The key point of hydrophonic herb gardening is growing bigger and better plants without spending a fortune; all that you’ll need is some chemicals, some recycled water and a few parameters that one must strictly adhere to. The result is bigger and healthier plants throughout the year.

The process is as simple as making the plants sit in plastic baskets (filled with rock-wool) at its most basic state. The rock-wool is inert, lightweight and holds onto a lot of moisture, which is particularly effective when it comes to absorb and supply the water as well as the nutrients to the plants. At the base of the buckets are the air-stones (the type used in aquariums); these pump oxygen into the whole setup.

When everything the plants need is present in ample quantities, they are bound to grow phenomenally well. Just a little care is needed regarding the required amount of sunlight, which often require medium to low sun. The best herbs to start a hydrophonic home herb garden are the culinary herbs; stevia, basil, oregano, mint and parsley come next. It is also a very fruitful way to grow medicinal cannabis; however, for users of cannabis as a recreational drug, it is not at all recommended.

However, if you lack space and sunlight, you may sum up everything within a 10 to 14 gallon opaque tub and get hold of a few artificial lights. The opacity is to keep algae from growing. Bubblers meant for the aquariums along with a regulating valve come next; this must be fitted with air tubing. Net baskets are essential to hold the plants set in rock wool, which in turn, holds the plant nutrients. Keep the temperature within 70 to 80 degrees F and you are all set for a whale of a hydrophonic mini herb garden.

Now, if you are thinking about the widespread rumors, then verify the facts before doing so. Hydrophonic herbs are criticized for their lack of taste. This is because they are not supplied with the proper nutrients (in terms of quantity as well), which can be solved by following the proper guidelines, except for dandelions.

If you are thinking about making a hydrophonic fresh herb garden for commercial purposes, know that the profit per square foot may reach as high as $60! That’s from the culinary herbs alone; if you are planning to sell dried herbs with medicinal qualities or fragrant herbal oils or maybe even the ornamental variety, profits shall multiply by multiples of the said figure. Just keep a few more points in mind and things shall flow as smooth as red wine.

i. Mint requires indirect light and lots of water.

ii. Rosemary prefers a moderately dry atmosphere, sage alike.

iii. Don’t hunt for French tarragon seeds; they propagate from cuttings from the stem.

iv. Pinch back the growing tips regularly; this shall make the plants more compact and bushy in appearance.

v. Harvest when a plant is blooming but hasn’t yet flowered, for making oils.

What most of us fail to realize is that it is a chain reaction… Most of the herbal supplements manufacturers recommend overdoses (printed on the labels), which bring the fruits initially but also triggers a number of unwanted, negative side effects that require another class of supplements to get rid of.

A bright example is the current fad on Tribulus Terrestris; despite its miraculous healing properties, it can lead to serious pancreatic failures when used in excess of 750 mg a day. That again brings Aloe Vera into the scene for setting right the pancreatic disorders and money rolls.

Adding fuel to this flame are the declarations: “No side effects” and most people are not capable of reading between the lines. Yes, it is no side effects unless you try the herb in excess of the recommended doses. The incomplete information is just a vehicle to take the herbal supplements industry further and everyone seems to be happily getting aboard.

On the flip side, the hypes created by the industry flock people around certain herbs and a mention becomes enough to sell the bottles by dozens. For example, we know what wonders Panax ginseng can create; what we don’t know (or rather, we don’t intend to know) is: it is true, provided there’s present the right quantity. So, anything with Ginseng printed upon disappears from the shelves faster than you can ask – “How?” with no noticeable benefits in a user. As a result, it turns people off within sometime, but the industry, by then, has recovered more than its investments. It’s time to take out an alternative and the story repeats. So what’s the proper way out?

To get started on herb gardens for the home that are personal and on your own terrace (or bedroom window sills or even in the kitchen). It shall make sure a few things:

i. No more dependency on the market for availability.

ii. You shall be able to grow the herbs organically, which means, their medicinal properties shall remain unaltered.

iii. No preset mode for consumption in terms of quantity.

iv. It will save a lot of money. For the price of a jar, you shall be able to raise an entire garden.

Now, question remains, what should you plant?

This is a tricky situation. Every herb has its own share of virtues and though very little, of vices. However, there are some that treat a wide array of disorders and these make a good choice. But first of all, you must know the disorder you are suffering first.

