Saturday, December 26, 2009

Osteoarthritis And Its Remedies

Osteoarthritis is the term given to a condition resulting from the breakdown of the protective layer of cartilage which surrounds the joints. Whether as the result of an injury or just the result of routine wear and tear, the cartilage wears away, causing the bones of the joints to rub against each other, resulting in pain and even malformation of the bones. Osteoarthritis treatment can range from prescription medicine to exercise to surgical intervention.
Degenerative osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease is the most common form of arthritis. Here we have accumulated osteoarthritis statistics compiled by various health agencies to help provide a better understanding of how disabling the condition can become and of the importance of early intervention through the use of nutritional supplementation, weight maintenance and regular exercise.

Home Remedies

Prepare garlic paste and apply the paste on the affected joint; it is an effective herbal remedy for arthritis. Regular consumption of garlic cloves in raw condition reduces the problem of joint pains.One teaspoon of honey and two teaspoon of lemon juice added in one glass of lukewarm water works well against the pain and swelling of arthritis. This is an efficient home based herbal remedy in controlling the pain of arthritis.

Add two teaspoon of honey and two teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in lukewarm water for regular consumption in the morning. Drinking turmeric powder added lukewarm water helps relieving pain of arthritis.

Natural remedies:

Natural remedies for arthritis, which can contain anti-inflammatories and even antioxidants, can ease swelling and promote development of new cartilage. Rather than just treat the pain itself, these products target the cause of pain and provide the most thorough approach to treating arthritis symptoms. In terms of osteoarthritis pain relief, nothing has proven more complete, and more successful, than a comprehensive natural course of treatment.

Proven ingredients such as glucosamine and chondroitin, which help repair damaged joints; manganese and other antioxidants, which remove harmful free radicals and combat the signs of aging; and ginger extract and other anti-inflammatories provide a new, more thorough form of osteoarthritis treatment.

Exercise:

Moderate exercise combined with a healthy diet can help you reach and maintain your optimum weight. Every extra pound puts additional stress on joints increasing the odds of painful arthritis.

Low impact exercise, such as walking, swimming or yoga, are also good low stress ways to strengthen bones, joints and muscles, improve flexibility and reduce depression, fatigue and stress.

You'll also need to cut back or eliminate red meat, since those who eat more red meat have twice the risk of arthritic pain compared to those who eat red meat no more than once a week.

Herbal Supplement

* Shallaki herb [also known as Boswellia serrata] helps in reducing the problem of blood circulation, controls the swelling of joints, and relieves joint pain.

* Taking Aswagandha two times per day with ½ glass lukewarm water is an efficient herbal remedy of arthritis. It will surely help improving the condition on regular use for at least 10-15 days at a stretch.

* Rumalaya Forte - Rumalaya is an Ayurvedic preparation which possesses analgesic and anti-arthritic properties. By regulating the mediators of inflammation, Rumalaya exerts a significant anti-inflammatory activity.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Planning Your Herb Garden The Right Way

This article is dedicated to planning a successful herb garden. If you have planted herb gardens in previous years this will help to revamp and refresh one already have.

Go to your Garden Center and see what herbs are available and suitable for your area. This is important if you are planning an outside herb garden. If you are planning an inside herb garden, since you control the atmosphere, you can choose whatever you like.

My suggestion here would be to select a theme for your herb garden. You can plant them for culinary, cosmetic, medicinal or fragrance use. Be realistic about your plants. Check your whole property to find the right spot. Look for sun or shade, type of soil, and how well the spot drains. These are all very import for picking the best place for your herb garden.

Once you have accomplished the above, pick your sunniest spot because herbs need a lot of sun (a good four top six hours daily). Be sure that the herb garden site is level and sheltered from wind. If your soil is a bit heavy ad lots of compost when preparing your site which will make the soil looser and help with drainage and texture.

Try to keep the herb garden close to the house to facilitate in picking the harvest and checking for troubles. If you can’t find a suitable sunny spot plant them in a garden container that you can move around to follow the sun. (This movement is a bit time consuming but it pay off in the end).

