April 30th, 2010 by Geoff Marks
Many people around the world rely on Chinese herbs to cure different types of diseases. Many people still believe that using herbs is a lot better than using pharmaceutical drugs eventhough many skeptics argue that using Chinse herbs to cure certain types of diseases is not practical. If you are one who hasn't decided whether or not Chinese medicinal herbs is a good option to cure some ailments, here are some points that may convince you to make that switch.
Effects and Side Effects
Pharmaceutical products are mostly made of synthetic ingredients that are manufactured in the laboratory. Although these synthetic ingredients may be able to cure certain types of diseases, there is no guarantee that it will not have any negative impact on the body as well. It cannot be denied that pharmaceutical drugs do have side effects. Some pharmaceutical products may not have serious side effects on the …
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April 22nd, 2010 by Geoff Marks
Starting a herb garden is a great hobby and can help save you money on herbs and tea. Growing your own herbs can be a rewarding experience, save you money and is a great way to start acquiring that green thumb you have always wanted.
Herbs can grow either inside of outside your home. Beginners should start with just a few plants.The reasons for this is simple.When growing herbs outside you have to worry about the weather. When your indoors you don’t have to worry about the weather and you can also control how much sun the herbs get.
Having control over these conditions will make you experience easier and you likely won’t get as frustrated. As you become more comfortable you can try moving your herbs to a deck or porch, and then eventually a garden.In addition you can enjoy fresh herbs year round.
Most new gardeners find that …
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April 21st, 2010 by Geoff Marks
You don’t need a plot of land in order to grow the herbs necessary to cook whatever you want to cook. Herbs are expensive you try to get them at stores, but if you grow them on your own, you will be able to save lots of money. So what options do you have when you don’t have land, such as when you live in an apartment? You can have your herbs no matter where you live by getting a kitchen herb garden device. These devices can be put on your kitchen counter and they have built in light. You just need to water them when needed and a lot of the devices will tell you when it is necessary, and you will then watch your herbs grow big and lush in the comfort of your own home. Unlike a window herb garen, you use artificial light so you get …
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April 15th, 2010 by Geoff Marks
My absolute favorite type of pot for growing herbs is the strawberry pot (those adorable small containers with all the openings on the sides) because I get to cultivate so many different herb plants in one pot. With the right arrangement, cascading vines, long spikes, spindly and bushy herbs can all thrive together in the strawberry pot. Be aware that these pots dry out fast, so unless you are a good waterer you probably will want to stay with herbs that are drought tolerant.
In this case size does matter. If you get a pot that’s too little, your plant can only grow so much and will eventually die. The nutrients tend to settle in the bottom of the pot, and if it the pot is too large the short roots can not be able to reach them.
Terra cotta pots are a lot better than plastic pots because the …
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April 14th, 2010 by Geoff Marks
It might be surprising to some, but most herbs grow better in an indoor herb garden. A large number of herbs are annuals. Annual herbs and plants only have a year lifespan. They grow and bloom in one season then within a year, they die. You may think that this type of herbs is too costly, but you actually extend the life of your annuals.
Here are some key points explained in establishing an indoor garden.
Knowing the easy-to-grow indoor herbs
Annuals are the best type for indoor gardens. Since their lifespan is limited, they cannot be exposed continuously to changing weathers. Their roots usually have small growth; which is why they cannot stand the outside environment. Their leaves would easily wither and they could be easily uprooted.
Some varieties of basil like Thai, Holy Basil or Tulsi and lemon, chives, scented geranium, lavender, rosemary, …
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April 5th, 2010 by Geoff Marks
I remember that back in the day folks did all their gardening by ordering their seeds from a catalog. It seemed like her whole garden was from that catalog. Now don’t mind me, but in today’s world you just can’t grow all your herb plants from seeds, unless you want to wait forever for them to do anything.
Some herbs are better than others for germinating from seeds. Take the dill plant, for example, it grows like a weed and matures fast too. Germination for the dill herb is easy. If you want to grow other herb plants (like thyme) from seeds plan to wait a very long time for sprouting. You can cultivate most annuals from seeds and some perennials too. If you’ve got a lot of perennials, you’ll save money in the long run because there won’t be a replacement cost for the plants.
I prefer not to …
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March 27th, 2010 by Geoff Marks
When you choose to create your own herb garden, the next step is selecting the assortment of herb plants you want. In addition to all the different herb plants out there, each herb has several kinds to select from—such as basil which has hundreds of kinds.
Each plant type has its own growing period. Understanding your herb plant’s life cycle will help you make the best choices. Before you get your herb plants, you will want to be aware of their growing season, or life cycle. The three primary categories are:
- Annuals: These flowers begin from a seed. They grow, flower and die all in the same growing season. Some good annual herbs are dill, cilantro, mustard, chervil, basil and borage.
- Biennials: This variety of flower will grow for 2 years and can generally bear “fruit” after the first year. Some herb plants (like parsley) can produce foliage during both
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