The recent news about the confirmed efficacy of St. John’s Wort in driving away depression and menopausal symptoms shall be helpful to a lot of people trying to find what to start their indoor herb gardens with; the same applies to Ginkgo Biloba, which is currently in news for not comprising the toxic alkaloid colchicines. Or, if you are more patient and daring, try the Ginseng itself; it is currently making the headlines for being proven to help a speedy recovery in patients of acute, chronic bronchitis.

Peppermint Bed

Herbal teas bring forth a fair amount of benefits that people often seek through surgical or non-surgical methods. However, an overnight benefit cannot be expected from singular herbs; except for a few like incontinence or dysuria treated with caltrop. Any degree of such disorders is curable with caltrop within 24 hours or Aloe Vera; the latter in known to cure diarrhea within a few hours. It will take an appropriate combination.

Unlike pharmaceutical medications that fight the symptoms alone, Herbs strengthen the system from the insides while fighting the symptoms; and we all know multi-tasking takes more time. That applies to anything from hemato-cardiac unrests or neural fusses or even the bone and joint unhinges.

It’s not that herbs are always the sweet-smelling froo-froo goodies; sometimes they are as bitter and pungent as Hell itself. A perfect example is the Che Dang; an extremely bitter tea made from the Ilex causue leaves. But they comprise enough goodies to let go off, so an easy way was devised to blunt the bitterly experiences. Herbal tea was born to take care of some of them. The process is simple: pour some boiling water on crushed herb, allow steeping for sometime and the drink is ready.

Lemon grass

There are two choices: First is, buying it from herbal tea stores and next, growing it in a tea herb garden. Indoors or outdoors, designated or non-designated, it entirely depends on the planter. However, there also stays a third choice present; befriending someone with an herbal tea garden or making someone start a herb garden. You may often get free supplies besides what you buy from the person.

Growing and harvesting herbs – contrary to what commercial producers claim – is something easier done than said. Fennel from a homegrown herb garden shall brew as good as its commercial variety; of course, it won’t look as good. Just put in a few hours every week and a quarter of the money you’d spend to buy the OTC herbal teas, your herb garden at home will be ready.

However, to derive the most of the herbs, they need harvesting early in the day, during the end of the season, just before frost sets in. The perfect time is in the cool of the morning, when the dew has dried but the herbs still lush from it. The active ingredients in the herbs reach their peak this time, just before blooming. You are; however, not supposed to tear/crush them for storing; this shall make the essential oils and other beneficial stuff to get wasted. They must be crushed only before the boiling water is poured.

Chamomile flowering

Due to many-a-reason; in short. However, let us get introduced to Tribulus Terrestris first. This prostrate, annual herb of an average height of 90 cm has featherlike leaves, with leaflets on each side of the common axis leaves. The pair of leaflets at the apex is a fair indication of the Tribulus Terrestris plant.

The flowers of Tribulus are small; five-angled and spiny with a yellowish tinge and grow solitary. Its Indian name (Gokshura) speaks clearly of its appearance; the fruit of Tribulus resembles the hooves of the cow and look like spherical bacteria when they adhere together. Another indicative feature is its odor resembling that of sugarcane; hence another Indian name for it is Ikshugandha. From fruits to the roots, every part of the Tribulus Terrestris plant bears its own legacies. However, to keep this discussion short, we shall focus on just its prime aspects.

Tribulus is the prompt, one word answer for many a complications, which, even when treated with normal antibiotics, take substantial amounts of time to heal. From various types of urinogenital disorders, renal calculi, erectile dysfunction, impotence and various other urinary tract infections all can be treated with Tribulus. The high levels of calcium in the Tribulus also make it a good remedial measure for bone related problems in combination with other appropriate herbs. That’s sure going to invite the question: What else does it comprise?

Tribulus contain a mix of alkaloids, tannins, resins, sugars, essential oils, sterols, diastase, peroxidase and glucosides (saponins), which makes it an ideal herb delivering:

i. Non-irritant diuretic effects.

ii. Antiseptic effects when dysuria sets in.

iii. A real fast curing effect when the problem relates to urinary stone formations.

iv. Cure against urinary incontinence.

v. Relief from headaches, gout and eye-related disorders, such as itching, conjunctivitis, weak vision.

vi. Nervousness and hypertension alleviation by rebalancing the hormonal levels; this is why the herb is particularly useful for people undergoing decreased libido, irregular menstruation and menopause.

vii. Anti-carcinogenic measures for the prostate; it also keeps the prostrate healthy by increasing free testosterone levels in the blood.

viii. Optimal treatment for a low-sperm count.