Look at the rest of your gardens. Are they formal or informal? You will want your herb garden to complement your house and garden. Look in books or magazine to get some inspiration. If you are creating a formal herb garden you will need to plant in straight lines and geometric shapes framing them with low hedges and paths. A fountain, bench or topiary shrubs are almost always used as the main focal point. Arrange the layout around a central axis. Then plant one kind of herb in each block, go for bold color and texture. Be warned a formal garden is labor intensive and will be expensive.

In an informal herb garden you can plant more flowing, curved beds and walkways. Add flowers and shrubs for a really exciting look. This type of herb garden requires less initial work and will be easier and cheaper to maintain.

Now it’s time to decide on which herbs to plant. The easy way is to make a list of the ones that follow your theme. Make up your wish list in three columns. Column one is the absolutely must have plants, Column two will be the ones that would be nice to have and Column three is oh well, not necessary. If you’re just starting out do between 5-10 herbs, (depending on your space). This makes the herb gardening more manageable.

Know which herb plants or annual or perennial, and make a note of them so you won’t forget. A small spiral notebook is a good place to make comments on the care of each of your herbs. Situate each plant according to height for maximum enjoyment of your herb garden.

Lastly keep them well feed and give them lots of love and you will a beautiful herb garden that is multi-purpose. You get to plant the herb garden, watch it flourish, and then you get to harvest it for whatever your purpose was: Culinary, Medicinal, Fragrance or Cosmetic.

Happy Planting!

Copyright © 2005 Mary Hanna All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and this resource box are unchanged.

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About the Author

Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at http://www.GardeningLandscapingTips.com, http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com, and http://www.GourmetChefAtHome.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Hanna

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Chia Herb Garden

chia herb garden is essentially a container garden. Containers come in many forms, and chia is a form of container gardening that uses small containers and those green sponges from which the herbs grow. Having a chia herb garden is a very clean and easy way of gardening, and you can place them anywhere in your home or have multiple little herb gardens in various parts of your home.

When setting up your chia herb garden, be sure that the containers you purchase are food safe, especially if you intend to harvest your herbs for tea and cooking. Do this is you don't plan on using the chia container. If a plant container is not food safe there will usually be a warning label. Colorful containers tend to have iron and other chemicals used to make the glossy and pretty, which is great for other plants but can affect a plant made for human consumption. If you want your chia herb garden containers to have design or your personal flair, you can decorate them yourself with non-toxic paints. Make this an afternoon activity with your children, and maybe you can assign them their herb plants to go with the herb container they painted.

A great thing about wanting to start a chia herb garden is that if you don't want to go through the process of planting seeds, germination, and waiting for the sprouts to appear then you can simply buy a garden. Like all container gardens, many stores sell them already growing to give their gardeners a jump start. Many gardeners need the reminder of an actually growing plant so that they can tend to it. This gives you a crash course at taking care of your plants, and being able to harvest from your herbs right away.

Some herbs grow very quickly though, and if you'll be keeping your chia herb garden indoors then the warmth of the indoors will be a good environment for seeds. That's one of the best things about the chia herb garden, you can grow it all year long indoors! You'll just have to be patient about watching your plants grow. Grassy herbs grow faster than most others, so you can invest in these if you want to start from seeds, and the gratification will come sooner than most!

Chia herb gardens are not only pretty because of the herb plants you put in them, but the structure you put them in can be part of the design as well. With smaller herb gardens, it's so easy to play around with design and change it up every few months if you get bored.

Choose the herbs for your chia herb garden well. You don't want your herb plants growing to tall or too bushy or in a design you will become tired of. Check at how tall and wide your herbs will grow so you know where to put them around your garden. You don't want your plants cramping each other and stifling each other's growth, usually pruning will do the trick, but positioning them well can save you from a lot of pruning trouble.

Remember to put your chia herb garden by windows or outdoors from time to time so that they get a good and healthy amount of sunlight. The requirement will say so on the box. Finally, make sure to water your chia herb garden every few days, and if you're afraid you'll be forgetful look to see if there are some chia containers that self-water. Just be sure to check the condition of the sponge for moisture and the condition of the leaves for wilting. Other than that, a chia herb garden is as easy as pie!

