1. Herbs are super easy to grow. Some plants are super finicky about their soil. Not herbs. Many actually do better in non-fertile soil (just be sure the soil drains well). Valerian, caraway, elderberry, and comfrey all actually improve the health of your soil when you plant them. 2. Herbs don’t make you wait. Instant gratification is yours. Many herbs, such as mint, are known for spreading quickly and growing tall and strong. You don’t have to wait several seasons before you can harvest your herbs. 3. Herbs make great friends. They are stellar companion plants. You can integrate herbs into your flower, fruit and vegetable beds to help boost the health of your plants and keep pests away, too. Some pairs that grow well together are basil + tomatoes, borage + strawberries, chives + carrots, oregano + grape vines, parsley + asparagus, and sage + cabbage. 4. Herbs are super duper versatile. Toss them in fresh salads, infuse them in oil for dressings and in spirits for cocktails, dry them to make herbal teas and delicious spice blends, or use them in gorgeous floral arrangements. 5. Herbs can improve the health of your cooking. If you rely on salt to add zing to your food, it’s time to switch to a healthier alternative. Stir some chopped up herbs into your food instead, and not only are you adding gobs of flavor, but you’re adding extra antioxidants, too. Some herbs, such as basil, are even known to offer protection against heart disease, respiratory problems, cancer, and arthritis. 6. Fresh herbs on hand will save you money. One bunch of dill at the grocery store will cost you more than a packet of dill seeds, and planting even a half pack of seeds will provide multiple dill bunches. Planting and harvesting your own herbs can be a major money saver. 7. Herbs can grow anywhere, anytime. Herbs are perfect for an indoor kitchen garden if you live somewhere where January’s weather is too cold to go outdoors. It is no wonder that herbs have been popular for thousands of years. Shakespeare, Thoreau, King Solomon, even Simon and Garfunkel – everyone talks about them! I can’t help singing, “Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme. Remember me to one who lives there. She once was a true love of mine.” every time I think of herbs. (Be thankful I sing this in my head and not out loud.) This American folk song is based on an old English Ballad, and the Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme reference carries with it medieval symbolism. Although meaningless to most people today, these herbs spoke to the imagination of people then as much as red roses do to us today. • Parsley – takes away bitterness. Not only in taste but it was said to take away the bitterness in a spiritual sense as well. • Sage – a symbol of strength. • Rosemary – symbolic of faithfulness, love and remembrance. Ancient Greek lovers used to give rosemary to their ladies, and the custom of a bride wearing twigs of rosemary in her hair is still practiced in England and several other European countries today. The herb also stands for sensibility and prudence. Ancient Roman doctors recommended putting a small bag of rosemary leaves under the pillow of someone who had to perform a difficult mental task, such as an exam. Rosemary is associated with feminine love, because it’s very strong and tough, although it grows slowly. • Thyme– a symbol of courage. At the time this song was written, knights used to wear images of thyme in their shields when they went to combat, which their ladies embroidered in them. But aside from the symbolism, their medicinal and culinary usefulness abound. Let’s explore these top 4 herbs and their uses in more detail. Parsley Fun Facts: There are more than 30 varieties of parsley, but the most common are curly-leaf and the more pungent Italian or flat-leaf parsley. The flat-leaf has more flavor than curly parsley and is preferred for cooking. Dried parsley has little to no flavor at all. For many of us, parsley is that curly green garnish that comes on the plate in cafeteria food that’s mostly there for looks. Why would you eat that? And all these recipes that call for one measly tablespoon of chopped parsley? What’s the point? Because parsley not only brightens flavors, but it also adds balance to savory dishes the way that a little lemon juice can make something just taste better. Parsley is a mild “bitter.” The taste buds on your tongue can distinguish 5 tastes – salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and umami. Salty and sweet are obvious. Sour you get from acid like lemon juice or vinegar. Umami has to do with the savory taste of protein. Bitter you get from citrus zest, bitter greens like kale, mustard greens, arugula, and parsley. Well balanced dishes stimulate all or most of these taste receptors. Adding parsley to a stew doesn’t make the stew taste like parsley, but will make the stew taste more balanced, if it doesn’t already have a bitter in it. Almost every savory dish tastes better with a little chopped parsley either cooked in or sprinkled over the top. In the Garden: Parsley grows well indoors and outdoors, which makes the plant versatile. When you plan to grow parsley, the seeds will germinate 28 days after planting. The best thing about growing parsley plants? Bugs and slugs typically stay away from them. They are biennials, so in most climates, a plant will live for two years. This plant can usually be grown year round, since frost seems to make them happy and they winter well. How to Use: The leaves are most commonly used; however the stalks are good for adding flavor to stocks. You could just make a plain parsley pesto, and serve it over pasta, or add garlic, oil and vinegar, and it is terrific with steak. You can use any fresh herbs in any recipe in the following way: Substitute 1 tablespoon fresh herb when 1 teaspoon dried herb is called for. Healthy Bonus: Parsley is an excellent source of vitamins K, C and A, as well as iron. Parsley is also good for digestion. As with other bitter herbs, parsley stimulates appetite and your digestive tract.  Bitters help settle your stomach. Chewing parsley will help with bad breath from food odors such as garlic. And in ancient times parsley wreaths were used to ward off drunkenness.

