Alternative High

I love herb plants. I have grown thyme, basil, marjoram, sage, mint, parsley, cilantro, chives, rosemary, oregano and more. My rosemary plant has now made it through two winters and it looks like a small shrub.

I love herb plants because I get to eat them, they are easy to grow, and they can be grown quite successfully in containers. My herb plants have all been grown in plain, cheap plastic containers from the local discount store. Some, like mint and the rosemary, have been grown in their own individual pots, while others, like thyme and sage, are planted together in window boxes that sit on the walls of my patio.

These container-grown herb plants are incredibly convenient because they are all about two steps out my back door. If I decide I need an herb in the middle of cooking dinner, I can rush out and grab a little without having to worry if my kitchen will catch on fire (and without stopping to find my shoes).

There is really only one rule to growing herb plants: grow what you like. If you never cook Italian food, do not grow basil. If you do not like mint, do not grow it. You should never grow something you will not use just because it looks nice, smells nice, or seems like something that ought to be in your garden.

If you cook a lot, you probably already know what kinds of herb plants you would like in your container garden. If you do not cook, growing some herb plants just might give you a kick-start. Try easy-to-grow and use herbs like parsley, chives, cilantro or thyme. Or grow things that correspond to the cuisines you like to eat: cilantro for Mexican food, basil and rosemary for Italian, mint and chamomile if you love tea, lemongrass and Thai basil for Thai food, etc. Then get a recipe book from the library and make sure those herbs do not go to waste!

There are two methods for growing herb plants: you can buy already established plants or you can start your herb plants from seed. We usually do a mix based on which herb plants are available for sale at our local farmers market or garden supply store.

The easiest herb plants to grow from seed are parsley, cilantro, chives, mint and other similar plants with small grassy stems. The woodier herb plants like rosemary, thyme and oregano are better grown from established plants.

If you are planting established herb plants, you plant them in the same way you would plant any other plant; just dig a hole, put the plant in and water it well. If you are starting your herb plants from seeds, scatter them over the soil, cover very lightly with a little bit of soil and water well. The plants will begin to sprout in about a week.

The great thing about starting your herbs from seeds is that you can continue to plant seeds every couple of weeks all season long so you always have fresh herbs available. Parsley and cilantro in particular benefit from this continual sewing, because so much must be harvested to be of any use.

Whichever way you choose to start your herb plants, make sure you keep them well watered through the season and they will produce well for you. Established herbs can be harvested by simply trimming off what you need. The potency of dried herbs is about three times that of fresh, so if you are using fresh herbs in a recipe that called for dried herbs, triple the amount called for.

Fresh herbs are not just for cooking. You can also use them in craft projects, flower arrangements, and salads. Dry some of your harvest so you will have great fresh herbs all winter long. You will never go back to those sad little tins from the grocery store.

For gardeners who have tried and possibly failed at planting herbs in the spring or summer, you may have already figured out that planting herbs in the fall is usually best for many herbs. Especially for herbs grown from bulbs, planting them in the fall gives them a chance to make roots and they will be ready for harvest in the spring. Since herbs are almost always very delicate plants, planting herbs in the fall is the best because of the cool weather. The harsh humid conditions that occur in many parts of the country throughout the summer means that herbs will have a difficult time getting started, let alone surviving.
Of course, planting herbs in the fall is not for all climate zones, especially for climate zones above 5 or 6, and not for all herbs. In these climate zones, it is usually cool enough through the spring and summer months to grow herbs and may be too cool in the quickly approaching cold weather of the fall months. If you are interested in particular herbs then it is best to research their hardiness independently for climate zones 1-5.
For the rest of the country, planting herbs in the fall works well because herbs need lots of sun, but do not need the humidity that goes along with the sunshine. There is a fine balance between too little and too much sunshine for these delicate plants, who usually need about five to six hours of sunlight a day. Keep in mind that there are a few herbs that enjoy the shade, such as parsley and mint, but the majority of herbs prefer at least a few hours of sunlight a day.
The best part about planting herbs in the fall is that herbs can easily be planted in containers, just in case the weather gets cold. This way herbs can be moved to a greenhouse or indoors where grow lights or just placing them in a sunny window will keep them at bay for the winter.
It really is best to start out small herb plants or herbs from seeds in small pots in the fall and transfer them to the ground in the spring, if at all. Since they are so fragile, placing them right in the ground might mean not getting good results. Remember that there are a few herbs that come in the form of perennial bulbs, such as garlic, fennel, saffron, and shallots, but the rest are in the form of plants or seeds. Herb perennial bulbs should be placed in the ground as the fall weather approaches, but at least 6-8 weeks before a freeze, this way they have time to establish roots before becoming dormant.
There are both annual and perennial herbs as well as biennial herbs. Popular annual herbs include basil, borage, cilantro, chamomile, and rosemary. Popular perennials and biennials include parsley, sage, and mint. Most herbs are annuals and the point of planting herbs in the fall is to give them a chance to get rooted and be prepared for an entire season in the early spring and summer months. That means you will be harvesting these annuals in the midst of the summer when the heat of the summer is useful in helping dry herbs for storage.

