Indoor Herb Gardening

Indoor herbs in a unique pot

Why not a flower garden?

An herb garden is actually a flower garden, though the variety is different. However, the biggest benefit of growing an herb garden is definitely in the realms of health; next, it is the ornamental benefits that you get. Herbs are things of beauty and a large number of them even outrun the flowers; besides, it’s not mandatory making an herb garden outdoors.

Herbs grow just fine in pots and since you are not growing large quantities for commercial usage, your balcony or terrace shall prove a worthwhile place for indoor herb gardening. Moreover, unlike flowers, you don’t need losing your sleep on chasing away the predatory, plant-eating insects.

Why homegrown herbs?

It is the same reason for which, home food turns out healthier than packaged foods. Zero contamination, zero additives, zero preservatives; the list may go on. However, it’s always better to point out the reasons precisely to put all your doubts to rest.

Fresh herbs, with their entire medicinal benefits, right at your fingertips.
Homemade food seems boring to children; sometimes to adults as well. An herb garden, with its fresh supplies, adds that zing to your taste buds and the vitamin values to your foods.
Gardening makes for some wonderful workouts, both physical and mental, including relieving stress. Growing indoor herb garden also purifies the air inside and makes you breathe the scents, which in turn, boosts the effects of the consumed herbs all the more.

Why herbs after all?

Herbs are the natural, wonder medicines that cause almost no side effects if not mixed with certain prescription drugs. Even if a side effect shows up, it will either be a very mild allergic reaction or a little upset stomach, which shall stop within a few hours of discontinuation of the herb. Most of the times, they are gentler than the prescription drugs, providing the same results. More than anything else, herbs recondition and strengthen the system as opposed to prescription drugs that just fight the symptoms away.

What makes for a good starter?

To grow, to eat or to drink? These make the basic divisions and are chosen upon what your actual priority is. Let’s say you are facing problems from a chronic stomach disorder; in that case, Chamomile tea shall be your best choice. However, you can’t possibly wait until the seeds sprout; therefore; initially, you have to get hold of the commercial varieties and practice herb gardening with other herbs that require less efforts to grow.

So, while you go for the commercial variety of Chamomile, you may plan things ahead with Rooibos (Aspalathus cedcarbergensis); it is a wonderful antioxidant and shall reinforce the effects of the Chamomile further.

Those who are planning to cut down on their caffeine intake, may try out planting barley; roasted and brewed, it makes for the Jap mugicha or the Korean bori-cha, which, if drank chilled, inhibits the adenosine receptors. Another very good alternative is the Ginseng; but growing Ginseng artificially is one whale of a task and most people find their patience giving away in no time.

To be on the safer side, you may get started with growing indoor herb garden with planting Hawthorn; it impressively kills cholesterol by reducing LDL or low-density lipoprotein that transports cholesterol in the blood. It is the best insurance against coronary heart diseases and atherosclerosis. Additionally, planting Hibiscus and roses shall give you a newer and longer lease of life; the flower of the rose plant mixed with Hibiscus tea has been proven to increase longevity better if compared to other commercial health supplements, readily available in the market.

Herbs And The Ancient Chinese

The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while Nature cures the disease – Voltaire

Voltaire was not a Chinese, but understood the legacy of the elementary therapeutic modality of medicines, which is also the rudimentary working principle of the Chinese herbs (approximately 500) that we know today. Around a half of them find extensive usage as agents to keep the bodily systems fit by ruling out paroxysms; the rest, find usage as combinations with different formulas for adapting better to any specific need and to speed up recovery.

Chinese herbs are primarily administered through diets. Broadly classified under five different heads based on five different flavors, each herb is considered to exhibit a certain temperature or Qi – hot, warm, neutral, cool and cold. These are matched with the energetic temperature of a patient to get rid of the internal conflicts (disharmony).

However, there is no uniform measure to determine the appropriateness of a certain herb in treating a specific body condition. Several schools of thought are present; however, the most widely practiced are the doctrines based upon Taoism, Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism.

To understand the Chinese concept of herbal treatment, we must know a little about what Manfred Porkert, the scholar of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has to say about it. According to Porkert, Chinese herbal medicine takes into account the data as defined by cognitive induction and synthesis. Inductivity is a logical link that connects two co-existent effective positions at different places.