Fun Facts: A Mediterranean herb with fuzzy, oval, gray-green leaves that are pungent and slightly bitter with a musty mint taste and aroma. Sage is a primary herb in poultry seasoning. Fresh sage is less bitter than dried sage, but both forms should be used lightly as it can easily overpower a recipe. Sage pairs especially well with fat-rich recipes and is believed to aid in their digestion. There is also a variety called pineapple sage, with an intensely sweet pineapple scent. Pineapple sage flowers can also be used as an edible garnish.

In the Garden: Sage is a woody perennial plant. The leaves are gray to green in color. A mature sage plant will reach 2 feet in height. If the plant is left unpruned, it will begin to sprawl across the soil. The leaves are harvested from the plant before it begins to bloom. Prune the plant back after blooming if no seed is desired. Growing the sage plant from seed is best done by starting plants indoors or sheltered.

Healthy Bonus: There are many medicinal uses for sage. It is an excellent digestive herb when used for seasoning on meals of rich meats and fowl which can be hard on the digestive system. As far back as early colonial times, sage has been considered a valuable remedy for colds and fevers used as a tea. It is also considered to have excellent antibacterial and astringent properties, which explains its popular use in gargles for sore throats, gingivitis and sore gums.

Sage is an excellent natural disinfectant and deodorizer, drying perspiration and helping to eliminate body odor. Extracts of sage are used in personal skin care for its capacity to heal the skin as well. It is well regarded herb for women and can be especially helpful for relieving the hot flashes of menopause, and slowing heavy menstrual bleeding. Sage is also a good herbal tea for drying up breast milk for weaning.

Some use sage to darken greying hair. This practice was adopted from gypsy lore. Sage also leaves the hair feeling soft and shiny, and the scalp invigorated. Sage does not stop at making you look younger, it can also help prevent those “senior moments” as well. Both clinical studies and traditional wisdom agree that sage has positive effects on memory and concentration in both older people with cognitive problems and younger people with attention disorder.

Fun Facts: Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean area and usage of it dates back to 500 B.C. when it was used as a culinary and medicinal herb by the ancient Greeks and Romans. It is a member of the mint family, it is an evergreen shrub also related to basil, marjoram, and oregano. It is usually found growing by the ocean, and its Latin name equates to “dew of the sea.” It is a very pungent and aromatic herb. The small, gray-green leaves look similar to small pine needles and have a bittersweet, lemony, slightly piney flavor. The leaves are used in a wide variety of dishes, but its most common use is to flavor meats and tomato sauces.  Rosemary stems, stripped of their leaves, can also be used as skewers for kabobs.

In the Garden: Rosemary is one of those wonderful herbs that make a beautiful ornamental plant. Once established it is easy to grow and needs little attention. They usually grow to 3 feet and are slightly bushy, but can grow as high as 6 feet if not pruned.  However starting a rosemary plant is the tricky part. Rosemary is usually propagated by cuttings. Seeds can be difficult to germinate and often don’t grow true to their parent. It’s much faster to start with a cutting and you will be sure of what type of plant you will get, or a nursery grown plant.

