What herbs can be grown in the country. seasoning herbs

Herbs can be classified according to:

• belonging to the region of growth;
• vegetative characteristics (color, spreading, growth height, flowering);
• growth and fruiting period.

Most often you can hear about combinations of southern (Georgian or Armenian) herbs, and sometimes Ural or Altai herbs are distinguished.

Spicy herbs can be not only green, some are characterized by the presence of a lush crown, while others are distinguished by strong branching and lush flowering. In some plants, not greens, but flowers or stamens are used as an aromatic seasoning.

There are perennial and annual herbs. The first ones can be sown once, because most often they are self-seeding plants, the beds with the second ones will have to be updated every spring.

Spicy herbs, contrary to popular belief, include not only herbaceous plants, but also shrub-type plants. It is noteworthy that not only the green ground part of these plants is used in cooking, but also seeds or rhizomes.

Most popular herbs

We will devote this large section of the article to the most popular spicy herbs. In it you will not only find a description of the plant and the correct use of each individual spice, but also learn about the features and medicinal properties of these spices, as well as precautions when using a particular plant in the diet. And also, for the convenience of readers, we will attach a picture (photo) depicting the described plant to each description..

Dill

Such a spicy herb as dill is the most common throughout the world and probably the most famous spicy herb. It is a tall grass with a dense, hollow and rigid stem, covered with highly developed fluffy foliage.

The plant is an annual, which means it requires regular overseeding. It is noteworthy that this can be done not only in spring, but also before winter. As an aromatic seasoning, the whole plant is used, starting from a dense hollow stem and ending with seeds collected in umbrella inflorescences. Dill, both fresh and dried, is used:

• in canning;
• for preparing and decorating salads;
• as a spice for soups, sauces and gravies.

Dill goes well with fish and meat dishes, as well as vegetables. Dried dill is included in many aromatic mixtures and goes well with other herbs.

There are several varieties of dill, among which are:

• early ripe, characterized by lush greenery (“gribovsky”, “far”, for example);
• mid-season, yielding a crop of greenery and "umbrellas", among which such varieties as "kibray" and "richelieu" stand out favorably;
• late ones, characterized by the splendor of greenery ("alligator", "buoy", for example).

All early ripe varieties are suitable for winter sowing, but cannot grow indoors, while late varieties feel great in greenhouses and even in a room. It is late-ripening dill that gardeners most often want to have, because it gives the most abundant harvest, and fruiting lasts quite a long time - for four months.

Dill seeds are used in folk medicine for severe coughs, as well as bloating in babies.

Parsley

Parsley can be called the second most popular spice after dill. Unlike dill, this plant uses absolutely everything from the root to the leaf. The herb is used both fresh and dried. It, like all other herbs, can be grown in your own backyard. Parsley is very unpretentious to the soil and can grow both in the shaded corners of the garden, and in strongly lit areas. In addition, it can be cultivated in greenhouse conditions and even grown in a house or apartment. Like dill, this plant does not require special care and large areas.

Parsley can be classified as either root or leaf parsley. Among the last variety of the product, common parsley and curly parsley are distinguished. The latter is characterized by the presence of a plurality of petioles and leaves, which have a strongly pronounced aroma and an impressive size.

Seasoning is used in cooking:

• salads;
• soups;
• sauces;
• gas stations;
• gravy.

The plant contains a large number of minerals, rich in essential oils and contains many flavonoids. The pronounced aroma of parsley goes well with many other herbs.

The product has a beneficial effect on the processes occurring in the human body. That is why he found application in folk medicine and cosmetology. A decoction of parsley helps with inflammatory processes in the urogenital area, and also contributes to the soft and painless removal of salts. Fresh parsley juice helps to cope with bad breath and also aids in digestion. Daily use of parsley has a positive effect on the intrauterine development of the child, so the presence of this spice in the diet in dry or fresh form is indicated for all pregnant women. Eating parsley regularly improves eyesight and regulates blood glucose levels.

Basil

Basil is also one of the common herbs. The spice was noted by the culinary specialists of ancient Greece. In Russia, the plant has long been cultivated exclusively for medicinal purposes.

Today, botanists distinguish between common basil and purple basil. The latter got its name due to the color of the leaves. The green variety of the plant is also called camphor basil or garden basil. In some regions, this spice is also called reykhan or jambil.

Both types of basil have a spicy and slightly cooling aroma and flavor characteristic of this plant. The plant is honey-bearing, and essential oils and substances of the phenol class are obtained from its seeds.

Basil best reveals its qualities in combination with products such as:

• eggplant;
• bell pepper;
• mushrooms;
• milk (used in the process of making cheese);
• meat, especially chicken, pork, lamb and beef;
• squash and zucchini;
• tomatoes.

The most commonly used basil in cooking:

• sauerkraut;
• meat pies;
• drinks, in particular, decoctions and tea;
• fillings for pies, pies and casseroles;
• pizza;
• minced meat for cooking meatballs, meatballs and zrazy;
• soups.

In addition to all this, any kind of spicy herb called basil is widely used in the preservation of vegetables. Spicy herb goes well with:

• cilantro;
• mint;
• parsley;
• tarragon.

Dried spice is also added to some aromatic mixtures, where it perfectly replaces black pepper. Basil is also used in folk medicine. Folk healers have long noted the effectiveness of decoctions and infusions in the fight against:

• angina;
• asthmatic manifestations;
• diseases of the middle ear, otitis media;
• inflammation of the kidneys and bladder;
• toothache, annoying at night;
• runny nose, including allergic and seasonal, as well as other types of rhinitis;
• neuroses and disorders of the central nervous system;
• hepatic colic;
• severe cough, including a complicated whooping cough component;
• stomatitis;
• trophic and long non-healing wounds;
• eczema.

Eating basil, especially its fresh shoots, helps to overcome lack of appetite, as well as increase lactation. At the same time, the spice should not be used by those who:

• suffers from diabetes;
• prone to thrombophlebitis;
• sick with hypertension;
• suffered a myocardial infarction.

Oil is also obtained from basil, cooling which to extreme temperatures, pharmacists obtain crystalline non-odorized camphor. In the food industry, spice is used in the production of vanillin..

cilantro

Cilantro is an oriental spice known as a plant used for ritual purposes as far back as ancient Egypt. Cilantro seeds in cooking are called coriander. They are used in baking, brewing tea, and also added to marinades for meat, while cilantro greens are used more widely, for example, put in salads. It is also suitable for:

• canning and pickling vegetables;
• cooking sauces, gravies and soup dressings.

This spicy herb has a very specific, one might even say, pungent aroma, which many associate with the smell of bedbugs living in raspberries. Some linguists argue that the name of the grains of this herb is not given by chance: it is identical to the name of an insect in Greek..

Cilantro opens its aroma in the best way with:

• fish;
• meat;
• peas and other legumes.

The aromatic and bactericidal properties of the herb make it possible to use it in cosmetology and traditional medicine, as well as in soap making. The spice is great for:

• stomach ulcer;
• gastritis;
• cholecystitis;
• diseases of the urinary system.

However, those who suffer from:

• diabetes mellitus;
• venous obstruction and thrombosis;
• ischemic heart disease.

It is also worth limiting the use of cilantro for people of reproductive age. Scientists have proven that the product negatively affects potency and libido.

Mint

Mint, like all the above spices, is a widespread perennial herb. In nature, biologists have more than forty varieties of it, but varieties such as:

• long-leaved mint;
• peppermint;
• Japanese mint.

The main functions assigned to mint in cooking are to give a specific aroma and a cooling taste:

• drinks (juices, smoothies and tea);
• salads;
• alcoholic tinctures;
• second courses, in particular, prepared from meat or fish;
• carrots;
• legumes and their products.

As for meat, mint reveals its qualities best with young lamb, poultry meat, especially turkey and chicken. In addition, some desserts are decorated with sprigs and mint leaves when served. In the cuisines of some peoples of the world, mint is used in the preparation of cheeses. Everyone knows that this spice has a pronounced cooling taste and delicate aroma. All parts of the plant are saturated with esters, and this is what makes it possible to use the whole ground part of the spice.

Traditional healers also note that the usual infusion of peppermint has an anti-spasmodic effect. In traditional medicine, there is evidence that mint can rightly be considered a remedy for a hundred diseases. That is why such a spicy herb is widely used for:

• prolonged dry cough and bronchitis;
• bloating;
• toothache;
• hepatic colic;
• migraines;
• hoarseness of voice;
• nausea;
• heartburn.

The benefits of mint don't stop there, and in fact, there are more uses for this plant. A large number of people use mint to brew a fragrant and tasty tea that has a tonic effect on the entire body. Such an infusion calms and helps to fall asleep with insomnia, relieves joint pain, and also improves mood. With all this, mint should not be consumed in your diet by pregnant and lactating women, because it can relax the uterus and reduce lactation. Refuse mint in the diet should also be those who suffer from individual intolerance to the product.

In addition to cooking and medicine, the fragrant plant is also used in cosmetology and in everyday life. Based on an alcohol extract from mint leaves, lotions are prepared to help soothe irritated skin and narrow pores. A few fresh sprigs of mint will help to permanently expel annoying flies from the room that do not tolerate the aroma of this plant.

Fennel

Some gardeners call fennel sweet dill. And this is no coincidence, because in appearance these two plants can be easily confused. This is because they are both umbrella-shaped, have an upright powerful hollow tubular stem and almost the same color of foliage. A distinctive feature of the spicy herb is the delicate and barely perceptible aroma of anise from a long distance, as well as the fact that fennel is a perennial plant capable of self-sowing. If you look closely, you can see reddish veins on the tips of the leaves of the plant. It is there that the esters are contained that attract many cooks.

This spice is used exclusively fresh, because when dried, the raw material loses most of the essential oils and smells weak. The main use of the plant is to use it to prepare an alcoholic tincture called absinthe. Sometimes the fragrant herb is put into the teapot when preparing teas and tinctures, which save from bloating and excessive gas formation, which is often associated with overeating or irregular meals.

Caraway

Cumin is also a member of the umbrella family. The structure of the plant is slightly similar to the fennel and dill described above, but has a number of distinctive features. First of all, the plant differs from its relatives in the appearance of the leaves, as well as in the seed plants. As a spice, oblong shiny seeds of this plant are used. Cumin greens do not smell too strong, so they are rarely used.

Most often, grains are placed during cooking:

• meat dishes;
• baking;
• milk drinks;
• kvass.

The seeds of the plant are also used in cosmetology. It is believed that an infusion of them is an excellent tonic that can not only soothe the skin after washing off decorative cosmetics, but also relieve puffiness, and also prevent acne.. The antiseptic properties of the plant help to get rid of helminthic invasions and are used for lotions on simple, but long-term non-healing shallow wounds.

The fruits of this spicy plant are also used in medicine. They are used to make infusions that can soothe irritated intestines and “calm down” excessive gas formation. At the same time, you should know that cumin and products based on it should never be used by patients with cholelithiasis, cholecystitis and diabetes mellitus.

Tarragon

Tarragon, or, as it is also called, tarragon, is an amazing spicy herb that equally well manifests its qualities in many areas of cooking. Outwardly, it is unremarkable and looks a bit like wormwood. Despite this, the plant is popular with flower growers who breed it on their site more for decorative purposes than for the sake of seasoning. A young plant will delight with lush greenery, which has a delicate aroma, and an adult specimen is more like a lush shrub than grass. Tarragon can be propagated by seeds and division of the rhizome. That is how he gets to the farmsteads of those who do not even know about his spicy-aromatic properties.

In fact, this spicy herb can be used in cooking:

• marinades;
• the well-known drink of the same name;
• meat dishes;
• egg dishes;
• sauces;
• fish, including salted or boiled.

In addition, the spicy plant is used to make fragrant vinegar and is often combined for this purpose with green basil. Young shoots of tarragon are also often used to infuse vodka. The aged drink resembles vermouth in color and aroma, although it does not have such a pronounced taste of herbs.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a herbaceous plant with a pronounced aroma of coniferous forest, which dissolves in the gentle smell of sea freshness. Small needles of the plant have a piquant flavor. The best conditions for its growth and development are regions with a maritime humid climate.

The fragrant plant has had ritual significance since ancient times. In the days of Ancient Rome, wreaths from it were used for burial, it was associated with peace and memory of ancestors. The sprigs of the plant were also credited with miraculous power, which was able to drive away evil spirits.

And although from a biological point of view, the plant is classified as an evergreen shrub, from the point of view of culinary specialists, rosemary shoots, like many other shrubs, are considered spicy herbs. The plant is very unpretentious and can grow even in a room. Fragrant "needles" go well with:

• potatoes;
• mushrooms;
• cabbage;
• soft cheeses;
• oily sea or river fish;
• chicken eggs;
• chicken;
• pork.

In addition, water and alcohol infusions of rosemary needles are used to treat the gastrointestinal tract, as well as diseases such as:

• amenorrhea;
• impotence;
• neuritis and disorders of the central nervous system;
• mumps;
• rheumatism;
• thrombophlebitis.

Doctors confirm that the use of rosemary in the diet helps to alleviate the course of menopause, and also reduces the likelihood of developing stomach colic. Rosemary also relieves muscle pain and improves blood circulation. Regular but moderate consumption of rosemary helps boost immunity and also relieves asthmatic attacks. An important feature of rosemary is the fact that the spicy herb has no contraindications for use, because it is a powerful anti-allergic agent.

Thyme

Such a spicy herb as creeping thyme has long been known to culinary and confectioners around the world. In some regions, it is also called "thyme", "creeping thyme" or "Bogorodskaya grass" (not to be confused with a close relative mountain savory). The plant has a very attractive appearance and blooms very beautifully. The fragrance spreads throughout the garden and attracts bees. That is why gardeners are very fond of thyme, because the time of its flowering coincides with the time of budding of early tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers.

Fragrant grass is used in many sectors of the national economy, including pharmacy and the food industry. Dried and fresh spice leaves are needed for:

• canning;
• infusion of alcoholic beverages;
• brewing fragrant and medicinal tea;
• marinating meat, most often beef and lamb.

Creeping thyme is part of a popular mixture called Provence herbs. French chefs infuse the fragrant shoots of the plant in vegetable oil or vodka, and then add the concentrate to pastries, sauces and salads.

The plant is rich in essential oils, the miraculous properties of which have long been noticed by cosmetologists. Today, they are used to make cosmetics that care for the body and moisturize the skin, such as hygienic lipsticks, creams or soaps.

Infusions and decoctions of thyme, which are not only taken orally, but also used as baths, help to cope with diseases such as:

• radiculitis;
• rheumatism;
• disorders of the musculoskeletal function associated with infectious inflammation of the joints.

