There are many reasons to grow your own herbs, but the best ones are, you know where your herbs have come from and what has been used to fertilize them. You don’t have to pay the high prices for fresh herbs in the grocery store, and you can have herbs all year. Herbs can be grown inside or out and don’t need a lot of room. Depending on the herb and your taste you can use them as potpourri. Use the right combination and you can even use them on your fruit and deserts.
Having pets is very good for your health but it can make your house smell bad even if you can’t smell it others might, and those cans that make your house smell like a summer breeze can either smell to sweet or smell as bad as your house so putting some fresh thyme and rosemary in the oven at a low temp. And your house will smell wonderful, if you want a sweeter smell mint is another good way to make your house smell homey. If you love the smell of an Italian restaurant then you can roast oregano, thyme, basil, and parsley in the oven at 100 to 125 degrees, I use this trick for parties and some people use it when they have open houses.
A Rosemary bush is a good herb to plant in your yard because not only does it make pork and chicken taste wonderful but you can add it to mango salsa, red gravy, and BBQ sauce to name a few. Rosemary is also a great way to get the smell of onions off your hands I found this out by accident when I was cutting some off the bush to add to the baked fish I was cooking. The Rosemary bush can be planted in a planter, this is best if you live in an area where the winters are cold, this makes it easier to bring it inside so that you can have this fresh herb If you live in a warmer climate then you can plant it outside either way you all year long will want to trim it about once a year to keep it under control. This is when you can dry it so you can give it to your friends and family as a present.
Depending on how much room you have and the size of your family will depend on the size of your herb garden. If you live in an apartment or you rent a house having your herbs in pots makes moving a lot easier. Having your herbs in pots is also a good idea if you have pets or live in a rural area this way you can keep them from eating them. Flower boxes are a good idea if you live in the city just make sure you clean them really well to get all the fumes off of them.
Most people like to rely on the old favorites but you should try different herbs and combination of them to give your taste buds a surprise. You can get these different types of herbs on the web you may even be able to find them at your local home improvement store, but be careful the seeds you buy may be from last year, and if they weren’t stored properly then you may not get the results that you want. The seedlings that you see in your local home improvement store may contain pesticides that aren’t organic. The word organic can mean different thing to different companies this is because organic food isn’t really regulated by the government. Getting the more unusual herbs you want will require you going online especially if you don’t have a farmers market or an organic supermarket.
Going to the grocery store for dried herbs can get very expensive and with all the mixes on the market who knows what preservatives there are in them. With your own herb garden you can not only make your own mixes but you can make them for your friends and family. Put the mix in sandwich bags that have a zip top add your favorite recipe and you have a perfect gift for any occasion. For your own use inexpensive pepper and salt shakers are a good way to keep track of your entire herb mixes just make sure you label them.
I like to organize my herbs the ones I use most are in the front and the special ones are in the back. The special ones are the herbs that I use for special dishes or for garnishes. Using insects instead of pesticides is a more environment friendly way to grow your herbs. Not only do some insects help keep other insects at bay but they also help pollinate your herbs. If you’re lucky you may even see some butterflies. If you want to save room in your yard and on your grocery bill you can plant your herbs in between your vegetables this way you can rotate your garden to keep your land fresh.
Herbs can be used in many different ways cooking and aromatics are only two of them, another way to use herbs is for medical reasons. If you want to use herbs for this reason you need to be careful some herbs can be poisonous in large amounts and some can have savior side effects if taken with certain meds, if you’re not sure if the herbs you want to take will interfere with your meds then you need to ask your doctor if it’s ok. You will also want to find a reputable website or book to find the right dosage for you.
However you use your gardens herbs you want to make sure you wash and don’t use pesticides them. Washing gets rid of dirt, bugs and other impurities that may be in your garden. Pesticides can not only be harmful but can also alter the taste of your herbs if it’s not washed off properly. The whole point of herbs is to try new things and mix it up a little.
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