Traditionally use of Tribulus is also found to be effective in case of gout.

The effects of Tribulus are best noticed when administered the pure extract; most of the OTC formulations contain just traces of the herb. Besides, they may also comprise the herb particles, which have been proven to deliver an overall detrimental effect on the liver.

Tribulus also has a dark side to it. The high levels of calcium in the herb may interfere with the insulin production of the pancreas, leading to hypoglycemia (an abnormally low blood sugar level, usually resulting from excessive insulin) if consumed more than 750 mg a day. Being a diuretic, it may make the body retain less water than it’s essential, which may as well lead to acidity and an upset stomach. And though a very rare symptom, the androgenic-anabolic effect of Tribulus gives rise to gynacomastea (the body’s own mechanism to fight excess testosterone by producing more than normal estrogen).

Stay away from it if you are a pregnant/nursing woman or a man suffering from prostate cancer. Tribulus prevents prostrate cancer but doesn’t cure; it’s the excess testosterone that aggravates the disorder.

Chamomile (medicinal)

Recognizing aromatic herbs is just a quarter of the whole process. Along with it comes knowing how to handle and use them properly and more than that, the ways to preserve them for an extended usage.  Done this way, it won’t be long before you shun the salt and the rest of the artificial flavor enhancers. You just need a personal culinary herb garden to make the most out of it.

Aromatic herbs are easy to grow and that explains why one must not depend on the varieties available commercially – either in the plant, leaves, flowers or fruit form or in packaged varieties. It doesn’t take much long for the herbs to lose their freshness; so the best are derived only from the home herb garden. The freshness of the herbs is directly proportional to their effects and this is enough to prove the importance of homegrown herbs.

Aromatic herbs are the best non-invasive therapies that one may find. From over 300 varieties, around 45 can be grown in home to treat disorders as insignificant as acne and hair loss to as severe as anxiety, depression, arthritis and sexual disorders. All you need to know is how to put them into use – either through foods or as tonics, purgers and consolidators.

One great advantage regarding aromatic herbs is that they do not require to be planted in tons. They are to be used in minute quantities; if used in excess, they turn the food less than palatable. This also points toward knowing how to keep them fresh over a longer period of time and that takes more than sprinkling water or refrigerating them. But that’s another story to be covered later. For now, just keep in mind that dried herbs lack the essential oils that stay responsible for their healing effects; at times, dried herbs may play an alternative to fresh ones, but not always.

A few of the aromatic herbs that offer the same effects even when dry are the bay leaves, the marjoram, mint and oregano; for rosemary, sage and thyme, the flavor strengthens when dried. But basil, chives, chervil, dill and parsley are best when fresh and freezing is the best way to retain that freshness. However, all herbs stale and lose their flavors if preserved for over a fortnight’s time; during winters, they retain their goodness for around a month.

Apart from the aforementioned most widely used aromatic herbs, there is also a variety, which is tough to find in the market. So, in that case, starting an in house herb garden stays the only choice. The following list comprises a few such names:

i.   Lovage: This seasoning herb is pretty hardy in its constitution and does not require much care. Semi-shady areas and moist soil are absolutely vital for it, so an indoor herb garden is the best place one can grow them.

ii.   Salad Burnet: Although delicate, its perennial availability depends on the amount of sun it’s getting as much as on a lime-rich soil.

iii.   Tarragon: Again, it doesn’t require much care and has a rather strong flavor. Sunny to moderately shady areas and a soil rich in humus is what it requires.
 
iv.    Lemon Balm: The name is due to its scent resembling with lemon and requires full sunlight and a somewhat moist soil.

v.     Savory: This is a seasoning herb that needs sunny area and a well-drained soil.

However, if your preference is toward the exotic, Mediterranean herbs, then the Florence fennel, the Rosemary, the Rue, the Thyme, the Sage, the Oregano, the Oyster Plant, Basil and Lavender must be your initial choices. As you grow more experienced, you may start including the Sweet Cicely, the Comfrey, the Angelica, the Marigold and the Lady’s Mantle one by one.

Indoor herbs in a unique pot

 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.

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.

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.

 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.

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.