In addition, medicinal infusions and cough mixtures are prepared on the basis of thyme, which help heavy smokers and those who suffer from chronic bronchitis or asthma. Dry leaves of thyme, powdered, are recommended to be taken orally in case of infection with worms, and in the old days such a remedy was used as a healing and disinfectant powder on wounds.

Thyme is considered a male seasoning, because it has a beneficial effect on male sexual function, sperm activity and helps to resist diseases of the genitourinary sphere of a non-infectious nature.

oregano

Such a spicy herb as oregano is more familiar to many culinary specialists under the name of oregano. According to its characteristics, the plant is close to thyme, and sometimes in folk medicine it is also called mother or "female" thyme. It is noted that eating this seasoning helps fight against:

• gastritis;
• inflammation of the liver;
• disorders associated with intestinal motility;
• amenorrhea and menstrual irregularities;
• atherosclerosis;
• rheumatism;
• edema associated with impaired renal function.

In addition, babies are bathed in the infusion of this spicy herb to this day. This helps to protect the delicate body from irritation and diaper rash. Such baths have a therapeutic effect on scrofula. Sometimes grass string or chamomile are added to the decoction, which in turn help enhance the effect of using the motherboard.

In cooking, spicy herbs are used both fresh and dried. Most often it is included in recipes that allow you to get delicious:

• pate;
• sauces;
• gravy;
• broths;
• meat fillings for pies;
• homemade sausages;
• saltisons and aspic.

A fresh note of oregano flavor is added to canned cucumbers and tomatoes, as well as other pickles prepared according to recipes that include granulated sugar. This spice goes well with chicken eggs and cheese, as well as with cottage cheese and sour milk. A pinch of dry motherboard can transform the taste of fried mushrooms of any kind.

Oregano goes well with popular spices such as:

• basil;
• Bay leaf;
• nutmeg;
• black peppercorns.

This spicy plant is also used in cosmetology, making infusions for washing. Regular wiping the face with such lotions helps to clear the skin of blackheads and prevent the appearance of blackheads. Sometimes a decoction of this spicy plant is frozen in ice molds and then used to wipe the face. Fragrant tea brewed from this spicy plant is able to overcome insomnia and relieve severe coughs.

Just like thyme, motherwort is an excellent honey plant, blooms beautifully and can easily play the role of an ornamental plant. That is why this spicy herb can be increasingly seen in the beds and flower beds of summer residents.

Fenugreek, or fenugreek

Mediterranean spicy herb with the name "fenugreek" has long been included in the cuisine of many countries. The plant is an annual and is very tall. It is grown exclusively in open areas, and only for the sake of obtaining a fragrant seasoning, because the plant cannot boast of decorative properties. Fenugreek cannot surprise either with dense foliage or abundant flowering. Botanists distinguish between two varieties of herbs: blue fenugreek and hay (or Greek) fenugreek, both of which are used as aromatic spices in food.

Most often, this spice is added to food in dried form, because it is in this state that the workpiece has maximum saturation. The aromatic properties of fenugreek, which is sometimes also called fenugreek or shamballa, are best revealed when used in cooking:

• marinades for meat;
• basturmy;
• homemade sausages;
• salted fat;
• cow's milk cheeses.

This spice is especially appreciated in Indian cuisine. And the extract of this plant is a food additive, marked in the general list of similar substances as E417. Fenugreek has a pronounced flavor of mushrooms, so sometimes this plant among themselves gardeners is also called mushroom grass. Dried leaves, as well as the fruits of the plant, crushed to a fine fraction, are part of the famous spicy-aromatic mixture called "utskho-suneli".

Even in folk medicine or cosmetology, this spicy herb has found its application. A decoction of the plant is recommended to drink one tablespoon on an empty stomach for those who feel a breakdown. If, after washing your hair, you rinse your head with a daily infusion of this spicy herb, then you can forget about dandruff and even seborrhea for a long time.

Anise

Anise is an annual herbaceous plant classified by scientists as a herb or spice. It is cultivated in central Russia up to the Urals and is used as a seasoning in the preparation of confectionery and all kinds of meat dishes. In some areas, you can hear that this plant is also called pimpinella or thigh. Anise does not play a decorative role, although it is distinguished by lush foliage, outwardly similar to dill or fennel. The most valuable are the seeds of this plant, which contain a large number of essential oils.

On the basis of anise, alcohol tinctures are prepared, used as aperitifs or dessert drinks. The most common of them are:

• absinthe;
• arak;
• pastis;
• pacharan;
• sambuca;

Anise fruits have a menthol flavor and are used in the preparation of:

• cupcakes
• fritters;
• pies;
• cakes;
• gingerbread.

The oil obtained from the seeds of the plant is often used by confectioners to flavor impregnations for cakes, as well as glazes and creams. Anise essential oil is also used for medicinal purposes.. It has long been proven that a decoction of anise herb or water infusion of its grains helps fight against:

• deposition of salts in the kidneys and ureters;
• flatulence;
• gastritis;
• cough;
• laryngitis;
• tracheitis;
• low lactation.

There are no rigid contraindications to the use of such spices as anise in the human diet. The only thing that everyone should pay attention to is that all spicy herbs, without exception, consumed in large quantities, can cause intoxication of the body due to poisoning with essential oils.

Marjoram

Marjoram is one of the most revered spices in the Middle East. Just like rosemary in Greece, ritual functions were attributed to it. In the modern world of cooking, this spicy herb is used to flavor dishes from:

• meat;
• fishes;
• vegetables.

Most often, marjoram is used in dried form, although some recipes recommend adding this spicy herb in the form of fresh herbs. A new and complete taste when using this spice is acquired:

• homemade sausages;
• soups;
• salads;
• puddings;
• marinades used to preserve vegetables.

Fragrant greens are used for infusion:

• vinegar;
• liqueurs;
• liqueurs.

The herb is also used to prepare fragrant tea, which, in addition to its usual function, also performs the role of a healing drink, because it helps to alleviate the condition with:

• severe runny nose, including allergic or seasonal;
• bronchial asthma;
• diseases of the digestive system;
• neuralgia.

Lotions from a decoction of marjoram have a wound-healing and tonic effect. A hot infusion of this spicy herb is recommended for inhalation, the action of which is aimed at relieving cough and removing sputum during inflammation of the nasopharynx and upper respiratory tract.

Sage

Sage is considered a spicy medicinal herb. In cooking and medicine, it has been known for a very long time. In some regions, the flower is called salvia and grown as an ornamental plant in longline beds. All types of grass are characterized by abundant flowering and are excellent honey plants. This quality is appreciated by summer residents, who are increasingly planting sage on their plots, pursuing several goals, from attracting bees to collecting medicinal raw materials.

Botanists distinguish many varieties of this plant, differing among themselves in terms of flowering, plant height and degree of aromatization. The most popular of all types of this spicy herb are such varieties as:

• clary sage;
• medicinal sage.

Since ancient times, these herbs have been used in winemaking. Thanks to them, wine and wine drinks acquire a delicate aroma of nutmeg and a hint of honey. In addition, these spicy herbs are used to flavor high-quality tobacco products: thanks to this trick, the aroma of snuff is brighter, and cigarettes with such filling contain less nicotine.

In traditional cooking, the ground part of the plant is used as a fragrance in the preparation of black tea. Fresh spice goes well with meat (especially with veal or lamb), as well as with fermented milk products, where it is added when preparing vitamin drinks.

Doctors have long been researching the qualities and properties of this herb. The result of their labors was the use of infusions and decoctions for diseases of the joints, the musculoskeletal system and inflammation of the tendons. Based on the oils of this spicy herb, ointments are made that can restore the skin with psoriasis. It has also been proven that the fragrant base has a relaxing effect on the nervous system, especially when using the product in aroma lamps. Many people know that sage is considered an aphrodisiac. Perhaps that is why its use has become so popular in recent times.

Celery

A spicy herb called "celery" is easy to confuse with parsley, which is familiar to many. A distinctive feature of this spice is a pronounced aroma, characterized by dryness and woody notes. Botanists divide celery into two subspecies: petiole and root. In both cases, the whole plant can be eaten. Only in the first case, the plant will be able to boast of sprawling branches and a poorly developed root system, and in the second, everything will be the other way around. Despite the lack of flowering and a very unsightly appearance, this spicy herbaceous plant is widespread among gardeners and flower growers, who are often attracted by short stature and sprawling. Where celery grows, aphids and spiders do not settle, because the spicy aroma of the plant scares them away.

Celery stalks are used fresh and dried. Unlike parsley, the dried spice does not lose its aroma and, when added to a soup or gravy, easily restores its original aroma. Most often, fresh celery greens are used by cooks in cooking:

• salads;
• soups;
• gravy;
• sauces;
• fillings for pies;
• canned vegetables.

Dried seasoning is mainly used for:

• soaking meat;
• cooking meat and vegetable broths;
• mince flavoring.

Celery, as well as parsley, is considered a very useful herb in the diet of men of childbearing age, because it contains one of the most important sex hormones. Regular consumption of celery greens helps to avoid diseases of the genital area and increase sperm production, as well as improve their quality. In addition, this spice is known for its diuretic effect and the ability to gently remove some types of stones from the ureters. Celery is widely used in folk medicine. A gruel made from the ground part of this plant, applied to pigmented skin, can reduce the color of spots, including those that are of senile origin.

Surprisingly, in the cuisines of many peoples of the world, dried stalks of spicy herbs ground into flour are used instead of salt, and only prepared dishes are seasoned with this powder.

lovage

Lovage in its taste characteristics is very similar to celery, but outwardly these two plants have significant differences. First of all, lovage is a very tall plant, which, in addition to abundant greenery, is also beautiful, although it blooms dimly. People noticed the aromatic qualities of this spicy herb a very long time ago and began to use greens when cooking soups, salting meat and fish (as a flavoring agent and an aid that perfectly repels flies), as well as making:

• pickles from vegetables and mushrooms;
• marinades and sauces;
• light "herbal" salads;
• refreshing cold drinks;
• meat sauces.

Moderate use of lovage allows you to enhance the taste and aroma of any dish, but this spice goes especially well with mushrooms. Recently, supporters of a healthy diet have been using lovage in the preparation of vitamin drinks based on sour milk. It is believed that adding a small amount of green leaves of the plant to the cucumber-kefir drink helps the body to cleanse toxins faster, which not only leads to getting rid of edema, but also gives clean, healthy skin. The use of the greens of this spicy herb is also shown in the diet of those who have decided to lose weight quickly and safely.

Lovage is also considered very useful in folk medicine. It has been proven that with its help you can overcome the manifestations of:

• rheumatism;
• diseases of the gallbladder (including crushing small stones);
• disorders of the digestive tract;
• cardiovascular diseases.

In addition, this spicy herb is credited with a diuretic and expectorant effect. It has been proven that lovage juice has an antibacterial effect. Whether our ancestors knew about it or not is unknown, but the fact that the rooms on the Trinity were hung with bundles of this fragrant grass is known for certain.

Decoctions and infusions prepared from this fragrant plant are used in home cosmetology. Rinsing the hair after washing with a small amount of cold lovage tea leaves the hair soft and healthy-looking.

But, despite such extensive use, pregnant women should not use this spicy herb, because it has an abortive effect. In the early stages of pregnancy, this spice, even if consumed once, can cause severe bleeding, and in the later stages it can lead to irreversible consequences, for example, intrauterine fetal fading.

Hyssop

Hyssop is not a well-known herb for many cooks. But this is until they had to taste this spice and in action. Cooks and winemakers call this spicy herb blue St. John's wort.

The first mention of this fragrant herb is still in the Bible. It was with this plant, tied in small bunches, that the dwellings were fumigated during ritual actions. It was believed that the smoke emanating from the smoky bouquets expels evil spirits and brings prosperity, peace and tranquility to the house.

Modern cooks use hyssop during cooking:

• pork dishes;
• cottage cheese casseroles;
• cucumber and tomato salad;
• vegetable side dishes;
• homemade sausages;
• drinks.

This spicy herb is also known in folk medicine. It has bactericidal properties and may have a beneficial effect on diseases such as:

• stomatitis;
• angina;
• tonsillitis;
• laryngitis.

The use of this spice is also indicated for those who suffer from:

• angina pectoris and neuralgia;
• bronchial asthma;
• increased sweating;
• rheumatism.

The only thing I would like to note is that this spice, neither as part of seasonings nor for medicinal purposes, should be used by hypertensive patients, because it can dramatically increase blood pressure and can cause irreversible consequences.

Cucumber Grass (Borago)

Cucumber grass is the most unusual spicy plant. Unremarkable erect, not particularly branched bushes with rough, one might say, shaggy leaves resembling mint or lemon balm from afar, fascinate and arouse the interest of many gardeners. The thing is that if you accidentally touch this plant, you can feel the aroma of fresh cucumber. That is why the plant is often used in the preparation of early spring vitamin salads, which will smell like a fresh vegetable picked from the garden. This spicy herb goes well with dill and parsley, cabbage, basil. Sunflower oil is considered the best dressing for this spice, because it very well enlivens the natural essential oils of many spices.. When a small amount of salt and apple cider vinegar are added to the salad, the delicacy is simply indistinguishable from a dish prepared with a real vegetable.

Spicy and unusual borage is used in the manufacture of:

• vinaigrettes;
• okroshka;
• sauces;
• meat stews;
• fried fish.

In the countries of the Middle East, amazingly tasty sweets are prepared from the flowers of this spice on the basis of sugar glaze, and borage leaves and buds are added when brewing green tea. From this, the finished product acquires a fresh aftertaste that cheers up the taster.

The use of salads with borage helps to keep the cardiovascular system in good shape, and also helps to get rid of unnecessary accumulations in the kidneys and ureters. The therapeutic effect of the plant in the fight against manifestations has been proven:

• rheumatism;
• gout;
• bursitis.

Cucumber grass helps a person cope with seasonal beriberi. Borage is also indicated for obesity. Spicy grass does not have a spicy taste and has an enveloping effect, so it can be eaten even by those who suffer from various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

As such, there are no contraindications to the use of borage, so compliance with the measure can be considered the only restriction..

Melissa

Melissa is identified by some cooks with peppermint and is considered a type of mint. In fact, this spicy plant belongs to a completely different species and family of herbs. Popular names for lemon balm are "lemongrass" and "lemon mint". This is directly related to the aroma of the plant, somewhat reminiscent of the smell of citrus peel.

Fragrant grass is most often used for making soft drinks and aromatic tea. But, besides this, it is noted that the spice goes well with:

• fish and dishes from it;
• meat, especially poultry;
• cheeses, cheese and cottage cheese;
• mushrooms, in particular, with champignons.

