Lemon grass stems are typically used in Asian cuisine, especially Thai, but the herb lends itself to other forms of cuisine as well.

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) makes a delicious and refreshing herbal tea infusion. All you need to do is select a couple of leaves. Make sure they are clean (no visitors!).  Cut them into small lengths with scissors and put them into a cup.  Pour on boiling water and leave for a few minutes for the infusion to take place. Lemon grass is reputed to be an effective diuretic. Some people add milk and sugar.   Make iced lemongrass tea by using approximately eight stalks of lemongrass to one quart of boiling water. Cool the tea after straining and serve with ice.
Lemongrass  is just one of the herbs which give Asian cooking its distinctive flavor.   It adds an aromatic citrus flavor and a little touch of ginger.  It is used to flavor fish and poultry dishes.  However worldwide lemongrass is used in other dishes such as soups and stews.  It blends well with garlic and cilantro and chillies.  When used in cooking the top of the leaves are removed and it is the lower part of the stem which is used.

A tall perennial grass,  lemongrass belongs to a grass family.  Originally from warm temperate and tropical regions of the Europe, Asia and Oceania.  It has a number of common names including barbed wire grass, citronella grass and fever grass. It does well in America in appropriate conditions and is an easy plant to grow.

If you want to propagate it yourself there are a number of options. At the base of the leaves are bulbs similar to those of a spring onion.  One bulb is sufficient to get started and will develop into a clump of lemon grass.   So look out for it in the gardens of friends and neighbors and you might be able to start with a bulb from someone else’s plant.  I love doing that because every time I look at a plant that was given to me I remember the person.

Alternatively, if your supermarket sells lemongrass look for stalks that still have part of the bulb. If you put them into a jar of water there a good chance they will produce roots.  Finally it is possible to grow them from seed.  The seeds need heat to propagate and in the northern hemisphere are best planted in from January to March.  If you live in a colder area then you could try planting your seeds indoors and place the pot in a sunny window.  Later you can put them outside for period over a couple of weeks to harden them off.

Lemongrass is an attractive herb and will look equally well in your home herb garden as a contrast to other leafy herbs, or in your ornamental garden.

It has many  medicinal benefits attributed to it.   It is a detox, cleansing the liver, the pancreas, the kidneys and intestines.   It does this by reducing the amounts of uric acid, cholesterol, excess fats and other toxins in the body.   At the same time it stimulates digestion, and circulation.  It has a reputation as a remedy for colds and fevers and can help to reduce inflammation of the cornea in the eye.   It relieves muscle and joint pains and headaches  and tones muscles and other tissues. When boiled, lemongrass releases significant amounts  of  beta-carotene the anti-oxidant.

The common name for Lemongrass is citronella – a popular aromatic aroma you find in candles, perfumes and soaps. The aroma of citronella has a calming effect that relieves insomnia or stress. It is also considered as a mild insect repellent.

A very useful plant for your home herb garden.

Good herbs gardening!

* Disclaimer: Information on Home Herb Garden about various medicinal uses of herbs is provided for your enlightenment, entertainment and education only.  Please do not use these herbs without expert advice from properly qualified personnel.   See my full disclaimer for more information.

Or rather, tea made from herbs.    Tea is the name given to the drink which comes from a bush called camellia sinensis.  Herbal tea generally refers to a drink made from plants other than the tea bush.  Today, blending different tastes is very popular and so often traditionally known tea has herbs added.

The leaves of the Camellia sinensis bush give us white tea, black tea, oolong tea, green tea and of course a host of names indicating the area where they are grown.  These teas undergo processing after the leaves are picked.

A herbal tea is a drink made from a simple and easy-to-make infusion of the leaves of certain herbs without processing.  The  leaves are placed in hot water and left for a period of time so that the flavor of the plant transfers to the water. Certain attributes such as antioxidants transferred as well making it a very healthy drink.

The English word “tisane” or infusion, originally referred to a drink made from pearl barley. However today it refers to drinks made from many different plant sources.  These tisanes can come from one plant or different herbs  are blended together, fruit may be added  or spices.   So how do you know what herbs blend well together?  A place to start is your local supermarket.  Have a look at their herbal infusion teas and see what herbs they combine together. For instance, I have a tea for digestion which I enjoy drinking.  It contains mint, verbena, melissa (lemon balm) and licorice.