Want to learn more about herb gardening and how to get started? Start by reading the basics on herb gardening at Introduction to Herb Gardening, and begin your herb garden today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeannie_Woods

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Herb Grinder

Although we all know that smoking is injurious for our health, many are there who don't bother about it. It is an act of addiction and is hard to get rid off. There aren't many who can throw out the practice of this habit but certainly can decrease to some extent. It's high time to find an alternative to this bad habit, which can be less harmful as it usually does to our body.

It was in the form of herb grinder that the introduction of a device finally came into reality. Herb grinders are usually cylindrical in shape and have two halves separated between themselves. The inside of it consists of sharp teeth which are being aligned in such a manner that while both the halves are turned, any material places inside it gets effectively crushed.

It can be found that a few herb grinders possess two to three compartments inside it rather than having just one. There remains a fine screen which separates the top compartment from the bottom. Such composition of herb grinders allows fine particles like pollen grains to pass through it, but obstructs much larger plant materials.

Herb grinders with "four stages" are popular as well. It is as like a general herb grinder but having the difference regarding the fact that it possesses an additional fine screen in order to separate the matter of the tiny plant.

Many of the manufacturers of herb grinders are bringing 5 stages grinders in the market as well. This device is particularly meant for making snuff. Herb grinders can be found to be of great use in various culinary activities. Actually, this device is manufactured keeping in mind so that it can serve various purposes in the kitchen. Herb grinders are particularly used for preparing spices and cooking herbs as well. The usage of herb grinders doesn't end up all here; it is also used for the preparation of tobacco and some other traditional herbs.

It can be said that the most common use of this herb grinder is for the preparation of Tobacco Snuff. It's certainly an easy job to make your own snuff all by yourself. You can all do it with the help of an herb grinder by grinding the tobacco as long as it doesn't produce into fine powder. The popularity of the snuff produced from an herb grinder can be found growing at a tremendous rate health blog reviews are its proof. It is as because people can use snuff in places where smoking is strictly restricted in places like airplane or restaurant.



About the Author
You can find many websites through blog reviews based on how to quit smoking. We all are aware of the ill effects of smoking. People want different ideas and tactics to get rid of this bad habit. You can visit health blog reviews and get the best link of the website.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Herb Favors

There's something special about having a garden-themed celebration that includes 'herbs' as its theme. It is the beautiful herbs themselves, their wonderful scents, and/or their lovely shades of green? It's elegant yet natural all at once. Having herb favors as your party favors for such an event is a perfect ending to your party.

Herb Favor Options:

DIY Herb Favors: If you're are not adverse to doing these yourself, you can easily create small herb plant favors for your guests. All you'll need are enough small clay pots for each of your guests, herb seed, and planting soil. You'll need to start them well in advance of your party so that they will be recognizable (whether basil, parsley, etc.) when the date of your event comes around.

To dress this option up, think about:

· Having a friend who can draw well paint a picture of the herb plant or leaf on the container and also painting your names and the date of the party.

· Wrap each pot in a small piece of tissue(s) paper that match the color theme of your party. Hold the tissue in place with a pretty, coordinated ribbon.

Purchased Herb Favors: Here I recommend plantable herb seed favors which are made out of 100% recycled paper waste that is then handcrafted and embedded with herb seeds (you choose the herb). What's nice about this type of herb favor (aside from their is no work on your part) is that you are usually able to personalize these herb favors with a short message and/or your name(s) date. And if you purchase them with envelopes they make very thoughtful place cards. I like to use them also as gift enclosures.

Deb Rosenberg is an party planner and avid gardener and she recommends these personalized herb favors offered at Diva Entertains as well as their other plantable favors.

Diva Entertains, Copyright 2009

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deb_Rosenberg

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

What Is The Best Medicinal Herb You Can Take?

Six reasons to add Cayenne to your diet.

"If you master only one herb in your life, master cayenne pepper. It is more powerful than anything else." Dr. Richard Shulze.

Cayenne is a medicinal and nutritional herb. Many herbalists believe Cayenne is the most useful and valuable herb in the herb kingdom. Cayenne has been used for centuries as a medicine.

1. Cayenne supplies nutrients and is considered a Superfood. It is a very high source of vitamin A, C and B-Complexes.It is also rich in calcium and potassium.