The fragrant plant is used to prepare marinades and pickles: from this, blanks acquire a delicate aroma and a touch of freshness in taste. Grass leaves are used to flavor weak alcoholic beverages, such as liqueurs. Salads are seasoned with ordinary table vinegar, infused with lemon balm for several months. From this they become more piquant and fragrant.

Also found the use of fragrant grass in folk medicine and cosmetology. An alcohol-based tonic wipes the face with a tendency to edema, and is also used in the fight against youthful rash. As an adjunctive therapy, lemon balm tea is recommended for those who are prone to migraines and insomnia, as well as for people suffering from:

• dyskinesia of the gallbladder ducts;
• flatulence;
• tachycardia;
• indigestion of food;
• bronchial asthma;
• menstrual irregularities;
• acute respiratory diseases.

In order to get rid of a toothache, traditional healers recommend chewing a leaf of this fragrant plant for several minutes. Lotions from lemon balm tea help get rid of "bags" under the eyes and refresh the complexion. The positive effect of a decoction applied externally is noted in the fight against:

• eczema;
• dermatitis;
• cracking of the skin.

Melissa, like many other herbs, is a source of essential oils that are widely used in the manufacture of perfumes and body care products. The restriction to the use of this spicy herb is the period of breastfeeding, because lemon balm is one of the most effective folk remedies used to stop lactation.

Parsnip

Pasternak has been known in Russia for a long time. But more like a vegetable, not a spicy herb, because its rhizomes were most often used in cooking. They called the fruit a white root, and added it when cooking clear broths and soups. Modern cooks, along with the roots, put the ground part of the fragrant plant in dishes.

The most popular use of parsnips is to add fragrant greens to baked oily river fish dishes. The essential oils of the product clog the unpleasant smell of fish oil, but at the same time do not affect the taste of the finished treat. Young parsnip leaves, along with petioles, are put in fresh vitamin salads, and also added to cold summer soups along with other herbs and fresh herbs. Dried leaves are used for kneading dough, and the product is especially good in a puff pastry pie stuffed with stewed cabbage or minced sea fish.

Parsnip is used in traditional medicine to treat skin diseases. Allopathic drugs are prepared from it that can overcome even one of the most complex diseases - vitiligo, which manifests itself as white spots all over the body of various shapes and sizes that are not amenable to sunburn.

Eating parsnip greens helps to resist:

• stomach colic;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• weakness of capillaries;
• venous congestion.

Nutritionists note that eating parsnips in large quantities helps to produce gastric juice, therefore it can cause an uncontrollable desire to eat and can provoke overeating. That is why the greens of this spicy plant should not be eaten uncontrollably..

Verbena

A spicy herb such as verbena is bred by many gardeners for its decorative function. And few people know that the greens of this beautiful plant are used in the preparation of aromatic spices. The best use of verbena is the use of fresh shoots when pickling cucumbers. Leaves and flowers of this plant insist on a sweet syrup, and then pour vodka. The result is a surprisingly tasty drink, reminiscent of liquor. Fresh and young greens of this spicy plant (in small quantities) are put in salads, and are also used in the preparation of vegetable stews. Dishes from this acquire a delicate aroma and slight sourness, as when using lemon juice.

Verbena is a honey plant. Its delicate aroma attracts pollinating insects to the site and allows you to increase the yield of fruit crops. The smell of this plant helps relieve headaches and stimulates memory. In the old days, the plant was considered a symbol of love. Those who had this grass growing in their front garden were not threatened by family troubles and scandals, and their house was a “full bowl”.

A decoction of this plant helps with female diseases: it improves blood flow in the uterus and stimulates ovarian function. That is why drinking and eating dishes prepared with this spice are contraindicated for pregnant women.

Chervil

Chervil, which in some regions is known as "kupyr", is used in the preparation of many dishes. The aroma of this green and fluffy spicy herb transforms the palate:

• fried fish;
• baked meat, especially poultry, lamb and beef;
• sauces;
• omelets and other egg dishes;
• baked potatoes.

This spicy herb is added to butter and dairy products, combined with basil, celery stalks and tarragon. In the first case, the so-called green butter for sandwiches is obtained, and in the second, a vitamin drink with invigorating and restorative properties is obtained.

Chervil is also used in folk medicine and cosmetology. A decoction of this spicy herb has an astringent effect and helps with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and chronic diseases of the genitourinary system.

Cumin

Cumin, or zira, is one of the most common herbs. For the most part, the bitter seeds of this plant are used in cooking, but there are also cuisines where the green shoots of this herbaceous plant are used. Such a region is Gagauzia, which is a small territorial association in the south of Moldova. There, cumin leaves, combined with herbs and dill umbrellas, as well as onions, are used in the preparation of quick lightly salted cucumbers.

In other regions, young zira leaves are used for:

• cooking light soups;
• production of cold appetizers;
• salad preparation.

From the greenery of cumin, infusions are prepared, which are used along with decoctions from the grains of this plant. Healing liquids have antiseptic and wound healing properties.

Mustard

Mustard is a very valuable spicy herbaceous plant, the young shoots of which are used to prepare vitamin salads and drinks. The cultivation of this plant on the site is of a very unusual nature, because it is bred not so much for the sake of obtaining spicy greens, but for the sake of enriching the soil with minerals, since the plant is considered green manure in agricultural technology.

In cooking, medicine and pharmacology, mustard powder is considered more popular, from which the well-known spicy sauce is prepared. Pounded seeds are also used in traditional and folk medicine, making mustard plasters, and small seeds are used whole in canning mushrooms and vegetables: they add flavor to marinades and add a touch of piquancy to the taste.

Lavender

Lavender is considered by many to be more of a beautiful flower than a herb. But they are wrong. The fragrant inflorescences of this plant have long been used both in cooking and pharmacology, as well as in the perfume industry. French and Italian chefs season meat and fish dishes with lavender, and also use it together with juniper berries when smoking. The aroma of lavender combines well with thyme and sage. It is this combination of spices that can most often be seen in gourmet recipes.

In addition to flowers, lavender oil is especially popular. A few drops of the drug transform the taste of any sauce or dressing for meat.

In folk medicine, this spicy herb is used for insomnia and migraines. To get rid of these conditions, it is recommended to make small pillows that are filled with dried lavender stems and inflorescences. One such bag can serve for a year. A decoction of lavender is used for taking baths that can alleviate the condition with:

• neurasthenia;
• rheumatism;
• urolithiasis;
• inflammatory diseases of the kidneys.

Dermatologists advise rubbing the skin with a fragrant infusion to keep it in good shape, as well as to get rid of dryness and flaking.

Gardeners and flower growers appreciate this spicy herb for its beauty and aroma. Most often, the plant is planted on alpine hills, where, in addition to its decorative value, lavender also plays the role of protection against slipping rocky soil. The only problem is that this spicy grass is very thermophilic and does not grow in the northern regions.

Kolyuria

Kolyuria is considered a perennial herb and belongs to the rose family. The plant is common in the western and eastern parts of Siberia and grows in the mountains and in the valleys of mountain rivers. It is not possible to grow this plant in the middle lane, but the cheapness of raw materials, which are qualitatively comparable to expensive spices, forces the agricultural enterprises of Siberia to propagate the plant in a cultural way.

In cooking, the rhizomes of this spicy herb are used. When dried, they resemble the aroma of cloves and cinnamon. That is why most often this spice is used in the confectionery industry for flavoring dough and drinks.

Alcohol is infused on the aromatic powder, and then the resulting product is used in the alcoholic beverage industry. The characteristics of the plant also make it possible to use it in the pharmaceutical and perfume industries and even in the production of canned food.

Canuper

A spicy herb with the unusual name "canuper" has long been used in cooking. For making sauces; dressings and marinades most often use the fresh foliage and young stems of the plant, while confectioners prefer to use the powder obtained from the dried flowers of this plant. This spicy herb is known to botanists as balsamic tansy. This plant does not have decorative properties, so it is rarely cultivated by anyone on their plots. But experienced gardeners know that canuper has recently been grown in large volumes as a valuable essential oil crop.

Balsamic tansy in fresh and dried form is used in the manufacture of:

• beer;
• cheese;
• soaked apples;
• salted mushrooms;
• pickled cucumbers;
• kvass.

With fragrant herbs, tea is brewed, which resembles a drink with the aroma of bergamot. The only thing that should be said is that such a drink is a diuretic.

The oil obtained from the seeds of the canuper has been infused with olive oil since ancient times. This remedy was used as an antiseptic. Modern doctors use this oil for application to hematomas and wounds. Powdered seeds are also used as a disinfectant. Dried canuper is used as a moth repellant.

Sagebrush

Wormwood is considered a weed by many, but in fact this plant is a spicy herb. In nature, there are a huge number of varieties of this plant, but the most common everywhere is wormwood, or Chernobyl. It is this herb that is used in the preparation of alcoholic beverages, such as vermouth or absinthe.

One of the varieties of wormwood is the spicy herb tarragon, the properties and use of which by humans are described in the subsection above.

In folk and traditional medicine, the tincture of this plant is used as an appetite stimulant, and also when there is a suspicion of human infection with worms. In addition, the spicy aroma of wormwood repels fleas and bedbugs. That is why its bundles are hung in animal sheds and other outbuildings, and are also often used to make panicles.

Ruta

Rutu is bred by a very large number of flower growers, because it is distinguished by a special pomp of foliage and has a rich green color. But only the most inquisitive know that this plant is a spicy herb that is used both in cooking and in cosmetology.

The genus of rue includes about fifteen varieties, among which there are poisonous ones. Culinary specialists use fragrant rue greens in cooking. Most often, leaves are added to:

• salads;
• green oil;
• vinegar.

To taste, the leaves of the plant resemble onions or young garlic, but the smell of the plant is more like parsley.

In cosmetology, an alcohol infusion of rue leaves is used to treat dermatitis, and is also applied as bandages to burned areas of the body during tissue scarring. This helps to avoid scarring. The inimitable smell of this plant attracted the attention of perfumers. Currently, the esters isolated from this spicy herb are used as a fragrance in the manufacture of creams and perfumes.

Pregnant women should not eat the greens of this spicy herb, because the juice of this plant, taken orally, causes miscarriages at all times.

sweet clover

Sweet clover is known more as a fodder or medicinal plant than as a spicy herb. But in fact, this plant is used in the alcoholic beverage industry to infuse vodka. The drink from this acquires a mild taste and becomes not so hot. In addition, this dried spicy herb is added to tobacco used in the manufacture of cigarettes.

In cooking, this spice is not used because it has a pungent taste. Although it is this quality of spicy herbs that is valued in medicine. Based on the pollen of this plant, allopathic preparations are made that can cure rheumatism. Sweet clover is also used as an anticonvulsant and adjuvant therapy for coronary thrombosis.

Despite the fact that the spice is rarely eaten, you should know that it is harmful to those who have low blood clotting.

Avens

Gravilat can not be called a well-known spicy herb, but nevertheless, many culinary specialists respect this plant and use it in cooking. Most often this spice is added to:

• kvass;
• beer;
• wine;
• sweet dough;
• salads;
• sauces and dressings for second courses.

Wine or vodka, infused with crushed dried roots of gravilate for a month, is used for medical purposes as a drug that prevents bloating, nausea and vomiting in certain diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Marigold

Marigolds, or Chernobrivtsy, are a flowering spicy-aromatic garden herb that has long been used as a spice in many mixtures and seasonings. The second name of this plant is "Imeretian saffron". This is exactly what the dried flowers of this plant are called in the Caucasus, where it is part of the world-famous mixture of hops-suneli. Culinaries around the world use aromatic seasoning to marinate meat and fish.

In addition to its use in cooking, this spicy plant has found its place in folk medicine. A decoction of marigolds is drunk for diseases of the bladder, as well as to alleviate the patient's condition during the period when sand or small stones come out of the ureters. Dried leaves of the plant are used as a mild emetic, as well as for the treatment of febrile conditions in acute respiratory diseases.

Amateur flower growers "respect" this plant. Its lush and beautiful flowering pleases the eye from July to September, and its specific aroma can drive away pests.

Monarda

Monarda is a tall ornamental grass that flower growers breed for beauty. In some regions, the flower is called blooming rue, although it has nothing to do with the rue family. The fragrance of the monarda spreads far beyond the site. Cooks use both stems and leaves in cooking, but most often flower petals are used. They are put in small quantities in all kinds of drinks. It is noteworthy that a little dried monarda, added to the teapot when brewing tea, makes it possible to feel the taste of bergamot.

Although most herbs lose their aroma when dried, the flowers of this plant, on the contrary, smell stronger when dry. Fresh leaves have the aroma of citrus zest combined with nutmeg, which is why the spice is most often used when:

• marinating meat;
• cooking fish dishes;
• canning.

Young leaves of grass can be put in salads, and also used to make homemade alcohol tinctures that taste like vermouth.

This spicy herb is also used in medicine, because it has carminative properties. It is also noteworthy that by chewing a leaf of this plant, you can easily get rid of an unpleasant odor in your mouth or stomatitis. A decoction of this plant is used as a rinse for sore throats, tonsillitis and irritated palate, which often annoys when wearing dentures.

chives

Chives are also classified as spicy herbs. The taste of this plant bears little resemblance to the usual onion, although visually this plant is very similar to it. Small and thin leaves of chives are used fresh and dried. They are seasoned:

• soups;
• salads;
• second courses of meat and fish;
• vegetable stews and side dishes;
• omelets.

Spicy herbs are added to minced meat and pie fillings. Presentable appearance allows you to use the aerial part of the plant to decorate dishes.

From a traditional medicine point of view, eating chives stimulates the digestive function and helps in easy absorption of food.

Rucolla

Such a spicy herb as arugula is used by many cooks in the preparation of light vitamin spring salads. The aroma of this plant in the dish is impossible not to notice, as well as the taste. This spicy herb belongs to the genus Euphorbia and fully corresponds to the taste of this plant species. Slightly tart and slightly bitter greens have an excellent vitamin composition, which at the time of beriberi is the best way to restore balance.

In folk medicine, this spicy herb has not found application, but in cosmetology it is used to prepare nourishing masks, which, among other things, also have a whitening effect.

Watercress

Watercress is also rarely considered a spicy herb., but it is to this variety of plants that this vitamin green belongs. The rich mineral composition and saturation with essential oils make the plant a favorite of many cooks and nutritionists.

Fragrant and spicy greens are used exclusively fresh. This spice goes well with products such as:

• potato;
• tomatoes;
• chicken eggs;
• a fish;
• fermented milk drinks;
• cottage cheese;

The leaves of the plant are used as a decoration for sandwiches and canapés, and are also added to the soup along with parsley and dill.