Although a bit out of context, electrodynamics and nuclear physics is based on the theories of inductivity, which also influenced other types of proto-sciences, such as astrology. However, trying to draw a relation between traditional Chinese herbal medicines and European medical science from the point of this similarity is, at best, spurious. Thus, first we will have a taste of what the ancient Chinese themselves spoke about the herbs.

A look into Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic (An old, Chinese book of medicines, over 2000 years old) cites a total of 365 species of herbs, including roots, barks, grass and woods. These make the perfect choice if you are planning to come up with an edible herb garden; not only because they offer optimum benefits but also because most of them are also easy to grow. The herbs are further divided into three different categories:

A. Superior: It is a group that comprises the herbs that are effective in treating multiple disorders and maintaining as well as restoring the body’s internal balance, without giving rise to any harmful side effects.

B. Tonics and boosters: These herbs are meant for periodic usage and not for prolonged consumption.

C. Ailment-specific: As the name suggests, these herbs target ending specific disorders and must be used in small doses.

However, most surprisingly, Chinese herbal treatment also takes into account animals, their furs and stones into consideration. Simply because of the fact that the philosophy behind Chinese herbal medicine thinks the human body to be a smaller version of the manifest universe, complete with sophisticated interconnections that must remain in balance for making the human body function normally. Thus, the concepts of Yin and Yang also come into play, making the human body subjected to the theory of the Meridians or Channels: Wu Xing, Qi, Three jiaos (or the Triple Burner/Warmer/Energiser), Yin & Yang and Zang & Fu.

Things get divided further into specific pathological influences. For example, the Four Stages theory of warm disease progressions; the Six Levels theory of cold diseases or the Eight Principles system to classify different diseases; however, these are more intricate concepts that we will discuss later. However, if you find it tough to decide the classes of herbs you want to include, then for the time being, you just need to know the information covered in this article to get ready your edible herb garden.

Admiral Herbal Tea

There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea. – Bernard-Paul Heroux

That’s one single quote that made Bernard-Paul Heroux or should we say, tea as a whole famous. This includes all varieties of tea, such as the green tea, the black tea, the white tea, Oolong and the sensation of the new millennium – the herbal teas. The only difference is that herbal teas offer bigger benefits. It’s not tough gauging them, for, if the tea—in its most colloquial sense—alone chases off adversities like cardiovascular diseases, certain types of cancers and an entire horde of chronic disorders, guess what herbal teas—designed to fight specific symptoms—might do to the bodily systems. But that comes later; as of now, we shall see deep into the types and their active components.

With normal tea, it’s the cancer-fighting poly-phenols, such as catechins or tannic acids and flavonoid that stay responsible along with the amino acid L-theanine, which increase and balance the levels of dopamine, serotonin and melatonin in the body. Amino acid L-theanine in normal tea also promote alpha-wave, which is the normal brainwave in a person that stays awake but relaxed. However, with the herbal teas, it’s the medicinal effects of the herb, which is stimulating, relaxing or sedative, that bring the results.

There’s a group of people who strictly believe that herbal teas are nothing more than green or Oolong tea mixed with certain types of herbs. Others, think an herbal tea is an infusion made from any given leaf of medicinal value but not the leaves of the normal tea bush, which is Camellia sinensis—a tropical evergreen shrub or small tree, which is a source of tea leaves, extensively cultivated in China, Japan and India.

The fact remains that though the latter is the definition per se, today, we have the option of buying commercially the regular tea mixed with the herbs. Herbal tea has thus given rise to two different schools of followers and it doesn’t make sense establishing one variety over another.

It’s all purpose-driven; if the primary purpose aims sedating a violent soul, then pure Cannabis tea shall rule out Earl Grey, which is just black tea with bergamot flavor added or the Artichoke tea to detox and balance.

The preparatory steps remain the same;</b> fresh/dried flowers—could also be the leaves, the seeds and the roots of the plant—are dropped in boiling water and are allowed to soak for a few minutes. Next, the drink is strained and sweetened, if desired, before serving.

