Planting Notes: Herbs in the Middle of March in a Small Spot

Where are you going to plant herbs? A “pocket garden”, about 4 feet by 4 feet square, is a good beginning point—or an area that takes advantage of rare sunlight.

Plan the placement by knowing the needs of the plant. Sunny? (More than 6 hours a day) Partial shade? (Less than 6 hours of direct sunlight). Most to total shade is a condition that can harbor herbs—the right kind, such as mints, Lady’s Mantle, Sweet Woodruff, and Solomon’s Seal.

After you have prepared your plot through digging to soften the soil and  fertilized it (use an organic one), you can place each plant in the plot.
Dig a hole about the depth of the roots of the herb plus an inch. Make sure the roots fit to the depth in the space, then place the soil around the plant.

Do not cover the leaves of the plant.
Water, and continue attention to the plants. New growth, like a small leaf edge, will signal that the herb took root. The plant begins its tour out of in the ground darkness!

Pay close attention to watering needs as well as careful weeding. Weeds will entangle around the herb roots and compete with the plant for space and the attention of the Sun.

Also be aware of the needs of the plant to have dry land! A soggy plant is eventually a dead plant.

It helps to mark the plant with a label so that you don’t remove the herb with the weed. The bigger the weed grows, the more likely that is to happen.

It is often said that herbs do not have insect problems---Wrong! Basil has problems caused by aphids, leafhoppers, and beetles. This should be a problem in the early stages of growth, but in High Summer, everything is eating everything.

What to Know About Your Herbs for the Growing Season

Before you even get comfortable with your seed packets---look over some of these herb planting sites.


Herbal Information: University Extension Links Here, you can gather info as universities present it. .

Herbs: Organic Greenhouse Production---Directory of Organic Seed Suppliers
A food link to have come spring---actually, before, to plan well.


Growing Savory Herbs---do you want to grow your own and sell it? This fives a larger oersoective than we woud use, but we get to know what we are in for and how herb crops are counted.


Here are soime tips  I compiled for some  everyday herbs. Know the size they will be before sowing seeds.

Planting

Plant Ht in inches Space in inches Water Sun(light) Shade Growing temp Harvest Time

Cilantro 24" 18" apart M H L C Summer

Dill (aneth) 24-36" 12-15" apart M H L C Summer

Lavender 12-18” 18” apart M H M C & W . Watch Flower blooming stage

Mint 12-18". varies M M-L H C & W All season. Stems are bitter.

Oregano 12-18" 12-15" apart M H L W When flowers appear

Thyme 12-18". 18" apart M H L W Mid summer bef. flowering

Parsley 12-18" 9-12” apart M H M C&W All season; bitter in 2nd season.

Sage 24-36 “ 18” apart M H M W Leaves; prior to blooming
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Height: Varies, usually the standard plant (such as Salvia officinalis) is used.
Planting Space is the spacing used between the plants planted to provide , the "spread" necessary.
Water: All plants above should be watered on a regular schedule, taking care to not overwater. Some (thyme) can stand a bit of drought. Signs of overwatering include yellow leaves.
Sun (light): Most Mediterranean herbs enjoy full sun (a minimum of 6 hours.) Others can take partial shade; some others yet, particularly the mint family, can flourish in partial to full shade.
Growing temperature- seasonal times when the plant is at its best. C=Cooler weather, W=Warmer weather. Cool: Sow in early spring, harvest in summer, The plant does not do well midsummer. W: sow or put cuttings in the ground after the danger of frost is past. Will do well in midsummer.
Harvesting: Plants have different peaks, many offer clues through the ways the leaves look or flowers unfurl.
2012 

Pat Libutti

:urbanherban.blogspot.com

Summer Memories: Bees and Basil

One summer in Teaneck, I took a cooking class featuring summer salads. The store is long gone, but the recipes and ideas for new ones stay with me.

This is a great end-of-summer salad, one when all the tomatoes are stilll in the  market.

Be quick---by September 10, you may see those ugly pale pink tomatoes , pale tasting, no odor. (go get canned ones instead then)

This one is also an assemblage of ingredents, and can be made into a
 full meal in several ways (add sausage or add chick peas for protein requirements).

Ingredients

Three tomatoes, cut into eighths
Fresh cooked corn (or canned if it is winter) 1 cup
Red onion, one medium size, diced
One red pepper or a small jar of rasted peppers.
Cilantro dressing


DISCLAIMER:

The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Harvesting: Plan NOW!