Like chives, watercress has the ability to improve digestion. Doctors also note the fact that eating watercress greens helps to remove water from the body. The juice squeezed from the leaves of the plant was used as an antiseptic in the old days, and the oil, which was obtained from the seeds, was added during the soap production process.

Cheremsha

Ramson, although it is a kind of onion, but from a botanical point of view, it is a spicy herb. The whole plant is used for food, although its ground part has special taste qualities. The taste of wild garlic is something between the taste of sweet onions and young garlic. In cooking, this spicy herb is used raw and pickled. Spicy wild garlic is added to salads, and also used in combination with other seasonal vitamin plants in the production of drinks and green oil. In marinated form, wild garlic is served with protein delicacies.

Due to the saturation with phytoncides, this plant is widely used in folk medicine, especially in the fight against colds.

Citronella

Spicy grass, called citronella, in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bmost gardeners and flower growers performs a decorative function. And culinary experts appreciate this plant for its taste qualities, which are equally good in both fresh and dried plants. Green citronella leaves are good for Asian cooking. You should be aware that in this case only the lower part of the leaf is eaten, while the entire leaf can be used to obtain a dry seasoning.

Add spice to:

• poultry and fish dishes;
• vegetable side dishes;
• marinades;
• the drinks;
• first meal.

The plant is considered a natural antiseptic and is able to heal minor wounds. Doctors also note that lemongrass esters (as this spice is sometimes called) help to overcome anxiety and bad mood..

Nasturtium

Nasturtium is better known to our flower growers as an ornamental plant, which is often used for landscaping balconies and loggias. But in European countries, this flower is considered a spicy herb and is used in cooking, cosmetology and traditional medicine.

The green part of nasturtium can be added to any vitamin salad, and the buds can be used to make a delicacy that can easily replace capers in terms of taste and visual qualities.

Alcohol infusion of this spicy herb is used in cosmetology. It helps to strengthen the root bulb of the hair. You can use this tool regularly with every shampoo. According to the reviews of those who used the tool on their own experience, we can say that the drug even allows you to get rid of baldness.

In folk medicine, a decoction prepared from a plant is used as a bactericidal agent, as well as a mucolytic.

We have listed and given a description of only forty of the most famous herbs, but this list can be continued indefinitely, because in each region they will differ. In addition, spicy herbs include not only those plants that visually look like grass. Botanists and culinary specialists also rank among them:

• vegetable (edible) chrysanthemum,
• katran,
• horseradish,
• ginger

and many other plants that, in many ways, do not even resemble grass.

The best combinations

The best combinations of herbs can be combined into several groups. For convenience, we will present the information in the form of a table, in which herbs and spices will be listed opposite the application, which can be combined arbitrarily. Herbs that do not have spiciness are usually added to food at the rate of one teaspoon per three liters of dish, or to taste. Spicy spices are dosed, solely based on their own feelings.

Blend for:	What spices and herbs does it combine?
	Dill, parsley, thyme, rosemary, basil, marigold, sage, marjoram, fenugreek, thyme, cumin, cilantro, parsley, mint, chives.
	Marjoram, tarragon, dill, cilantro, fennel; anise; marigolds, oregano, basil, lovage, lemon balm, mint, lavender,
	Celery, basil, parsnip, parsley, dill, cilantro, borage, cumin, verbena.
Eggs and dairy products	Watercress, chives, chervil, tarragon.
	Parsley, dill, chives, canuper, parsnip, lemon balm, hyssop.
Desserts and drinks, including spirits	Nasturtium, kolyuria, anise, fennel, monarda, mint, lemon balm, sweet clover, citronella, gravel, wormwood, tarragon, lavender, verbena.

It should be remembered that it is advisable to add all herbs to dishes at the end of cooking, and when infusing alcoholic beverages, the compositions should be kept for at least three weeks in a dark and cool room.

How to choose quality herbs?

In order to choose high-quality fresh herbs, you first need to know these plants, as they say, by sight. An important condition is the absence of dry places on the petioles, but at the same time, those plants that have too wet and short “legs” should also be avoided. This may indicate that the spices were plucked a long time ago and all this time they were stored in cool rooms in the water. Of course, this is not the worst of the options, but it should be noted that herbs retain their spicy properties for several days after harvest.

When buying, you should pay attention to the places of bandaging of bouquets. In no case should they be black and excessively wet. Among the bunch of leaflets there should not be yellowed or dry specimens.

In order to understand how fresh the plant is in your hands, it is recommended to conduct a simple test. To do this, with clean, dry hands, you need to rub a leaf of spicy herb, and then smell it and your hands. A fresh plant can not only slightly stain the skin with juice, but it will definitely amaze with aroma already at some distance from the nose. The smell of spicy herbs, plucked, let's say, a long time ago, can be felt only in the immediate vicinity of the leaf.

As for those herbs that use not so much the aerial part as seeds or rhizomes, it should be noted that these parts of the herb retain their qualities for a long time. Moreover, the former are due to the oils enclosed in a dense impenetrable shell, and the latter due to the presence of spicy juice.

Regarding herbs sold in dried form, it should be said that the main criterion for the quality of the product is dryness and compliance with the conditions of sale. Undoubtedly, the specified characteristics of spices can only be known by tasting and smelling the seasoning. This can only be done where dried herbs are sold by weight. But this is where you have to sweat, because a huge number of aromas are mixed and do not allow you to fully feel the smell. It remains only to trust the sellers.

The best solution in this situation, of course, will be the cultivation and harvesting of herbs with your own hands. We will try to describe as fully as possible how to do this in the next section of the article.

How to grow?

How to grow spicy herbs on a personal plot, and also, which of them can be easily cultivated in an apartment? This question can often be seen on thematic forums related to cooking and floriculture.

The first thing a summer resident culinary specialist should do is to study the characteristics and requirements for soil, lighting, humidity and space of each coveted spicy herb. It should be noted that most of the plants are very unpretentious and can grow both in open areas and in a city apartment right on the windowsill.

The easiest herbs to grow are parsley and chives. They grow quickly, have lush greenery, and the onion also blooms. It would seem that the simplest and most common plant, called dill, can also be attributed to this category. But this opinion is erroneous, because this plant is susceptible to pest damage and loves a long daylight hours. A mismatch of conditions will not allow you to get the desired result: the dill will stretch and quickly turn yellow.

The easiest way to breed perennials. They have their own cycle and regulate it with little or no human intervention. For full growth and fruiting, they need warmth and adequate moisture. As a rule, such spicy herbs are very unpretentious to the soil, get along with most plants in the neighborhood and are not susceptible to pest damage.

Often, spicy herbs are grown in flower beds, and in European countries they fill the space in the gardens. There are even lands sown only with spices. Moreover, they have not only an agricultural purpose, but also perform a decorative function.

In ordinary summer cottages, you can grow a huge number of varieties of spicy plants. All of them are unpretentious to the conditions, although, according to agronomists, they will develop best in lightly shaded areas with loose soil. Like other garden plants, herbs love timely watering and loosening. A distinctive feature of growing spices is that they do not need to be fertilized. This, of course, is largely due to the fact that most often the seeds are sown in the soil prepared in advance and overwintered, and the fact that most of the plants fully mature in a very short time. Perennial herbs most often have a fairly developed root system and can feed on a large plot of land on which there is enough fertilizer.

Having decided to grow spicy herbs on your site or right in the apartment, you should definitely clarify the following points:

• how the spice propagates (by seeds or cuttings);
• at what time it is necessary to sow (in spring or before winter);
• whether the spice is planted with ready-made seedlings or sown with seeds directly into the ground;
• soil requirements, for example, its acidity or friability;
• is this plant annual or perennial;
• whether the herb is drought tolerant and will survive frosts;
• how tall the adult grass will be or how wide it spreads on the site;
• what plants can coexist with;
• which "neighbors" can inhibit growth;
• what pests are affected;
• how much time should elapse before the technical ripeness of spicy herbs.

You can buy seeds or seedlings of herbs (even the most exotic ones) in special agricultural (agrotechnical) stores. There you can also get advice regarding the rules and features of cultivation. Often the main characteristics of the plant and some of the requirements can be read on the seed packaging.

After sowing seeds in the ground, almost all plants need warmth and constant humidity. This is ensured by the use of a special shelter made of agrofibre, which has become very widespread in recent years. After the appearance of the first shoots, the fabric must be removed.

As practice shows, if you make a little effort and have enough space in the room, you can plant and grow spices such as:

• watercress;
• chives.

Caring for plants in a room, from sowing to harvesting, is not much different from the classic cultivation of herbs in the open field. The most difficult occupation is the cultivation of "water" spicy herbs: calamus and watercress. They definitely need to provide high humidity in the room and give the opportunity to grow in conditions as close as possible to the wild. In addition, these plants definitely need to create a long daylight hours.

The easiest way to grow rosemary indoors is because it grows without much care. The plant looks like a shrub, so it also does an excellent job with a decorative function. The rosemary bush is a perennial that matures rather slowly and therefore can please its owner for decades. You can learn how to grow spicy herbs in the most unusual containers from the video.

How to prepare for future use and store?

Those who decide to grow plants with their own hands will most likely be interested in how to properly prepare spicy plants for future use and how to store these preparations afterwards without loss of quality.

The first thing every culinary specialist should know is that there are such herbs that are used exclusively fresh. Of the plants listed above, the "fastidious" include:

• watercress;
• nasturtium;
• cilantro;
• mustard;
• borago;
• arugula;
• rue.

Some herbs can be frozen. These plants include:

• parsley;
• cilantro;
• basil;
• chives.

It is fashionable to pickle wild garlic and serve it as a spicy and very vitamin supplement already in this form.

All plants, except those that are eaten exclusively fresh, can be dried and prepared for the winter. Most often they are formed in bunches and hung or laid out on grates one by one (leaves or petioles) in the fresh air or dried with a vegetable and fruit dryer at the lowest possible temperature.

Dry herbs should be stored in dark glass jars with silicone or rubber seals on the lids, or in paper bags away from heat sources. Frozen herbs should never be re-frozen. Pickled spices and roots must be kept in the refrigerator. Under such conditions, spices retain their best qualities throughout the year.

Benefit and harm

Little can be said about the benefits and harms of eating herbs. With the correct and dosed use of spicy herbs in food, one should not be afraid of harm. Spices will not only bring fresh notes to any delicacy, but also help to get gastronomic pleasure. Do not neglect the advice, because the intentions of people who warn against possible harm are only good. Nutritionists say that absolutely all plants containing essential oils should not be eaten by those who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, as well as stones in the gallbladder, kidneys and bladder. This is due to the fact that the oils irritate the digestive organs and can cause heartburn and discomfort, and also, the esters contained in them can cause the movement of sand in the ureters. Cooks who decide to add this or that spicy herb to a dish should always remember the contraindications to the use of each seasoning, and also take into account the individual intolerance of the product.

Culinary herbs are those plants that we add to food to give dishes a pleasant aroma and a special flavor accent.

Sometimes, I just get upset when I remember that most housewives and cooks use only dill and parsley in their kitchen, with all the possible abundance of herbs. Occasionally, someone else will get cilantro and chives on the table, and at best, mint and maybe even basil. What about other equally interesting herbs? There are so many of them!

Herbs give dishes a special accent, and when added at the end, also a special flavor.
As for the notorious usefulness - everything is relative. Herbs are very useful, only in cooking they are used in such small quantities that the useful properties are very small. But the taste is great!

In this article I will talk about the most popular herbs in the world. Since I think it makes no sense to write about hyssop, fennel, verbena or chervil, which are not only hard to get fresh, even the seeds "by day with fire" must be looked for.

And let love lovers forgive me. I do not perceive it in culinary terms. When I was little, I visited my grandmother in the village with my cousins, my grandmother always prepared a decoction of lovage for rinsing our hair, "so that the guys love." I remember the aroma well, and much less than lavender, it is associated with cooking :-).

Herb use:

1) In general, herbs do not tolerate heat, so it is best to add them at the end of cooking, except for tough herbs with intense aroma, like rosemary, sage, thyme, etc.

2) Before cutting, after washing, the herbs must be dried, because instead of beautiful particles of herbs you will get a pasty mass.

3) To refresh under withered herbs, dip them for 5-10 minutes in cold water with ice, then dry and use as directed.

4) For marinades and for adding to dishes at the end of cooking, herbs are best finely
slice. And for adding to the roast, for long-term heat treatment, it is better to keep the herbs whole.

5) Since dried herbs are considered to be more intense in flavor (at the beginning of collection), they should be replaced with fresh ones in a ratio of 1: 3 (1 part dried equals 3 parts fresh), although from my experience, no matter what the proportions are, the aroma still not the same...

6) As a rule, the more delicate the flavor of the product (eggs, chicken), the less herbs are needed to add flavor and the herbs should also be less intense. And vice versa, the stronger the aroma of the product (game, rabbit, duck), the more intense the aroma should be in complementary herbs.

Herb storage:

Herbs can be stored in different ways:

1) In the pots in which you bought them, or sowed them, caring for them like houseplants. Most herbs tolerate these conditions very well.

2) Cut herbs can be stored in a vase like flowers, changing the water every day and washing the bases, but not longer than 3-4 days, as the bases begin to rot.

3) After washing, in the refrigerator, in an airtight tray or plastic bag, not too compressed, so that there is air circulation.

We make stocks:

As for drying herbs, this should be done at a temperature not exceeding 40ᵒС, so that
aromatic oils in spicy herbs did not evaporate. And you need to collect herbs for drying at the time of flowering. It is during this period that herbs contain the largest amount of aromatic oils.

Although I confess to you, I do not like dried herbs and, if possible, avoid them. Dried herbs, even of high quality, properly collected, properly dried and properly stored (in an airtight container in a dark place), lose their aroma very quickly and absolutely all dried herbs have a light aroma of hay, which really bothers me.

If possible, for a purer flavor, it is better to use fresh herbs. Frozen herbs are an alternative. It is necessary to collect them at the time of flowering, wash well and dry completely. Then, soft, tender herbs (basil, parsley, tarragon, etc.), cut and put in an airtight container.
container or a plastic bag, tightly wrapping it, and put the herbs in the freezer. Use as directed. Rigid herbs (savory, rosemary, thyme, etc.) should be washed, dried and whole, only by dividing the branches, placed in an airtight tray or in a plastic bag and wrapped and put in the freezer.

Also, for those who grow herbs, from my own experience, almost all herbs grow well in pots at home. All you need is plenty of sunlight and moderate watering.

The most popular sets of herbs used in cuisines around the world:

1)Bouquet garni(Bouquet garni (France)): 2 bay leaves, 2 parsley sprigs, 4 thyme sprigs, 1 green leek leaf.

