The Magic Of Herbs

Many people only know the joys of herbs through buying them at
the grocery store But, there are enough of us out there who
enjoy the propagating, the growing the picking, and finally,
using the fresh herbs in food
I know one of my friends only uses herbs that she picks just
before cooking or eating Herbs are also extensively used for
remedies
Herbal Nutrition Supplements: What Are They? The National
Library of Medicine gives this definition: “Herbal supplements
are a type of dietary supplement that contain herbs, either
singly or in mixtures” Herbal nutrition supplements come in a
variety of different forms, however, and some are better and
safer than others The Mayo Clinic advises you to “select
products that have been scientifically tested”
There is a good chance that quality herbal nutrition supplement
may be a healthy choice for you Herbal nutrition supplements
are excellent for people who are unable to meet their
nutritional requirements because of food allergies, medical
conditions, or busy schedules that don’t leave enough time to
control and monitor nutrient intake
A very dear friend of mine swears by the following herb book
She has a German copy, and it is well worn with age Whenever
anyone of us has an ailment, out comes Maria Treben She has
become a well known and respected friend Those of European
heritage will be very familiar with the work and theories of
Maria Treben “Health Through God’s Pharmacy”
Cutting And Propagating
Select a plant that has a dominant single stem Take a good look
at it, really take your time with this step I realize it might
sound like a Zen exercise but it will make the process clearer
and much more pleasurable if you look at the plant and picture
how it wants to grow and how you want to train it
Hopefully those two processes will be somewhat compatible
Otherwise you will be constantly fighting the plant Pick a
plant that is healthy and vigorous One that looks at you and
says “I love growing and I’m so fabulous there should be more of
me” Choose stems that are coming out of the sides of the plant
not in the middle I used to know the reason why, but that bit
of knowledge is at present unretrievable Side shoots root
faster
You want a cutting no more than 3″ Bigger is not better! Strip
the leaves off the bottom ½ to 2/3 of the cutting If you can do
this with your fingers it is preferable to using a scissors You
want enough leaves for the plant to be able to make food but not
too many so that it can’t concentrate on growing roots If the
plant is flowering (not an ideal time to propagate but it can be
done) cut off all the flowering buds You don’t want it’s energy
directed there
Make the final cut it a node (an intersection where one or more
leaves jut out of the stem) because there is more growth hormone
at that site If you can make the cut at an angle, more of the
stem will be exposed to start to root I don’t use extra growth
hormone powder, most growers don’t You have more chance of
killing the cutting with it If there is already enough hormone
in site, adding more puts the plant into a tailspin Let the
plant grow 6 inches higher than you want it to be Clip the tip
at the desired finished height Clip off the rest of the side
shoots on the bottom stem to where the bottom of the ball is
going to be By now you might have to use a clipper for this, as
your fingers may not be up to the job
When you are doing the trimming and you have some good size
pieces, use them for cuttings Let the plant grow again If the
main stem is not growing terribly straight or it isn’t strong,
put in a support stick Use a non-organic stick to loosely tie
your plant’s straight stem to A plastic chop stick works really
well Insert the stick into the ground gently to avoid
destroying roots Avoid using a wood stick to train your plant
with If the plant is in a humid environment the wooden stick
will start growing friendly little green things Never cut off
more than one-third of a plant at a time, and give young plants
time to re-grow before harvesting from them again
Soil
Raised beds for extremely well drained soil Low to moderate
soil fertility Keep soil constantly moist – especially in
summer If regular watering is not possible, a 10cm deep mulch
keeps soil moist
How to use herbs
Soups and stews develop their best flavors when the herbs and
spices are added during cooking If they are long-cooking soups
or stews, wait until the last 30 minutes to add the seasonings
because prolonged cooking in liquid can dissipate the flavor
The same is true for sauces
To develop the flavor of dried herbs, soak them for several
minutes in a liquid that can be used in the recipe To release
the flavor of dried herbs, crumble them before adding to the
dish When using herbs and spices in salad dressing, allow the
flavor of the combination to develop by soaking for at least 15
minutes Most meats may be seasoned before, during or after
cooking Steaks and chops can be marinated and seasoned either
before or after cooking To get the most flavor from roasted
meat or poultry, rub its surface with seasoning before cooking
Poultry absorbs flavors better if the seasoning is rubbed
directly into the flesh, rather than the skin Soups and stews
develop their best flavors when the herbs and spices are added
during cooking If they are long-cooking soups or stews, wait
until the last 30 minutes to add the seasonings because
prolonged cooking in liquid can dissipate the flavor The same
is true for sauces Add a peeled, whole raw potato to the dish
to absorb some of the flavor Remove the potato just before
serving

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