The best way to get into herbal tea drinking is growing the herbs in a home herb garden. Agreed the process can be a bit tiresome in comparison to buying them packaged and over the counter. However, when you grow herbs in your own home herb garden you get the purest, high quality product, without any preservatives, added flavor and other additives. Besides, gardening itself is a good habit that helps in keeping diseases at bay. So, without much ado, it’s time to take a look at the start-up lot.

At the starting are the herbal teas that treat the most common disorders, an upset stomach being the most widespread one. Chamomile tea soothes the digestive system overall and also relaxes the entire body. If consumed with the antioxidant-rich Rooibos tea, which is a South African shrub used to make an herbal tea, the effects of the former increase tenfold. And most of all, these comprise no caffeine and are thus much more beneficial than the green teas.

However, if caffeine has become an integral part of you, then the roasted barley tea (mugicha in Japanese or bori-cha in Korean) drunk cold, shall help you overcome the restlessness. Else, you may go for the Ginseng tea; but growing Ginseng in a mini herb garden – if not anything else – is difficult.

So, to start with, the above list is a good one. If you are troubled by cholesterol, then also include Hawthorn in the roster; it helps reduce LDL better than many of the chemically produced up-market medicinal products. Here, LDL refers to Low Density Lipoprotein that transports cholesterol in the blood. It is composed of moderate amount of protein and a large amount of cholesterol. High levels of LDL are thought to be associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis.

If you want to carry on with your newfound hobby for long, you may start planting Hibiscus and roses in your mini herb garden. In comparison to commercial health supplements, the flower of the rose plant mixed with Hibiscus tea has been proven to increase longevity better.

Prescription Drugs Derived From Herbs

A very common sight in the rural areas is a dog munching on leaves and shrubs and then throwing up the whole thing. Not a very pleasurable view, but it’s a proof that even animals are aware of the healing qualities of herbs, which are nothing but plants with rich deposits of secondary metabolites, such as tannins, alkaloids, glycosides, bio-flavonoid etc., or broadly, the phytochemicals. These are what that impart antiviral, antibacterial, antimycotic and anthelmintic properties to the herbs.

There are some herbs that may comprise toxins; such as the leaves and shoots of eucalyptus is dangerous to most animals, which makes them unsafe for ingestion. When processed these toxic herbs are weakened enough for the bodily systems to tolerate them but they still remain potent enough to fight the disorders. When chemical methods determine this threshold, a prescription drug derived from the specific herb(s) is born.

The chief difference between a pure herbal medicine and a pharmaceutical product is that when treating with herbs, no particular phytochemicals are isolated and put into use. Whereas in a pharmaceutical medicine, it is the single ingredient set to a properly quantified dosage that cures. Therefore, herbal synergism is often duplicated with lab-invented chemicals. However, many herbalists may oppose this theory; according to them, a natural product cannot be duplicated or mixed with herbal extracts, but modern researches have also proved that pharmaceuticals bring better results when it is an emergency situation. They are better than herbs when it is absolutely necessary to chase a symptom off before a complete healing course is set.

Thus came up another set of pharmaceuticals with an even combination of chemicals and herbs; while the chemical restores the normality, the herb strengthens from within. In a broader sense, we may also call this category as herb-derived prescription medicines and the best part is that some of these herbs the medicines are derived from can be grown in the home herb gardens.

Now, let’s have a look at such a few prescription drugs, which duplicate the effects of the natural herbs:

Aspirin: The acetylated derivative of salicylic acid; used as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic; slows clotting of the blood by poisoning platelets. The same effects are noticed in the white willow bark and meadow sweet plant.
Atropine: A poisonous crystalline alkaloid extracted from the nightshade family (belladonna); used as an antispasmodic and to dilate the eye pupil; also administered in large amounts as an antidote for organophosphate nerve agents or organophosphate insecticides. Extensively used for treating arrhythmia, that is, abnormal rate of cardiac muscle contractions.
Colchicines: Colchicum, such as autumn crocus, is a fall-blooming perennial herb with a solid, swollen underground bulb-shaped stem. The analgesic drug derived from it is used to treat gout.
Digoxin: A digitalis or powerful cardiac stimulant obtained from foxglove under the trade name Lanoxin and used to treat congestive heart failure or cardiac arrhythmia. It helps the heart beat more forcefully.
Ephedrine: White odorless powdered or crystalline alkaloid from plants of the genus Ephedra, especially Ephedra sinica or made synthetically; is used as a bronchodilator to treat bronchitis and asthma.

