Cooking or fun?

[jonthai]

I've been using my herbs for cooking for a long time, but I've seen some people planting it just to make their gardens look pretty. Personally i wouldn't get costumed to it , as i hate spending money on things that i can grow myself! What are your opinions on it?

 

[LillyBelle]

I prefer to use all the herbs I grow to cook with. They make other foods taste so much better! This also saves me money on having to buy seasonings as well.

 

[IcyBC]

So far I have peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint, Thai basil, sweet basil, and green onion growing in containers. They are my favorite herbs and I use them in my salad and cooking. I love growing these herbs in the summer.

 

[Trellum]

Some herbs like mint can be used to cook and also as a natural remedy, my dad always used mint when his stomach was upset. He just threw it in boiling water and drank it during the day. It's amazing, but most cooking herbs can be used in natural remedies as well or even to make homemade oils and soaps

 

[claudine]

I don't know much about cooking, I've never been good at it. The main reason why I grow herbs is because they smell so lovely. I like just standing in my kitchen and smelling them, haha

 

[NatalieW]

I'm an herbalist... soooo.... my herb garden goes towards a lot of things ... I grow for food but also medicinals and beauty use since I make a lot of them into skin and hair care... for instance, rosemary gives hair a gorgeous shine and rosewater is balancing to oily skin.... comfrey heals wounds an yarrow stops bleeding.... I make tea blends and tinctures, poultices and compresses and an array of herbal perfumes ... when my kids have fevers, they get feverfew and Echinacea root during cold and flu season ... etc.... herbs are a must have

 

[atlmom5]

I grow my herbs for cooking mainly, but I also love the beauty that they bring to the garden as well. I'm not a Certified Herbalist like, NatalieW, but I also use herbs for medicinal purposes too.

 

[amelia88]

Mine are absolutely for consumption rather than for aesthetic reasons! I do love it though when things can be both functional and beautiful - then that way I'm getting the best of both worlds!

 

[SirJoe]

That is something that confuses me to no end. They spend a lot of time selecting the herbs they want but then go to the store and buy dried herbs. I have an old friend of mine that used to do exactly that. I asked her why did she do that, and she just gave me a blank look and said she had never thought of using them. lol
Now that's all she uses.

 

[Pat]

I use my herbs to cook with and also for beauty and around the house to make my own cleaning supplies.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Interesting @NatalieW that your a herbalist. Just been diagnosed with RA (not surprised) its a slow moving type. The medication my doctor wants me on had too many side effects, and after reading saw others have to start other medications to counter act the side effects, that is not acceptable to me. I am big on seeking out herbs and other items for illnesses. So, so far I am putting together some herbs for my RA, and they are Boswellia, Turmeric , but wondering about Thunder God Root, the later I might take at a small amount. Of course there is the fish oil and the Glucosamine and Hyaluroinic Acid and Vit. D3. Let me know what you think? thanks.

 

[rz3300]

Having an herb garden has made such a huge difference in my life and it makes cooking so much more enjoyable that I am not sure I could go back to having it just be for fun anymore. It did start that way, though, but it soon changes once I realized the potential that we had in the plants and I figured why not. I am pretty sure that is the path that may people take, so I am hoping it is the right one.

 

[Vinaya]

When I get bored, I usually get evolved with cooking. My m9other says I am the best cook in the world and my wife is happy with my cooking skills.I like to try new recipes. I think I am good at cookin chicken dishes.

 

[Caribbean girl]

I do not have any herbs planted at the moment, but if I were to plant some herbs, I would be more interested in planting them for my own cooking uses than for decorating the garden. Some herbs do have some medicinal properties, although I am not familiar with the health benefits of all of them. I do know that rosemary is good for the brain and enhances the memory. Even inhaling the plant itself can be beneficial. I also know that ginger and mint are both good for stomach complaints. Turmeric is good for bone health among other things. So while these different herbs can look beautiful in one's garden, using them is much better than just admiring them, in my opinion. Then too, why buy these same items from the supermarket when we have them growing in our own backyard?

 

[Beverly]

Plus, freshly harvested herbs are so much more flavorful and fragrant and potent than those purchased in most stores and can be harvested as needed. So you can have your herb plants and eat them too.