2. Cayenne helps the entire digestive system. It has been used for cramping pains and gas. It is great for constipation and helps with elimination. Cayenne can help rebuild the tissue in the stomach and the peristaltic action in the intestines. It aids assimilation, and helps the body to create hydrochloric acid, which is so necessary for good digestion and assimilation, especially of proteins. All this becomes very significant when we realize that the digestive system plays the most important role in mental, emotional and physical health, as it is through the digestive system that the brain, glands, muscles and every other part of the body are fed and cleansed. Chili peppers like cayenne have a bad--and undeserved--reputation for contributing to stomach ulcers. Not only do they not cause ulcers, these hot peppers may help prevent them by killing bacteria you may have ingested, while powerfully stimulating the cells lining the stomach to secrete protective buffering juices that prevent ulcer formation. The use of cayenne pepper is actually associated with a reduced risk of stomach ulcers.

3. Pain. Capsaicin is the active ingredient in Cayenne. Capsaicin dulls pain sensations by interrupting the chemical messages sent to pain-sensing nerves. Over-the-counter topical creams, such as Zostrix and Dolorac, contain capsaicin as an active ingredient. These applications are used to relieve pain caused by muscle spasms, rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, shingles, diabetic neuropathy, and even phantom pain caused by amputation. Capsaicin cream is well established as a modestly helpful pain-relieving treatment for post-herpetic neuropathy (the pain that lingers after an attack of shingles) peripheral neuropathy (nerve pain that occurs most commonly as a side effect of diabetes, but may occur with HIV as well as other conditions), nerve pain after cancer surgery and arthritis pain.

4. Improved circulation. There is no other herb which increases your blood flow faster than cayenne. Cayenne moves blood. It is a circulatory tonic and helps improve circulation. It is thought that cayenne helps reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, thus promoting a healthy vascular system. Cayenne and other red chili peppers have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and platelet aggregation, while increasing the body's ability to dissolve fibrin, a substance integral to the formation of blood clots. Cultures where hot peppers like cayenne are used liberally have a much lower rate of heart attack, stroke and pulmonary embolism. Capsaicin is also a natural expectorant, and helps thin mucus, allowing you to expel it more easily. For this reason capsaicin is often included in home remedies for cough, and can be helpful when combined with other medicines as a treatment for pneumonia. If you suffer from cold feet, try cayenne.

5. Metabolism booster. More blood means more oxygen racing through your body. This means more energy! Lose Weight!

All that heat you feel after eating hot chili peppers takes energy--and calories to produce. Even sweet red peppers have been found to contain substances that significantly increase thermogenesis (heat production) and oxygen consumption for more than 20 minutes after they are eaten. It is no wonder cayenne is included in many diet and weight loss products!

6. It makes other herbs work better! When people ask Dr. Schulze, "What are the 10 most important herbs to have in the home?" He tells them, "At the top of the list is cayenne pepper, because it will make the other 9 work better." Cayenne works to improve all the other herbs and nutrients you are taking in.

It is recommended that the cayenne powder be used, as opposed to capsules. It is believed that you are only getting a small part of the potential effect of cayenne pepper by taking it in capsules. When you put cayenne in your mouth, your stomach secretes digestive juices before the cayenne ever gets there. So when the cayenne gets down there, your stomach is ready for it.

But if you swallow a capsule, your tongue tastes nothing. A capsule goes down in your stomach, and your stomach notices nothing, at first. Then, 5 minutes later the gelatin bursts, and you have a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper in your stomach and your body is shocked. You surprised it.

What is going on is that some of cayenne's healing action occurs right in your mouth. As cayenne touches your tongue, the cayenne absorbs in seconds and nerve endings send signals throughout the body - sending waves of fresh blood throughout your body.

I advise clients to start their day with a half teaspoon of cayenne in 8-10 ounces of luke warm water. (Not water from the hot faucet because that contains sediment from the bottom of your hot water heater. Heat water on the stove in a pan or tea pot.) Drink 10-20 ounces of water the first twenty minutes you are awake. This will do more for your body than that cup of coffee!