The list may stretch to a large number of other such pharmaceuticals copying the effects of herbs including morphine and codeine, which are potent narcotics derived from the opium poppy or the yew tree resembling Paclitaxel for treating and curing metastatic ovarian cancer. Even Quinine; this drug for malaria was made from the cinchona bark and should we mention two more widely available herb derived prescription drugs, they got to be Vinblastine and Vincristine, the antineoplastic drug, derived from the Periwinkle plant for disrupting uncontrolled cell division.

Ginseng: Paving The Way To A Healthy Kitchen

An herb is the friend of physicians and the praise of cooks. - Charles the Great

There is a thin dividing line that parts herbs from spices. For every spice has some healing ability and every herb adds some sort of flavor to cooked foods. That way, we may very well say that herbs are a regular part of the ingredients we use for cooking as well as garnishing. What we don’t know is the range that we may use instead of sticking to a limited few. Most of us are also unaware of how to use what herb (or spice) for a desired effect; so, let us discuss about one such herb that can restore system balance and is not hard to avail.

The popular herb ginseng, with roots resembling a human body or individual human body parts, led to a belief that the root shall put right the organ or limb it resembles; if it resembles the whole physical structure, it was believed to bring in the balance and a general well being. Beliefs apart, ginseng truly is an energizer.

We have seen many energy drinks that contain ginseng; however, we haven’t seen it in foods much. Ginseng makes for an excellent culinary herb and may well turn simple pasta into a worthwhile energy food. However, before we discuss the adding, let’s see the benefits it delivers.

The Chinese learnt the true legacies of ginseng:

It strengthens both the body and the mind and thereby restores as well as preserves a good body-balance.
It enhances cognitive abilities, eliminates anemia, prevents diabetes, fights neurosis and cures anything from common coughs to asthma and tuberculosis.
It even cleans up your liver.

However, to obtain all these benefits, you need the genuine, organically grown or brought from the wild, ginseng and not those chemically processed stuff. The sad part is, since FDA still refuses to give ginseng a clean chit, getting access to authentic Ginseng roots is a tough task.

A little caution here; You need to take medical advices regarding the quantity Ginseng you can consume, if you are suffering from a high blood pressure, diabetes, some sort of heart disease and clotting and bleeding disorders.

Ginseng finds an extensive usage in Asian cuisines, the highest being noted in Korea and China. It is added both chopped and mashed. The herd is also brewed to make tea. Most of the soups, stir-fried dishes and steamed delicacies comprise Ginseng; especially with chicken and mushroom. Chicken has high levels of arginine, and α-amino acid, that triggers overall physical vigor. Ginseng is also used in desserts and salads; even jellies are prepared from it. A hot favorite among vegetarians, ginseng suffices for the lack of animal protein.

N.B. Siberian ginseng or eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is not true ginseng.

If all that is now making you think of making an herb garden on your terrace, know how to grow Ginseng before making an investment. It is because ginseng seeds need special handling and even a slight mistake can destroy them. You first need to subject them to a long storage period in a medium that’s moist and must be given a warm/cold treatment. This process is known as stratification and is the sole reason behind ginseng seeds taking so long to sprout. It takes two springs and the following fall to harvest the berries, so check if the commercial seed supplier (whom you are buying from) has stored the seeds for a year at least and stratified them properly.

You must prepare the seedbeds prior to buying the seeds and if under any circumstances the planting gets delayed, take special care to keep the seeds from drying out. A plastic bucket, a damp cloth and a cool basement shall be enough for that. You need stirring them every day for proper aeration

It’s best to buy and plant seeds in the fall; they shall germinate by the following June. After that, you may plant the seeds fresh from the berries, immediately after harvesting. The stratification shall be natural this time (in the seedbed). You just need to take care that rodents and diseases don’t spoil them.

