GETTING A HANDLE ON HERBS
Words by Jessica Peace
Grow’em, cook’em, rub’em all over and try not to kill’em: herbs, the lowdown…
ROSEMARY
RATING
Hard as
HOW NOT TO KILL IT
Just give it all your sunshine and check for soggy bottoms.
WHAT’S IT GOOD FOR?
Nervy headaches, neuralgia and throat infections.
NEW THING TO DO WITH IT?
Gargle it when your throat is red raw.
BASIL
RATING
Needy flatmate
HOW NOT TO KILL IT
Keep it hot, hot, hot - this one prefers hanging out indoors.
WHAT’S IT GOOD FOR?
Well, it’s a ‘tranquilizer’... calms the nerves and relieves nausea.
NEW THING TO DO WITH IT?
Swap your lemon slice for a few sprigs of basil in your water.
SAGE
RATING
Just a little needy
HOW NOT TO KILL IT
Keep the drinking light and regular; keep chopping to promote new growth and stop it getting straggly.
WHAT’S IT GOOD FOR?
Indigestion, anxiety and heavy sweating.
NEW THING TO DO WITH IT?
Makes anything you chuck in with it taste/smell like a sausage - in the best way (even in the bath - one of us tried it...).
THYME
RATING
Attention seeker
HOW NOT TO KILL IT
This one cannot handle its booze so keep an eye on how much it’s knockin’ back. Sprinkle some grit on the soil so the leaves don’t get wet - yeah, it’s a little precious.
WHAT’S IT GOOD FOR?
All the things we want to keep secret: diarrhea, wind, bedwetting, stomach pains...
NEW THING TO DO WITH IT?
Try it in your honey.
OREGANO
RATING
Hard as
HOW NOT TO KILL IT
This fella will sprout out of cracks in your brickwork. It’ll die down over winter and pop back up during late spring; lob off dead stems and no soggy bottoms; you can keep the growth coming if you move your plant indoors.
WHAT’S IT GOOD FOR?
Snotty noses, strengthening your bones, ticker and keeping the diabetes at bay.
NEW THING TO DO WITH IT?
Pop the flower heads in your cuppa.
MINT
RATING
Easy as
HOW NOT TO KILL IT
Well, they like to knock it back but apart from that you’ll find it hard to kill this’un. Just be careful of planting different varieties in the same patch - they can lose their individual scents/flavas.
WHAT’S IT GOOD FOR?
Your guts, ‘hot’ migraine style bangin’ headaches and insect bites.
NEW THING TO DO WITH IT?
If you’re breastfeeding rub the oil on your sore bits.