It is fast approaching---the end of the harvest season.

Plants have less sunlight, even though it is still warm outside.

 The herbs themselves have less volatile oil: that ingredient that contains the flavor and smell.

Its part of the plant cycle: less sunlight is part of the equation, the fruit and seeds and flowers march towards winter.

This is time to plan for the late herbs such as thyme, and get what you can from  those past their prime.

Basil was probabliy at its prime in late July. But use it for pesto and you can have the early autumn fruits of the field. Just remember that you don't have much time, basil will go fast. When the  leaves are largely yellow, you might as well grind or chop them very fine---- use them for stews or sauces, and even then, with not as much flavor. But in the winter it will be very welcome.

Other herbs, such as thyme, can be deferred in harvesting. Although wonderful when fresh (what isn't?), it can be dried and used in delicious meat glazes, such as my Honey Thyme Meat Glaze.

Take a look around the garden---see the lemon verbena? Its a great time to snip a twig or two and start them for next year. Bring the whole plant in, and have a bit of room---over time, it will grow to 5 feet tall.

Here are my (condensed ) notes for harvesting when there is little time:

Methods to Use in Harvesting Herbs

Herbs are best when fresh---or so it is said. But given today’s budget crunch (winter time fresh herbs cost about $3.00 for a small amount), putting aside some for yourself is wise.

When do you harvest?
Generally, that is “in the morning, before the flower emerges, and prior to the loss of flavor oils.” A number of herbs differ---check a harvesting chart (see Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs, Teaneck Library)

What do you do with the herbs?
First, think of the herbs you use the most and what you do with them Then you can decide on a preservation method. Know which herbs can be preserved---and which cannot. Shiso and Salad Burnet cannot be preserved---use while in your garden!

Decide how much space you can allocate to storage and what method you will use per herb.

What Methods Fit Your Situation?
-"Dry" can involve drying racks (a laundry rack will serve) and  paper bags (to catch seeds). Use rubber bands for contraction of the herb to tie and hang the herbs. Use screens (to ensure all sections of small herbs are dry so mold does not set in.)

 Crumbling the herbs is the next step. Then, store them in amber bottles and place in a dark, dry place.

--Freezing herbs can involve freezing the whole herb in plastic bags, or chopped herbs in ice cube trays with oil or water. How much can your fridge---or freezer-hold? They may be mushy on defrosting, but will be perfect for a sauce or stew.

--Microwave: Put herbs on a paper towel after washing the herb and drying it thoroughly .Use a low setting. Good for any dish that has dried herbs as an ingredient, and they are “fresher” than those you buy!

--Preserve in Vinegar or Oil with a freshly washed and thoroughly dried herb. This method is best for salad dressings, marinades, vegetables in a vinaigrette, or cooking with a flavored oil. Be very careful to refrigerate oil with herbs---and remove the herb from the oil shortly thereafter. Do not let the herb stick up from the oil, avoid food poisoning. Herbs in vinegar are different--the vinegar will pickle the herb,

However, letting the herb stick up from the vinegar is not good practice---food poisoning is possible. Watch it!

Cooking With Herbs: Some Tips

Tips for Cooking with Herbs
Given today’s budget crunch (winter time fresh herbs cost about $3.00 for a small amount), it is wise to use ALL of the plant; leaves in salads, sauces, stems in slow cooking, flowers in salads, plant as whole vegetable. Cook them at their best.

--Use with a light hand—the aromatic oils are strong

--Blend judiciously for different purposes. Have a leading flavor and combine two to four less pronounced flavors with it.

---Never emphasize more than one of the very strong herbs in a blend.

---Blend or heat with butter, margarine, or other cooking fats as the best way to draw out and extend the flavor of the aromatic oils.

---Fresh (unsalted) "sweet" butter gives more satisfactory results than salted butter or margarine.

---Have salad oil tepid, not chilled, when using herbs in French salad dressing.

---Cut or chop the leaves of fresh herbs very fine.
For some purposes they should be ground in a mortar.

---The more of the cut surface exposed, the more completely the aromatic oil can be absorbed.---Keep in mind that dried herbs are three or four times stronger than fresh herbs.

