Growing Spices and Herbs in Your House

Plants are beautiful decoration of any home. But sometimes it seems too difficult to grow plants just for decoration. Some of us definitely prefer when something has a practical use also. This is why I like growing spices. It is so green and relaxing and should be located in each kitchen window. It is also very useful. You should probably choose your plants according to what you usually use in your meals. But here is a list of herbs that you can easily grow: basil, oregano, rosemary, flat (Italian) parsley, thyme and sage.

It likes the sun! A lot of sun... I had one plant and kept it far from my window. It didn't end well. It also doesn't like water much, so you will need a pot that drains easily. It is possible to grow it from the seed in your house, but it's not recomended. It's much better to buy little plants.

It's best to plant it in clay pot and use a mixture of half potting soil and half cactus sand.

You will know that's safe to use, when it has six leaves. At this point you can clip the top two of it. You should place scissors close to the remaining leaves. In this way, plant will create more branches in the future.

Basil is a great spice, but it's also a very healing. It's famous for treatment of bronchial problems, it's god for liver, it sharpens our brains, it helps us handle the stress, and combined with tea or milk, it helps with cold or sore throat.

Unlike basil which is an annual plant, oregano usually lives two to three years. It can grow pretty tall, so you should snip it from time to time. This will encourage new growth. There are a lot of different varieties of oregano, but most common for cooking is 'Greek' oregano.

This herb is very hard to grow from the seed. Plant it in a mixture of half potting sand, half cactus sand and make sure that the soil is the same level as what you bought plant in. Be careful not to expose it to moisture because this can cause rotting of the plant.

You can use it when it reach six inches. Cut it from the top to encourage growth of new branches.

Oregano is a natural source of vitamin K, has strongly anti-bacterial properties, it's the antioxidant, contains a lot of important minerals, rich with fiber, it's a natural source of Omega-3 fatty acids and all of those benefits are more represented in fresh oregano, you can and should grown it at your home.

Rosemary is a fan of good air circulation, good drenage and a lot of sunlight. It lasts at least two to three years. It's very hard to grow it from the seed, so you should buy a little plant and transplant it into six-inch clay pot.

When the plant is size of your hand, you can clip the tips. As you clip from the top, more branches will apear. You should clip those branches too, to create more branches.

If you want to store it, wrap it in a plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. It's great spice for tuna, chicken, salmon and lots of others.

This plant should last two seasons. To maintain that, you should put it on dry and light place because it likes sun and heat.

You should plant it in a deep pot so it can create a large root system. Transplant it so that the soil level mimics that of the individual container it came in. You shouldn't water it until the top half inch of the soil is dry.

You should cut the stalks near the bottom when you want to use it. Use it in soups, stews etc.

This plant is famous for it's health benefits. Studies show that myristicin, an organic compound found in the essential oil of parsley can fight tumors such as lung cancer. It's also great antioxidant, it's rich with vitamins C and K, it's very good for immune system and keeps your heart healthy.

This is plant that like dry environment and lots of light. It can grow in shadows, but not to it's full potential. It doesn't require special soil, so you can use any inexpensive soil you have.

Moisture can kill it, so don't keep it in the bathroom or near the kitchen sink. Plastic pots are not good for this kind of plant, so you should use a clay one. You can start clipping it when it's as large as your hand, and you can clip more the bigger it gets. It's great for dressings and marinades.

It's oil is rich thymol. Thymol is powerful antiseptic, antibacterial and antioxidant. It's used as mouthwashes for throat infections, and it's a component of cough drops. This oil can be used to threat bronchitis, whooping cough and inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. It posses terpenoids which are famous for anti-cancer properties.

This is a plant that needs a lot of sun and the soil rich with nutrient. It can get pretty tall, and it has a beautiful and decorative flowers during the summer.

You should clip it from the top and use it a lot because it grows really fast. It's good to use it with veggies, and with lamb and pork meat.

It can be use to treat indigestion and flatulence. It reduces excessive lactation of nursing mothers and night sweets in menopause. It can help with anxiety, depression, female sterility, and it's good for the liver.