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=112217&ca=Medicines+and+Remedies

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Fennel Herb

Have you been looking for a way to detox your body naturally? Have you been worried about how harmful pollutants have stored themselves up in your body through the years and want to get rid of them? Have you tried a lot of Detoxification formulas and even gone to Detox clinics? Mother Nature has given us an inexpensive way that this can be done. It is easy to use and easy to find. Flush out the unwanted toxins from your body regularly with the use of the herb fennel.

Fennel, highly valued as a cooking herb and as a spice, has also been used for centuries as a form of alternative medicine. Essential oil is extracted from the small seeds and this oil contains a lot of phenylpropanoids. There 3 kinds of fennel, the Florence fennel, the sweet, and the bitter kinds. Fennel is used as a diuretic, and the seeds, which are actually the fruit of the fennel, has different kinds of flavonoids and furanocoumarins.

The Romans used the herb fennel for digestive ailments and scientific research has proven that it will get rid of the gases in your stomach and intestine by making it generate wind. Though it may sound a bit undesirable, passing gas is a factor that helps relive gastric pains and colic. The herb fennel also has antispasmodic properties and can help in decongesting bronchial passages.

The part that you would have to use to be able to avail of the amazing properties that fennel has is the fruit, or what is more commonly known as the seeds. You can buy it at the spice section of the grocery, and it is easy to grow your own plants so you will have a large supply of the valuable seeds at minimal cost.

Fennel only takes around 80 days to grow into full size and after 20 more days the seeds will start to appear. If you are to plant the herb fennel mainly for detoxification purposes, plant bitter fennel. To be able to use the herb in culinary and medicinal applications, you can plant sweet fennel. Fennel should not be planted near dill, caraway or tomatoes as the plants might cross pollinate. Different kinds of fennel plants should also not be planted near each other. Fennel is a winter hardy plant and can survive the cold and harsh winds.

Harvest for the leaves in the morning by cutting out a couple of leaves for your use from above the plant node. When the herb fennel is fully mature, you can harvest the entire plant. Harvest for the before it is fully ripe in the morning of a sunny day. Separate the seeds from the pulp and wash then air dry on by placing on a single layer on a tray in a dry place for 6 days. Turn the seeds and remove any excess plant parts and allow it to dry for one more week. Store properly.

To use, crush one teaspoon of the seeds and place into a cup. Add in hot boiling water allow this to steep for ten minutes. You may strain out the seed and add in a sweetener like honey and sugar before drinking. Enjoy your herbal Detox drink every day towards better health.

Ginny Greene is an herb garden enthusiast. For more great tips and advice on growing and using herbs visit http://www.herbgardencenter.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ginny_Greene

The Best Herbs For Growing Inside Your Home

There are a number of herbs that do quite well growing inside a home and there are a number of them that really do much better being grown outdoors. So in this article we will examine the characteristics of the best herbs for growing indoors. That way you'll have a better understanding of what you want to grow before you head to the nursery or home center.

Herbs for growing in your home must meet a few basic criteria. First, they should be plants that you can easily control their size. For instance, Rosemary tends to become a large bush quite quickly, so unless you have a substantial amount of space and a large pot, it might over take your kitchen in a hurry. Other plants like sage and thyme do quite well in pots and are easy to keep trimmed back to a manageable size.

Next, herbs for growing inside your home should be those that don't require full sunlight. Plants that require partial shade can do well inside homes. If you have a window sill or growing window where you can set your pots, these plants should do well. However, if you don't it doesn't mean that you can't grow herbs in your home. It just means that you need to supplement your plants light with a grow light. While some grow lights can be very expensive, a halogen light bulb will do just as well and is available for a low cost at most discount stores and home centers.

When planting herbs for growing inside your home, you need to be sure that they are planted in high quality potting soil. This is not the time to skimp on a cheap soil. The soil should drain well to avoid drowning your tender herbs. Many of the premium brands of soil contain plant food, fertilizer and other beneficial ingredients to help plants grow well and maintain the ideal pH.

Planting herbs for growing in pots in your home should be done with careful thought toward their planting and watering conditions. Some plants such as Marjoram, Oregano and Thyme need to become completely dry between watering to avoid over watering them. These herbs do best in a Mediterranean climate, so somewhere warmer and dryer is better for them. In the same respect, herbs like Mint and Rosemary like moister conditions and shouldn't be allowed to dry out.

