Home and Living

Some herbs are grown simply for their beauty and fragrance in the garden. But once grown, many herbs are harvested for what they were grown for: medicines, seasonings, aromatics and so forth. That requires proper preservation techniques, usually drying.

Whether outdoor or in a container, good soil is fundamental to the health of your herbs. From the sun, they receive the energy needed to perform all the activities that makes possible growth and reproduction.

Growing and harvesting herbs has been carried out for thousands of years in all cultures around the world. But in medieval Europe it was raised to a high art. Devoid of medical knowledge and technology that was known even to the Greeks, the Middle Ages depended heavily on herbs for medicines. Their practice was a mixture of experience and nonsense, but they also knew much that was valid.

Herbs require very little care compared to many plants. How many times have you had to spray your roses or trim your orchids? Herbs, by comparison, do well in poor soil, require little fertilizer and only modest watering.

Spring is just around the corner. Have your herbs gotten the news?

Winterizing your herb garden isn’t difficult, but the actions you take will differ depending on the type of herbs you have planted. Just as with other plants and flowers, some are annual others perennials. That means they either die off with the cold weather or simply become dormant, to rise again the following spring.

Creating an herb garden is fun and practical. The aromas are wonderful, the view is beautiful, and many can be used as medicines or for cooking. Growing them is easy. They’re hardy and thrive well in all kinds of soils. But for optimal results, it’s helpful to keep in mind a few things about each specific one.

The beginning gardener will find herbs a great choice for those early experiments. Herbs are very forgiving, doing well in poor soil and requiring little or no fertilizer. They’re insect resistant in many cases, and don’t require constant pruning.

Certain herbs and other plants have been known to have useful properties - as seasonings or preservatives for food, medicines or simply a pleasurable odor - for thousands of years. Along with that ancient knowledge sometimes comes ancient myths.

If you need to get a weekend home improvement project done then you should approach it with excitement. This way you do not set yourself up not to enjoy yourself. Plus you should remember that this project would add value to your home.