--The delicate aroma and flavor of savory herbs may easily be lost by extended cooking.

(Excerpt from Savory Herbs: Culture & Use )

Shopping Tips: Herbs to Plant

What to look for in the herb plants:
Plants should not have yellow leaves, browned tipps---or have their roots spilling out of the holes at the bottom of the pot.

If possible, get herbs grown at the location. If you ask, you may find the woner saying,thee herbs are brought in. That is often because herbs make up a small part of the business, unless it is an herb specialty business. Well Sweep Farms in Port Murray is just that.

Buy soon enough that you get a choice.

If you buy online, find out if the herbs are shipped bare-root or in pots. It makes a difference-although both methods should result in you having healthy plants. Make sure you can get your money back if the plants are damaged.

Make sure you place your herbs in the garden IMMEDIATELY. The plant will go through a shock and send out stress signals such as yellowing leaves, drooping stems, etc.

We are on the edge of Garden Club Sales in Bergen County and Rutgers University. Other Garden Clubs in NJ have excellent reputations for this sale such as Maplewood. 

Locally? The Garden Club of Teaneck has a sale that ends on Mother’s day. The Very Best Sale in my opinion as a participant.

“Moderate” prices for herbs at Garden Club sales are about $2.00 to $2.50 a plant. On the high end is 3-4 a plant, whereas high is $4-5.50 a plant. Make sure you get a good sized plant, the longer it has spent time growing, the better are the chances to form a healthy root system. Grocery stores? Examine the plants.

Some Local Retailers

Old Hook Farm: herbs are grown orga nically and are in good condition. Prices: Moderate-midrange for the quality.

Secor Farms , 85 Airmont Ave., Mahwah (www.secorfarms.org). ibrings in a limited array of herbs in excellent condition and charges a moderate to high price.

Willow Run in Cresskill has a wide variety of herbs (ranging from several basils to lemon verbena and many rosemaries) for a moderate price.

Culinary Herbs Shopping Tips (Local: Teaneck, NJ)

What to look for: Herbs that are in good condition do not show signs of wilt, yellowing, or “mushiness” in a plastic wrap. Price: it varies greatly, from nearer the $1.00 range to nearly $3.50 a bunch. Look at the size of the whole package when comparing pricing.

Also look at the packing when you are buying dried herbs. It is difficult to tell how long it has been packaged. Flavor “escapes” plastic and cellophane bags in a short time. Look for relatively green dried herbs as opposed to brown. If you can get herbs in glass jars as opposed to plastic; it is preferable.

When you get home, empty the dried herbs into glass jars, and even put a dark paper liner in it to prevent loss. If that is not possible, store the herbs in a dark, dry place, NOT above the stove or in an open, decorative shelf.

Whole Foods Bergen Mall, Paramus. Large variety, fresh herbs, moderate price. array includes lemon grass, basil, cilantro, mint, chervil, dill, tarragon, parsley, sage, other. Farm of origin: www.jacobsfarm.com

Kings Market, Cresskill. Pricey. Good condition. Limited variety ( dill, rosemary, mint[spearmint],thyme, chives], but the basics are in excellent condition.

Farmer’s Market, Hackensack, Main Street: Fresh herbs, including horseradish, mint, other, many dried herbs from the Hispanic tradition, both medicinal and culinary (passionflowers, manzanilla, borage, etc.-about 20.)
Hackensack Market, Passaic Street, next to railroad track Moderate price for a big amount dried in cellophane bags (oregano, chilies [several kinds], malecheta, manzanilla, herba Buena, anise stella (star anise0 whole aloe, more. Dried herbs also include Jamaican curry.
Market at New Bridge, Bergenfield. New Bridge Rd.,opposite Pathmark. Exceptional fresh herbs at about ½ the price of local supermarkets. Fresh ginger, tarragon, mint, oregano, oregano-limited, but fresh.

Market in Foster Village, Bergenfield. Primarily Asian root herbs, spices, fresh and dried. Worth exploring for Asian cooking, as well as for kinds of noodles, fresh produce. Prices? Moderate, although ginger is not cheap anywhere.

Local Supermarkets:
Stop & Shop, Wide variety of fresh herbs, as well as standard brands of dried herbs.

Herbs & Pests

Rosemary can be infected by spidermites (indoors).
Other herbs repel insects: Thyme, Lemongrass and Rosemary turn insects away from your garden. Look up the specific herb in Rodale’s.

