Useful Herbs in the Garden
There are plenty of useful and beneficial herbs you can grow in your garden. Herbs can be used in many ways, whether culinary, medically, or enjoyed in a cup of tea. Aside from the common uses of herbs, you can use certain herbs while they’re growing in the ground. Some herbs can provide protection within your garden by repelling certain insects from attacking other important plants. Just placing your herbs near certain plants can be a great way to organically control pests while also providing yourself with fresh seasonings for many meals!
Herbs with Culinary Uses
Basil
Basil has many general culinary uses. It is a versatile herb and can be added to almost anything you cook, and still taste great. Aside from it’s delightful taste, it has plenty of positive medicinal properties. For one, it can be used to sooth a stomach ache or any indigestion by consuming half a teaspoon. Basil tea can help soothe a rough cough, and basil oil can be used to relieve ear infections. It’s a great herb all around to keep in your garden, and has plenty of other uses too.
Chives
Chives are a great plant to prevent aphids from tearing into the rest of your garden. Simply by planting chives near any plants that aphids feed on, you can prevent these pests from ruining your plants. Chopped chive leaves mixed with water can also help get rid of plant mildew effectively. It’s also an delicious culinary herb and can be added to so many dishes, like eggs, salads, and spread on bread to add a hint of onion flavor to any dish.
Dill
One of the healthiest and helpful culinary herbs would have to be dill. Dill provides you with so many wonderful health benefits. Not only that but it has a great taste that goes well with plenty of meals like poultry and salad. It’s a great herb to add to any of your favorite dishes, thanks to the essential oils it contains which are great for improving your digestion, and providing some relief from disorders like insomnia, diarrhea, or osteoporosis. Since it is an anti-inflammatory herb, it can help with preventing arthritis.
Fennel
Fennel is a potentially life saving herb, as in powder form, it can be used as a poultice for some snakebites. It’s oil and leaves are very useful in cooking, and has a taste similar of anise. The seeds can be utilized to make medicine and oils useful in cooking. Some health benefits of fennel include heartburn relief, treating appetite loss, bronchitis, cholera, and many other problems.
Mint
If you enjoy the taste of peppermint a lot, you might want to consider planting some mint. Only a bit though, as this herb will quickly take over the space you plant it in, which can be great if you enjoy the taste of mint. Thankfully, there are a lot of ways to use this herb both in cooking and around your home. You could enjoy a nice cup of mint tea grown fresh from the garden, and you can even throw some on your salads or other greens if you love the taste enough. It’s great to have around the house to replace breath mints, which contain loads of sugar, and will provide you with the same effect, just healthier.
Oregano
Another delicious herb for culinary use is oregano. This wonderful herb goes great with most Italian dishes and Italian seasonings. It’s great to add on any meats or any dishes that include tomatoes or even soups. It has plenty of antioxidants as well as plenty of iron and manganese. In oil form it has so many uses, from allergy relief, to helping with skin infections, and can even cure athletes foot. The culinary uses and uses of the oil in oregano are too beneficial to ignore, and it’s a great herb to have plenty of in your garden.
Parsley
Parsley is a great herb for emulating Middle Eastern cuisine and can be a delicious garnish in salads, soups, and all sorts of meats. It can add an appealing and well-prepared look to any meals. You can also make plenty of dressings, pestos, and even stuffing with parsley. It’s a great all-around herb and has plenty of tasty culinary uses as well as health benefits, such as promoted bone health, and can help if you’re fighting diabetes.
Rosemary
Rosemary goes great with all sorts of poultry, such as chicken, beef, and lamb. It has a delightful taste and is a robust herb with many uses in the kitchen. It can go great on toast or crackers with butter, and is delicious when added to recipes including potatoes. There are even certain fruits that go well with rosemary, like apples, pears, and bananas. It’s also amazing when added to cheesy dishes, and goes great with most vegetables as well.
Tarragon
This one is a tasty one, and can be added to a lot of meals to really bring out the flavor. Tarragon is great with chicken and goes great with lemon flavors. It’s also great with any other greens like asparagus, salads, and other veggies. It’s also great with eggs and many other foods. There are so many delicious recipes for sauces and other foods out there using tarragon, it really is a great herb to consider keeping in your garden.
Herbs with Medicinal Uses
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera can be an amazing succulent with many great and helpful medicinal properties. It is great to use on your skin and can keep your skin hydrated. The most common use is for burn relief and is extremely effective at soothing the pain. Aloe is rich in vitamins, nutrients, and minerals and will aid your digestive system as well as your immune system.
