The Wonderful World of Mints Part III: The Medicinal Uses of Mint

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz -

In Part II of The Wonderful World of Mints: Growing & Using Mint in the Kitchen, we covered the various species and cultivars of the Mentha genera and how to grow, harvest and use them in the kitchen.  We also learned how to prevent losing the distinctive flavors of specialty mints over time by separating those that have the ability to cross pollinate.  Of course, most gardeners already know and love flavored mints for use in food and to create soothing and flavorful teas, but they aren’t just fantastically edible.  Indeed, most Mint Family members are highly prized for their nutritive and medicinal qualities, which makes them much more than just an ingredient in tea or toothpaste.

The Wonderful World of Mints – Part I – Identifying Mints in the Garden

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz –

Of all the plants in the garden, mints are probably the most numerous and sometimes the most notorious.  That’s why most people immediately envision sprightly spearmint, tangy peppermint, or one of the many flavorful cultivars or subspecies of the Mentha genera when mint is discussed.  But Mentha mints only make up a tiny fraction of plants that belong to the Mint Family (Lamiaceae), which contains over 200 genera and more than 7,000 species!  In fact, it might be surprising to learn just how many Mint Family plants reside in our gardens.

Herb Gardens: The Ultimate Escape

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz –

Your life is completely packed with crazy schedules and pressing deadlines and that new-fangled cell phone that you bought to help you keep up with it all is driving you absolutely crazy.  Some days you just want to shut it all off and hide from the world – even if just for a moment.  What you need is a soothing place to catch your breath, have a few moments of stillness and something beautiful to take your mind off it all.  But what?

The Indoor Winter Herb Garden

By Jill Henderson

Gardeners can enjoy the sight, smell and taste of culinary herbs long after summer’s end.  By providing adequate light, warmth and moisture, culinary herbs will grow well enough indoors to provide the discriminating chef with plenty of savory flavors for the pot all winter long.

Making Herbal Tinctures: Part II

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz

Last week, in Making Herbal Tinctures: Part I, we discussed the different types of solvents (menstruum) used to make high-quality herbal tinctures, including alcohol such as vodka, Everclear, brandy and wine, as well as non-alcohol solvents like vinegar and vegetable glycerin.   But choosing the right solvent is only a small part of the equation.  Indeed, measuring your ingredients properly is the critical key to creating reliable and consistent tinctures.

Making Herbal Tinctures: Part I

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz -

In the world of herbalism, tinctures are the star of the show.  For those who grow, gather or use herbs for healing purposes, learning to make tinctures is one of the most important – and easiest – skills to learn.

Garden Time: Multiply Your Herbs & Flowers

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz

Now that summer is almost over, it’s time to start thinking about repotting, transplanting and dividing perennial flowers and herbs.  So often, we wait until spring to move or propagate new plants.  But by taking care of those chores now, you not only sidestep more work during the busy spring season, but you also give your new plants a big head start on next year’s growth.

At Home in the Kitchen: Herbal Vinegars and Oils

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz

Summer’s harvest is never complete until a few bottles of garlic chili oil are tucked away in the pantry and a handful of spicy golden vinegars grace the windowsill.  Both oils and vinegars add a lot of flavor to almost any dish and are ready when you need them as dressings and marinades.  Herbed oil is great stir-frying,   sautéing or braising meats, tofu and vegetables.  Some herbed oils are best made with dry ingredients, while others require the crispness found only in freshly-picked ingredients.  So, while the height of summer is still a way off, now is the best time to begin gathering materials and deciding which blends will work best for your style of cooking.

Herbal Tea: Just Plain Good

By Jill Henderson

Mention the word tea, and most thoughts turn to a strong hot cup of Earl Gray or a tall glass of sweet iced pekoe. But these days tea is more than black—it is green, or herbal, or something akin to hot chocolate. Regardless of how you have thought of it in the past, one thing is certain: tea is medicinal.  And now, with the spring season swinging into early summer, many of the kitchen herbs in my garden are rapidly reaching their flowering stage.  Of course, leafy herbs are at their  peak of perfection just as the flowers begin to open, but I like to allow a few stems to bloom, as well.  The flowers of most herbs are not only flavorful when used fresh or dried, but they also can have medicinal properties themselves and are excellent additions to many herbal tea blends.

Essential Herbs: Lemon Balm

By Jill Henderson

Lemon balm is one of my favorite herbs for many reasons.  To start, it is by far one of the easiest herbs to grow and it’s beautiful to look at, as well.  I particularly like the way lemon balm attracts beneficial insects and butterflies  to my garden.  Occasionally, even the hummingbirds find it intriguing.  I am also partial to lemon balm tea, especially on a cold winter night.  It’s deep earthy lemony flavor brings back a touch of summer sunshine and its soothing and calming properties make it a valuable medicinal herb.

Moving Herbs Indoors

by Jill Henderson

Now that summer has come to an end and the cool sunny days of fall are upon us, it is time to think about preparing the garden for a long winter’s nap.   It is the perfect time to divide and transplant perennial herbs.  But while your at it, why not bring some of that summer sunshine indoors for the winter?  Many herbs growing outdoors can be brought indoors for the winter, providing much needed freshness to both the windowsill and the cooking pot. 

Keeping Herbs Fresh

By Jill Henderson

Fresh herbs are wonderful to have around the kitchen, but you can’t always use them all at once. In cases like this, it is easy to preserve their fresh-picked flavor either by keeping them in the refrigerator or by freezing them immediately. Herbs that are going to be used in the near term can be kept in the refrigerator for short periods of time. Long-stemmed herbs such as onion tops, chives, parsley, dill and cilantro can be kept fresh for up to ten days if their stems are immersed in water shortly after being cut.

Wild Walk: Monarda

By Jill Henderson

There is nothing quite as enchanting as a chance encounter with a wild patch of flowering monarda. The electric colors of their shaggy, upright flowers light up the shady places they prefer; dazzling the unprepared eye. Once familiar with the sweet oregano-like scent of this delicately delectable herb one can often smell a colony of monarda long before seeing it. And if the scent doesn’t give it away, the sound of buzzing bees will.

Harvesting Culinary Herbs: Part II

By Jill Henderson

Harvest and storage methods are critical components of utilizing herbs or other plant material for culinary or medicinal purposes. Gathering, drying and storing herbs correctly can make a considerable difference in the quality and quantity of essential oils and other chemical constituents in the herb, affecting their flavor, shelf-life and medicinal potential.

Harvesting Culinary Herbs: Part I

By Jill Henderson

Now that the weather has warmed and the cool chill of spring nights has faded into a sweet memory the herbs in the garden have exploded into a miniature jungle of green leaves and small, but lovely flowers. 

Propagating Herbs: Division

By Jill Henderson

By now your garden honey-do list is probably getting pretty long, but if you haven’t done it yet, now is the absolute best time to propagate perennial herbs and flowers through cutting, layering and division.  Vegetative propagation is best achieved during periods of active growth such as spring and fall, with spring being the best season overall.  During this time the plant is filled with growth hormones in the stems and roots, and you can take advantage of those natural growth stimulators to multiply your mature plantings.  This article on herb propagation comes from my book, The Healing Power of Kitchen Herbs.

Black Walnuts: A Local Remedy

By Jill Henderson – Show Me Oz -

(Excerpted in part from A Journey of Seasons: A Year in the Ozarks High Country)

In the Ozarks we are blessed with an abundance of trees, among them the stately and ever-useful Black Walnut (Juglans nigra).  These trees are not only beautiful to look at and make wonderful shade trees when they are allowed to grow to their full size, but they also provide valuable timber and edible nuts.