Pot Gardens You may be one of those gardeners who enjoys gardening in manageable pots. Indeed, having your herbs in pots ensures that you can decorate with them on your deck and bring them indoors when fall arrives. Also, in the case of plants which wander, such as mint, this is a good way to contain them.

What Kind of Pots? Terra cotta pots let moisture escape, plastic pots keep moisture in, and glazed pots are decorative. You have to play  it by ear! If you do not water regularly, the plastic pots insure moisture longer.

Light? The same amount of light the herb needs in an outdoor garden is true here, with one exception. The sunlight can be more direct through glass. You can move pots to suit the needs of the plant.

Because your herb is in a pot rather than the ground, its water needs will be greater. Be sure to use a regular watering schedule. You can find out just when a plant needs water by placing your finger in the soil to a depth of one inch. If you feel no moisture, water your herb.

It also helps if you consider your plant as needing a new pot occasionally. Look at the bottom of the pot: if you see roots escaping, repotting is needed.

Recipes: Salad Dressings from Around the World

Italian Salad Dressing
Extra virgin olive oil, Salt, Choice quality red vinegar, Crushed black peppercorns, 1 tsp chopped parsley, 1/8 tsp chopped garlic. Marcella Hazan advises, “The salad course is dressed at the table…First, put in the salt…give the salad one quick toss to distribute the salt…Then pour in the oil…there should be enough of it to produce a gloss on the surface of the vegetables… add the vinegar last as soon as you put in the vinegar, begin to toss. Toss gently to avoid bruising the greens. (Some recipes use mint, etc., as a change. “ Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking



African Peanut Salad Dressing1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup peanut oil
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
Salt & ground black pepper

Combine the ingredients, add salt and pepper to taste and mix well. (African Cooking [Time-Life]

Good Herbal Cook: Blends, Pastes, Powders

Herbes de Provence Dried herb mixUse for stews, soups: slow cooking
Basil, Savory, Fennel, Lavender, Thyme.

Bouquet Garni: Fresh or Dried, Tied. Use for stews and soups. Put in pot, remove before serving Select from: Thyme, Bay Leaves, Basil, Burnet, Chervil, Rosemary, Peppercorns, Savory, Tarragon

Fines Herbes: Minced herbs, fresh. Use at the last minuteParsley, Chervil, Tarragon &
Chives

Madras style Curry Powder¼ cup coriander seeds
2 tbsp brown mustard seeds
2 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp red chile flakes
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cassia cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom seeds (pods)
Combine all ingredients and grind in a coffee grinder. Makes ¾ cup.

Tony Hill, Owner, World Spice Merchants and author,The Spice Lover’s Guide to Herbs and Spices notes, “This is relatively complex and is closest to a “reference” curry powder for Western tastes. In India, there are not premixed powders, the cooks make a curry for the particular dish on the fly.”
______

Cook Book List What I have Relied on All These Years

African Society Garlic

Things taught to me by relatives and graduate students from other countries:
Indian curries and the use of cardamom(Madras),

French fries in Iran and yogurt sauces with garlic and mint:Iranian (Shiraz),

A fresh tomato with tuna, basil and homemade talian dressing--Italian (Sicily) I was an eager learner, the payoff was so good,

Historical Cookbooks (1960s-1970s, when I was young)

KimChee, Spiced beef, Vegetables with herbs, noodles, chili peppers, sauce( sesame oil, ginger, hot peppers )The Encyclopedia of Asian Cooking

Groundnut and Chicken Stew with herbs and spices, African Cooking Time-Life

Tomato Sauce with Homemade Pasta, Cassatas, Cold Braised Stuffed Veal with Tuna and Caper Sauce Italian Cooking Time Life

Latter Day Cooking
The Use of The Internet:
I would seek recipes by cuisine, look inside of new cookbooks with
Amazon.com's "look inside" feature and decide on what to add. Also, the collections of food magazines and recipe collections would be examined with mixed results.

I still like cookbooks, and they may get greasy; but they make for such good reading!

Sanam Lamborn, My Persian Kitchen, http://mypersiankitchen.com/mast-o-khiar-persian-yogurt-cucumber-dip/ and many other recipe sites/ Lamborn's collection, probably not well known yet, has the recipes I remember my Iranian friend cooking and teaching me how to prepare.