So what are the best herbs for growing inside your home? Well the answer is ANY herbs can be grown inside as long as you take care to give your plants all the essential things that they need. Herb plants do a great job of not only livening up your home and providing cleaner air, as all plants do, they do double duty of adding great fragrance and flavor to meals as well. So before you think it's too much work to grow herbs indoors, take some of these conditions into account and then choose a few herbs to give it a try. You won't be sorry.

Pat McTigue is an herb garden enthusiast. For great information on herbs for growing indoors, visit http://topherbgardensecrets.com/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_E_McTigue

Friday, December 4, 2009

Organic Herb Seeds

Organic herb seeds are herb seeds that are or were harvested or taken from an organically grown herb plant. When an herb plant is organically grown, it means it is grown naturally or without any commercial chemical pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers used in the growth and cultivation process of the plant. Organically grown herb plants are generally healthier for eating because they have less chemicals than that of other plants that were treated during the growth process. Having less chemicals in your herbs means less chemicals in your food, which is believed to promote good health and lessen medical problems.

Before planting organic herb seeds, you need a general understanding of what a seed is. The seed of any plant is essentially what contains the plant's DNA. Seeds have in them everything needed to start a new plant. Organic seeds are especially important because they contain the blueprint and the legacy of an organic plant, which means that the plant that will grow from the organic seed is going to be just as good as the first plant, possibly better, and will remain organic for as long as the new plant is not treated with any chemicals during its growth process. Organic herb seeds are very easy to plant, and will start their lives either inside or outside depending on the type of herb. After a three to six week germination period, the organic herb seeds will begin to sprout. After another week or so, you may transplant the plant if it was initially grown in a container.

Herb plants grown from organic herb seeds, and are maintained as organic herb plants taste good and are healthier than most commercial herbs. During their growth period, these herbs can be harvested for eating or seasoning food. Once an herb plant begins to flower, however the leaves lose its flavor, and sometimes may have a bitter taste. This is because the plant is focusing its strengths on flowering and creating new seeds. If you want to continue harvesting from your plant, you can nip the flowers at the buds. This will not change the flavor of the herb. Some herbs are used for their flowers though, and this may be what you've been waiting for in order to taste this herb. If that's the case, allow your plant to flower.

Another reason to let the flowers grow is if you want to harvest your very own organic herb seeds. Seeds fertilized in the flower, and once a flower has reached the end of its life, it's petals will fall and the seeds or seed pods will be revealed. Watch out for this closely because sometimes seeds drop or blow away in the wind as a natural form of pollination. To harvest your own organic herb seeds, allow the petals to fall, then carefully nip the branch that contains the flower. Shake this gently over a piece of paper and allow the seeds to fall onto the page. For larger seeds, you may collect them with your fingers, just be sure not to crush them. Dry your organic herb seeds out in the sun. Make sure they are completely dry before storing them away, and readying them for next planting season!

Discover the wonders of having a window herb garden. Click on the link for more info.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mitch_Garner

Best Herb Garden Secrets

Herbs are the most fascinating member of the plant family. Cultivating a herb garden offers unique rewards for the intrepid hortulan devotee. There are many secretive questions in regard to herb gardening. The best herb garden secret is that herb plants are very easy to grow. Compared to the typical vegetable or flower garden a herb project is very "low maintenance." They require only two things to prosper. One is plenty of sunlight and the other is well drained soil in which to rest their roots. Meet these two requests and herbs can be successfully grown almost anywhere indoors or outside.

Another exciting herb garden secret is that herbs are Infinitely more than just flavoring for great Italian pasta dishes. They present to the gardener a myriad of interesting options in horticultural explorations. You may be wondering if they are so great precisely what are they. The dictionary definition of a "herbaceous" plant is any plant that does not develop woody tissue. The practical definition is any plant that manifests qualities attributed to herbs. Those plants can include trees, shrubs, vines and even elementary plants like lichens, mosses, algae, ferns and fungi. The uses include; culinary, medicinal, aromatic, ornamental and industrial.

