Tea, Herbals, and Naturally Healthy Lifestyles

Growing Herbs for Fun

Any herbaceous plant grown for a particular flavor, aroma or even medicinal properties can be defined as an herb. They can be used in the kitchen to improve the taste of our food, to decorate and scent our surroundings, or they can be used to alleviate or even cure some diseases. Some herbs are considered to have magical properties in some cultures and many are the source of compounds that are used to heal our bodies and our spirits.

Soil and light requirements: As a general rule, herbs can be grown under the same sunlight and soil conditions as vegetables. As a matter of fact, many herbs are usually planted among vegetables in the garden. Herbs generally grow well in well-drained soils with a pH range between 6.0 to 7.0 and require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. For sandy soils, organic matter such as compost, peat moss, manure, bonemeal, or wood ashes should be added to improve its water holding capacity and to add nutrients to the soil. Mulching is usually recommended for growing herbs, to control weeds, slow down soil moisture evaporation, and add nutrients to the soil. A 2 inches thick layer of mulch is usually adequate for mulching herbs.

Growing herbs in containers: The fact that herbs are needed in such small quantities, are good reasons why herbs are usually grown in containers. Pots of herbs or hanging baskets can be moved around as required. They are great for the terrace or patio, but can be moved in-door as a decorative or edible centerpiece or kitchen plant. Container grown plants require frequent watering and need to be fertilized constantly to replace the nutrients lost by the watering.

Propagation: Most herbs are grown from seeds sown directly on place. Perennials are usually started in boxes or plant beds using seeds or cuttings, and then transplanted into the garden or growing container. Plants like sage and rosemary are best propagated by cuttings. Cuttings of about 3-4 inches should be taken from new growth or upper part of older stems, and placed in a shallow box filled with 4-5 inches of a mixture of sand, peat and perlite. The rooting soil should be kept moist until roots develop, which may take at least two weeks. Thyme and marjoram can be propagated by a method known as simple layering that consist in covering the lower portions of the side branches with soil, leaving much of the top of the plant exposed. This will promote root development on the soil-covered branches, which can later be separated and become new plants. Old chive and tarragon plants can be propagated simply by, dividing their crown clumps into separate parts. Each one of those parts then becomes a new plant.

Harvesting herbs: Seeds, leaves, flowers and roots of herbs usually contain volatile or essential oils that are used for flavoring purposes. The flavor is retained longer if the herbs are harvested at the right time and properly cured and stored. The young and tender leaves can be harvested any time during the growing season, but when the plants begin to flower, they should be harvested for later use. Leaves should be washed in cold water and dried rapidly in a well-ventilated, darkened room. The tender-leaf herbs, such as basil, mints, and tarragon, that have a high moisture content, should be dried rapidly away from the light if they are to retain their green color. A well-ventilated darkened room such as an attic is ideal for this process.

For leaves with lower moisture content, such as sage, rosemary, and thyme, they can be dried in the sun without affecting their color. The seed crops should be harvested when they are mature or when their color changes from green to brown or gray. The seeds should be dried before storing to prevent loss of quality. Store dried herbs in sealed glass jars to preserve aroma and flavor. Glass containers should be painted or stored in a dark room to prevent bleaching of the color by the light.

Tea: The story of…

As legend has it, one day in 2737 B.C. the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was boiling drinking water over an open fire, believing that those who drank boiled water were healthier. Some leaves from a nearby Camellia sinensis plant floated into the pot. The emperor drank the mixture and declared it gave one “vigor of body, contentment of mind, and determination of purpose.”

Perhaps as testament to the emperor’s assessment, tea–the potion he unwittingly brewed that day–today is second only to water in worldwide consumption. The U.S. population is drinking its fair share of the brew; in 1994, Americans drank 2.25 billion gallons of tea in one form or another–hot, iced, spiced, flavored, with or without sugar, honey, milk, cream, or lemon.

A serving of tea generally contains about 40 milligrams of caffeine (less than half as much caffeine as in coffee), but the actual levels vary depending on the specific blend and the strength of the brew. Decaffeinated tea is also available.

Many tea drinkers find the beverage soothing, and folk medicine has long valued it as a remedy for sore throats and unsettled stomachs. Recent studies have shown that certain chemicals in tea called polyphenols may help reduce the risk of far more serious illnesses.

