My Herbs

Darylynn's Science Project Assignment
Our Herb Garden

I love gardening and my husband and I have been
talking about growing herbs for awhile. I told him
about my homework from Darylynn and we are going
to do this together! Each of us is going to choose
a herb or two to grow. So I am excited about it!

Herbs are various kinds of herbaceous plants whose fresh or dried parts are used to season foods, provide fragrances, supply natural dyes, or make industrial or pharmaceutical products. Culinary herbs are ones which fresh or dried leaves are used in cooking. Some of the common culinary herbs are basil, French tarragon, rosemary, and thyme. The best time to pick your herbs is in the morning before the sun is shining too brightly. Wait until the plant has enough foliage to maintain growth. It?s easy to become overly eager but waiting will ensure that your plant continues to grow after you pick it.
Sunday May 4, we buy the containers.
We will be buying the rest of what we need on Friday.

Thursday May 8, I was shopping at Target and the herbs were on sale. I called by husband up and asked him if I should get some and he said yes. So I picked out 6 plants and some potting soil and a few other things. I was on my way to get my daughter when I had to hit the brakes and heard a thump. Oh my gosh, the bag fell on the plants!!! Then the car really started to smell like herbs!!!It was quite comical! Well the sweet basil did not make it but it sure died fragrantly! I told my husband and he just laughed so I will get another one. I guess I am off to a smashing start!

Friday May 9. I found some more herbs at the Target by my work. Okay so I got carried away. My husband and I will be growing 8 plants! Hopefully they will all be alive in a few weeks! His are Chocolate Mint, Sweet Basil, French Thyme and Clintro. Mine are English Lavender, Lemon balm, Dill and Rosemary.

Friday May 10. Today is picture day

Monday May 12. Some of these plants will need to be planted outside because they need full sun. So I need to get some pots for outside. The kitchen window doesn't get enough sun. :(

Tuesday May 13. I left the plants by the kitchen window after all and when I came home, they were all turned toward the window light.
Wednesday May 21. Well I lost a lavendar plant. I bought 2 of them. One is doing great and growing. I am drying the other one and the fragrance is even stronger in the drying stage! Maybe I will sring it over here by my computer! The rest of the plants are doing ok and growing. Funny how they reach to the window towards the sun. It was in the 90's today and I am glad I did not take them out yet. I need to get fil to take pictures. I plan to add some more recipes. I took a a leaf from the basil plant and added it to sauteed veggies and it was great!
Friday May 23.I bought 2 more lavender plants that are already blooming. These are going in a planter for outside my bedroom slider. This one is called Sweet Lavender. It even came with a recipe which I will add to the recipes. Oh the recipe scalls for parsley. My husband wants that one so I guess it is off to the garden shop again!
Monday May 26. I had a real nice long bath with some springs of lavender yesterday and it was great. I think I will have another one tonight. Well the French lavender is not doing well. but the other lavender is going great. I moved a few plants outside and are growing. I bought 2 tomato plants and they are growing. I love fresh sweet tomatoes!

I moved the basil outside and it is doing well. The insise one is ok. The rest of the plants are growing, but I think I will need to get them outside at some times. I am drying my English Lavender.

6/8- All my herbs are growing. The basal seems to be doing the best. My new lavender plant loved the spor put in the front porch. I found a new recipes today using several of the herbs. Time to experiment!

The plant that seems to be doing the best is the lemon balm. The lavender on the front porch is doing well too. Some of the plants outside were getting fry. They went from being over watered inside cause mu hubby was watering them too much to not getting enough! You know this herb thing is a challenge!

6/23 I checked my herbs today. I need to remember to water them. They were doing better insise where I could see them and not forget about them! I am so busy right now. I may end up with several dried plants! I will be taking pictures tomorrow, but won't have them up til after my vacation.

6/25 I took some pictures today. One of my basils is yellowish looking and the other looks great. The one that has partial shade is doing great. The lemon balm looks great and I might make some tea with it tomorrow. This homework assignment has been a real learning experience! I will let the experts go what they know best!

Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Sweet full flavor, with up to 2" leaves. Italian variety for pesto and all types of cooking. Sweet Genovese is the best flavored sweet basil from the Genoa region of Italy. Annual Basil has a warm, resinous, clove-like flavor and fragrance. The flowers and leaves are best used fresh and added only during the last few minutes of cooking. Basil works well in combination with tomatoes. Finely chopped basil stirred into mayonnaise makes a good sauce for fish. Use as a garnish for vegetables, chicken and egg dishes. Large lettuce-leaf basil can be stuffed as you would a grape leaf.