2) Fin-erbs(Fines herbes (France)): parsley, chives, tarragon, crevel (sometimes verbena, marjoram)

3) Provencal herbs(Herbes de Provence (France)): basil, marjoram, rosemary, lavender, savory, thyme, bay leaf.

4) Italian herbs: oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, granulated garlic.

5) For "atar (Za" atar (Arab countries)): sesame, thyme, marjoram, sumac, oregano, salt.

Table of the most popular herbs:

description, application and flavor combinations

Name	Description and application	Combination with other herbs	Combination with products
Basil	It's hard to imagine Italian cuisine without basil. Although in one form or another, basil is widely present in Thai, Indian, Turkish, Greek cuisine and many others. There are several types of basil: Geneva, which is also well-known to us Italian, with wide "fleshy" leaves, regan (purple basil), walnut, the one that we have more common, green with small leaves, Thai, bush or French, etc. . The leaves have a pleasant peppery aroma. Add basil to salads, sauces, dressings. When possible, it is better not to cut, but to tear the basil with your hands. Basil is a delicate herb that quickly fades, and with prolonged heat treatment it partially loses its aroma, so it is added to the dish at the last minute or immediately before serving.	Parsley chives Rosemary	Bell pepper Eggplant Pasta Olive oil Balsamic vinegar Vinegar Grapefruit Strawberry
cilantro	The same coriander or Chinese parsley. An herb similar in appearance to flat-leaved parsley, but with a completely different aroma, which is also much more intense. It's hard to imagine Mexican, Thai, Indian, Chinese or even Caucasian cuisine without cilantro. This herb does not tolerate heat treatment very well, quickly losing its taste, despite all its intensity when fresh. You need to add it to the dishes at the very end. Cilantro is often used to make various cold sauces, chutneys, and salsas. The herb pairs perfectly with spicy and spicy dishes. Even the roots of this herb are used to make Asian soups. And the seeds of this plant are no less popular spice "coriander".	chives Lemongrass	Chilli Coconut milk Potato Corn Mutton
Lavender	Fragrant Mediterranean plant. Lavender is widely used both in cosmetology and in cooking. Lavender is used as food in Mediterranean countries. It is also part of the Herbes de Provence herb set. Both leaves and flowers are used. Lavender tolerates heat treatment well, and "gives" aroma for a long time, so it is better to add it at the beginning or in the middle of heat treatment.	Rosemary Parsley	Mutton Balsamic vinegar Walnut Orange Beef quail
Bay leaf	One of the most ancient and widespread plants that is used to flavor dishes. Bay leaf has a very wide application. It is put in soups, in roasts, in various marinades and preparations. Laurel is used both fresh and dried. Moreover, not everyone knows that fresh, the aroma of laurel is much more pleasant and noble, and there is no bitterness that everyone is so afraid of. Fresh laurel can be added to dishes at the beginning of cooking, and dried, in a small amount, at the end, as it can add bitterness to the dish. Keep dried laurel in a dish, preferably no longer than 15 minutes, for the same reasons. Laurel is part of a set of herbs "bouquet garni", as well as a mixture of spices and herbs "hops-suneli".	Parsley Celery Rosemary	Potato Tomatoes Juniper Beef Black pepper Veal
Lemongrass	He is lemongrass, citronella, cymbopogon, lemongrass, etc. Lemongrass is very common in Asian and Caribbean cuisines. Many Asian soups cannot be imagined without this herb. Lemongrass has an intense, pleasant lemon-lime flavor, but no acidity. The plant is used fresh as well as dried. Both stem and grass are used. Before use, the hard stem should be crushed a little so that more essential oils stand out in the dish, respectively, aroma. Often, for use in dishes, the root is finely chopped or ground. The leaves are added to soups and taken out after cooking.	onion chisel Parsley	Chilli Coconut milk Shrimps Coriander Carnation
chives	Chives, onions, etc. Onions have thin green feathers and a pleasant, delicate onion-garlic aroma. Feathers and flowers are used in cooking. Chives do not tolerate heat treatment. Add it to dishes: sauces, soups, salads, at the end of cooking, generously flavoring the dish with it.	Parsley Tarragon	Potato
Marjoram	The herb, which is widely used in European and Middle Eastern cuisine, has a warm, sweet, spicy flavor. One of the few herbs that retains its taste well when dried. Marjoram is used for cooking sausages, in soups, for roasts, for seamings. Fresh leaves can be added to salads.	Rosemary Parsley	Veal Tomatoes Goat cheese Mozzarella Potato Sausages Beef Mutton
Melissa	An herb related to mint that has a delicate mint-lemon flavor. Melissa is used fresh and dried. Very good in drinks, desserts, and some meat and fish dishes. Melissa very quickly loses its taste and aroma during heat treatment, so it should be added at the end of cooking.	chives Parsley	Mutton Veal apricots
Mint	One of the most widely used herbs. Used in almost every cuisine in the world. There are many types of mint, the most common being peppermint, Moroccan, lemon and pineapple. Mint is added to desserts, salads, meat and fish dishes, as well as to various cooling and warming drinks. It is better to put mint in the dish at the end of cooking, as it does not tolerate heat treatment well.	Parsley Rosemary	young peas Potato Mutton Strawberry Eggplant Grapefruit
oregano	Oregano, motherboard or oregano. An herb associated primarily with Greek and Italian cuisine. Oregano is used both fresh and dried. Often sprinkling the dish with fresh leaves before serving.	Tarragon Rosemary	Tomatoes Bell pepper Eggplant Potato Beef Mutton Veal
Parsley	What is a kitchen without parsley. An herb that is so versatile that it is added almost everywhere, with the exception of dessert dishes. Flat-leaved or Italian parsley is the most common and fragrant. Curly parsley has a more decorative character, as its taste and aroma are more miserable.	chives Bay leaf Rosemary Tarragon	Olive oil Parmesan Tomatoes Veal Potato Eggplant Butter Walnut by-products
Rosemary	One of the most spicy and intense herbs used in cooking. Spicy needles of this plant have a pleasant lemon-pine aroma. Rosemary is widely used in Mediterranean cuisine. Since the plant is quite resistant to heat treatment, add it to dishes at the beginning of cooking. Don't put too much in, as its intense flavor can overpower the other ingredients.	Parsley Bay leaf	Mutton Beef Eggplant Bell pepper bread products Grapefruit Olive oil Potato Mackerel by-products Tomatoes Shrimps
Celery	Mediterranean plant, with a specific aroma. Roots, stems and leaves are eaten. Celery is used to prepare various soups, meat and fish dishes.	Bay leaf Parsley chives Tarragon	Butter Tomatoes Potato
Thyme	One of the most important herbs in European cuisine. Thyme is also used in Caribbean, Creole and Cajun cuisines. The grass is very convenient to use, as small leaves do not need to be cut. Thyme is part of the French main set of herbs "bouquet garni".	Bay leaf Parsley onion chisel Rosemary Tarragon	Eggplant Mutton Potato Coriander Lentils
Dill	A popular European herb so widely used in Slavic and Scandinavian cuisines. It is hard to imagine pickling cucumbers without dill. Dill does not tolerate heat treatment, so you need to add it to the dish already before serving. It is so versatile that it goes well with almost every dish, with the exception of sweet dishes.	Parsley chives lemon thyme	Potato Tomatoes Seafood Butter Veal
Savory	A plant with a spicy-bitter taste and intense aroma. Savory should be used in small quantities and added to dishes at the end of cooking, as it can add bitterness to the dish. Savory is very popular in Yugoslav and Bulgarian cuisine. This herb is also present in spicy herring marinades. And because of the ability to kill many bacteria, savory is often used to prepare various pickles.	Parsley Rosemary	Beef Mutton Lentils Potato Tomatoes Veal by-products
Sage	Mediterranean herb with notes of cedar, lemon, mint and eucalyptus. Also popular in the USA. The leaves of this plant are used in stir-fry, minced meats and sausages, marinades, poultry, soups and also for making some sauces. Sage has a very intense flavor, so use it sparingly so as not to overpower the other ingredients.	Rosemary Parsley Bay leaf	Veal eggplant by-products Potato Sausages Tomatoes Walnut
Tarragon	Herb with aniseed aftertaste, with thin leaves that are plucked from the stem before use. He is also a tarragon. Probably most used in French cuisine, but in the Caucasus it is also favored. Tarragon is very sensitive to heat treatment, which slightly changes its taste. Add this herb to dishes at the very end of cooking. The aroma of tarragon is very intense, so it should be used in small quantities. It is used for cooking oil sauces, for poultry, for winter preparations. It is part of the classic tartar sauce and is one of the components of the French set of "fin erbs" or "thin, refined herbs."	Celery chives Parsley	Seafood Grapefruit Potato Tomatoes Orange Cauliflower

Don't be afraid to experiment with herbs. Try to gradually expand the range of herbs used, introducing them into your kitchen one at a time. And you will see how certain herbs will add variety to your diet without expanding the repertoire of familiar dishes.

If you have any questions feel free to ask me.

Cook with pleasure and health!

For those who keep the “informal” style in landscape design, this herb garden is a real find for the gardener and his whole family. A garden dominated by herbs is not an invention of yesterday, but an ancient tradition that is coming back into fashion. If there is some free space on your site that you would like to decorate with such ornamental plants and use them to the maximum effect for you, then the “aromatic” garden is what you need. From spicy herbs, you can build a flower bed, a border, or, at worst, an ordinary garden bed. So what are the best herbs to grow in an “aromatic” garden, you will find out in this article!

The formation of a flower bed or beds with herbs is not too different from the formation of an ordinary flower garden.

It is necessary to choose a place in the garden for the flower bed so that it is convenient to approach it in any weather. Its shape can be arbitrary: square, round, triangular. The tallest plants, such as tarragon, cumin, fennel, plant them in the center so that they do not shade other plants. From the beautifully flowering spice plants in the center, you can also plant borage herb with bright blue edible flowers and red quinoa with bright beautiful leaves. Along the border, you can plant plants with graceful leaves - chervil, curly parsley, thyme, savory.

A special place must be reserved for annual spices. In the place reserved for them, be sure to sow chervil, dill, basil, leaf mustard and other plants according to your preference, desire and taste.

An integral element of the garden in the village is, of course, a vegetable garden, and therefore even the most uncomplicated beds will naturally look on the site.

In order to prevent tall plants from shading other plants from the spicy garden, build them a light support from twigs or wire. The rest, smaller herbs, should be grouped around tall plants. In order for the spices to grow well and have the same pronounced smell and taste, it is best to place the bed in a sunny place and water it more often.

It is not necessary to plant all herbs directly into the ground. Some of them can be planted in pots without a bottom and plastic containers, for example, mint - since its roots can spread over a large area.

In order to use the aerial parts of plants as spice additives, they must be collected during their full development (when leaf growth is completed or the plant is in the full flowering phase). Such harvesting of plants, as a rule, is carried out in the summer.

It is necessary to collect raw materials in good dry weather, during the day or better in the evening, when there is no dew on the leaves. Spicy plants on the eve of the collection, it is advisable not to water. Good watering is best done after harvesting raw materials - to better stimulate the growth of new leaves or the formation of inflorescences.

Well-dried raw materials are fragile, easily crumble at the slightest touch. It has a beautiful green or other natural color, without defects and damage. It is best to store dry raw materials in glass jars or Kraft paper bags.

For a small family, it is absolutely worth harvesting a lot of dry raw materials for the winter, since dried essential oils contained in plants are stored for no more than one year. Having started making preparations and using essential oil plants for cooking, you will soon evaluate and decide which raw materials of which herbs and what volumes your family needs to prepare for future use for up to a year.

Choosing plants for a spicy garden

Wrinkled Agastakhis, or Wrinkled Polycolon, or Tibetan Lofant, or Korean Mint (Agastache rugosa) is an anise flavor for sophisticated salads and teas. It is called "northern ginseng" for its ability to strengthen human immunity. Used in cosmetology to maintain skin elasticity and youth.

Perennial herbaceous plant of the Lamiaceae family. The aerial part is used fresh for salads and tea. Lofant is also a delightful honey plant and has unique medicinal properties. The advantages of this spicy herb include its unpretentiousness and ease of cultivation. Lofant can be propagated either by direct sowing of seeds in open ground or through seedlings. The minimum planting pattern is 25x25 cm. Plants must be covered for the winter.

Common anise, Anise thigh (Pimpinella anisum) is an annual, thinly and shortly spaced-pubescent plant. The root is thin, spindle-shaped, tap-root. The stem is 30 to 50 cm high, erect, rounded, furrowed, branched in the upper part.

Medicinal annual herbaceous plant from the Umbelliferae family with an upright branched stem, up to 60 cm high, covered with a short down. The leaves are alternate, the lower ones are entire, long-petiolate, rounded kidney-shaped or heart-shaped. The flowers are small, white, in complex umbrellas. Blooms from June to September. Prefers sunny areas, sandy or loamy soils.

Use ripe anise fruits, which contain the maximum amount of essential oil. Preparations from anise fruits delay putrefactive and fermentation processes in the intestines, relieve spasms of the abdominal organs, inhibit the development of microbes in the renal pelvis and bladder, and have expectorant and diuretic properties. Anise fruits are brewed like tea.

Basil

Basil (Ocimum) belongs to the mint herb family and is used as a seasoning for many dishes. Fresh basil has a bright aroma that can be described as a cross between licorice and cloves. Most varieties of basil have green leaves, but there is an opal basil that has a beautiful purple color. Other types of basil, such as cinnamon basil and lemon basil, are named for their respective aromas.

A strongly branched plant with tetrahedral stems from 30 to 60 cm high. Its leaves are oblong-ovate, rarely toothed, green or purple, up to 5.5 cm long. At the ends of the stems, basil throws out inflorescences in the form of tassels, consisting of several flowers. Their color can be varied: white-violet, pink, white.

Basil as a spice is widely used fresh and dry. As a spice, it is much appreciated fresh.

Mustard salad, or Mustard leaf - a variety of Mustard (Brassica juncea) - an annual cold-resistant early plant. Within a month, it forms a large rosette of large leaves, original in color. The flowers are small, yellow, collected in a spike-shaped inflorescence, the fruit is a pod.

Young mustard leaves are used fresh for salads and as a side dish for meat and fish dishes, boiled, as well as salted and canned. Leaf mustard is a relative of arugula, but in its precocity is more similar to watercress. Leaf mustard stimulates appetite, enhances the secretion of gastric juice and bile, has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects.