Indoor Herb Garden Lighting Tips

It is a long and loving relationship that humans have developed with herbs; evidences for which date back to around 25000 BC. The popularity of herbs somewhat suffered during the medieval ages, nevertheless, with the Catholic Church giving way to logic-based wisdom, herbs once again returned to glory.

Now, a lot of people are making herbs an integral part of their lives; while the majority is happy with being in a habit to use the commercially available herb varieties as medicines and for garnishing, a handful have opted to trust only the homegrown variety of herbs. This, however, has both up sides and down sides and for the latter, it is an inappropriate light source that mostly stays responsible.

Those who prefer to raise an herb garden outdoors usually face very little or no trouble at all regarding the light; however, they need to depend on the seasonal varieties entirely whereas those growing it indoors don’t care what season it is. Besides, weeding is also a problem that never troubles them. The problems crop up in other forms; for example, lighting, which may also make the herbs grown indoors less productive, less robust and possess less flavor. The only option is making available plenty of sunlight besides a good quality soil that drains well.

Now, that takes care of a part of the problem. The spring and the summer pose no problem regarding sunlight but it does during the winter or in tropical countries like India, during the monsoon. The only option then remains is getting hold of artificial light sources, which, if selected wrongly, shall be as good as making your money flow down the drain. So here is a little lowdown on the best artificial light source available and the types of fixtures that prove to be most appropriate.

For the spring and the summer months, the windowsills make great choices; even better, if they face either the east or the south. Regarding the supplemental natural lights (grow-lights), read on.

Bright, artificial lights form an essential part of indoor herb garden kits and you must have at least eight of them. They also come handy when the natural light levels are lower than usual and for those herbs that are sensitive to direct sunlight. You need to arrange the plants in such a way that each of them receives the light from at least two or three fluorescent light sources to increase greatly their growth and yield.

Incandescent lights make the best choice in this regard; they also produce the necessary heat. Just take care that the herbs requiring strong light and heat remain at a good distance from your herbs. This will be to prevent the plants from getting burned. Ideally, an incandescent bulb of 25W should be placed at a distance of 1 foot from the plants; for 100-watt bulbs, it’s 2 feet and for 150-watt bulbs, it should be between 3 and 4 feet.

On the other hand a mercury vapor lamp emitting ultraviolet radiation—giving out a strong bluish light—is preferred for the primary light source for general illumination of the herb garden. It is also a good option for the herbs that are sensitive to heat and light. A mercury vapor lamp is more powerful than any given incandescent light and generates less heat, albeit a little more expensive.

For a low-budget solution, you may consider the fluorescent lights. They burn the coolest and prove to be most energy efficient among artificial lights. However, unless you follow certain procedures regarding the usage of an herb garden light, it shall bestow upon more harm than benefits. So always remember the points mentioned underneath:

The light source must stay at an adequate distance. This shall make the light spread more without burning the foliages. For mercury vapor lamps, a 5 feet distance shall prove a good one; it shall help the light to spread more. With fluorescent lights, closer they are placed, the better.
Since light acts like food to the plants, it must be measured. A foot-candle meter is thus essential; foot-candle is a unit of luminance on a surface that is everywhere 1 foot from a point source of 1 candle. Plants usually require 250 foot-candles of light for anything between 12 and 16 hours, though for some, 1000 foot-candles are essential.

Growing an herb garden is a task as easy as it is tough, which can’t be accomplished properly if a person doesn’t have an eye for details. Unless you are keen upon meeting the requirements, such as the need for an herb garden light, your herb garden shall be as good as the tinsel town offering a lot of eye candy and yet no value.

For the spring and the summer months, the windowsills make great choices; even better, if they face either the east or the south. Regarding the supplemental natural lights (grow-lights), read on.

· The light source must stay at an adequate distance. This shall make the light spread more without burning the foliages. For mercury vapor lamps, a 5 feet distance shall prove a good one; it shall help the light to spread more. With fluorescent lights, closer they are placed, the better.

· Since light acts like food to the plants, it must be measured. A foot-candle meter is thus essential; foot-candle is a unit of luminance on a surface that is everywhere 1 foot from a point source of 1 candle. Plants usually require 250 foot-candles of light for anything between 12 and 16 hours, though for some, 1000 foot-candles are essential.