass for your pad Thai, it will grow back. Oftentimes it will grow back bigger and fuller than it was before.

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

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

Technorati Tags: fresh herb gardening, gardening, growing theme kitchen herb garden, kitchen, themed gardens, Website Information

Posted under Kitchen Herb Garden

When I was a kid, I lived out in a rural area and we only had clay earth once you dug about 6 or 12 inches down. When you are planning your garden, you’ve got to put light and sod quality at the top of the list of things to consider. Without the correct amounts of both sunlight and water, your garden will not grow. With the right combination of water, earth and light, you can grow just about anything.

To solve my clay sod problems, I turned to rock gardening, which focuses on adding lots of rocks to your landscape and focusing on plants that only need a few inches of good dirt.

A rock garden is about the positive features that you might have in your garden already or those that you want to create. Some herb plants truly love the rocky craggy earth that you have in areas like this all over the world. If you don’t have the rocky sod and want the aesthetic of a rock garden, be sure you’ve got room for roots to grow and also some good drainage.

When planning your herb garden, be sure that you are choosing herbs that can stay compact, because with limited space you don’t want anything taking over. Look at your reference books for the right plants for rock gardens. Good ones are those that have silver or gray leaves. It’s not a hard-and-fast rule, but it should help in making the best choices.

• Hen-and-Chicks: {I cannot imagine cutting open a hen or chick and rubbing it on a wart, but this perennial succulent herb, which is also known as St. Patrick’s cabbage, has a long history of healing them.} The leaves of this herb store water for periods of drought. Your hen will get up to 4 inches across before you know it. Soon little off-shoots, or chicks, can sprout up from the edges of your hen. You will enjoy the reddish-pink blooms that will appear atop a nine inch spike that shoots straight up from the center of each cabbage in the summer. The plant can continue to add chicks and grow into a colony of plants.

• Wild Oregano: This perennial from the Mediterranean region can grow vigorously up to 30 inches high with its oval leaves and purple flowers that bloom late in the summer. This isn’t the same type of oregano that you find in Italian meals, but you can eat it.

• Marjoram: It’s wonderful when you can sculpt a lovely rock garden using culinary herbs like Marjoram. Its oval gray-green leaves have a sweet scent that will remind you of your favorite pasta sauce and its tiny white flowers will bring a smile to your face. Keep it clipped back so that it can stay lovely and full and do not forget that it appreciates full sun and good drainage.

• Thyme: The shiny, little leaves of the thyme herb are clustered along woody stems that are adorned with numerous white or pink flowers and grows to a height of up to 12 inches. Thyme grows best when the earth is sandy, well-drained and gets a whole lot of natural light. You will want to keep this plant trimmed back to maintain its shape and to help it remain hearty.

Part of the wonder of rock gardens is the mix of the hard rocks and the soft plants. The differentiation in colors also helps in achieving a sense of the awesome. You can even use aromatic and culinary herbs in your rock garden, which will provide you with all the benefits of a regular herb garden.

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

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

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Posted under Herb Garden Design

If you have ever wanted to get into herb gardening, you should know that herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow. Even if you don’t think of yourself as having a green thumb, you can be a successful gardener if you grow the following easy herbs that can be used fresh or dried.

Parsley – Parsley is easy to grow and has many uses. While it is a popular garnish found in many dishes, it is also excellent for curing bad breath. You can grow curly leaf and flat leaf parsley easily, and they grow wonderfully without you having to give them a whole lot of care. They do well in light shade and full sun, and they prefer moist, rich soil. Parsley doesn’t do overly well in the heat, however.

Cilantro – Cilantro is used in many Spanish dishes and has a distinct flavor. This is an annual herb that grows well both in the shade and the sun. You’ll find that it is very easy to care for and it will grow pretty well in just about any type of climate.

Chives – Chives are a perennial herb. They can grow well in almost any soil, and almost any conditions. Chives have been known to be seen growing in old gardens that haven’t been tended in many years! It’s hardy in zones 3-9, and prefers full sun. They tend to do better in rich soils, but don’t need it to survive. Chives have a rich, oniony flavor, and they taste great on baked potatoes.

Oregano – Oregano is probably one of the most popular herbs to grow in an herb garden and it is tasty with a variety of foods. You can use it in many dishes, including pork, chicken, and pasta dishes. It is an herb that does great in just about any area. It should have soil that is well drained and also likes full sun, but it will even grow in soil that is rocky and poor.

Thyme – Thyme is a perennial herb. It is hardy in zones 4-6. It’s a small, shrub-like herb that requires full sun and moist, well-drained soil. It is quite hardy in its standard zones, and doesn’t require much care at all.

Basil – Basil in a warm-weather annual herb. It is hardy in most zones, but it requires hot, dry conditions to reach peak flavor. It needs full sun, and very rich, moist soil. The only major issues with growing basil are slugs and cool conditions. As long as basil has enough light and heat, and its soil is allowed to dry out between waterings, it usually requires little additional care.

Bay – Although it is a type of shrub, this is actually a very good herb for beginners to grow. It’s hardy in zones 8-11, and is remarkably hardy in those zones. It needs full sun to light shade, and rich, well-drained soil. It will tolerate variations in conditions rather well. Just remember, bay leaves reach their full flavor when dry, so be sure to press them between layers of paper towels inside heavy books for a few weeks before you use them.

When you grow these herbs, try to pay attention to the climate they like. While they may be hardy and grow in a variety of places, they’ll do the best when you keep them in a climate suited to their needs. So, as long as you consider the zones they grow best in, usually you’ll find these herbs will grow well in your vegetable garden, and they’ll be easy for you to take care of as well.

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Posted under Herb Garden Design

While beginning gardening learning how to plant your beans is very important.

For years, many gardeners have planted their bush bean seeds in single-file, straight-line rows with lots of room between the rows. However, some gardeners consider this method a waste of valuable growing space and not the most productive way to grow beans.

Instead, these gardeners use a wide-row technique that allows them to double and sometimes even triple their bean crops. With this method, you simply spread seeds over a wide seedbed, instead of putting one seed behind another in a row. The wide area contains many more plants than a single row of the same length, so you can harvest much more from the same area.

A row 16 to 18 inches across – about the width of a rake head – is very easy to plant, care for and harvest. With a little wide-row experience, you may want to try even wider rows.

Why Wide-Row?

The advantages to wide-row growing are many.

* You can grow two to four times as many beans in the same amount of space.

* Weeding is reduced to a minimum. As the beans grow, their leaves group together and form a "living mulch," which blocks the sun, inhibiting weed growth.

* Many gardeners spread mulch – organic matter such as hay, pine needles or leaves – around all their plants in the garden to fight weeds and retain moisture in the soil. Wide rows mulch themselves, so you only need to use small amounts of mulch to keep weeds down in the walkways and to help retain moisture. You’ll also have fewer walkways using wide rows, so you really can save a lot of space, effort and mulch.

* Moisture is conserved by the shade because the sun can’t scorch the soil and dry it out as much. Moist soil stays cooler, so beans in very hot climates don’t wither as much or stop producing as quickly.

* The plants in the middle of the rows are protected from the full effects of hot, drying winds. They don’t dry out rapidly like those in a single row. This can be especially important in water-short areas of the country.

* Harvesting is easier with wide rows. You can pick much more without having to continually get up and move down the row. It’s pleasant to take a stool into the garden, sit down and enjoy picking beans by the bushel.

By: the Editors of National Gardening 

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