Mustard greens, in which ascorbic acid and rutin (vitamins C and P) dominate in the natural complex of vitamins, are an excellent antiscorbutic agent that prevents untimely aging of the walls of blood vessels, their loss of elasticity and the deposition of cholesterol plaques on the inner wall of blood vessels. Since mustard leaf stimulates appetite, it should not be included in a weight loss diet.

Oregano, or Oregano (Origanum) is a genus of herbaceous plants of the Lamiaceae family, includes from 45 to 50 species. Perennial herbaceous plants or shrubs, 30 to 75 cm high. Rhizome glabrous, often creeping. The stem is tetrahedral, erect, slightly pubescent, glabrous in the upper part. The leaves are opposite, petiolate, oblong-ovate, entire, pointed at the tip, dark green above, gray-green below, 1 to 4 cm long.

This spicy herb has a strong aroma. It is traditionally used in Greek cuisine and the cuisines of the Balkan states. Delicious with fried fish, cheese, also suitable for adding flavor to vegetable oils.

Leaves are plucked as needed. In the open field from June to November, at home - all year round.

Hyssop, blue St. John's wort (Hyssopus) is a genus of plants in the Lamiaceae family. Perennial strongly odorous spicy herbs or shrubs with linear or oblong leaves.

Drought-resistant and winter-hardy subshrub. Forms a bush from 50 to 60 cm tall and 60 to 70 cm in diameter, with upright branched shoots. The shoots below are lignified: the first year they are green, later they acquire a grayish-brown hue. Sessile leaf without petiole, small, green. The flowers are blue. The taste of stems, leaves and flowers is bitter-spicy.

In cooking, as a rule, dried leaves of the upper third of the plant are used. Young stems, leaves and flowers, fresh and dried, are used to flavor dishes and snacks. In folk medicine, hyssop is used for angina pectoris, gastrointestinal diseases. It aids in digestion and stimulates the appetite.

Hyssop infusion as a general health drink is recommended for older people. Has bactericidal properties.

When grown for seasoning, it is harvested throughout the summer: the plant intended for medicinal purposes is cut off the stems before flowering. At the same time, the upper part of the stems is cut off and the collection is dried in the shade. Store in a cool, well-ventilated area.

Openwork chervil, or butene-leaved chervil, or common chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) is an annual plant from 15 to 50 cm high with a spindle-shaped root. Stems erect, shortly pubescent, branched almost from the base, swollen at the nodes. The leaves are triangular, thrice pinnately dissected.

It has a sweetish anise smell, spicy sweetish, reminiscent of parsley, taste, due to which it is used as a spice. It goes well with other green vegetables - basil, tarragon, parsley. In North America, ground chervil is used in grilled poultry, fish, and egg dishes. It is used with hard-boiled eggs, fish sauces, salted omelettes, green butter, potato salad, potato soup, spinach, poultry, fish, lamb and lamb.

Chervil dishes are an excellent vitamin and tonic remedy. In folk medicine, the leaves and fruits of the plant were used for urinary bladder, kidney disease, as an expectorant and astringent for gastrointestinal disorders. Good honey plant.

Coriander seed, or Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is an annual herbaceous plant of the Umbrella family (Apiaceae), one of the most popular herbs. The stem of the coriander is erect, bare, 40 to 70 cm high, branched in the upper part. Basal leaves broadly lobed, coarsely dissected, with wide lobules and long petioles; upper leaves on short petioles with narrow linear lobes. The flowers are small, white or pink, arranged in complex umbrellas at the ends of the peduncles, forming 3-5 rays. Marginal flowers 3 to 4 mm long.

Coriander fruits are widely used as a spice for flavoring and fortifying sausages, cheese, canned meat and fish, liquor pickles, marinades, they are added when baking Borodino bread, confectionery and culinary products, as well as in the preparation of certain types of beer.

Leaves of young vegetable coriander plants are eaten in the phases of rosette and the beginning of shooting. The leaves have a pungent odor, they are used in salads, and also used as a seasoning for soups and meat dishes. Excellent honey plant. Delicate leaves are an excellent seasoning for salads, first and second courses, and the seeds are used in the preparation of marinades and confectionery. Coriander is also useful for colds and stomach problems.

Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is a perennial herbaceous plant; monotypic genus of the Umbelliferae family. The stem is high, from 100 to 200 cm, glabrous, with a bluish surface, branched at the top. The leaves are shiny, pinnate, with large obovate or rhombic, somewhat incised lobes.

Frost-resistant and cold-resistant. The smell of lovage is quite sharp, spicy, the taste is sweetish at first, later spicy, spicy and moderately bitter. An essential oil is obtained from the plant, which is used in perfumery and cooking. Fresh stems, leaves and roots are used to flavor confectionery, drinks, marinades. Even small additions of lovage greens change the taste and give canned food a peculiar mushroom flavor.

The green parts and roots of young plants are eaten as a spice in the preparation of green butter, salads; it is added to sauces, gravies, soups, fried meats, vegetables, rice dishes, cereals, poultry and fish. With the addition of a pinch of lovage, a strong meat broth acquires an exceptionally good taste, in which the taste of meat is emphasized and enhanced. Lovage is of particular importance in the diet, along with dill and basil. Lovage roots are shown in the diet for diseases of the liver, kidneys, gallbladder, obesity, rheumatism, flatulence.

Marjoram (Origanum majorana) is a species of perennial herbaceous plants from the genus Oregano (Origanum) of the Lamiaceae family. In the Middle East, it is better known as "zaatar". Stems erect, branched, 20 to 50 cm high, woody at the base, silver-gray. Leaves are oblong-ovate or spatulate, petiolate, obtuse, entire, gray-tomentose on both sides. Inflorescences are oblong, felt-hairy, from three to five rounded, sessile, ovate, short spicate bunches at the ends of branches. The flowers are small, the corolla is reddish, pink or white.

Currently, marjoram is consumed mainly as a spice, it is added to both salads and soups, fish and vegetable dishes, fresh or dried, and for canning. The plant is also used for making liqueurs, puddings, sausages, liqueurs, flavoring vinegar and tea. Essential oil is extracted from the aerial part of a flowering plant. Dry leaf powder is used in pepper mixtures. Marjoram improves digestion, is indicated for flatulence, has a diuretic and sedative effect.

In some countries, the plant is used in medicine for diseases of the respiratory tract and digestive organs. The use of marjoram is indicated for dietary nutrition of gastric patients. In folk medicine, it is also known as a gastric, tonic, anticatarrhal and wound healing agent. Together with other drugs, marjoram was used for paralysis, neurasthenia, bronchial asthma and the common cold. The plant was used internally in the form of an infusion and externally - for baths and lotions as a wound healing agent. Valuable honey plant.

Melissa, lemon mint, honeydew, mother liquor, swarm, bee (Melissa officinalis) is a perennial essential oil herbaceous plant from the genus Melissa (Melissa) of the Lamiaceae family. The rhizome is strongly branched. The stem is branched, tetrahedral, pubescent with short hairs with an admixture of glands or almost naked. Leaves opposite, petiolate, ovate to rounded-rhombic, crenate-serrate, pubescent.

It is grown for its oval leaves, which emit a strong lemon scent when crushed. Melissa, as a spice, goes well with pork, lamb, game fish, veal, mushroom dishes. Fresh lemon balm leaves are added in the preparation of sauces, vegetables, soups of all kinds (fruit, potato, pea, mushroom). Many people like to add lemon balm to milk so that it smells better, to grated cottage cheese.

Melissa is indicated for indigestion, it improves appetite, it is used for neuralgic and rheumatic pains, as a diuretic, it is used for depression, menstrual pain, migraine, insomnia, insomnia, migraine, nervous weakness, general prostration, some forms of asthma, colds , skin rashes, pain in the heart and palpitations, colic in the stomach and liver, anemia and to improve metabolism. Outwardly - with inflammation of the gums and furunculosis.

An alcoholic tincture of this spicy herb is used for rheumatic pains and neuromyositis, poultices prepared from the herb are used as an analgesic for bruises, arthritis and ulcers. The plant stimulates the activity of the digestive organs, has a mild laxative, stops nausea and vomiting, frees the stomach and intestines from gases. In folk medicine, it is used for heart pain, bone pain, vomiting, and to strengthen memory. Juice is used to treat chronic wounds.

Mint (Mentha) is a genus of plants in the Lamiaceae family. The genus includes about 25 species and about 10 natural hybrids. All types are strongly aromatic, most of them contain a lot of menthol.

Mint is very widely used in medicine, pharmacology and cooking. Most often, we use it as a spicy herb when brewing tea or cocktails.

Borage, borage, borage, borago (Borago) is a monotypic genus of the Borage family (Boraginaceae). The only species - borage medicinal (Borago officinalis) - an annual herbaceous plant. An annual plant, hard-haired, from 60 to 100 cm high. The stem is straight or ascending, thick, ribbed, hollow, branched at the top. Basal and lower stem leaves are elliptical or oval, obtuse at the apex, narrowed towards the base into a short petiole; stem leaves oblong-ovate, sessile, amplexicaul, like stems, covered with stiff whitish hairs.

They are good substitutes for cucumbers, they are added to vinaigrettes, salads, sauces (mustard, tomato, sour cream), okroshka, side dishes, cold vegetable soups and borscht. The roots collected in autumn are used to make green oil, added to cheeses, cottage cheese, sour cream, flavored tinctures, wines, syrups, beer, punch, vinegar, essences and cold drinks.

Cucumber grass gives a piquant taste to minced meat, minced meat and fish fried in vegetable oil. Fresh and dried borage flowers are used in the liqueur and confectionery industries.

Perilla is a monotypic genus of annual herbaceous plants of the Lamiaceae family. The only species is Perilla frutescens. Herbaceous plants with straight ascending stems. The lower leaves are large, long-petiolate, ovate, the upper ones are oblong-ovate, sessile or short-petiolate.

New spicy-tasting culture. Due to its rather high decorativeness, it can be grown as a border plant. The variety is early maturing, cold-resistant, with a long growing season - from 135 to 150 days. The plant is high - from 120 to 140 cm, the stem is erect, branching, tetrahedral. It is grown up in an open ground and in greenhouses, and through seedling or direct crops. The mass of one plant is from 200 to 500 g. The yield of leaves, depending on the growing conditions, varies in the range of 0.5-5.0 kg/m2.

It is recommended for fresh young green leaves (salads, meat and fish dishes), at the stage of technical ripeness, the leaves are salted and marinated, and also used in the form of powder from dry leaves as an aromatic additive to meat and vegetable dishes. Perilla greens are juicy, delicate with a refreshing taste and a special soft aroma, where there are notes of caramel, anise flowers and very light peppery tones.

Parsley (Petroselinum) is a small genus of biennial plants in the Apiaceae family. Leaves are double- or thrice-pinnate. The teeth of the calyx are inconspicuous, the petals are yellow-green or whitish, often with a reddish tint at the base, heart-shaped, notched at the apex and in the notch with a long, inwardly curved lobule.

Parsley is used as a spicy herb in fresh, dried and less often salted form, leaves - as an integral part of salads, and leaves and root crops - as an additive to side dishes and soups, especially to fish dishes. Freshly frozen greens fully retain their nutritional and healing properties for several months (with proper storage - up to a year).

The roots of leaf parsley are edible, but thin and coarse, so they are rarely used. In medicine (less often in cooking), parsley seeds are also used. Parsley is known for diuretic, choleretic and stimulating effects.

Purslane, Dandur (Portulaca) - a genus of plants of the Portulacaceae family - a genus of annual or perennial succulent fleshy plants of the purslane family. Approximately 100 (according to other sources, up to 200) species in tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres. Stems prostrate or ascending, leaves alternate or almost opposite. The flowers are often small, inconspicuous, less often - large solitary.

Young shoots and leaves of Portulaca oleracea (preferably harvested before flowering plants) are used as a side dish for meat and fish dishes - boiled with garlic, vinegar, vegetable oil or stewed with onions in vegetable oil.

A very diverse use of purslane grandiflora in garden design. It is planted in flower beds (often in carpet flower beds), on dry slopes, retaining stone walls, ridges, flower beds, at the junctions of concrete slabs in rockeries. On dry soils, purslane can replace the lawn.

Rhubarb (Rheum) is a genus of plants in the Buckwheat family. These are very large perennial herbs with thick, woody, branched rhizomes. Above-ground stems are annual, straight, thick, hollow and sometimes slightly furrowed. Basal leaves are very large, long-petiolate, entire, palmate-lobed or serrated, sometimes wavy along the edge; petioles are cylindrical or polyhedral, equipped with large bells at the base. Stem leaves are smaller. The stem ends with a fairly large paniculate inflorescence.

Fresh petioles, after removing the dense skin, are cut into pieces and eaten:

1. Boiled in sugar syrup, they give a sour, incredibly tasty jam;
2. A little boiled in thick sugar syrup, dried and again immersed in syrup the next day, they give candied rhubarb;
3. Boiled with boiling water, rubbed through a sieve and boiled with sugar, they are used as a filling in sweet pies, reminiscent of applesauce in taste;
4. Wine is made from the juice of the petioles, like Chablis, among other things, the juice mixed with water and sugar is first fermented, when the latter is over and the liquid is cleared, filtered, settled and poured into containers in which they are kept for at least a year in the basement.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus) is a genus of perennial evergreen shrubs of the Lamiaceae family. Calyx ovate-bell-shaped, two-lipped, bifid; upper lip with three short teeth; lower two-toothed, three-lobed, with a rather large middle lobe. Two stamens, anthers unilocular. The leaves are opposite, narrowed, linear.

Rosemary has a strong aroma, a sweetish and camphoric pine-like smell, and a very spicy, slightly spicy taste. Leaves, flowers and young shoots in fresh or dry form are used as a spice for processing fish, in small quantities they are added to vegetable soups and dishes, minced meat, fried meat, salads, fried poultry, mushrooms, red and white cabbage and marinades. They give a pleasant taste to soft cheeses, potatoes, game meat, fish and pastries.

Rosemary essential oil is used in the perfumery and cosmetics industry; leaves, flowers and young shoots - in the alcoholic beverage and baking industries.

The leaves and annual shoots of rosemary have been used in folk medicine internally for amenorrhea, as an astringent, tonic for impotence; sedative - for nervous disorders in menopause; analgesic - for pain in the heart and gastric colic and for external use - for neuritis, rheumatism, mumps, thrombophlebitis, leucorrhea, as a wound healing. Used in modern combined herbal preparations

Arugula, Caterpillar sowing, Indau sowing (Eruca sativa) is a biennial herbaceous plant of the genus Eruca (Eruca) of the Cabbage family (Brassicaceae). Stem erect, branched, slightly pubescent. The leaves are lyre-pinnate or dissected, with serrated lobes.