The Spice Lover’s Guide to Herbs and Spices Tony Hill. Probably the single best book on the use of spices and herbs around the world's cuisines. He owns a world-

The Soul of a New Cuisine A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of AfricaMarxcus Samuelsson. You like rubs and a quick way to make Berbere? This is the cookbook for you.

The South American Table: The Flavor and Soul of Authentic Home Cooking This takes you around the Continent and islands and you will come through with new flavor combinations.


There are so many more! The extension of interest in seasoning from herbs to herbs and spices is a result of these cookbooks and many others, as well as having delicious introductions to these cuisines.

Finally, a masterful book on cooking with herbs:
Jekka's Herb Cookbook by Jekka McVicar, features recipes fo reach herb outlined in the book. They are not contrived or forced, the way many collections are. I have tried one recipe recently that I repeat every chance I get to do so: Rosemary Roasted Potatoes (with Gray Sea Salt, the "gray" mine).

So a collection of cookbooks, winnowed about ten years ago, is steadily growing back to its original size. The cookbooks are better---that is probably my maturity in selection, as well as the general improvement in the quality of cookbooks today.


What cookbooks have stayed with you? What are the New Ones gaining space on your shelf?

Where to Buy Traditional Herbs for Your Landscape

Top row:Balloon Flower,All Heal, Chinese Angelica.Middle:Skullcap,Leopard Flower,Rehmannia. Bottom: Ginger, Dong Kai, Ginko.

Nurseries for Herb Plants

Crimson Sage: Medicinal Plants for the Herbal Garden and Herbalists Chinese, Ayurvedic and Native American traditional herb plants and seeds. http://http://www.crimson-sage.com/Richter’s: Wide range of herb seeds from all over the world. Includes the latest hybrid herb seeds and seeds from Ayurvedic, Chinese, Hispanic, and Native American traditions. www.richters.com

Prairie Moon. This nursery sells North American native plants. Many are Native American herbs. http://www.prairiemoon.com/

Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Seeds for over 50 herbs can be obtained. Read their policy on organic seeds. www.johnnyseeds.com

Where to View Herb Gardens in NJ and NYC areas

A view from the Bonnefort Garden outside the magical Plants section

Public Herb Gardens in New Jersey & New York City

Brooklyn Botanic Garden 900 Washington Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11225. The Herb Garden is designed to be a kitchen garden that reflects the diversity of Brooklyn. www.bbg.org.

Cloisters. The Bonnefort Medieval Herb Garden includes over 300 medicinal, culinary, dye, magical and aromatic herbs. http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/visit-the-cloisters/

Davis Johnson Park & Lissemore Rose Garden.137 Engle St., Tenafly, NJ.07670.201-569-7275. An herb garden is part of this former estate, as is a rose collection.

Dey Mansion, 199 Totowa Rd., Wayne, NJ, 07470. 973-696-1776. The site features a blacksmith shop, herb and vegetable gardens.
.
Duran-Hedden House and Garden, 523 Ridgewood Rd., Grasmere Park, Maplewood, NJ, 07040. 973-763-7712.
Maplewood Garden Club maintains an extensive herb garden on the 18th century farmhouse (undergoing restoration.)

Earth Center Circle of Thyme Herb Garden. Davidson Mill Pond Park, 42 Riva Ave., South Brunswick, NJ 08902. 732-398-5260. A 13 bed herb garden is maintained by the Rutgers Master
Gardeners of Middlesex County. Culinary, medicinal and aesthetic herbs are included.

Garretson Forge and Farm Restoration Inc.4-02 River Road, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 The gardens have specimen and heirloom crops as well as an herb garden. This herb garden has over 80 kinds of culinary, dye and medicinal herbs. http://www.garretsonfarm.org/

The Hermitage 335 N. Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423. The Gothic Revival house has a kitchen herb garden. http://www.thehermitage.org/   Click here for a downloadable, printable  flyer that describes the herbs in the garden.

Israel Crane House. 108 Orange Rd., Montclair, NJ. 973-744-1796. Features a 1796 Federal style home with a kitchen/herb garden.

Miller-Cory House Museum, 614 Mountain Ave., Westfield, NJ 07090. Vegetable and herb (culinary, dye, medicinal) gardens.

