Herb garden

[Rushli]

Do any of you have your own herb garden? What ones do you plant and why? (and post any hair recipes that use those herbs too, please!) It is getting closer to the time to starts seeds inside, so I am trying to figure out the best herbs to make the most use of my space and later, my time!

I have a sage plant already. I have some sweet basil, cinnamon basil and lemon basil seeds, but I think they will be for cooking as I have not run across any benefits for hair. I also have planned a few lavender bushes if I can find them. (I have looked for nice ones for the past 3 years with no luck!)

[Isilme]

Mint, mint! I do not use it for my hair but I bet it could be if you wanted. Grow them in a large pot with rich soil and let them get as much sunshine as you can. The bees love the flowers. Don't be tempted to put it in the ground unless you want a mint garden, they are very invasive!
And chives, so lovely with sour-cream, fresh potatoes and homemade meatballs for Midsummer's Eve! :D And pickled herring if you like it.

[swearnsue]

Parsley- good to eat, make into tea and feed to my goldfish.
Rosemary- good to burn instead of sage, put in olive oil and place in the sun for a week or two to make hair oil.
Mint- tea!
Oregano- pretty plant, good for seasoning Italian and Mexican dishes.

[Naiadryade]

Sweet basil actually may have some benefit for hair. You may like to check out the list at the bottom of this article: http://web.archive.org/web/20111210003904/http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=134

I haven't had a garden for the last couple of years, but I just love thyme. Rosemary is very nice, as well.

What climate zone are you in? In zone 5, I've had the best luck with both Rosemary and Thyme in containers brought inside during the winter. They're quite perennial grown this way. Old rosemary trees are just beautiful, too! I've also kept a particularly large and robust basil plant alive and producing through January by potting it and bringing it indoors before the frost set in. Put all these in south-facing windows if you can, of course.

All of those things I use in herbal tea rinses.

I would personally like to experiment with growing catnip too, but I haven't yet. There's a great long thread about how to use catnip tea for hair.

Edit: I love to encourage a good big patch of wild stinging nettle in my garden, too. Wonderfully nutritious, delicious, and great for your hair (and whole body) both internally and as rinses! And you can say similar things about other "weeds" like burdock and yellow dock.

[lunalocks]

Catnip! But you will have to build a chicken wire cage around it to protect it from the neighborhood cats!

[Rushli]

Isilme - I had forgotten about mint! I am breastfeeding and since peppermint can decrease supply, I have been avoiding it. Soooooo hard during the holidays. It would be well worth growing it for use next winter/spring. I bet adding it to any rinse would make it smell lovely even if it did not really do anything else.

We do grow green onions inside! I just cut the green part off and use or freeze them and replant for more! I cant recall if chives and green onions are the same or interchangeable, but we use are on baked potatoes too!

swearnsue - Our oregano plant dies every winter even when I take it in. I still have some dried from last summer but have almost given up on it. Rosemary is on the list now! I might try infusing in almond oil or coconut oil.

Naiadryade - Thanks for the link on Basil. I am excited to have another use for it! I have read that thyme is also good for hair growth. I am in zone 4 so most everything has to come in for the winter. Catnip would be fun to grow, but where we live everyone lets their cats roam free. Would it just attract more cats?

[Isilme]

Nope, chives are different! :D Smaller, a bunching plant and very thin stalks. They are a requirement for Swedish Midsummer's Eve lunch. For mint there are a lot of different varieties, I prefer Moroccan mint as it has a purer taste and doesn't taste like toothpaste. When you are done with breastfeeding, try to make your own Mojito, delicious!

[sapphire-o]

Hmm, you know I totally forgot that I planted a rosemary in the garden last year. It might have died by now. :D I'm not much of a gardener, at least not in winter.

Every summer I plant some basil because I love fresh basil.

[Viola88]

I've got rosemary and lavender outside. A previous tenant left catmint. I've got oregano and 2 starts of rosemary and 1 start of rosemany inside. I had some nice variegated sweet basil outside but forgot to bring it in before the first good freeze. Duh, so I lost it. I want to plant basil and chives soon.

[lapushka]

We've got lavender (amid our roses, supposed to be good for the rose bushes). But that's about it. Used to have some thyme, but that was dead pretty damn fast. It's mostly a flower and plant garden that we've got here!

[Rushli]

We were out and I found lavender, spearmint, thyme, and one other thing. I forgot already. I think I will have to remember our nursery's winter hours and see what seeds she has or what she plans to grow then sell herself.

Winter has killed a few plants we forgot to bring in as well. I am not that great with regular plants. Now give me aquatic plants and I can get them to flourish!

[Chromis]

I grow over thirty different types of herbs. Mind you, some of varieties of the same type like purple sage, tri-colour sage, regular sage, four different types of mint, and so forth. Some years one type will do better than another, so that means I always have a supply plus many taste different or are ready at different times.