Tea tastes vary, and one aficionado who squirts lemon in his cup may cringe at the sight of another pouring milk or honey. But no matter how the tea may be doctored, in the United States the odds are overwhelming that it starts out black. Nearly 95 percent of all tea consumed here is black, according to the New York City-based Tea Council of the U.S.A.; 4 percent is green, 1 percent oolong, and 1 percent flavored.

That wasn’t always the case, and our proclivity for drinking black tea over green or oolong may have been influenced by events in history. Sixty years ago and more, the amount of black and green tea Americans drank was split fairly evenly–each accounting for about 40 percent of the market–with oolong constituting the rest. During World War II, however, the major sources of green tea–China and Japan–were cut off from the United States, leaving us with tea almost exclusively from British-controlled India, which produces black tea. Americans came out of the war drinking nearly 99 percent black tea.

With the Korean War in the 1950s, uncertainties about tea supplies resurfaced, and the United States began to look for other suppliers.

“Argentina filled the bill,” Dick says, “because tea could grow very fast there. Although the country didn’t produce an outstanding tea, it produced a good average tea.”

Today, most of our tea comes from Argentina, China (which got back into the U.S. market in 1978), and Java. Thirty years ago most of it came from India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Argentine black tea is the kind most used for iced tea, and that’s another reason black tea dominates the U.S. /N.America market .

Some Like It Cold

America is unique in its tea consumption habits, the Tea Council says, in that approximately 40 billion of the 50 billion cups consumed here each year are over ice.

Iced tea debuted in 1904 at the Louisiana State Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Mo. According to the Tea Council, “The temperature was soaring and the staff in the Far East Tea House couldn’t get any fair-goers to even look their way, let alone sample their tea. So they poured the hot tea over ice cubes and the drink quickly became the exposition’s most popular beverage.”

The tea bag was born the same year as iced tea, and its arrival was equally serendipitous. A Boston tea merchant began sending samples of tea in small silk bags for customers to try. Eventually, the convenient pre-measured sacks came to dominate the tea market. In 1994, according to the Tea Council, approximately 60 percent of tea brewed in the United States was prepared from tea bags; just over 1 percent was brewed from loose tea. Iced tea mixes accounted for another 25 percent of prepared tea, and the rest was made from instant tea.

Mother Nature’s original tea garden was located in the monsoon district of southeastern Asia. Many other plants now grow there, but specimens of the original jungle, or wild, tea plant are still found in the forests of the Shan states of northern Siam, eastern Burma, Yunnan, Upper Indo-China, and British India. … Before any thought was given to dividing this land into separate states, it consisted of one primeval tea garden where the conditions of soil, climate, and rainfall were happily combined to promote the natural propagation of tea.

Salt Free Herbal Blends

Use combination’s of dried herbs to

create your favorite flavors.

For each of these recipes: blend all ingredients together and
place in a glass jar. Cover tightly and store in a cool dry place.
Use in place of salt in your favorite recipes.

Mexican Blend

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cilantro

Mediterranean Blend

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano leaves
• ½ teaspoon thyme leaves

Thai Blend

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Table Shake

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1½ teaspoon dry mustard
• 1½ teaspoon basil leaves
• ½ teaspoon ground celery seed
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon chili powder

Composting

What is Compost?

Compost is a dark, crumbly mixture of decomposed organic matter, such as grass clippings, leaves, twigs, and branches.

How Does Composting Work?

Even the first-time composter can make good quality compost. Like good cooking, composting is part science, part art. Attention to the following parameters will help you get started.

Materials

Anything that was once alive will naturally decompose. However, some organic wastes should not be composted at home.

DO compost these items: grass clippings, leaves, plant stalks, hedge trimmings, old potting soil, twigs, annual weeds without seed heads, vegetable scraps, coffee filters, and tea bags.

Do NOT compost these items: diseased plants, weeds with seed heads, invasive weeds such a quack grass and moring glory, pet feces, dead animals, bread and grains, meat or fish parts, dairy products, grease, cooking oil, or oily foods.

Making It Work

To prepare compost, organic material, microorganisms, air, water, and a small amount of nitrogen are needed.