It has been grown as a herb in the Mediterranean area since Roman times, where it was considered an aphrodisiac. Until the 1900s, arugula, as a rule, was collected in the wild, cultivation on an industrial scale was not used, and practically was not studied by science. It has a rich, spicy taste.

As a rule, it is used in salads, as well as a vegetable additive to meat dishes and pastas. In coastal Slovenia (especially in Koper) it is added to cheese cheburek. In Italy, it is often used in the preparation of pizza; usually arugula is added to it shortly before the end of cooking or immediately after. Also used as an ingredient in pesto in addition to (or as a substitute for) basil.

In the Caucasus, young shoots and leaves are eaten. The leaves are used as a seasoning for dishes in the form of a salad, the young shoots are eaten fresh, the seeds are used to prepare mustard. In Indian medicine, the seeds are used as an irritant and anti-skin blister; in folk medicine - for skin diseases, juice - for ulcers, freckles, hematomas, calluses, nasal polyps.

Ruta is a genus of evergreen perennial fragrant herbs, shrubs, shrubs of the Rutaceae family. The leaves are trifoliate or pinnate, dotted with translucent glands, with odorous essential oil.

Rue is bred as a spicy herb for the sake of young leaves, which are used as a seasoning for dishes, for sprinkling sandwiches and in vinegar (taste reminiscent of garlic or onions), and also as a medicine, for which the plant is cut just before flowering and then dried. .

Celery (Apium) is a genus of plants of the Apiaceae family, a vegetable crop. In total, there are about 20 species distributed on all continents. A biennial vegetable spicy plant with a thick spindle-shaped yellow-white and brownish root crop with porous pulp. The leaves are shiny, dark green, the petioles of the basal leaves are long and fleshy.

All parts of this spicy herb are added to the first and second courses, drinks, sauces, salads, seasonings. The rhizome is also used in dried form. Stems are recommended to be used instead of salt for diseases of the gallbladder, osteoporosis, kidney disease. In medicine, it is used as a diuretic. Is an aphrodisiac.

Celery root has a diuretic and general tonic effect, and it is widely used in diseases of the kidneys and bladder. In homeopathy, extracts from seeds, roots and leaves are used as a diuretic and heart remedy, as well as in diseases of the genital organs.

Thyme, Thyme, Thyme, Bogorodskaya grass, mainland (Thymus) - a genus of shrubs of the Lamiaceae family. Perennial subshrub up to 35 cm tall with woody decumbent or ascending stem and erect or ascending herbaceous branches. Root taproot, woody. The stems are woody at the base, flattened over the soil, branched, covered with bent down or erect hairs.

The leaves are different in size, venation and shape (from round or ovate to linear-oblong), hard, almost leathery, short-petiolate, less often sessile, entire or sometimes serrated (a constant feature in some Far Eastern species).

Young shoots of thyme have a strong, pleasant lemony aroma and a slightly bitter, pungent taste. It is recommended to add thyme to fatty lamb and pork dishes. This spicy herb contains an essential oil with a strong odor. Thyme is good to use when combined with pepper, it enhances its flavor. It is used for the manufacture of many medicines, as well as an ornamental plant for landscaping the site.

Cumin (Carum) is a genus of perennial or biennial plants of the Umbelliferae (Apiaceae) family, of which the common caraway species (Carum carvi) is best known. Leaves are double or thrice pinnate. Flowers bisexual or partially staminate. Petals are white, pink or red, rounded obovate. The fruitlets are elongated, slightly laterally compressed, the ribs are blunt.

The roots are used in cooking as a spice. Leaves and young shoots are used in salads. Seeds - for flavoring homemade pastries, for sauerkraut, pickling cucumbers.

Savory (Satureja) - annual plants, shrubs or shrubs, a genus of plants of the Lamiaceae family. Leaves entire or almost entire, short-petiolate. Flowers 4 to 9 mm or 10 to 15 mm long, bluish-white, light purple or pinkish, collected in 3-7-flowered whorls in the axils of the leaves. Calyx campanulate, two-lipped or almost regular, five-toothed. Corolla two-lipped; stamens four; anthers bilocular, separated by not very wide connective tissue; stigma with divergent lobes. The fruits are nutlets, round to ovate, obtuse.

The medicinal effect of savory is antispasmodic, bactericidal, astringent. As a seasoning, young leaves can be plucked, however, dried savory is an excellent strong spice. Savory greens are very fragrant and resemble thyme, but with pungent undertones.

Ramson, Bear onion, Wild garlic, Flask (Allium ursinum) - perennial herbaceous plant; species of the genus Onion (Allium) of the Onion family (Alliaceae). The bulb is oblong, about 1 cm thick. The stem is trihedral, there are two leaves, shorter than the stem, with a lanceolate or oblong sharp blade from 3 to 5 cm wide and a narrow petiole twice as long as the blade or equal to it.

It is used as a green crop, is part of salads and other dishes. Ramson has antihelminthic and antimicrobial activity. It is recommended to use it for scurvy and atherosclerosis, in folk medicine it has been used for centuries, including fever, as an antihelminthic and antimicrobial agent, as an external agent for rheumatism, and for various intestinal infectious diseases. In ancient Rome and in the Middle Ages wild garlic was considered a good remedy for cleansing the stomach and blood.

Sage, Salvia (Salvia) is the largest genus of perennial herbaceous plants and shrubs of the Lamiaceae family. The leaves are simple or pinnate. Calyx campanulate, tubular-campanulate, conical or tubular, unchanged or slightly increasing during fruiting; upper lip tridentate. The corolla is always two-lipped; the upper lip is helmet-shaped, sickle-shaped or straight; the middle lobe of the lower lip is much larger than the lateral ones, very rarely equal to the lateral ones. Stamens - 2; column filiform; stigma is bilobed.

In fresh and dried form, the spice is used to give a piquant taste and aroma to meat dishes, salads, pies, game, fish, and when making tea. It has anti-inflammatory and disinfectant action, it is used as a medicine for rinsing, compresses. All species of this genus are essential oil; many of them entered the culture as medicinal, for example Salvia officinalis (Salvia officinalis). The various properties of essential oils in different types of sage and the possibilities of their use have not yet been studied. Clary sage is the most popular.

Tarragon, Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) is a perennial herbaceous plant, a species of the genus Wormwood of the Asteraceae family. Stems few, 40 to 150 cm high, erect, glabrous, yellowish-brown. Stem leaves entire, oblong or linear-lanceolate, pointed; the lower leaves are notched at the top. Flowers are pale yellowish. Inflorescence paniculate, narrow, dense; involucral leaflets are short-elliptic or almost spherical; involucre glabrous, greenish-yellowish, shiny, membranous along the edge.

Wormwood tarragon has a slightly spicy aroma and a sharp, spicy and piquant taste. Known varieties of salad direction, common in Transcaucasia and Central Asia, and spicy-aromatic forms (Ukraine, Moldova).

The green mass of the plant is widely used in fresh cooking as a spicy-aromatic seasoning for pickling cucumbers, tomatoes, preparing marinades, sauerkraut, soaking apples, pears.

It is used as a spice in the preparation of dishes from rice, mayonnaise, fried game, boiled fish, lamb. Finely chopped fresh leaves are added as a spice to poultry, eggs, light sauces, meat dishes, as well as to all types of salads. They can be used to make green butter.

A refreshing drink "Tarhun" is prepared from the plant, used to flavor wines and liqueurs. It is especially popular in France to make a special aromatic-spicy vinegar from the aerial part of tarragon tarragon, which is used to season salted fish. A bunch of tarragon branches - green or dried, placed in a bottle of vodka for several weeks, gives the vodka a special taste and aroma. Depending on which branches were taken green or dry, the taste is different.

Greetings to all lovers of digging in the ground! With you "in the garden" Elena.
Until recently, dill, parsley and mint made up all the richness of the usual site, but globalization has significantly expanded the list of crops.

What herbs can be grown in the garden to decorate the plot and diversify the kitchen? Today we are talking about spices that are worthy of your garden. Here you will find a list with photos and brief care instructions.

Where to plant herbs? The most common way of planting herbs in domestic vegetable gardens is monoculture beds. They are easy to cultivate, but there is an opinion that they degrade the soil.

Mixed beds will allow you to use space more rationally and benefit from symbiosis. Grasses with such a planting repel harmful insects, attract pollinators, win a place from weeds:

• dill is a good neighbor for cucumbers,
• sage and marjoram make friends with carrots,
• savory and basil get along well with tomatoes,
• parsley grows well next to radishes,
• spinach - with potatoes.

Aesthetic lovers will appreciate the spicy flower beds. Having picked up plants in height and color, you can get a beautiful composition. In the center (or near the fence) there are tall plants (lovage, tarragon, cumin), and closer to the edge - undersized.

Keep in mind that cutting greenery will leave voids, and this will reduce the attractiveness of the corner. Also, do not forget about the compatibility of cultures. Basil and lemon balm, marjoram and thyme do not like each other.

A good option is to plant herbs as a border. Border inhabitants should be compact, bushy, have a dense root system so that weeds do not break through, and do not have creeping shoots. These include garden marjoram, shrub perilla, fistulose monarda, narrow-leaved lavender, garden savory, basil. Plants such as hyssop, mint, catnip, rosemary, marjoram tolerate shearing well, which means they allow you to create a low molded border.

Finally, there is also a container landing. Herbs in pots or any other containers will not grow unnecessarily, the composition can be changed from time to time, but you will have to water more often.

Whichever type you choose, plant your herbs closer to your home (or summer kitchen) and, as they say, you don't have to go far for seasoning.

And now let's talk about each herb separately: we will analyze what it is used for and how to grow it. Consider perennial and annual crops.

Perennial herbs

Mint has about 25 types, which are used mainly as a flavoring additive to tea. It loves loose fertile soils, grows equally in the sun and in the shade.

Watering is moderate: it does not tolerate stagnant water, but it also withers from the heat. Mint is propagated both by seeds (a rather laborious method, besides, it is not suitable for hybrids), and by cuttings, by dividing the bush. It grows well in one place for 3-4 years. Mint bushes grow strongly, which must be considered when planting.

Melissa looks very similar to mint, but differs from it in a characteristic lemon aroma and less aggressiveness (does not grow so much).

Melissa is unpretentious, except that she is afraid of severe frosts. Propagated in the same way as mint. Grass is perfect not only for tea, but also as a seasoning for meat, vegetable dishes and homemade canned food. In addition, it is used in medicine and cosmetology.

Sage is good not only for its tart aroma, but also for its lovely blue flowers. Fresh and dried herbs are used as seasoning for various dishes. There are several species that differ in height, color and soil requirements.

Oak and meadow sage loves the sun, non-acidic and fertile soil, moderate watering. A sage sticky well tolerates a slight shading. All species need shelter for the winter and spring pruning. All three methods of reproduction are possible.

Oregano is known in cooking as oregano. The genus of oregano has many species, one of them is marjoram. It is very thermophilic, in the middle lane it is grown only in summer, so we will talk about it in the annuals section. In the meantime, let's talk about the common oregano, which winters beautifully without shelter.

It is found almost everywhere. It is not even necessary to buy seeds - it is enough to dig up the roots in the meadow. Oregano can grow both in the sun and in partial shade, but in the first case it accumulates much more essential oils. Watering is required only in severe drought, the soil prefers infertile.

Tarragon (tarragon) grows up to 1.5 m. It is used for cooking various dishes and in pickles. It is undemanding to growing conditions, does not tolerate only full shade and excessively wet places.

Propagated by offspring of roots, dividing the bush and cuttings. But it is better not to grow from seeds, because in this case the spicy aroma is lost. It is advisable to update the bushes every 3 to 5 years.

Rhubarb is a truly versatile herb that is suitable for compotes, pies, candied fruits, and wine. This grass grows up to three meters in height, and its lower leaves are quite spreading, so you need enough free space and sun. Prefers chernozem, but other slightly acidic soils without stagnant water will do.

The culture is propagated both by seeds and by division of the rhizome. Strong leaves that can be eaten appear in the second year. And it can grow in one place for more than 10 years.

Another sour herb in pies (and also in salads and hot dishes) is sorrel. Edible foliage pleases already in the spring. The plant is stunted, especially if flowering is prevented in time.

Unpretentious, loves light and partial shade, neutral and slightly acidic fertile (loamy or peaty) soils and regular watering. It is easy to grow from seeds - you can sow them immediately in open ground. The plant needs to be repotted every 4 years.

Horseradish, of course, is not sweeter than radish, but a great find for lovers of spice. Leaves and root are eaten. You can plant in the sun and in partial shade, as long as the soil is not heavy.

Watering is needed only during drought. Care consists in weeding and loosening. It grows up to 10 years in one place, but young roots give the best taste. Propagated by cuttings. Keep in mind that horseradish grows, oppressing the neighbors.

Celery is related to dill, parsley, cumin and many other umbrella plants. It is biennial, but more often it is grown for only one year, since the stem and roots are mainly used, but not the seeds. This culture is used in salads, sauces, drinks (for example, in a slimming cocktail). Known leaf, root and petiole subspecies of celery.

All of them love loose, neutral or slightly acidic fertile soil, sun or light shade. The differences are that the leaf and petiole species can be sown with seeds (in the southern regions of the country or in warm spring) or grown with seedlings, and the root species can only be grown with seedlings. Petiole requires high hilling.

Lovage is similar in appearance to celery, but its aroma is more delicate. The culinary spectrum is very wide: from salads to bakery. This massive shrub reaches 2 meters in height and grows quickly, so plant it away from undersized neighbors.

Prefers moderately moist and well-drained soils. Tolerates both sun and shade, so it's best to give it some shade. Propagated by seeds, cuttings and division of the bush.

Asparagus (asparagus) has a wide range of uses. Its young shoots are useful in salads, main dishes and canned food, and a coffee drink is made from ripe berries.

The yield is low, because few shoots are obtained from one bush, but they are very tasty and healthy. Prefers fertile, especially sandy soils. He loves sunny places, moderate watering, but does not die in drought (according to experience). It is best to propagate by dividing the bush and not fiddling with seeds.

Cumin is a biennial plant: in the first year only leaves appear, and in the second - seeds, which are just used in cooking. They are appropriate in meat and vegetable dishes, and are also suitable for baking. Grass loves sunny places and loose, organically fertilized soil.

annual plants

All annuals are propagated by seeds, which you can easily harvest yourself.

Dill is the most common spice. Fresh greens are put in salads, served with various dishes, dried greens are put in soups, and umbrellas in pickles. Growing dill is not difficult: the seeds germinate well, and care consists in watering a couple of times a week, weeding and loosening. But even without weeding, the greenery grows in such a way that it can sow the entire plot. The soil is suitable neutral or slightly acidic.