Natural herbs can be used to cure many health problems. Here are a few ways in which you too can improve your health and increase your energy level using only natural herbal remedies.
Many uses of natural herbs
People use herbs differently to improve their ways of life. For instance, you may find diet herbal supplement, as well as body creams and lotions with medicinal herbs.
Most commonly natural herbs are used to combat:
- high blood pressure
- acne
- arthritis
- difficulties with menopause
- hair loss
- anxiety
- depression
Medicinal natural herbs are mostly found in Asia. One reason is climate – warm and humid it promotes plants growth. It is also traditional way of living, using healing herbs as natural remedies. Recently the Western world has also caught on the usage of medicinal herbs, as being better than the use of traditional medicines. Most commonly use natural herbs are Aloe Vera, Tee Tree, chamomile, Rosemary, Sage and St John’s wort.
Why people prefer alternative herbal treatments to conventional drugs?
Many of us trust healing plants in place of common medicine, because using herbal medicine is a safer alternative to ordinary drugs. Natural herbs almost always will give you the results desired however, it will not work as fast as strong conventional drugs. This happens because healing herbs work for your entire body, making it stronger, not just fight one problem. However, natural herb medicine is still medicine which means that a doctor should prescribe your herbal remedy. Also remember to finish the course even after you started to feel better, otherwise you will not gain the full benefit of herbal treatment.
Finding the right natural medicinal herbs for you
Many people with serious chronic diseases turn to natural remedies for cure, relief and a generally better life. Even though natural herbs are harmless, selecting the right herbal remedy is important, because there are no magical “cure all” herbs. For herbal medicine to work best it should be taken at the right dosage and at the right time of day, usually morning is recommended.
And how will you know what herbs you need? The only way is to check with a doctor if there is an herbal treatment for your condition and whether it will help you. Don’t just go to a Chinese herbs shop and buy whatever remedy they recommend, it might not work for you.
Taking any medicine including medicinal herbs without doctor’s advice is really not a good idea, because healing plants are still medication. Never forget that you will not gain any benefits if you administer the wrong herb, quantity or treatment.
Locating your natural herbal remedies
Visit a clinic that specializes on alternative medicine, they can give you qualified advice. They will fully check your health. Be prepared to go through a full examination, because for holistic medicine it is very important to cure all diseases as a complex. After that the doctor will tell you what natural herb or combination of herbs you need, to cure or relief to your suffering as well as help you live longer and healthier.
You can find very many herbs that have medicinal properties. So all you really need to do is to determine which herbs to use for which situation. Than discuss it with your doctor and you will be on the path to curing your diseases with natural herbs.