Organic material is leaves, grass clippings, etc. that you are trying to decompose. Microorganisms are small forms of plant and animal life, which break down the organic material. A small amount of garden soil or manure provides sufficient microorganisms.

The nitrogen, air, and water provide a favorable environment for the microorganisms to make the compost. A small amount of nitrogen fertilizer can add sufficient nitrogen to the compost. You can purchase nitrogen fertilizers at many hardware stores, feed stores, or nurseries.

Air is the only part which cannot be added in excess. Too much nitrogen can kill microbes; too much water causes insufficient air in the pile.

Biology

Bacteria are the first to break down plant tissue and are the most numerous and effective compost makers in your compost pile. Fungi and protozoans soon join the bacteria and, somewhat later in the cycle, centipedes, millipedes, beetles, and worms complete the composting process.

Surface Area

If the microorganisms have more surface area to feed on, the materials will break down faster. Chopping your garden debris with a machete, or using a chipper, shredder, or lawnmower to shred materials will help them decompose faster.

Volume

Compost piles trap heat generated by the activity of millions of microorganisms. A 3-foot by 3-foot by 3-foot compost pile is considered a minimum size for hot, fast composting. Piles wider or taller than 5 feet don’t allow enough air to reach the microorganisms at the center.

Moisture and Aeration

The microorganisms in the compost pile function best when the materials are as damp as a wrung-out sponge and have many air passages. Extremes of sun or rain can adversely affect the balance of air and moisture in your pile. The air in the pile is usually used up faster than the moisture, so the materials must be turned or mixed up occasionallly to add air that will sustain high temperatures and control odor. Materials can be turned with a pitchfork, rake, or other garden tool.

Time and Temperature

The most efficient decomposing bacteria thrive in temperatures between 110F and 160F. Thus, the hotter the pile, the faster the composting. If you achieve a good balance of carbon and nitrogen, provide lots of surface area within a large volume of material, and maintain adequate moisture and aeration, the temperature will rise over several days.

Uses for Compost

Compost contains nutrients, but it is not a substitute for fertilizers. Compost holds nutrients in the soil until plants can use them, loosens and aerates clay soils, and retains water in sandy soils.

To use as a soil amendment, mix 2 to 5 inches of compost into vegetable and flower gardens each year before planting.

In a potting mixture, add one part compost to two parts commercial potting soil, or make your own mixture by using equal parts of compost and sand or perlite.

As a mulch, spread an inch or two of compost around annual flowers and vegetables, and up to 6 inches around trees and shrubs.

As a top dressing, mix finely sifted compost with sand and sprinkle evenly over lawns.

Preserving Herbs

The shelf life of many herbs is one to two years but this period is shorter when herbs are exposed to light, heat and open air. Herb leaves keep their flavor best when they are stored whole and crushed just before use. When herb seeds are to be used for cooking, the seeds should be stored whole and ground up as needed.

Bag Drying

To prepare plants for drying, remove blossoms from the herb plant and rinse the leaves on the stem in cold water to remove soil. Allow plants to drain on absorbent towels until dry. Then place the herbs in a paper bag and tie the stems. Leave 1 to 2 inches of the stems exposed. This allows the plant oil to flow from the stems to the leaves. Place the bag in a warm, dry location. In about one to two weeks, when the leaves become brittle, tap them free of the stems and the leaves will fall into the bag. Store leaves in an airtight container away from the light.

Tray Drying

Clean herbs as for bag drying but the heavy stalks can be discarded. Put the leafed stems one layer deep on a tray in a dark, ventilated room. Turn over the herbs occasionally for uniform drying. The leaves are ready for storage when they are dry and the stems are tough.

Microwave Drying

If you have a microwave oven, you can use it to dry herbs. Place the herbs between paper towels and set them on the rack. Close the door and turn the oven on a medium setting for about 2-3 minutes. Then check for dryness; the leaves should feel brittle and should crumble easily. If they are not done, turn the oven on for 30 seconds longer. Although this process actually cooks the herbs, the end product is just about the same as air drying. Store the dried herbs in closed containers.

Freezing Flavor

Herbs may also be frozen. Rinse herbs in cold water and blanch in boiling, unsalted water for 50 seconds. Cool quickly in ice water, package and freeze. Dill, parsley, chives and basil can be frozen without blanching.