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Please use the contact form to ask your herb questions or make comments.
Doesn't matter what it is - how simple - everybody has to learn sometime - so if you have a question, please ask - I will answer where I can or search for information if I don't know the answer.
If you have questions about which herb goes with which meat or fish, how to grow specific herbs, what herbs are most profitable to grow, what herbal remedies are recommended - any question at all.
If you have a herb recipe or herbal remedy to submit, then I would be delighted to hear from you.
If you have a suggestion about what you'd like to read - get in touch.
Have you experience of growing herbs in difficult circumstances - send a message and help others understand how to cope.
I will reply to you with my email address - I don't put it here for fear of getting spammed. It does happen even with the comment box!
You can try a sample lesson to help you decide if the Herbal Academy of New England is the right choice for you - follow the link below.
Question:
How to get rid of garlic breath.
Answer:
Well, it is offensive on others and I don't eat as much garlic as I'd like for that very reason.
However, garlic smells because of the sulfer in it - our bodies can't digest it, so it's excreted in sweat and breath.
Top of the list for neutralizing the odor is raw apple.
Green tea, raw parsley, fresh mint and spinach are also useful. It is recommended that you eat the neutralizer at the same time if at all possible.
I personally don't fancy apple and garlic...
I did think the apple was a good bet, so I did an experiment - ate a garlicky meal in the evening, then ate the apple as part of my breakfast. I let my mom have a sniff at my breath (you've got to be careful who you trust to do that!) and she said it was fine.
So - recommended is raw apple for garlic breath.
Question:
I would like to have a list of perennial
herbs.
I don't like to replant every year. I started growing herbs last year.
For the present I would like to keep it simple & use perennials only.
Answer
Perennial herbs are a good choice as it means you have a framework for your garden.
The following list is one that contains some popular herbs as well as some more unusual ones.
|
Bay |
Mint |
This is not
exhaustive and I'm sure other people will add different herbs.
You might like to add some herbs you use frequently -
such as parsley, basil, oregano, dill and savory - these are anuuals or
biennials but would make for a fuller herb garden.
Best of luck with your growing.
Question:
What is horsetail?
Answer:
The latin name is Equisetum arvense.
It has brown stems and looks a bit like a bottle brush.
It is a perennial and has many uses -
medicinal as a diruetic, antiseptic and astringent and it used to be used to treat cystitus.
It was also used as a metal cleaner - the stems contain silica.
In Germany it's known as the Pewter Plant perhaps for
that reason and it's commonly used by watchmakers for an extra smooth finish.
It's an irritant, so self medication is not advised.
I'm not aware of any culinary uses, but perhaps somebody could enlighten me on that?
I've been told that poor ancient Romans used to eat it as it had a taste of asparagus - wouldn't recommend that though, because of the silica!
Hope that clarifies for you
Question:
My daughter suffers from dreadful migraine type headaches. I don't want to go down the chemical route, so what are the herbal options?
Answer:
Feverfew is the
traditional herbal remedy for migraine.
I think it has a
cumulative effect though.
It's not a pain
relief like a tablet, but something you take on a regular basis to prevent or
lessen the severity of migraine.
It is generally
accepted (and has gone through clinical trials) to reduce the duration,
lessen the pain, vomiting and sensitivity to light.
You can take it in
a daily sandwich with cream cheese and butter - lessens the bitter taste - in
a salad with mixed leaves or as a tea.
Brew about an
ounce, 30g of fresh leaves with 1/2 pint boiled water - strain and sweeten
with honey - add a squeeze of lemon if you like - drink one cup a day.
Feverfew is a
preventative rather than a cure for the migraine once it's taken a hold -
take it daily in some form and you should see a reduction in migraine
frequency or duration.
Question:
I'm trying to make oils from fresh herbs. How it is done?
Answer:
Very simple and the full instructions are here
You can make herb oils by a quicker method.
Use the quantities of herb and oils suggested and heat gently in a bain marie - a pan of water with a bowl resting on the rim will be fine - let the pot simmer gently for around two hours, making sure the oil doesn't get hot.
Then leave for about 30 minutes or so until the oil is cold before straining.
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