Echinacea
A great herb that fights against the common cold is echinacea. Many people take this herb at early signs of the flu because it typically will help prevent the flu from getting more severe and allow it to pass quickly. Though not supported scientifically, some claim it can aid in other infections like UTI or throat infections.
Feverfew
If you suffer from migraines, there are thankfully herbs that can provide you relief. One of the herbs that can help you is feverfew, which as its name suggests, can also help you have fewer fevers. Not only that, but it can help with more severe problems like tinnitus, infertility, and even asthma. This herb has a wide array of uses and can even be used to soothe toothaches!
Pot Marigold
Not only is it a beautiful flower, but it’s also a widely beneficial herb that can be used to treat lots of skin problems and has plenty of healthy active ingredients that give it it’s strengths. For skin care, it can heal all sorts of problems, from skin burns, to wounds, and even rashes. It can also help with dry skin problems like dandruff and reduce it greatly. Pot Marigold is a perfect herb for treating any skin issues and even preventing them, as it is also a natural insect repellent.
St. John’s Wort
St John’s Wort can be a potentially life saving herb as well. It can immensely help certain individuals who suffer from depression and disorders like ADHD or OCD. It can also help in relieving premenstrual symptoms like cramps or imbalanced hormones. Thanks to it’s anti-inflammatory properties, St John’s Wort is also great for skin care and fights inflammation at the root. The wonderful herb even has anti-cancer properties thanks to hyperforin, making it a potentially useful plant for cancer treatment in the future.
Yarrow
Another great herb for reducing the severity of the flu and other common colds is yarrow. It can relieve fevers, reduce cramps, and even help with rashes and other skin issues. Combined with other herbs that provide similar effects, it can lead to very useful medicine that can get you back on your feet faster. It goes well with chamomile in teas and can even help with problems such as congestion from allergies and such.
Herbs to Use Around the House
Betony
Betony is a useful herb for treating certain medical ailments such as anxiety, headaches, and even digestional problems like diarrhea, gas or heartburn. It’s also a beautiful looking herb and adds a great hint of purple-pink to your garden while also providing you with all the medicinal benefits. Betony is a great herb to grow for any tea lovers as it makes for a great replacement to black teas and is a great base herb.
Chamomile
Chamomile is many tea drinker’s favorite herb, and is a great one at that. It can help with plenty of medical ailments, from insomnia, to many stomach problems, and even help heal wounds more quickly. There are plenty of home made remedies you can make with this easy to grow herb, and it’s really a great one to keep around your house for whenever you may need it.
Lavender
A fresh way to keep your home smelling great without having to go through candles or incense. Instead you can grow your supply in your backyard!. Whether you choose to burn oil or the plant itself, it’s a wonderful way to keep the home smelling fresh, and lavender oil has so many benefits to it. It can help cure many cut injuries or insect bites with only a few drops, and can help as a sleep aid or prevent dandruff.
Lemon Balm
A great herb with many practical uses in your home is lemon balm. For one, it can be used to create toothpaste with a hint on lemon. Lemon balm can be used in all sorts of cosmetics and even in some culinary dishes to enhance the smell and flavor. You can also enjoy a nice cup of lemon balm tea with a little bit of honey!
Rosemary
A nice, easy way to keep mosquitoes out of your way is through placing either rosemary or rosemary oil somewhere in your yard. Both mosquitoes and cats both hate the odor, so if you have a problem with either in your yard, rosemary might be a great repellent. Rosemary oil can be very relaxing when burned and is great when used in aromatherapy. Rosemary has also been shown to assist in memory, so the next time you lose something, rosemary might help you finding it!
Sage
A herb that can help attract plenty of helpful pollinators is sage. It’s oil’s are also immensely beneficial to your body and can provide you with all sorts of relief. From mouth and throat problems like coughs and gum disease, and can be great for your skin. Sage makes for a great household cleaning agent and can even eliminate salmonella and ecoli. One more great use for sage is as a natural body deodorizer, which may eliminate your need for deodorant if eaten often.
Herbs are a great plant to keep in your garden, not only for their great tastes, but if used properly they can be a preventative tool in your garden that will provide the rest of your garden with much healthier growth and less pests/diseases. Goffle Brook Farms has a wide variety of herbs available for you to purchase today! If you’re in need of any seeds or garden ready plants, whether it be herbs or plants you’ll be protecting with your herbs, come on in to Goffle Brook Farms with this coupon and we’ll get you ready to garden this summer! Plus to make it a little cheaper for you, here’s a free coupon to use on anything, whether it be herbs, vegetables, or soil! We hope to see you here soon!