Parsley, depending on the purpose, can be root and leaf, “confusing” varieties is not forbidden. The roots are put in homemade preparations, and greens - in almost every second dish. Parsley loves loose neutral or slightly acidic soils, grows in the sun and in partial shade, requires regular watering without waterlogging.

Cilantro produces bitter leaves with a spicy aroma, and when properly cared for, it also produces a tasty seed called coriander. Greens are used in salads, and the seeds are suitable for almost any dish, they are used in baking Borodino bread.

Most often, coriander is grown in the southern regions of Russia, but this is also possible in the middle lane. In my mother's greenhouse, Nizhny Novgorod region, it sprouts by self-sowing. Cilantro is demanding on moisture and loosening, tolerates light and partial shade. The soil can be neutral or moderately acidic.

Basil attracts not only with useful properties, but also with bright coloring. Purple varieties are especially beautiful. In addition, pollinating insects aspire to its flowers.

All above ground parts of the plant are edible. Grass is good in salads, first and second courses and in pastries (for example, for pizza). Grows in sunny areas with light loose soils, does not like stagnant water. In order to avoid diseases, it is necessary to change the landing site annually.

Chervil (kupyr) is used in salads and meat dishes. The root of some species is also edible and is used to make cheeses.

The plant feels good in the sun and in partial shade, not demanding on soils. It can be planted even in the garden under the crowns of trees. Seeds are sown in early spring, and then until mid-May can be sown again to always have fresh greens on hand.

Anise seeds and greens are used for salads, soups, pastries, fish and meat dishes. In the garden, it repels harmful insects and attracts beneficial insects. The plant loves sandy and chernozem loose soils fertilized with phosphorus and humus. Needs regular watering, but does not tolerate excessive moisture.

Borago, or borage (it has many names, there are also borage, borage) gives fragrant foliage for salads, and the roots collected in the fall give excellent taste to sour cream, wines, cheeses, etc. Attracts bees and repels Colorado beetles. This plant is not demanding on the soil, can grow in strong shade.

Arugula is seasoned with salads, sauces, soups, savory pastries and other dishes. In the southern regions, seeds can be sown in mid-April, while in the north, cultivation in greenhouses or through seedlings is recommended. The plant is demanding of light, but in hot weather prefers partial shade. Likes moisture, but should be watered carefully so as not to damage the fragile leaves.

Marjoram is great for sauces and soups, as well as for second courses, compotes and pastries. Prefers bright places, light and loose, not waterlogged and not overdried soils. Appreciates frequent watering and top dressing. Since the culture is thermophilic, it is recommended to grow in the middle lane through seedlings.

• leafy mustard

Leaf mustard is a salad crop and, importantly for gardeners, an excellent green manure (green manure). It tolerates cold well, so it can be grown in a greenhouse as early as early spring, and then sown every two weeks to always have fresh greens. Likes peaty and sod-podzolic soils. It needs loosening and timely watering, and with a lack of moisture, it loses its taste.

Afterword

Spicy herbs will not only decorate your garden or area near the house, but also help maintain health in the most natural way.

What are your favorite herbs?

Have a delicious harvest!

Refined rosemary with the aroma of pine forest, silvery sage with piquant astringency, soft bitter thyme - spicy plants are priceless in the culinary art!

They give the dishes sophistication, fragrant, enrich with an unusual flavor. However, one extra leaf can give a tasty dish an unpleasant pronounced bitterness ...

Even the ancient Greeks used fragrant cultures as a flavoring of drinks, for the treatment of bronchitis, and gave them magical properties. In spices, glucosinolates are especially valued. They give plants a spicy bitterness, which can be clearly tasted in white cabbage and arugula. These substances prevent the appearance of cancerous tumors, increase appetite and give dishes an unusual aftertaste. However, spicy herbs disrupt the functioning of the thyroid gland, they are not recommended for pregnant women and hypertensive patients.

Spicy plants subtly emphasize the aroma and taste palette of culinary masterpieces: salad, dessert, broth, main course. For example, take a look. Each leaf contains a huge amount of essential oils that quickly dissolve in vegetable oils and alcohol, giving dishes and drinks a rich aroma and aftertaste (which should be considered during preparation). However, one small twig can spoil the most exquisite dish, so you need to use fragrant crops with extreme care.

How to apply

• leaves are good only in small quantities;
• with prolonged heat treatment, the delicate aroma and taste disappears, giving way to bitterness;
• spices are added to fried, stewed, boiled, baked, cold dishes;
• used for canning, pickling, pickling vegetables, fruits, berries, mushrooms;
• fragrant leaves should be more carefully combined with other herbs so as not to get a pun on tastes;
• dry leaves should preferably be stored in a closed opaque container for less than one year.
• In order to competently combine spicy herbs with the rest of the ingredients of the dish, it is worth considering their culinary features ...

Here is a list of the main spicy rights used in cooking. You are probably familiar with these names.

Marjoram - spice of delight

The plant was appreciated in ancient Greece: thrown into wine and prepared beer, used instead of snuff. It was believed that the herb gives courage, strength, brings joy with love, heals nervous diseases. In distant Egypt, bouquets of marjoram were given, showing their admiration. Now the spice is added to various dishes, fillings, minced meat and vegetables, drinks, to flavor vinegar, vegetable oils and alcohol.


Marjoram bewitches with its sweet-spicy, burning taste and persistent, spicy, slightly camphorous aroma. The herb is a bit like a mixture of mint, cardamom, oregano and pepper. Such a complex smell can ennoble any dish, complement it with festive notes.

Marjoram is irreplaceable for preparation of sausages, cheeses, bakery products. It gives the meat a pleasant specific aftertaste, making it more tender and piquant. Often added to desserts, ice cream, fruit juices. Universal spice will effectively ennoble legumes, sour-milk, potato, mushroom dishes. It is great in combination with tomatoes, spinach, eggs, poultry, sauerkraut, lemon. The plant will give original notes to fried potatoes, sauted zucchini and eggplant, baked pork, goose, ham, duck. Marjoram is desirable to supplement all fatty and heavy dishes so that the products are safely absorbed by the body.

The spice does not harmonize too well with other aromatic herbs, but it can be combined with sage, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, cumin, allspice, basil. A pinch of dry marjoram should be added to roasts, stews, soups, sauces, salads, pizza. Its leaves are added when baking fruits and root vegetables, during the preparation of fruit and vegetable sorbets. With the spice, delicious broths (boiled meat), game pastes, especially from hare, are obtained. It is used in special diets instead of salt to muffle the blandness of food.

Oregano (oregano) - the highlight of Italian cuisine

Oregano gives intriguing notes to dishes, it is especially combined with fried chicken, fresh and baked vegetables, and sour-milk products in an original way. The spice is considered a relative of marjoram, only much spicier, richer, with a tart and spicy-bitter taste. There are several varieties of oregano in the world (Sicilian, Greek, Syrian), which differ slightly in taste and complement the dish in different ways.


Oregano practically does not combine with other herbs, however, together with marjoram, basil, thyme, pepper, it harmonizes perfectly. Cooks recommend adding it to marinades with garlic. It gives a fragrant shade to game, pork, lamb, duck, especially if you fry over an open fire in a whole piece or cook a barbecue. Cooks throw in various minced meats for meat dishes, season river or sea fish.

Oregano adds an exquisite aftertaste and subtle aroma to fried potatoes, seafood, shrimp sauces, pastas, bruschettas, pates. Spanish chefs add to tomato, vegetable soups, Siberian - in cottage cheese, egg, meat fillings. Baked dishes, canned vegetables, mushrooms and fruits turn out charming (it is enough to throw half a teaspoon of dry spice into a liter container). Oregano is good in a salad, especially with capers, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, champignons. The spicy plant uplifts the mood and tone, because it was not for nothing that the ancient Greeks symbolized it with joy and happiness.

Sage - silver spice

The spice was a symbol of health and the birth of life back in distant Egypt (girls were given juice to drink it). Sage infusion gives strength to curls, strengthens roots, improves mental activity. However, eating fragrant grass for more than 3 months is undesirable. Do not use it for nursing and expectant mothers.

Sage has a bitter aftertaste and astringent smell, therefore, after cooking, it is advisable to remove its leaves. The spice goes well with rosemary, thyme or garlic, only in small doses. The fresh leaves of the silver-fringed herb are thoroughly washed before consumption to remove insects and dust particles.

Sage goes well with meat products: poultry, beef, rabbit, game. Processed or hard cheese, any cold meat, boiled eggs, rice, fried or boiled fish, pasta, mushrooms and vegetables, together with the spice, acquire a refined flavor range. Grass is thrown into cabbage, potato and egg fillings for pies, omelettes, minced meat for cutlets and meatballs, during the preparation of jam, confectionery masterpieces, bread, various drinks, canned fish. If silvery leaves are fried in butter, then there will be no better garnish for a meat dish! A couple of sheets will give the salad special notes and aesthetics. Sage is often used during pickling or canning, but do not forget about the strict dosage.

It is desirable to collect the plant from summer to October: during this period, there are much more healing essential oils. Some varieties give dishes savory fruity notes, which should be considered during cooking. The nutmeg plant has a more spicy aroma with a rich aftertaste, so it will perfectly complement dishes with red meat and fish.

Tarragon (tarragon) - amazing freshness

Tarragon attracts with an unusual aroma with hints of anise and refreshing mint. Its taste is quite spicy and piquant with a slight spiciness and without bitterness, which is inherent in representatives of the wormwood genus. Thin and long leaves look great in vegetable salads, especially with colorful tomatoes, tomato juice, kalamata olives, capers, regular mozzarella or buffalo. The spice is good for potato, fish and meat cold appetizers.

Tarragon is often used by French chefs to make Béarnais (egg-and-butter) sauce. The herb is added during the preservation of mushrooms, cucumbers with tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, eggplants, and apples and pears are also mixed in preparation for urination. The fragrant herb is often thrown into desserts, used in place of mint for a refreshing effect.

Tarragon perfectly sets off stewed, boiled fish, seafood and crustacean dishes, poultry and veal, lamb and mutton, pork and offal. Here with the addition of this spice. Also added to hot, cold soups (even okroshka), pilaf, aspic, fermented milk products.

Tarragon is good with beans, asparagus, mushrooms, eggs. Originally harmonizes with other spices: ginger, celery, garlic, oregano, cumin, cilantro, sesame, basil. If bright green leaves are sprinkled with lemon juice, then the spice will become more saturated and fragrant. It can be mixed in during the preparation of herbal butter to add savory notes and smooth out the specific greasy taste. Tarragon is used to make cheese, herring, pickled mushrooms.

Meat is rubbed with fresh grass, game is especially tasty. The spice slightly muffles the specific notes of the product, giving it a special aftertaste. It complements the mustard perfectly. Originally obtained in combination with cauliflower and smoked meats. The plant is consumed dry (no more than a month), as well as frozen and fresh.

Rosemary - spicy needles

Rosemary has a very attractive and rich resinous aroma with delicate sweetness and coniferous notes. The plant should not be added in large quantities, and after preparing the dish, it is advisable to remove the leaves, otherwise the ingredients will acquire an unpleasant mint flavor and bitterness. Cooks do not recommend seasoning shrimp, squid, salmon and other products with a delicate palette. To emphasize and ennoble their pleasant aftertaste, it is also better to put a few sprigs of thyme.

Due to its spicy, spicy taste, rosemary should not be thrown into the dish along with bay leaves, but can be combined with other spices. Coarsely chopped onions with sprigs of thyme and coniferous grass are a great “cushion” for roasting meat and fish dishes. After frying, the products are laid out on prepared spices with vegetables and put in the oven. The dish is filled with an exquisite aroma of plants and bulbs.


Rosemary is great with fatty foods, effectively complementing it and helping to digest it safely. It comes out especially tasty with lamb, duck, goose, pork. The spice removes the specific notes of sea fish and rabbit. Stems with delicate green and dense leaves are thrown onto the coals to give the barbecue a special flavor and disinfect the air. The plant gives a special taste to grilled figs, apple jelly, pizza, all kinds of sauces, fruit salads. Check out the recipe.

Rosemary is an excellent component for making savory pastries, wine punch, pickling and marinating. Cooks are gradually adding to vegetable, bean soups, minced meat (for cutlets and meatballs), all kinds of marinades (including for soaking game). The spice goes well with vegetables: eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes. Here . Gives special notes to mushrooms, beans, cheese, spinach, cabbage and cauliflower.

Valuable rosemary grows beautifully on the balcony. It fights carcinogens, improves heart function, strengthens hair, rejuvenates and cleanses the skin, and increases appetite. According to the ancient Greeks, it brings happiness, improves memory and mental activity. However, the plant is undesirable for pregnant women and hypertensive patients.

Thyme (thyme) - the medicine of the ancient Sumerians

The herb has a bright aroma, reminiscent of cumin and anise, and a burning, pungent, bitter taste. Thyme will perfectly complement any dish: it will give a charming aftertaste to sweet dishes, it is indispensable for cooking seafood and tender fish. The spice reveals its bouquet when heated for a long time, so it is added to dishes at the beginning of cooking.


Cooks do not recommend chopping thyme leaves so that the dish does not acquire excessive bitterness. However, by mixing finely chopped spice with feta, you get a spicy cheese mass - an interesting addition to vegetable salads. The aromatic component is added during the preparation of tapenade (French sauce based on olives), focaccia tortillas, pizza, tomato and creamy dressings, pates. The plant is often used to flavor baked dishes: pumpkins, eggplants, tomatoes (including dried ones), meat products, potatoes. Often complemented with veal Carpaccio. The spice goes well with lamb, rice, pasta, eggs, any bird. Adds zest to dishes of beans, lentils, offal, cabbage, mushrooms. Beautiful leaves are mixed with breading to give the semi-finished products an exclusive touch. Flavored black tea.

The plant is great in combination with dill, they are often added during the preservation of tomatoes, squash and cucumbers. The spice is used to make marinades, homemade cheeses and olives. Thyme gives a special piquancy to fruits and sweet sauces, peaches and plums open up their flavor palette in a new way.

Thyme treated all sorts of diseases and banished damage even to the Sumerian peoples (5000 years ago)! All inflammatory processes, apathy, fatigue, headaches receded after eating the herb. The Egyptians prepared body oils, and the Greeks prepared healing drinks. And now grandmothers bathe babies in a spicy thyme broth.

Our recipe: with herbs.

Spicy herbs - the music of cooking! However, improper handling of fragrant leaves threatens with unpleasant surprises. Having learned all the secrets of fragrant plants, it is easy to create your own unique symphony ...