Garden Tips & Resources

Herb garden plants come in annuals, perennials, and biennials like other types of plants.  There are various types of herbs and each one is unique.  If you are interested in a specific kind of herb you should know its proper use and the care it needs.  This article will get you started in understanding different general types of herb plants and what they are used for.

Annuals like basil, cilantro, and summer savory will not survive a frost.  each year, these kinds of herbs need to be planted from a seed or a young herb plant.  Perennials like sage and winter savory can survive colder temperatures and will return year after year.  Herb garden plants that form leaves in their first growing season, flowers and seed in the second, then die. are called biennials.

Biennial herb garden plants like parsley, angelica, or caraway should be sown in late spring.  You should first prepare the soil by working it to a fine texture and making it slightly wet.  Plant the seeds in shallow rows then firm the soil on top of them.  Fine seeds can be planted in a mixture of sand which will allow them to spread more evenly.  You can also cover the bed with wet burlap or paper in order to keep the soil moist during germination.

Herbs are also grouped under the categories for which they are specifically used.  Culinary herb garden plants are probably the most useful to herb gardeners.  There is a extensive range of uses for herbs in cooking.  Strong-flavored herbs like chives, thyme, basil, sage, savory, and marjoram are generally used in small quantities.  A very famous herb that is used mostly as decoration is parsley.

The flowers or leaves of aromatic herbs have pleasant smell.  Different types of perfumes, toilet water or other types of scents can be made from oils of aromatic herbs like loyage, mint and rosemary.  Some parts of aromatic herb garden plants can be used as deodorizer for linens and clothes.  Some of these herbs are made into potpourri to keep their scent for a long period of time.  Lavender and lemon verbena are great herbs to use for potpourri.

Some herbs are also used for medicinal purposes.  For centuries herbs have been thought to have the ability to cure the body.  Present medical knowledge recognizes that some herb garden plants are beneficial to one’s health, others are overrated.  Herbs used for medicinal purposes should be used carefully.  Some herbs are safe to eat but there are also poisonous ones.

Aside from being used for cooking, healing or fragrance, some herbs are also used for other purposes.  Some herbs are also used as ornamentals.  Ornamental herb garden plants have flowers and foliage that are brightly-colored.  Many of them have whitish or light colored flowers like valerian which is crimson, and borage and chicory which has beautiful blue flowers.

Herbs are categorized into many different kinds of uses but many of them have multiple purposes, too.  For example, mint may be used for cooking, tea, and pest control.  Whatever the reason you have an interest in herbs, by understanding herb garden plants you are able to pick the herbs that will be most useful to you.

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