Osborn Cannonball House Museum. 1840 Front Street, Scotch Plains, NJ.07076. The 18th century house includes an authentic colonial herb garden.

New Jersey State Botanical Garden (Skylands) 1304 Sloatsburg Rd., Ringwood State Park, Morris Rd., Ringwood, NJ, 07456.973-962-7527. A number of Native American herbs, such as Wintergreen line the stream in a walk on the land.

Reeves-Reed Arboretum. 165 Hobart Ave., Summit, NJ.07901. 908-273-8787. The estate, which covers an expanse of 13 acres, features a patterned herb garden.

Well Sweep Herb Farm, 205 Mount Bethel Rd., Port Murray, NJ. 07865. 908-852-5390.There are several educational display gardens, ranging from the labeled medicinal garden to the formal knotted garden. This one of a kind nursery has over 2,000 herbs in its stock, a number of which are from the owner’s award-winning plant hybridization. The medicinal plants are labeled with kind of effect of the herb.

Wick House Herb Garden. Tempe Wicke Rd., Jockey Hollow, Morristown National Historic Park, Morristown, NJ.07960. 973-539-2085.The home site of Revolutionary encampment has an 18th century herb and vegetable garden.

Examples of Herbs Used in Traditional Medicines

Examples of Herbs Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Over 13,000 herbs are used in Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Black False Helliabore (rhizome)

Boneset & Korean Mint (stalks & sheaves)

Chinese ephedra (Chinese: Mhuang:
Ask-for-Trouble)

Chinese Hawthorn (fruit)

Dangui: Ought-to-return.Angelica sinensis
(root)

Greco-
Arabic
Herbal Traditions
Discoveries
Investigations & Drug
Trials,
Pharmacy
Materia Medica

Culinary
Food Therapy

Herbs
Birthwort
Carob
Castor Bean Plant
Fennel
Saffron

Medicinal Herbs used by Native Americans

Swamp Milkweed (Ascielpias incarnata) Roots for kidneys.

Blue Giant Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) Chest pains from coughing

Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) Infusion used for rheumatism

Carolina Allspice (Calycanthus floridus) Bark a strong emetic.

Wild Ginger (Zingiber rhizoma ) Stomache aches.
Ethnobotanical study: Native American Medicinal Plants, Daniel E. Moerman

Traditional African Medicinal Herbs
Tropical areas: 6000 plants, 75% used medicinally

Chinese violet Asystasia gangetica Asthma .vegetable ( Nigeria)

Society garlic Tulbaghia violacea Anti cancer properties

Pygeum Prunus africana Prostate treatment. Bark made into tea. Used: fevers, malaria, wound dressing, arrow poison, stomach pain, purgative, kidney disease, appetite stimulant, gonorrhoea, and insanity

Doodo Securidaca Longepedunculata Herbal remedy (blanket) Global.

African cucumber Momordica balsamina Treat wounds. Tropical.



Herbs used in Hispanic Medical Tradition

Manzanita, urva ursi, bear berry, Arctostaphylos family. Edema; Urinary tract inflammation

Eucalyptus Myrtacea family. Bronchitis, cough, congestion

Passiflora Passionflower Treatment of Generalized Disorder, chemicals include coumerins. Anxiety; Gastrointestinal disorders of nervous origin;
Insomnia*; Pain

Mentha piperata Hierba buena, Peppermint. Bronchitis, cough; Dyspepsia**;

Turnera diffusa Damiana, pastorcita, hierba de la pastora Aphrodesiac Diabetes; Infertility
Ethnobotanical studies: University of Arizona School of Medicine

Oldest Use of Herbs

Iraq Neanderthal burial site, Shanidar IV, contains large amounts of pollen from 8 plant species,7 of which are used now as herbal remedies

Egypt 1000 BC: Records show they used Garlic, Opium, Castor Oil, Coriander Mint, Indigo. Perfumes.

India 700 medicinal plants recorded in the Sushruta Samhita , which made its way to Arabia.

China Shennong pen Ts’ao ching or Great Herbal (Han Dynasty and earlier, possibly 2700 BC, 365 medicinal plants and their uses

Many Herbs are included in These Four Families

Classification Of Herbs From The Farmers' Bulletin No. 1977
U.S. Department of Agriculture
"Botanists classify the savory herbs under several families. The principal families are the Labiatae, or mint family; the Umbelliferae, or parsley family; the Compositae, or aster family; and the Liliaceae, or lily family. All are classified according to their flower structure and other botanical characteristics. The great majority fall into the first two families named. It will be of interest to the gardener to learn to recognize the herbs of the different families. This is easily done by observing certain definite characteristics common to all plants of the family, as described below.

