The most useful plant in your garden

[maddie]

Which is the most useful plant in your garden? I know I have a whole lot of stuff but when it comes to the most useful plant I would say tomatoes.. I cannot have a meal without adding tomatoes into a dish or just adding it to the salad. Though cilantro and basil are useful.. they don't form a major part of a meal like tomatoes do. This has to be the best in my garden.

 

[Ian]

Probably rosemary - as we seem to use it in cooking so many meals. However, we've just had a few bushes recently planted, so we need to wait before cutting any more off - all of the roast potatoes at Christmas used up a huge amount .

 

[maddie]

Probably rosemary - as we seem to use it in cooking so many meals. However, we've just had a few bushes recently planted, so we need to wait before cutting any more off - all of the roast potatoes at Christmas used up a huge amount .

How big a bush does rosemary grow into? I have rosemary in a few small containers (3 inch square containers) and the plants are less than 8 inches in height at the moment.. these are not native herbs.. but I love rosemary..I am concerned, should I shift them to bigger containers?

 

[Ian]

How big a bush does rosemary grow into? I have rosemary in a few small containers (3 inch square containers) and the plants are less than 8 inches in height at the moment.. these are not native herbs.. but I love rosemary..I am concerned, should I shift them to bigger containers?

I'm not to sure to be honest, as it's only a recent addition to the garden - I'd be interested to know the answer to this too .

 

[Becky]

Rosemary plants can get quite bushy in the right conditions - I guess it would depend on the type of rosemary plant, but I've heard they can grow up to 1.5m tall and 1.5m wide!

 

[Tmann]

Because of my climate the biggest it ever got was 18" tall, it doesn't survive my winters. I tried bringing it indoors but it just didn't make it. Becky is correct they can get quite large in a temperate climate.

 

[maddie]

@ Becky, wow now that really calls for a huge container.. the ones I have mine in are really too small.. I shall take care of that when it is time to repot.
@ Tmann, thanks for the information. My plants will never have to go through the winter ordeal at least. I hope mine does not grow bigger than your plants.. 18 inches suits me fine

 

[claudine]

The most useful plant in my garden are definitely tomatoes because I can't imagine a sandwich without them . And the most useful plant I grow at home is aloe vera - it's a wonderful plant, it makes my skin look so much better!

 

[maddie]

So you are a tomato girl too Claudine how do you use fresh Aloe vera for your skin.. They say that you cannot use the fresh gel from the leaf on your skin. I would be interested to know.. I have aloe vera too

 

[claudine]

They say that you cannot use the fresh gel from the leaf on your skin. I would be interested to know.. I have aloe vera too

You can't? I always apply fresh juice on my skin, I just add some water to it. Is it a mistake? You scared me

 

[maddie]

That is what I have always heard.. they say it causes your skin to break out.. apparently it doesn't trouble you.. So you add water and apply it on your face..how long do you leave it?

 

[claudine]

I don't wash it, I just leave it on my face. So far nothing bad happened, I've never heard it can hurt me . I hope it won't because I think my skin really does look better now. I had had some acne problems in the past and what helped the most was my dermatologist but now I don't take any medications anymore, I just use aloe (sometimes directly from the plant, sometimes I use aloe gel you can buy at the pharmacy) and everything is okay.

 

[ACSAPA]

My most useful plant is ginger. I'm obsessed with Asian entertainment and Asian food, so I make a lot of recipes that use ginger and then eat in front of the computer watching Korean or Taiwanese soap operas.
When I was younger, I used to try to make stir fries and fried rice without ginger. Now I can't imagine that because fried rice doesn't taste right without it.

 

[maddie]

My most useful plant is ginger. I'm obsessed with Asian entertainment and Asian food, so I make a lot of recipes that use ginger and then eat in front of the computer watching Korean or Taiwanese soap operas.
When I was younger, I used to try to make stir fries and fried rice without ginger. Now I can't imagine that because fried rice doesn't taste right without it.

Do you have ginger tea? That is one of my favorites. Ginger reduces inflammation and is great for stomach cramps during a period.
I love its calming and relaxing after effects..

 

[homejob0526]

Oh! Like you, for me also it would be tomatoes. The main reason behind it is, I love tomatoes and I add tomatoes in almost all the dishes that we make. The other important thing I do with these tomatoes are, I use them on my skin and they make my skin look great everyday. Although I have other plants like spinach and mint which is being used widely, tomatoes are what I would choose for making me look beautiful.