I mainly use them in cooking and in tisanes (herbal tea), but I have also been branching out into making my own oils, salves, and tinctures as well. I also use comfrey as both a salve ingredient and as a compost activator and commonly will shear off some of the more exuberant herbs to bulk up my compost midsummer when it is running really hot. I like to keep my bins full! You can also use them in floral arrangements. I love bringing big handfuls of cut herbs tied with a string as a bouquet to parties or just randomly to friends.

I dry jars and jars of herbs to use in my winter cooking. I find home-dried herbs are far superior to store herbs, even if you are comparing them to "fresh" supermarket herbs. Those sad wilted bunches they sell are just no match, even for things like basil which most people sneer at the dried form lately. I use a dehydrator for the best result because it is humid here and I do a lot of canning. (I don't have a warm dry spot like an attic to use because ours is filled with insulation!) I dry whole leaf and then crush as needed which really preserves the oils and flavours. We go through a lot of herbs! Many of our common culinary herbs are quite nutritious and most also have medicinal qualities. Mint and savory can both help with flatulence! Parsley is my most used winter herb and I have extolled its virtues on more than one thread here.

[Chromis]

I grow over thirty different types of herbs. Mind you, some of varieties of the same type like purple sage, tri-colour sage, regular sage, four different types of mint, and so forth. Some years one type will do better than another, so that means I always have a supply plus many taste different or are ready at different times.

I mainly use them in cooking and in tisanes (herbal tea), but I have also been branching out into making my own oils, salves, and tinctures as well. I also use comfrey as both a salve ingredient and as a compost activator and commonly will shear off some of the more exuberant herbs to bulk up my compost midsummer when it is running really hot. I like to keep my bins full! You can also use them in floral arrangements. I love bringing big handfuls of cut herbs tied with a string as a bouquet to parties or just randomly to friends.

I dry jars and jars of herbs to use in my winter cooking. I find home-dried herbs are far superior to store herbs, even if you are comparing them to "fresh" supermarket herbs. Those sad wilted bunches they sell are just no match, even for things like basil which most people sneer at the dried form lately. I use a dehydrator for the best result because it is humid here and I do a lot of canning. (I don't have a warm dry spot like an attic to use because ours is filled with insulation!) I dry whole leaf and then crush as needed which really preserves the oils and flavours. We go through a lot of herbs! Many of our common culinary herbs are quite nutritious and most also have medicinal qualities. Mint and savory can both help with flatulence! Parsley is my most used winter herb and I have extolled its virtues on more than one thread here.

[Rushli]

I have never liked the taste of parsley. I wonder if it is that whole supermarket herb issue. I use essential oils, and am vrey big into healing with them. Peppermint solved my heart burn early in pregnancy! And lavender and peppermint also helped with morning sickness.

I think my idea of a small list just got thrown out the window. Good thing I have lots of pots too.

ETA: Ran across this great idea (http://alternative-energy-gardning.blogspot.com/2013/03/vertical-garden-using-plastic-milk.html) for having lots of contained herbs. :D

[Wallabear]

Very inspirational thread! I've always wanted my own herb/medicinal garden, and to dry my own herbs, make my own salves, oils, tinctures, and know about the special qualities of each. I use essential oils a lot and drink plenty herbal teas... but would also like to take it to the next level as many of you have!

I've found that Rosemary and Mint as a rinse on an itchy scalp is quite effective. Chamomile as a rinse for lighter golden hair.
Lavender and rose water for skin problems. Oregano internally as an antifungal and antibacterial. Strawberry leaf for women's menses discomfort. Parsley for iron-deficiencies - would help with nourishing skin and hair roots. Hmm... I'm sure there's more I'm missing!

[FireFromWithin]

I really want to plant catnip, partly to try it on my hair and partly to try and attract kitties to say hello but it's too cold for it here and not light enough inside. Students with herb gardens always seems to be interesting too. People jump to conclusions.

[Wallabear]

I really want to plant catnip, partly to try it on my hair and partly to try and attract kitties to say hello but it's too cold for it here and not light enough inside. Students with herb gardens always seems to be interesting too. People jump to conclusions.

Ha! I hear ya. :) I'd totally do the catnip thing too for hair and kitties - but does anyone know if kitties will attack hair that's been catnipped? I have two kitties at home!

[Rushli]

Ha! I hear ya. :) I'd totally do the catnip thing too for hair and kitties - but does anyone know if kitties will attack hair that's been catnipped? I have two kitties at home!

If you are rinsing it out, I would not think they would attack, but I am not sure if I would want to test that theory! lol

I just asked my husband if he would help make that herb container stand and he went for it! Looks like I have room for 30 different plants! I have already have 18 seeds started (3 plants of 6 herbs.) I wonder how many plants could be put in 1 milk jug. Maybe 2?

Anyone planted lemon grass before? It is not a perennial in my area, but grows fast, so I could replant every year. I hear it is great way to prevent mosquitos!

I have lavender seeds started and have been thinking about Calendula flowers too. I like darker hair so I was going to skip Chamomile, but it might still make a nice tea.