Mint Family (Labiatae)
Plants of the mint family have square stems with opposite aromatic leaves. The flowers are arranged in clusters at the base of the uppermost leaves or in terminal spikes. The individual flowers have two lips, the upper ones two-lobed and the lower three-lobed. Each flower produces, when mature, four small seedlike structures. The foliage is dotted with small glands containing the volatile or essential oil that gives to the plant its aroma and flavor. Some of the herbs belonging to this family are mints, basil, thyme, marjoram, savory, balm, sage, and rosemary.

Parsley Family (Umbelliferae)
The herbs of the parsley family have small flowers formed in umbels, like dill (see fig. 4), at the tops of the hollow stems. The leaves are alternate and finely divided, and the fruit forms in two parts, which separate when mature into two dry seedlike sections. These sections, commonly called seeds, have five prominent and sometimes four smaller ribs or ridges running lengthwise. The so-called seeds contain an aromatic oil that makes them valuable as flavoring agents. Usually the leaves and other parts of the plants contain the aromatic flavor also, but in smaller quantity than the fruits. Some aromatic plants belonging to this family are anise, caraway, celery, coriander, chervil, dill, fennel, lovage, and parsley.

Aster Family (Compositae)
Plants of the large aster family are recognized by their flowers, which are borne in composite heads like the daisy and sunflower. The small individual flowers form on a common receptacle surrounded by leaflike bracts or scales. The flower head is generally made up of a central disk composed of many small flowers with very small petals or short tubular corollas. There is often an outer ring of ray flowers with long strap-shaped corollas (sometimes miscalled "petals"). Only a few of the savory herbs, including tarragon, the various wormwoods, and costmary, belong to this family.

Lily Family (Liliaceae)
The lily family is composed chiefly of herbs with bulbous or enlarged root systems and annual stems. It is made up of 13 tribes, or subfamilies, each with its particular distinguishing characteristics. All plants of this family have regular symmetrical six-parted flowers. The fruit usually forms a three-celled berry or pod with few to many seeds. The leaves are generally slender, either flat or tubular, with veins running lengthwise. The savory herbs of this family belong to the allium, or onion, group. They are strong-scented and pungent, with long, slender strap-shaped or tubular leaves clasping the flower stalk, which rises from a bulb at its base. The flowers are borne in simple umbels, many of them forming bulblets. The most important herbs of this group with flavoring qualities are chive, leek, garlic, and onion."

Booklist:The Herbal Chronicles:Culinary, Medicinal and Cultural Uses

BOOKLIST

 The Herbal Chronicles:Culinary, Medicinal and Cultural Uses

A Handbook of Native American Herbs

American Medicinal Leaves and Herbs: Guide To Collecting Herbs and Using Medicinal
Herbs and Leaves

An Oral History of Folk Medicine

Chinese Natural Cures: Traditional Methods for Remedy and Prevention

Chinese Medicine Bible

Easterm Centern Guide to Medicinal Herbs

Folk Wisdom and Mother Wit: John Lee--An African American Herbal Healer
(Contributions in Afro-American and African Studies)

Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine: Traditional African Medicine

Greco-Arab and Islamic Herbal Medicine: Traditional System, Ethics, Safety,
Efficacy, and Regulatory Issues

Hatfield's Herbal: The Curious Stories of Britain's Wild Plants

Herbal Simples Approved for Modern Uses of Cure

Latino Folk Medicine

Native American Medicinal Herbs: An Ethnobotanical Dictionary

Secrets of Native American Herbal Remedies

The Herb Society of America's Essential Guide to Growing and Cooking With Herbs

Yoga Herbs: An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine

The web site listing expands on many of the books.

Three centuries worth of herb gardens

I came across wonderful set of gardens that span three centuries. Caled Strawberry Banke. There are 19th, 18th and 17th century gardens, complete with plant listings for each garden.

Their newest feature is a Victorian Children's Garden, which can be seen on YouTube.

It was enchanting on such a blustery snowy day, and reminded me that spring, indeed, comes.look at their Herbarium (virtually).