By: Ungari Dodisto

Human beings have made use of herbs down the centuries. Herbs serve a variety of purposes and we continue to find more and more uses of them in our lives. Most of the herbs are easy to grow and you can choose from 40 to 60 herbs and learn to make use of them.

The reason that herbs can be used in so many different functions is because they come in different varieties. For instance, there are aromatic herbs that are grown purely for the scent they give off. The oils from these herbs can be found in candles, perfumes, and many other cosmetic and skin care products.

Of course the variety of herb that most people are familiar with is the culinary herb. In fact, the culinary herb is the only variety that most people are aware of. Most gardeners grow a few varieties of culinary herbs but they have to be careful not to plant in the same place the following spring as some herbs are annuals and will appear without needing to replant. Some of the more popular of the culinary herbs are basil, dill, and chives.


There is one category of herbs that you will very frequently find in and around flowers in a flower garden. They are used for both dried and fresh arrangements. These are ornamental herbs. They are grown to appease the aesthetic sense.

There are herbs used for remedial purpose. These medicinal herbs are used to treat many ailments. They are not a part of the mainstream medicines in the western medical community but they are still an essential part of remedy to ailments in many cultures. The scientists are still pouring their time and effort in studying their effects.

Again, most people are familiar with the culinary herbs and it is a fact that our foods would be quite bland and tasteless without them. Herbs are used to create marinades and to imbue foods with a subtle, yet pronounced, flavor that enhances a great many dishes. Fortunately, even in economic hard times, most people manage to keep culinary herbs on hand even if they are forced to grow them.

Growing these herbs in your garden is an easy task given that you take some precautions. You must make a layout of your garden and know what grows where. There are herbs that are annual, perennial and biennial. They would have different growing cycles. Thus, it is all the more important to know what grows where. Plan your garden according to its growing cycle.

Most of the culinary herbs do quite well in soil that has been well drained but still remains fairly fertile. You have nothing to worry about if space happens to be limited outdoors because herbs do great when grown indoors as well. No matter where you intend to plant your herbs, be sure not to plant them too deeply in the soil or they may not have a chance to grow. When harvesting herbs, try to do so in the mornings because this is when the precious oils in the herbs are at their concentration and precisely when you want to pick them.

Ungari Dodisto is the chief editor for www.herbso.com the best place on the internet for information about herbs. For questions or comments about this article why not visit: www.herbso.com/articles