Healthy Bonus: Rosemary is such an extremely useful herb, with so many culinary, medicinal and aromatherapy attributes that it is hard to qualify which ones are the most important. Rosemary stimulates the central nervous system and circulation making it beneficial for low blood pressure and sluggishness. Rosemary oil and rosemary essential oil are used to alleviate the pain of sprains, arthritis, sciatica and neuralgia. Rosemary extract is a natural way to stabilize and extend the shelf life of handmade cosmetics, creams, lotions, and other herbal compounds. Use rosemary in skin care to tone and soften skin.

Rosemary has a long herbal tradition as an herb that improves concentration and memory; Greek students would braid Rosemary into their hair to help them with their exams. Modern science attributes much of rosemary’s action on the central nervous system to its potent antioxidant, rosmarinic acid. Rosemary is one of best hair tonics available, whether you are worried about hair loss, or just want healthy, happy hair, rosemary extracts used in shampoos and herbal hair rinses will work wonders. A few drops of the essential oil can be applied directly to the scalp or hairbrush to restore dry, flyaway hair and make it shine. Rosemary essential oil stimulates hair follicles and circulation in the scalp, which may help prevent premature baldness. Use rosemary on a continuing basis for a healthy scalp that encourages healthy hair growth and slows hair loss.

Rosemary infused oil and rosemary essential oil is both used in massage oil formulations to relieve the pain of arthritis and of sore aching muscles. Rosemary used as a massage oil also helps to tone the circulatory system. Antioxidant compounds in rosemary prevent uterine spasms and menstrual cramps. Rosemary essential oil helps alleviate water retention and increases circulation when used in massage blends.

Fun Facts: Thyme is an herb in the mint family. It gets its name from the Greek word thymon, an herb used as incense or as a fumigator during sacrifices. It is native to the Mediterranean region, but was brought to Britain by the Romans. Long-prized for its medicinal uses, ancient Egyptians used thyme oil in their embalming process.

Legend has it that thyme was an essential ingredient in a magic brew that allowed the drinker to see the fairies. It was also considered an aphrodisiac.

In the Garden: Thyme is a low growing, woody perennial. It is considered spreading and reaches 6 – 10” in height. Some varieties form an almost flat carpet.  It is extremely fragrant and flavorful and grows well in tough, dry conditions. The pink, lavender or white tubular flowers are very popular with bees. Tiny gray-green leaves remain evergreen. There are about 350 different species.

Established thyme plants can be harvested at any time. Simply snip a few stems. The blossoms are also edible and are at their best when first opening. Thyme grows slowly from seed and should be allowed a few months of growth, before cutting.

Healthy Bonus: Thyme is another member of the mint family that has been used since the earliest times as a medicinal herb. Thyme is one of the best herbs to use as a cough and cold remedy, addressing all your cold symptoms in a holistic way. Thyme acts both as an expectorant to clear the lungs of congestion and as an antitussive, calming coughing spasms. Thyme tea will settle the stomach, help you sleep, soothe a sore throat, relieve aches and pains, and encourage your body to sweat, helping to eliminate toxins and bring down a fever. Drinking a warm thyme tea sweetened with thyme honey is a pleasant and tasty way to get these benefits. Thyme essential oil can also be used in room diffusers. This long list of medicinal actions is attributed mainly to the essential oil components, thymol and carvacrol which are highly antiseptic. Thyme oil can be used to treat cuts and wounds to prevent and treat infections when diluted with a carrier oil.

BIO:

Adrienne Diaz gardens organically in Fort Myers Florida. She grows more than 27 different kind of fruits and has 9 raised beds full of vegetables. She is a certified Square Foot Garden Instructor and is currently studying to be a Master Gardener and a Medicinal Herb Garden Instructor. 

For the last 10 years she has worked in the weight loss industry and is a certified Weight Management Consultant. She knows that we all struggle with food choices being healthy, safe and of good quality. Having raised 5 children as a single mother she also knows the struggle of having enough time to do everything. She believes that everyone should garden and everyone CAN garden. It is her passion to show how easy it really is – and how rewarding!