Herbs Essential to Great Food and Simple to Grow
By: Ungari Dodisto

Herbs have been man's loyal aide since time unknown. While new uses are being found each day, they have already been used for a wide array of uses. Anywhere you go, anyone you ask, you are sure to come across names of over 40 to 60 herbs that are commonly used and are very easy to grow.

The reason that herbs can be used in so many different functions is because they come in different varieties. For instance, there are aromatic herbs that are grown purely for the scent they give off. The oils from these herbs can be found in candles, perfumes, and many other cosmetic and skin care products.

Of course the variety of herb that most people are familiar with is the culinary herb. In fact, the culinary herb is the only variety that most people are aware of. Most gardeners grow a few varieties of culinary herbs but they have to be careful not to plant in the same place the following spring as some herbs are annuals and will appear without needing to replant. Some of the more popular of the culinary herbs are basil, dill, and chives.

The ornamental herbs are planted only because they look beautiful and you can create exquisite fresh or dried arrangements with them. They are usually found in and amongst the flowers in a flower garden.

There are herbs that have medicinal value. They are used to treat a variety of ailments to this very day. Although the Western medical community has not yet accepted or practiced curing diseases with the help of herbs, it has been a popular way of treatment in the Eastern countries. And, scientists are showing an increasing interest in the potential of herbs to cure disorders.

Even in the harshest of economic times people manage to have culinary herbs even if that means growing them on their own. These herbs are important to some because the food would otherwise taste too bland and tasteless without them. They are used to prepare marinades that add subtle but marked flavor to food. This flavor enhances the taske of the dishes.

Growing herbs in your garden is a fairly simple and painless process. But before you start laying out your garden and planning where what gets planted where, be aware that herbs are available as annuals, perennials, and biennials. This means that the herbs will be coming up at different times in the year so you will have to keep track of where you plant what herb and what its growing cycle is.

Most of the culinary herbs do quite well in soil that has been well drained but still remains fairly fertile. You have nothing to worry about if space happens to be limited outdoors because herbs do great when grown indoors as well. No matter where you intend to plant your herbs, be sure not to plant them too deeply in the soil or they may not have a chance to grow. When harvesting herbs, try to do so in the mornings because this is when the precious oils in the herbs are at their concentration and precisely when you want to pick them.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleJoe.com

Ungari Dodisto is the chief editor for F herbs, the web's premier resource for information about herbs. For more articles on herbs visit: www.herbso.com/articles
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