Herbs have been in use since centuries for various medicinal, culinary and aromatic purposes. Herbs are used even in many of the modern medicines, cosmetics etc. Having your own herb garden can be very useful. Planning it is definitely great fun!
Herbs can be grown in a number of ways. With a proper planning a herb garden can be an essential part of your home. You can choose to have it either indoors or outdoors. In case of limited outdoor space, you can opt for planting herbs on a windowsill or in a window box.
Planning
The first step to cultivating a herb garden is selecting the herbs you want to plant. There are different kinds of herbs for different purposes. Hence you need to first decide the main purpose of having a herb garden. Some herbs like thyme grow low and spreading while others like parsley grow in clumps. Some herbs are perennials and some are annuals.
First plan on paper. Decide the exact size you wish your garden to be. This helps in selecting the right type of herbs. Also, you can determine the amount of space per herb as per your requirements.
Requirements
Firstly, do note that herbs require well-drained soil. Before staring to plant your herbs, test if the soil is alkaline. Herbs need alkaline soil to grow. You can add lime to your soil to keep it alkaline.
Sunlight is a very important factor for herbs to grow well. Herbs need at least six hours of sunlight. In case you can not find a suitable sunny spot, you can plant the herbs in a garden container so that it can be moved around in sunlight. Keep enough space for the herbs to grow. The herbs need adequate air circulation to prevent molds.
Familiarize yourself with the herbs you will be planting. Read about the requirements and conditions of growing them. This will help you take proper care of them.
Planting the herbs
You can begin planting either with seeds or small plants from the garden center. It is better to have small plants rather than seeds as you will have a higher success rate.
When using seeds to plants, it is better to plan them ahead since the seeds require several months to grow. Keep your herb garden close to your home. This will help you to take care and check for the problems.
You can plant your herbs either in straight lines or in geometrical shapes. You can even have square beds divided into four paths. Plants even in the shape of flowing, curved beds and walkways look amazing. Some flowers and shrubs can add to the beauty of your herb garden.
You can refer to various magazines and books to know what type of garden best suits your needs. You can even seek professional help if required. They are easy to maintain and simple to grow. With enough drainage, sunlight, water and nutrient rich and organic soil, your herb garden can thrive for years.

Herbs can be annual, biennial or perennial. Herbs with lifespan of one year are known as annuals, while those with a lifespan of two years are known as biennials. Perennials are ones that live longer than two years. Herb gardening is not only an art but also a science besides being a great form of exercise and a hobby. The Chinese, Indians and Greeks have extensively developed herb gardening for centuries. According to the main characteristic of herbs, they can be classified as culinary, medicinal or ornamental herbs.
You can become successful herb gardener if you know the secrets of setting up a herb garden and taking care of it the right way. Even though each herb grows in different conditions, all herbs maintain the equilibrium of their surroundings. Herb gardening can either be done indoors or outdoors. While few grow well indoors in a pot or a container, others grow well only in the garden. Edible herbs grown by you would be free of herbicides. In turn, you can safely consume chemical-free herbs.
Maintenance
Easy maintenance and low costs are the main advantages of herb gardening. However, there are few points to remember when you try growing herbs, especially the edible varieties. If you opt for indoor gardening, make sure you choose appropriate pots or containers. While selecting the edible parts of the herb for consumption, make sure that they are not infected or have any insect bites. Some of the herbs may not like to be restricted to a pot or vessel. Make sure that you do not plant such herbs inside the house.
Herb Gardening In Containers
You can use any container for growing plants. Make sure that there are no insects, bugs or snails hiding inside the vessel or pot used for sowing the seeds. Insects are the worst enemies of any kind of plant, as they destroy the leaves and other important parts of the herb. Also, make sure that the holes are such that bugs cannot crawl into the pot after filling it with soil. Before you fill the pot or container with soil, cover the bigger holes with a thin cloth so that it covers the hole and a small portion around it. The cloth should be one that allows water to drain out and at the same time, keeps the insects out.
Fill the pot with sufficient and appropriate soil, and then sow the seeds in appropriate climatic conditions. You can also choose to purchase ready-made pots with the herb already planted in it. In both conditions, you should remember to change the soil after 3 months. Moreover, make sure that you pluck off the dried and dead leaves, and keep trimming the herb so that it does not grow wild.
Raised bed herb gardens and Parterre are other styles of herb gardening besides container gardening. With a sincere effort on your part and proper care, you too can show off your homegrown herbs to all and sundry.

Herb gardening with children is a delightful way to engage children in gardening as a hobby. Both your teenagers and young children will enjoy herb gardening. Teach them about the history of herbs and their many uses. Not only will they get a feeling of satisfaction about growing the herbs but they will feel a sense of contribution to the family when the herbs are used in cooking. They will be amazed at what they have accomplished through a mere seed.