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum)
Spicy Cilantro leaves are wonderful for Thai, Mexican and Curry dishes. Short lived annual type plant, pick the leaves as it grows. The leaves can be harvested throughout the growing season. The seeds should be collected when they turn brown, just before they drop.It is an ancient herb, written about in Egyptian papyruses and in Tales of the Arabian Nights. Besides being an important spice, and one of the bitter herbs eaten at Passover, it is claimed to effect immortality and is touted as an aphrodisiac

Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Dill is one of the most versatile herbs, with both leaves and seeds used in cooking. It also often is planted just for the beauty it adds to a garden. It enhances the flavors of fish, lamb, pork, and poultry, a wide variety of vegetables, and pickles. Clip leaves near the stem as soon as they appear. Dill contains an abundance of mineral salts, so it has been considered helpful for people on low-salt diets. Roman war heroes were crowned with garlands of dill as they returned to their city in victory.

Lavender (Lavandula)
Very fragrant plant with soft, grey leaves and dark lavender colored spikes of flowers in spring. From the Provence region of France. Perennial in mild climates. Lavender is a member of the Mint family. It the most popular of aromatic herbs. Lavender was popular in ancient Roman times. It has a fresh scent when in bloom. Gardeners, crafters, homeowners, all just love it! Lavender grows best in full sun and need a well drained soil. The fragrant scent is in leaves, stems and flowers. It should be harvested in early morning when the oils are at their strongest in the plants. Cut the stems and spread loosely on a screen to dry. Lavender can be used in teas, can be added in a bath to relax you. Lavender is popular in crafts, potpourri, sachets and as dried flowers. The oils are used to make perfumes.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Harvest before the flowers open by cutting the whole plant nearly to the ground. It will grow back quickly with a potential yield of three cuttings per season. Dry the leaves in the shade on very warm days.You can add leaves of lemon balm to any recipe that calls for lemon juice, especially such delicately flavored foods as stewed fruits, custards, white-wine punches, egg dishes, and white sauces for fish.Lemon balm was the sacred herb of the temple of Diana. It is reputed to dispel melancholy and bring health and happiness. The Swiss have called it "elixir of life," and ancient Arabs swore by it as a heart remedy. Lemon Balm grows to about 3'. The flowers are a pale yellow and it blooms from July to September. Bees are attracted to the scent, especially when the leaves or stem have been bruised.

Mint(Chocolate)
This is a wonderful peppermint variety that smells just like chocolate and has some sweetness too. We use it chopped up with fresh ripe strawberries but it makes a great tea too. Purplish-dark green leaves, this plant grows along the ground and spreads rapidly. To use mint in cooking, chop the leaves finely and use it in salad dressings or with lamb. Many middle eastern chopped salads call for mint as well as several Thai recipes. Chocolate mint can be added to coffee, teas, chopped fruit, in custards or in ice cream.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
In ancient Greece and Rome rosemary was believed to strengthen the memory, which accounts for its being known as the herb of remembrance and fidelity. They prefer full sun to partial shade. They will do well in almost any soil. They tolerate dry soil conditions and drought. They should not require water during droughts, but add water if they appear to wilt. They usually do not require fertilizer.The leaves are used fresh, dried, or frozen in many recipes. It commonly is used on meats (beef, chicken, ribs), stews, sauces, and soups.

Thyme (Thymus)
Thyme needs well-drained soil and protection from frost. If you don't want to attract bees to your garden, harvest thyme's leaves before the plant flowers. The delicate, clovelike flavor of thyme complements nearly every dish imaginable. In the battlefields of World War I, it was used as an antiseptic. Thyme also is touted as a digestive aid.

My friend Tammy is doing the homework too. She has
birhouses and feeders in her garden like I do.

Medicinal Use
Since ancient times, herbs have been used to to treat many ailments. As a small child, I remember geing given a tea to calm my stomach. Many of these herbs can be used as teas.
Lemon balm tea is said to relieve headaches and tension and it helps restore memory. Try drinking it after meals to ease digestion, flatulence, and colic. Use fresh or frozen leaves in infusions, for the oil tends to disappear during the drying process. The oil used in aromatherapy is recommended for nervousness, depression, insomnia, and nervous headaches.
Dill is an antispasmodic and calmative. Dill tea or water is a popular remedy for an upset stomach, hiccups, or insomnia. For a nursing mother it promotes the flow of milk. It is also an appetite stimulant. It is a constituent of gripe water and other children's medicines because of its ability to ease flatulence and colic.