The next herb gardening secret is the wide variety of uses herbs provide to mankind. The culinary function is the most widely recognized. The thought of a mouth watering dish of any haute cuisine without some type of herbal flavoring does not compute. The use of herbs in making foods taste better has been practiced by every society in every time period of history. The use of herbs is mentioned frequently in the Old Testament of The Bible. The ancient Romans were great connoisseurs of fine foods and relied heavily on the use of herbs in their cooking. As their influence spread throughout the civilized world they took their herbs along with them. When they invaded the British Isles in 43 AD they brought over 200 herbs with them and most of those herbs are still enjoyed there to this day.

Another herb garden secret is impact of medicinal herbs. The non-prescription medicinal herb market in the U.S. is a three billion dollar business with over sixty million people using medicinal remedies for injuries, illnesses and health maintenance. There are hundreds of medicinal herbs that a gardener can choose to grow in a herb garden. They are Mother Nature's pharmacy. A companion to medicinal herbs are the myriad of herbal teas that also have many curative benefits. Herbal teas originated in the Middle East and the Orient and they not only provide healthful benefits but most are very good to enjoy strictly as a pleasant beverage.

Another fascinating member of the family are the aromatics. Although they are not the most popular selection of herb gardeners they provide the most pleasant fragrances. When they are included in a garden they add a special touch. Strolling through a garden with aromatics included will make one feel they are walking through a country village in Italy. Aromatic herbs can be used for a variety of uses. They make great gifts, perfumes, potpourris and linen fresheners.

SONNY CHENOWETH is a herb expert. For more information on the best herb secrets, visit http://www.herbgardenreport.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sonny_Chenoweth

Thursday, December 3, 2009

3 Essential Tips For Growing Herbs Indoors

Growing your own herb plants is a good way to create fresh, aromatic herbs for many different purposes. Growing herbs indoors is simple since herb plants grow well in pots and they thrive in sunny window sills. Any type of pot or container that allows for well-drained soil will be a welcome home for herb plants.

There are three (3) important things necessary for an indoor herb garden and these are the same essential things needed for outdoor herb gardens too. They include:

1. Adequate sunlight
2. Well-drained soil
3. Plenty of water

These three things are important for growing herbs indoors so a window sill or surface where sun enters through a door or window is important. A kitchen herb garden is an excellent place to start. If there is a window in the kitchen that faces south or west, you can take greater advantage of natural sunlight. If you have a problem with a lack of adequate sunlight, growing herbs indoors can also be accomplished by using a light source such as a "grow lamp" or fluorescent lamp. While these are available, natural sunlight is always preferred if it is available.

Soil is the next important consideration. Herb Plants grow best in well-drained soil that is not too rich. Using two parts sterilized potting soil with one part coarse sand or perlite for herbs is a good mixture for pots. It is also beneficial to put about an inch of gravel or small rocks in the bottom of each pot to allow for adequate drainage. When growing herbs indoors, it is essential to ensure that pots do not become too wet and drainage helps avoid this problem. Adding about a teaspoon of lime for a 5-inch pot will help ensure that the soil is best suited for herbs. When the soil is optimal, the herb plants will grow strong and healthy and maintaining the herb plants will be easier.

Next, don't overlook the importance of water when growing herbs indoors. Herb Plants grown in pots need adequate water, although it's important not to over-water them. Herbs grow well when misted lightly with cool water. When growing herbs indoors in pots or containers, water them more often but avoid drenching the roots and leaving them soggy. They will not thrive in a pot that is too wet. A light spritz of water is a good way to keep them damp but not saturated.

When growing herbs indoors, it is easy to start a herb garden without a lot of fuss and trouble. Following these three essential tips for indoor herb garden projects will help ensure that your herb plants are healthy and produce fragrant herbs for cooking or other purposes. This is just the beginning of the wonderful experience of herb gardening and before you know it, you'll be ready to take your indoor herb garden into the outdoors too.

Ralph J Miller is the author of this article and the creator of the Ebook "My Secrets to a Successful Herb Garden". For more information and tips on herb gardening and growing herbs indoors, please visit our website at http://www.MyHerbGardeningSecrets.com and while your there you can register to receive your Free Herb Gardening Secrets Mini-Course.