For centuries herb gardening has been popular. In addition most of the very popular herbs are disease resistant and can overcome very arid climates. There are two advantages to an herb garden hobby. One, they can be planted indoors at any time and if you want to plant outside they only take a few weeks to sprout giving your children a sense of wonderment quickly. So if the kids are bored during the cold months being cooped in side an indoor herb garden is perfect. Choose fragrant smelling herbs or herbs that will spice up your food. Imagine how much fun they will have when they sprinkle fresh basil from their garden on their pizza.

To begin an herb garden with your children you will need to get some easy to find basic items. Start small with six pots that have holes in the bottom. Have the kids paint the pots for an additional activity. Next you will need either seeds or already started plants from your nursery center or from the internet.

Only a few basic easy to find items are necessary to begin an herb gardening project with your children. The most popular herb plants for children are Lavender, Sage, Mint, Coriander, Basil, Parsley and Oregano. You will need some good potting soil also available at the nursery center. Have on hand some plastic wrap, Popsicle sticks, a marking pen and poster paints if the kids are going to paint the pots.

Once you have gathered your supplies it is time to plant. Fill the pot with soil and have the kids scatter a few seeds over the top (check to make sure the seeds don’t overlap). Have them gently place soil over the seeds and light tamp down. Plant more then a few seeds since some seeds won’t sprout.

Water the soil but don’t drown it. Herbs do no like to have “wet feet”. However do not allow them to dry out. With your marking pen, label the Popsicle stick with the name of the herb and insert into the pot.

To conserve on moisture cover the pot with plastic wrap. Make sure you uncover them for fresh air every other day so mildew cannot form.

Now it is time to find a sunny spot to place your herb garden. Herbs need 4 to 6 hours of sunlight a day. In two to six weeks, depending on the herbs you have chosen, your seeds will begin to germinate. Off with the plastic wrap now that they are ready to grow.

The kids will love watching them grow and smelling their fragrances. It’s time to enjoy your herb garden with your children.

Once the kids have been successful in this project you may wish to branch out and start growing some other herbs. This project of herb gardening with your children will truly inspire your kids with a love and appreciation of gardens and herbs.

Copyright © 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 the resource box are unchanged.

Think of how marvelous your home smells when there are wonderful kitchen aromas wafting around while you are cooking with fresh herbs. It could be your Aunt Helens recipe for marinara sauce or a well spiced Indian dish given to you by your neighbor. The key is the fresh herbs that give each dish a distinct flavor and aroma. Fresh herbs from the super market are expensive so why not pot some fresh herbs on a sunny windowsill inside your home. If you know a few tricks it is easy to have a container garden of fresh herbs right in your bright kitchen. If the kitchen doesn’t have at least six hours of sun put your herb container garden somewhere that has the necessary hours of light.

Pick containers that go with the décor of your home. Since herbs are pretty plants anyway, a well chosen pot will only add to its beauty. After you have chosen the herbs to grow and the container to grow it in put some stones or broken pieces of pots in the bottom of the container to ensure good drainage. Aeration is needed for herbs and this method works well. A loose soil works best for herbs as a compact soil will inhibit root growth.

To plant your herbs, put a bit of soil into the container, add the herb and then loosely fill with additional soil. To keep it simple, put a Popsicle stick with the name of the herb in the soil next to the plant. Keep a small notebook handy to write down the needs of each individual herb you are growing. Now, you are on your way to growing and using fresh herbs and seasonings.

To ensure your herb container garden is a true success there are a few other tricks you should know about. It is crucial that your herbs get from six to eight hours of sunlight per day. If there is no place in your home that this is possible, then purchase some grow lights from your neighborhood garden center. Having your herb container garden indoors cuts down on the amount of fertilizer you will use. Read the information tag for how much the herb will need. Unfortunately, even indoors, pests can be a problem. Be very careful not to use commercial insecticides because you will be using your fresh herbs in cooking. Here is a recipe for a natural bug repellent:

In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests.

Container Herb gardening indoors will not only add flavor to your food but will also add color and texture to your home. By growing your own herbs you will never lack seasonings for your food and it may even grow into a bigger hobby of growing herbs for medicinal and beauty purposes too.