The herbal infusion tea that never fails to put me to sleep at night is made from chamomile, lime (tilia) and orange leaves. All three are known for their ability to promote relaxation and aid sleep.

Sage herbs tea can be combined with spices like cloves or cinnamon, and with Lemon Thyme. Sage is associated with longevity, and restoring a failing memory and strengthening eyesight of older people.

Mint is a universal flavor and you can add mint to your China tea for a different pleasing taste. The scope with mint is  virtually endless.

The experts reckon that your fresh herbs are best harvested after the dew has dried and before the sun gets hot.  However this is not essential.  Harvested later in the day you may find you use more to get the strength you need.   It is important to note however that many  herbs are at their best for your purposes just before they flower.

Making your herbal tea is a simple process.  If your leaves are fresh make sure they are clean and free of any insects.   Before you make the herbal tea you might need to gently crush the leaves and then place  them into your infuser or into a cup and pour hot but not boiling water over them.  A recommended strength is 3 teaspoons of fresh herbs for every cup of boiling water.  Leave them to steep for several  minutes and your tea is ready.  Times will vary according to the herb.

Some people prefer to place their leaves into a container for loose tea leaves, or into a muslin bag instead of an infuser. The tea should be drunk when the water is cool enough to drink.   This is when the flavor will be at its best.   If you want to make iced tea, double the quantity of fresh herbs and when the infusion is ready add icecubes or place it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

You can use dried herbs for your tea, in which case use one teaspoon of herbs for each cup of water.   You can also add a couple of  fresh leaves to your regular China tea.  Its is all a matter of taste and that is for you to decide.  A further idea is to add store-bought dried herbal teas to your fresh leaves to make your own blend.

Lastly, when you make your herbal infusion tea, take the time out to sit down and relax and really savor it.  In today’s busy world, we need a little “time out” at regular intervals just to find our own balance again.   Find your tea drinking niche in the house or garden, and slow down for a while.

Good tea herbs gardening!

Fresh herbs definitely give food a better flavor. It is the leaves that are used for flavoring most often. However some herbs are harvested for their seeds. Cilantro, also known as coriander, provides both leaves and seeds.

When you cut fresh herbs on a young herb plant, do not take too much of the plant to start with. If you do it will take longer until the plant is big enough to give you more than you can use. I start off by harvesting the leaves and not the stalks, this way the stalks are encouraged to grow new leaves. Another trick is to “top” the plant. Cut off the leaves at the top of the branch and this will encourage the stem to generate side shoots and far more leaves. As the plant grows bigger I will take not more than one third of the plant at a time. This encourages new growth which is a good gardening thing to do. Once the plant is grown, you will be able to take what you need as often as you need it and the plant will continue to grow in size.

Using herbs from your fresh herb garden is one of the pleasures of growing them in the first place. Take care to clean the herbs before they are placed fresh in recipes. Even if they look clean they may have dust or even little insects on them. The best way to clean them is to place them in a bowl of cold water. If you are concerned about insects, put some salt in the water. This will drive away insects without damaging the plant. Remove the herbs from the water and if you are cooking with them, shake them or pat them inside a kitchen towel and then follow your recipe. Some recipes will tell you to add them whole, others will require them chopped. If you add whole leaves, such as bay leaves, you may need to remove them at the end of the cooking.

If you are going to use them in a salad or as a garnish, then you need to dry them after washing. You can dry them in a salad spinner if you have one. Otherwise, put them in a towel and pat them dry very gently so that you do not bruise the leaves. I put them in a kitchen towel and wrap them so I can get a good grasp on the edges. Then I go into the garden and I become the salad spinner. Swinging them around fast is just a small bonus in your exercise routine and they dry beautifully without being bruised! Check your recipe to see if your herbs need to be chopped before adding them. Timing may be important. Some herbs are added during the cooking process and others are added as the meal is ready or even scattered on top of the food at the table.

One last tip, if you live in an area of cold winters, start a herb plant in a pot so that you can bring it inside in autumn and enjoy fresh herbs longer in the warmer conditions. However if they are annuals, chances are they will die eventually. Look on this site for an article on growing herbs in containers.

Good herbs gardening!