Herb Garden Plants

Herb plants come in annuals, perennials, and biennials like other types of plants. There are many kinds of herb and each one has its unique properties. If you are interested in a specific type of herb, you should research that one to understand the care it needs and how to use it properly. In this article we will look at the  different types of herbs and how they are used.

Annuals like basil, cilantro, and summer savory will not survive a frost. They need to be planted from a seed or a small plant every year.

Perennials will tend to survive colder temperatures. Examples of these are winter savory and sage and they will return year after year. Click here for more: herb garden plant

Biennial herbs are plants that form leaves in their first growing season and flowers and seed in the second season, then die. Sow biennials in late spring straight into the garden. Examples of biennials are angelica, parsley and caraway. Get the soil ready for planting, work it into a fine texture soaking it slightly.  Plant the seeds in shallow rows then firm the soil on top of them. If you have fine seeds, plant these in a mixture of sand as this will spred them within the mix more evenly. You can also cover the bed with wet burlap or paper in order to keep the soil moist during germination.

You can categorize herbs by the groups for which they are used. Culinary herbs are probably the most useful to herb gardeners. They have a huge range of different uses in cooking.

Herbs like thyme, basil, chives, savory, sage and marjoram have strong tasting flavors when added to food, so are used in small amounts. A very popular herb used mainly as a garnish is parsley. Aromatic herbs have pleasant smelling flowers or foliage. The oils from herbs like mint, loyage and rosemarycan be used to make all kinds of perfume, scents and toilet water. Certain herb plants can be used in the home to fragrance linen or clothes. They can also be dried and made into potpourri which will enable them to be able to retain their aroma for a long period of time.  Lavender and lemon verbena are great herbs to use for potpourri. For more visit our blog: Herb Garden Blog.

Many herbs are also used in medicine. Since ancient time herbs have been used to cure all sorts of ailments. Modern medicine has proved the advantages of using some herbs to treat some conditions. Herbs used for medicinal purposes should be used carefully. Some herbs are harmless but others can be dangerous if eaten.

Many herbs are used for entirely different reasons other than their fragrance healing properties or flavor. They can be used for their sheer splendor. These are decorative herbs. Many have whitish or various light colored flowers like valerian which has crimson blossoms and borage and chicory which grow gorgeous blue flowers.

Even thought herbs can have these different categories, many of them have multiple uses. So for example mint can be used for controlling pests, cooking and making tea. By taking the time to understand herbs, whatever your reason, you will be able to choose the ones most beneficial to you. Click here for more: Herb Garden Guide