Happy Herb Gardening!

Copyright © 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 the resource box are unchanged.

Herbs: Understanding the Different Kinds of Herbs and What These Herbs are Good for
Herbs can be considered one of the most important products in the world today, and for many different reasons. Herbs can be used for many different purposes, and for most of the part, they are plants that are grown for culinary, medicinal, or in some cases, even spiritual value. Basically, what happens is that the green and leafy part of the medicinal plant is typically used for all of these purposes.
Culinary herbs are basically distinguished from vegetables in that they are used in smaller quantity, and they also provide flavor, rather than substance, in our food.
With regards to the actual history of herbs, they have truly played an important part in man’s life for thousands of years, and some herbs were actually given magical properties in some traditional rituals, and this was probably in part due to the fact that herbs are considered as having medicinal purposes; in fact, in France during the Middle Ages period, babies were actually rubbed with Artemisia juices in order to protect them from the cold (which can be deadly then).
Mint is one of the most popular herbs of today, and Greek athletes actually used to use bruised mint leaves as an after-bath lotion, and as well, in the Middle Ages, mint was considered as being extremely important as it was used as a cleansing agent. Mint was later even used to purify water that had turned stale on long voyages.
More About Types of Herbs
There is truly a multitude of herbs that are out there, some discovered and some still lying inside some jungles. Some of the herbs includes the following: Ajwain, Allspice, Aloe Vera, Ambrosia herbs, Anise, Apple mint, Arrowroot, Annatto, Avens, Balmony, Basil, Bison grass, Bistort, Bitters, Blue Cohosh, Boldo, Bush tomato, Caper, Caraway, Cinnamon, Chickweed, Centaury, Cayenne pepper, and many more.
If you are interested in growing your own herbs for consuming, then you can easily do so in your own garden. However if you wish, you can also just go to your local grocery store to pick up these same herbs easily, however they will taste much better if you grow them yourself, or at least buy them when fresh.
It is overall easy to see how important herbs are, as well as how many uses that they have; herbs are used for so many things, not only in the olden days but in the present time as well, and so it is incredibly important to recognize and realize this. It is through preservation of our forest that we can continue to discover more herbs.

Human Males are men. Herbs, according to encyclopedic definition, are plants that bear seeds, are void of stem, which are woody, in structure, and relax to ground level following their respective floral blooms. Usages of herbs include such purposes as culinary, medicinal and spiritual practices, inclusive to probable relevance in herbs for men.

To dissect herb plants would be in relativity to their respective uses. Often, the leafy green foliage is used in culinary practices. Medicine utilizes the berries, flowers, inner bark, pericarp, roots, root bark and seeds. There is a definitive distinction between the herbs used for culinary and medicinal purposes. The plants used for culinary purposes are not at all woody, in nature; whereas those plants utilized in the medicinal field are shrub or wood-like, in composition; as it may relate to applicable functionality in herbs for men.

In a reiterating summary, the leaves of non-woody herb plants are utilized in culinary aspects; and, within medicinal purposes, the quest is for woody or shrub-type herb plants. To reflect the derivatives, spices are the natural products of bark, berries, fruit, leaves, root and seeds, and, although edible, find their respective properties within medicinal usage. The distinguishing factor between vegetables and herbs is that only small amounts of herb plant derivatives are utilized to impart flavor enhancement, as opposed to substance, in foods. While some herbs possess phytochemicals that, upon consumption in low amounts are health fostering, large amounts can affect the liver in a toxic manner. Such analysis, in part, provides a generalized origin to both life forms of concern for herbs for men.

Many properties, within herbs, address the special needs for men through such derivatives amidst those herbs for men.

At particular times amid a man’s life, due to a number of circumstances, he may benefit significantly by way of herbal therapy, in the form of those herbal properties liken to herbs for men.

During a point of a man’s maturity, he will experience an imbalance in hormones. Such rebalancing can be experienced in men, with specific regards to moodiness, depression, generalized body maladies, variance in estrogen levels, and, most notable, a drop in testosterone levels. Such biological changes are regarded as male menopause. Therefore, as a natural and supportive restoration to enhance the biological balance, a special formulation of herbs for men can be most effective.

