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Posted on 12:59 PM by Wanto and filed under
By Jesse Charlotte
In Europe people still use imported dried herbs and spices far more often than fresh herbs. This is perhaps due to the once prevalent convention that the extravagant use of pepper, saffron and other costly spices from the East is the mark of a lavish cuisine and a high-class upbringing. However, home-grown herbs can substitute some of those imported from the Orient. All you need is a small space in the garden about 2 m (6 ft) square, but even without a garden herbs can be grown in pots on the windowsill.
If you have an excessive secretion of gastric juices you should not use herbs that stimulate their flow. Similarly it is nolt advised to drink strong coffee or tea before going to bed for they stimulate the activity of the cerebral cortex, the heart, the vascular system and respiration. Wise and moderate use of herbs, however, acts, as a medicine rather than a poison. Why just take a look into the past: at one time no difference was made between culinary and medicinal herbs and predecessor of our present-day herb garden is the medieval chortus sanitatis', or garden of health.
As herbs do not need to be grown in large quantities there is no need to have more than two or three plants of each species. The selection is wide and so the choice is up to you - choose what you want according to your own tastes and needs. Every collection, however, should include such herbs as chives, chervil, southernwood, tarragon, hyssop, lovage, marjoram, basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, savory and sage. However one can just as well grow all species of onion, celery, chamomile, wormwood, marigold, sweet pepper, caraway, costmary, coriander, rocket, fennel, lavender, garden cress, mint, watercress, nigella, poppy, purslane, radish, mustard or fenugreek.
There is naturally no universal rule for growing herbs. Each has its specific requirements and each thrives in different conditions. However most of the herbs listed above can be grown together in the small garden if provided with good garden soil and sufficient water, light and heat.
The soil must provide the plants with all the necessary nutrients, it must be moisture retentive so the plants do not dry out but at the same time must be well aerated to permit oxygen to reach the roots. Sandy soils that lack humus and retain neither nutrients nor water are as unsuitable as heavy clay soils that have very poor drainage, retain large amounts of water and prevent the passage of air to the roots. Before planting, prepare the soil by adding humus in the form of leaf mould, rotted turves, well rotted manure or garden compost.
Hydroponics is gaining in popularity nowadays. This is the method of growing plants in a nutrient solution instead of soil, and is particularly suitable for growing house plants as it eliminates the need of daily watering. It can also he used successfully for growing many herbs. All that is needed is an opaque container of suitable size and shape and a mixture of mineral salts, obtainable from most garden centres. There are complete kits available on the market, so try out which is best for the herb you want to grow.
If you have an excessive secretion of gastric juices you should not use herbs that stimulate their flow. Similarly it is nolt advised to drink strong coffee or tea before going to bed for they stimulate the activity of the cerebral cortex, the heart, the vascular system and respiration. Wise and moderate use of herbs, however, acts, as a medicine rather than a poison. Why just take a look into the past: at one time no difference was made between culinary and medicinal herbs and predecessor of our present-day herb garden is the medieval chortus sanitatis', or garden of health.
As herbs do not need to be grown in large quantities there is no need to have more than two or three plants of each species. The selection is wide and so the choice is up to you - choose what you want according to your own tastes and needs. Every collection, however, should include such herbs as chives, chervil, southernwood, tarragon, hyssop, lovage, marjoram, basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, savory and sage. However one can just as well grow all species of onion, celery, chamomile, wormwood, marigold, sweet pepper, caraway, costmary, coriander, rocket, fennel, lavender, garden cress, mint, watercress, nigella, poppy, purslane, radish, mustard or fenugreek.
There is naturally no universal rule for growing herbs. Each has its specific requirements and each thrives in different conditions. However most of the herbs listed above can be grown together in the small garden if provided with good garden soil and sufficient water, light and heat.
The soil must provide the plants with all the necessary nutrients, it must be moisture retentive so the plants do not dry out but at the same time must be well aerated to permit oxygen to reach the roots. Sandy soils that lack humus and retain neither nutrients nor water are as unsuitable as heavy clay soils that have very poor drainage, retain large amounts of water and prevent the passage of air to the roots. Before planting, prepare the soil by adding humus in the form of leaf mould, rotted turves, well rotted manure or garden compost.
Hydroponics is gaining in popularity nowadays. This is the method of growing plants in a nutrient solution instead of soil, and is particularly suitable for growing house plants as it eliminates the need of daily watering. It can also he used successfully for growing many herbs. All that is needed is an opaque container of suitable size and shape and a mixture of mineral salts, obtainable from most garden centres. There are complete kits available on the market, so try out which is best for the herb you want to grow.
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