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Herbs! Herbs! So Many Herbs!!

2009 July 4
by 5 Orange Potatoes

A little obsession of mine…………lavender, thyme, calendula, rosemary, mint, and any other herb I can get my hands on!!! I can’t help myself, I love learning all I can about the many different herbs on this Earth. I have been studying herbs for about 12 years now and am finally feeling as though I’m just starting to get to know them! There is so much to learn; there are so many plants that have real value to humans (and other animals). This summer my herbal focus is on those nasty viruses which hit us hard come winter. I’m learning about herbs and their energies; for example, cayenne has a hot energy, seems obvious, while dandelion has a cool energy. Knowing their energies helps you choose the right herb to treat a hot illness or a cold illness (did you know there are hot illnesses and cold illnesses?). I find this so fascinating!

Here is our living room table right now (my hubby calls it the witchy room). Baskets of freshly picked lavender, sage, clover, basil and mint; trays of chamomile, thyme, red clover, rose petals and calendula. The lavender is bundled and ready to be dried. I have to set up the lavender drying screens tomorrow.

The olive can holds rubber bands; it stays in the harvesting basket so I can bundle as I harvest.

calendula, feverfew, lemon verbena and oregano

I use rubber bands to bundle my herbs for drying, then attach a clothespin for hanging. I had to wire pipecleaners onto my “drying rack” in order for the clothespins to have a place to grip. I also have a trundle bed in the shed leaning against a wall with herbs clinging to it. I have found myself being very inventive when it comes to drying my herbs!


Once dry, the herbs go into thrifted glass jars, recycled jars or canning jars. So far I have a large amount of mint (peppermint, grapefruit, pineapple, lime, catnip, chocolate and spearmint). I also have lemon verbena, lemonbalm, lavender, calendula, chive blossoms, feverfew, rose petals, chamomile, linden tree blossoms, beebalm, dandelion and plantain leaves. These will most likely be used for teas, cooking or anything else calling for dried herbs.

Some herbs don’t make it to the drying stage. I use them for medicinal oils, vinegars or hair rinse. I immediately put some chamomile in an apple cider infusion to make a cider rinse for my red hair and Araina’s blonde hair. The chamomile adds highlights to your hair. Rosemary cider rinse is good for Fauna’s brunette hair.


My little black kitty, Pixie Vixen, likes to watch over the herbs when I am working in this room. I have to hang the catnip high or she will eat it all up. As soon as I bring fresh catnip into the house the cats all come running! We are drying some of the catnip for them, the girls like to make catnip toys.


Soon I will be gathering elderberry for an elderberry/honey syrup that’s great for the immune system come flu season. I would LOVE to hear from other “home herbalists” out there; what’s your favorite herb and what do you use it for?

Ugh, not liking the lighting in the photos, but this is in a dark area of the house and I really dislike using my flash! I’m such a perfectionist in the need to make this silly statement!

from → gardening, herb, herbs, kitchen chemistry

One Response
  1. Tammie permalink
    September 3, 2009

    Beautiful. I just love herbs drying and using them and getting to know them as friends! I love the look of your witchy room!
    Spirithelpers

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