Such an herbal formulation combines equal parts of wild yam, black cohosh, saw palmetto, damiana, oat and raspberry leaf. Of these herbs for men, there is a host of three formulas to choose from – tincture, tea or capsules. Such combination of herbs for men can be taken either once or twice daily. An additional enhancing supplement to the previous mentioned formulation of herbs for men is in a once daily dose of bee pollen and royal jelly.

The male prostrate gland is of significant importance to men, in general. This gland, particularly amongst males, though small in size, is of considerable concern, as it is bears relevance to cancer risks, impotence and urinary complications.

To maintain the health of the prostrate is of vital importance. Where benign prostrate enlargement is an issue, a treatment, amid herbs for men are equal quantities of chaparral, ginseng, sarsaparilla and saw palmetto. In the unfortunate occurrence of an infection of the prostrate gland, clinically labeled as prostititis, the herbs for men formulation, in equal quantities, of dandelion, Echinacea, ginseng, marshmallow, uva ursi and yarrow is extremely beneficial.

In the treatment of male impotency, among the top herbs for men, as a natural alternative to pharmaceutical drugs, include biogra, cobra, herbal V, testosterall and vigorex.

To support male prowess, there are a number of herbs for men to support such aspects of libido. Amid the array of natural herb supplements, some distinctive herbs are pure saw palmetto extract, oat extract, pure ginkgo biloba extract, pure muira puama extract, and pure damiana extract. In a summarization, this variety of herbs for men is suggested to promote healthy sexual functionality and maintain testosterone level, sexually stimulate, increase blood flow, as well as provide enhanced oxygen to the genitals.

When we speak of Chinese herbs, we are technically referring to herbs sourced straight from China. Chinese herbs are commonly employed for Chinese cooking but may also have medicinal properties that make them ideal to use in Traditional Chinese Medicine too. There are a mind-boggling number of the known Chinese herbs (more than three hundred, at last count) which have reputedly been used in various ways for around 2000 years or so.

Generally, Chinese herbs might either be boiled as a hot tea for at least an hour for the patient to sip, or the Chinese herbs could be incorporated into honey bound pills. The most common purpose for using Chinese herbs is for their health benefits, since these Chinese herbs can reportedly make the human body stronger when the herbs are consumed. Chinese herbs which have developed a strong following are Ginseng, salvia, rhubarb, rehmannia, peony, ephedra sinica, licorice, hoelen, ginger, coptis, cinnamon bark, cinnamon, bupleurum, atractylodes, astragalus, and Dong Quai. Among this list of commonly used Chinese herbs, the one which many might be very familiar with is Ginseng (because of the many commercial products that claim to use this herb as an ingredient.) Much of the Ginseng being used for these commercial products would be made up of the Red Panax ginseng variety which is more affordable than the more highly prized Wild Ginseng variety.

Though not technically part of the Chinese herbs category, there is what is known as American ginseng too, which was employed by Native Americans for their own type of health care treatments.

Are Chinese herbs safe to use? Those who strongly believe in Traditional Chinese Medicine would probably be very convinced that Chinese herbs are very effective, but anyone who is trying out Chinese herbs for the first time (as part of Chinese cuisine or as part of a Traditional Chinese Medicine program of treatment) should always practice caution before ingesting any Chinese herbs. This is because the Chinese herbs that might work for one person might not necessarily work for another. More alarming is the prospect that certain Chinese herbs might even be dangerous for some individuals to use, especially if they happen to be allergic to those Chinese herbs, or if the person is on some commercial drug preparation that might contraindicate with some Chinese herbs. If you are planning to use Traditional Chinese Medicine to complement your conventional medical treatment program, you should always consult your physician first before taking any Chinese herbs on your own. This is for your own protection. Though admittedly various Chinese herbs (like ginger which even Westerners are very familiar with in these modern times) are probably safe to consume on a regular basis, many Chinese herbs are unfamiliar to Western medical practitioners so it is prudent to incorporate such Chinese herbs into your diet and medical treatment slowly – maybe even one at a time – to observe the effects on your body.