[Chromis]

I've planted lemon grass. Tasty and it is a real looker too in the garden! It is an annual here, but it grows really fast. I think of it a bit like growing basil, which is another summer-only plant for me. I don't have much luck with growing them indoors. Sometimes I can overwinter rosemary inside, but this year I killed them all again. Another good bug repellent is Southernwood.

I love calendula in tea and salves and also I keep some of my sunflower petals for tea as well.

I wouldn't put more than one plant in the pot of that size. Many herbs are thugs and will fill every bit of space you can give them. Good thing too, because you are sure to be suddenly using a lot more of them once you have them on hand so readily :lol:

[Rushli]

You are right about using herbs more if you have them on hand. 4 years ago we had an awesome crop of various peppers (sweet, chili, jalapeño, serrano.) We dried them and ground some up for powders. Even 4 years later the 'hot mix' is still too hot for me! We also still have some hot oregano from 2 years ago. We dont use oregano all that often, but I do open it up to smell it from time to time :) How do you store your over abundance of herbs? Mason jars, plastic bags, plastic tubs?

[Libbylou]

I am planning on planting some herbs in super large planters this summer. I want to try catnip(to make my kitties some toys), oregano to let bloom to attract butterflies, and sage.
I would love to grow some lavender to make decorative items for my home and just the smell. How does lavender work with roses?
Can sage and oregano be planted together or do they need different soil and light requirements?

[Isilme]

I hope it's alright to post a link to one of my earliest blog post where I write a bit about herbs.
http://greenthumbs.eu/?p=29
I also very much like Monty Don in Fork to Fork, and the episode about herbs is too good not to share. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr9EWkRGC2Q
And The Edible Garden by Alys Fowler (her hair is amazing, curly and red, very beautiful) also an episode about herbs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVoTAZfB9Cs

Don't plant the herbs too closely as that might stunt their growth. It seems like you are going to have a lot of space! :)

[Chromis]

Aw, I love Monty Don! If he has any familial openings, I'd totally love him as an uncle.

Another presenter I really like is James Wong, he had a great series on medicinal plants: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8tUgw-sAow Oooh, and from looking up a link I realized there is a book to go along with it! Time to make a library request :D

I store my herbs in canning jars of various sizes, but no more than litre jars. For herbs that I want more of, I just fill more jars. I do the same with dried fruit. Opening and closing the jar lets in moisture from the air, degrading the quality of the stored food. I use my parsley by the handful, so it gets big jars. Thyme I use in smaller pinches. I still keep more than one jar, but they are two smaller jars, 50 ml I think. (The very wee jam jars) I save glass jars to reuse from store-bought foods too, but we don't buy much that way, so it is easier to just buy cases of canning jars. I can as well anyhow, so they are very useful to have around!

[Isilme]

Thanks Chromis! I'm really enjoying the episodes and got a good recipe for a skin cream!

[Rushli]

links are always fun!

[midbackorbust]

I really want to grow some nettle this year for tea, unfortunately I'm pretty inept when it comes to gardening...

[Isilme]

That shouldn't be so hard :) Nettles like a lot of nitrogen, they are even an indicator species, meaning that where you find nettles you can be sure the soil have high levels of nitrogen.

[MirrorOfErised]

That shouldn't be so hard :) Nettles like a lot of nitrogen, they are even an indicator species, meaning that where you find nettles you can be sure the soil have high levels of nitrogen.

How do you get stinging nettles started? Can you grow it from seed? I've never seen it growing around to get cuttings!

[Isilme]

I have never tried to grow nettles, they have always just been there! But apparently you can buy seeds on Ebay. When I ran a search on "growing nettles" I got tons of results.

[sapphire-o]

Doesn't stinging nettle hurt when you touch it? Is there any benefit from the fresh ones vs. the dried ones? I drink nettle tea a lot. It helps with my PMS, but I've only ever tried dried leaves.

[ooglipoo]

It stings! Really intensely, and for a while. At least on my feet it does... I've never used it, just avoided it on hikes... Making me think I should go harvest, with gloves...

I don't know about fresh vs dried... :hmm:

[Komao]

I am planning on planting some herbs in super large planters this summer. I want to try catnip(to make my kitties some toys), oregano to let bloom to attract butterflies, and sage.
I would love to grow some lavender to make decorative items for my home and just the smell. How does lavender work with roses?
Can sage and oregano be planted together or do they need different soil and light requirements?

If you're growing catnip, a container is a great idea as catnip can become very invasive. I know a lot of people love it for their hair as well as kitty toys. (Not all cats like catnip).
I have my kitchen or culinary garden right outside my back door of kitchen. So handy to have it close. I plant right in soil but have oregano and sage growing very near each other. They want at least 6 hours of direct sunlight and where mine are planted they get the morning sun. I love sage rinses for my hair, too.
Lavender is so beautiful and smells incredible. They will do just fine with roses. I have a trellis entering to my greenhouse and I have roses climbing up trellis and lavender is right near it. (Lavender nice for hair, as well. It's my aromatic garden, love it.
Good luck with your garden. Herbs are the best for cooking, cleansing, decorative and medicinal purposes. They are usually pretty hardy and disease resistant. :)