If you love gardening or want to take up it as a hobby why not start with growing some herbs to add that much needed spice and health to everyday dishes. All you need is a nice window garden getting at least 4 or 5 hours of direct light from a sunny window. Apart from the immense satisfaction and connect with nature, herbs plucked fresh from your small garden are more beneficial from the ones at the grocery store as plants tend to lose almost 50% of their nutritional value within hours of harvesting.
Tips For The Perfect Herb Garden
- Provide adequate light: Eight or more hours of direct sun or bright artificial light.
- Select the proper soil: Soil selection and how you fertilize it will depend upon the herbs that you chose. Growing them fast can result in lack of essential nutrient oils.
- Correctly set up your containers: You will need to support the plant by external nutrients in soil due to the limited soil in containers. Allow for quick draining of water through adequate holes and layer with coir to allow the soil to breathe.
- Know when to water: Avoid overzealous watering and know when the plant needs moisture. Water the container until some water comes out of the bottom, but don’t over-water.
- Start feeding your plants after 10 or so days: After the initial 10 days feed with half-strength nutrients every two weeks to provide nutrients to the roots.
- Use your herbs when they’re ready: Usually after 4-6 weeks the herbs will have grown enough leaves that can be pinched without affecting their growth.
8 Magical Herbs You Can Grow at Home Easily
Now that you know what is needed to start, choose the herbs whose seeds you can easily procure and manage in the space that you have. Here are 8 herbs that you can start with right away:
1. Thyme
Its leaves, flowers as well as oil are utilized for treatment of:
- Digestive Support: Thyme has long been used in treating Diarrhea, flatulence, and stomach aches.
- Also helps relieve upper respiratory disorders like Bronchitis, whooping cough, and soothes painful throat.
- It is also a well known cure for bedwetting and preventing excess fluid retention in the body.
- Its antimicrobial properties play a vital role in treating acne and other skin infections.
- Thyme has proven to be a great cure for hypertension (high blood pressure) and in treating colon and breast tumors.
2. Parsley
Parsley is crammed with so many health benefits due to the presence of vitamin C, B12, K and A in it.
- Thus it is vital for the health of bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels and nerves, lungs, heart, kidneys and for adequate clotting of blood.
- Its oil is the best for the prevention of alopecia (hair loss). Parsley oil is a good treatment for dry skin as it provides softness to the skin.
- It not only treats diarrhea but also assists in the absorption of fats.
- It incites the emission of estrogens that aid in fighting post menopausal symptoms.
- The fact that it has notable quantities of iron in it, parsley’s use can inhibit anemia and exhaustion.
3. Mint
- It is used for the purpose of blocking out horrific odors; promote revival from ailments, and warding off bugs and pests.
- If the oil of spearmint is placed on a handkerchief and inhaled, it assists in treatment of cold. Soaked and softened mint leaves are massaged for the relief of aches and pains including headaches and migraines.
4. Basil
- The oil of basil hinders the development of numerous microbes, the majority of which have become defiant against antibiotics.
- Basil oil contains Eugenol which offers anti-inflammatory features similar to those of synthetic anti-inflammatory drugs such as Aspirin and Ibuprofen; thus basil is a natural cure for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel ailments.
- Due to the presence of Vitamin A in it, Basil assists in inhibiting build up of cholesterol in the blood vessels. Magnesium existing in the basil assists the heart and blood vessels to loosen thereby augmenting the flow of blood.
- Iron, calcium, potassium and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) found in basil provides lots of benefits to the human body.
5. Coriander
- Coriander assists in adequate performance of liver and promotes healthy digestion due to its extraordinary anti-oxidant features.
- It is good for the treatment of sinusitis and the headache associated with this condition.
- It is also excellent for management of cold, flu and the burning sensation associated with inflammation of the urinary bladder secondary to infection and manifesting as excruciating blazing micturition.
6. Lemon Grass
- Lemongrass has anti-malignant features in addition to possession of pain-relieving and anti-viral and anti-fungal properties.
- Lemon grass can make our body free of toxins due to its diuretic and sweat promoting qualities.
7. Oregano
- The oil of oregano has antiviral and antioxidant qualities (hence serves as an anti-aging agent).
- On account of its anti-fungal characteristics, it is used for the treatment of pushy fungal infections such as athlete’s foot, ringworm etc.
- Due to its anti-inflammatory traits, it heals the ailments that have inflammation as an essential feature e.g. arthritis, asthma, sinusitis, psoriasis, hepatitis, irritable bowel syndrome etc.
8. Garlic
- Garlic possesses an antibiotic quality that matches that of Penicillin. It slays a variety of worms, lice, fleas and bugs. The efficacy of garlic increases when it is used along with Cayenne, Ginger, Ginseng and Parsley.
- Not only is it a blood thinner but also purges and sanitizes the large gut; it also detoxifies the liver.
- It comforts light-headedness and vertigo in addition to serving as the best remedy for expectorating the mucus secretions of the respiratory tract and whooping cough. When taken along with honey, it prevents coughs, colds and flu.
- It is an adequate treatment for mild hypothyroidism due to the presence of high quantities of iodine in it.
- On account of its skin refining properties, it could serve as an anti-ageing agent.