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Wednesday, December 2, 2009

A Garden Herb

What makes a good garden herb? For the gardeners who want more garden and less herb, there are some herbs that look great as garden plants and you can still use them for all their herb-y goodness. When looking at the list of herbs you can plant in your garden, look for how tall and wide they will be. Check out what kind of leaves they will have or the color of the flowers that will bloom.

Some good garden herbs are:

1. Lovage
This herb is wonderful for cooking with, and it helps the growth process of all other plants around it. What makes lovage a garden herb is that it grows tall, almost hedge-like. You can plant your lovage on the sides of your garden, and watch the wall of green grow. Best of all, lovage is a sturdy plant that can survive the winter. You won't need to replant these mini-tree like herbs.

2. Lavender
A great herb that can substitute as decorative flowers. Lavender flowers are really pretty and you can grow them to line your walkways or paths. The herb flowers can be used to make fresh herb or dried herb tea. Their delicate scent is also always welcome to anyone's senses. Lavender soothes all around, and definitely suites any garden.

3. Jasmine
Like lavender, jasmine makes a great tea and great decorative plant as well. Plant jasmine by your patio, or near the center of the garden fountain. The dainty jasmine flowers complement almost any other plant around them, and their scent is reminiscent of fairy tales and dreams, a great past time to do in your pretty garden!

4. Sweet Woodruff
Another herb with a beautiful flower. Sweet woodruff has a natural musk that picks up in the late afternoons. Plant these closer to your home, maybe line the last step with its flowers. You can also plant this next to your lovage and help its growth along.

5. Basil
Finally, there's basil. It's a good all around herb that is used all the time. If you have a small vegetable patch in your garden, plant basil next to your tomatoes and taste the tomatoes getting sweeter as the basil gets stronger. If pruned right, basil can look like a great plant without many people realizing that it's a garden herb.

As a gardener, there are many ways that you can find herb plants and situate them to make them look like they are regular plants in your garden. It's understandable that not everyone wants an intricate herb garden or a garden that looks like a mini vegetable farm. So check out all the herbs, their flowers, and their heights. Think strategically and you'll find you have many a garden herb you can work with!

Herb gardening is one of the most enjoyable activities or hobbies you can ever take up. Not only does it relieve stress, but the various herbs prove to be very useful around the home too. To learn more about how you can begin your own herb garden, visit My Home Herb Garden

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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Herb Planting Supplies

Online or in local gardening store supplies in your area, there are a lot of herb garden kits being sold by the dozen now that there is a newfound awareness of container herb planting. And they're all good. But sometimes, the simplest container for your precious herbs can be found right in the comforts of your own home. (A friend of mine even used a shoe for one of his orchids.)

The fun in container gardening starts here - choosing the pots, cans and containers where your chosen herb will grow in, at least before you try to replant in a bigger area of land. But keep in mind as well that the size, material and shape of your container should be taken into consideration.

And there are lots of containers to choose from - wooden troughs, terra cotta pots, plastic ones, glazed clay pots, hanging baskets, etc. My mom used to save cans from canned tomatoes and she uses it to plant small sprigs of mint before she transplants it to a small garden in the backyard. (Mint spreads easily, so before it does so, she quickly replants it or tries to look for ways to use it - mostly in salads.)

You may also need to have a big planter on hand for those compact herbs. Some of the herbs belonging to this category include common ones such as thyme, marjoram, winter savory, sage, rosemary and chives.

Watering cans should also be a must for your gardening needs. While most herbs need very little or minimal water intake, some actually don't like having water on their leaves. This is why you don't need a sprinkler for these plants. When you water your herbs, water from the bottom near where the roots are.

Sometimes, you would also need small hand-rakes (for easy soil cultivation) and pruners (to prune or cut some branches or leaves to facilitate easier and faster plant growth). Some people prefer fertilizer for their plants, but this is optional if you are growing an herb garden.

But the most important part of your gardening comes not just from your tools, but from your heart as well. It is said that your plants respond to what you feel; so give them a whole lot of loving so that they can repay you with a harvest that you can be so proud of.

Herb planting in the comforts of home. Click on the link for more info.

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