Before soda and all kinds of unhealthy food began to thrive in our world, there was a time when herbs and spices were man’s main sources of food. During those periods, there were fewer diseases and fewer premature deaths compared to what we have today.
So you might be pondering going back to this way of life, going back to eating natural and healthy food in the form of herbs and spices, or you might just want to gather information about blue herbs and spices. Whatever it is that you might be looking for, this blog gives you detailed information about just that.
Herbs
Borage
Borage, also known as Borago officinalis, is actually an annual herb that is believed to be native to the Mediterranean. Its height stretches up to three feet and its width up to 18 inches. The Mediterranean-originated flower has blue and grayish green leaves.
Borage flowers have a cucumber taste, which gives them a great place in salads, cold drinks, or cooked greens. Now its blue flowers actually come out from the month of June to August from the plants’ branches that have pedicels bearing drooping star-shaped blue flowers. Borage actually prefers full sun, compared to partial shade.
How to use borage
Borage is actually applied to the skin for a red itchy rash on the scalp of infants, which is called seborrheic dermatitis, and it is also used in the process to soften the skin. As food, borage is added to salads and soups, while in manufacturing, it is used in skin care products.
Health benefits of borage
The borage flower and leaves are actually used for fever, cough, and depression. Borage can also be said to be used for the cure of a hormone problem known as adrenal insufficiency, to increase blood purification and to also help with the increase in urine flow, to reduce or stop the inflammation of the lungs as a sedative, and to improve appropriate sweating.
How to preserve borage
- You can decide to freeze your borage leaves or dry them, although they will lose a bit of their flavor when you undergo this process.
- You can also put the leaves and stems of your borage in a fridge where it’ll probably last up to two to three days in a closed plastic bag covered in a damp paper towel.
How to plant your borage
Start your borage seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. Start seeds in a biodegradable pot that would eventually be set in a garden to prevent root disruption. Your borage seed germinates in seven to eight days.
Transplant your borage seedlings into your field after the last frost in spring. Borage will quickly develop a taproot, so watch out when you’re transplanting so you do not damage the delicate root.
When it’s time to plant outdoors, go ahead and sow your borage seed in the farm or garden after the average last frost date in spring. The soil has probably warmed.
Ensure you sow the seed where it is likely to grow. In order for the seeds to germinate, it has to be covered. You can also sow the seeds in the garden during the fall; the seeds will then germinate during the following spring.
The planting depth for sowing your borage seeds should be 1/4 to 1/2 inches deep.
On spacing, thin the plants from at least 18 to 24
Inches apart once they get to 6 to 8 inches tall. Space the rows 18 to 24 inches apart.
Where to buy them?
Most grocery stores might have borage in store, so you should check a grocery store close to you. If you can’t find one, then it’s best you order it online via Amazon.
Forget-me-not
If you’re hearing about the forget-me-not blue herb for the first time, you’ll probably be surprised by its name and how it came about, well. This herb actually exists; its botanical name is Myosotis. The name “forget-me-not” was derived because of the plants’ foul taste. Forget-me-nots are part of the Boraginaceae family that includes other hairy blue-flowered plants. The flowers are actually easy to grow, they reach about a foot tall.
How to use forget-me-not
The flower spreads quite easily and is self-seeding, allowing more of the wildflower to actually grow and bloom in shady spots where the tiny seeds are likely to fall. It takes little or minimal effort to care for forget-me-not flowers. They grow best in damp, shady areas, but are also likely to adapt in full sun.
Health benefits
Forget-me-nots are generally considered to be very good for aiding sleep. They also possess some good compounds that help them to reduce high blood pressure and also ease the nerves. It is also effective in boosting hair and skin health.
How to preserve forget-me-nots
You can preserve forget-me-nots by drying them up.
How to plant forget-me-not
You can easily plant your forget-me-not by purchasing its seeds early in the summer, picking an area in the garden, and preparing the soil surface by working it to loosen and level it out. During midsummer, spread the seed over the surface. Now you’re going to water it lightly just after the process we’ve just stated. Do this often to keep the soil wet. The seedlings will likely begin to grow by fall, and they will begin to bloom during spring.
Where to get them?
Gardeners and farmers are likely to have these beautiful blue flowers in their collection, so I advise that you locate them in your locality or state. However, grocery stores can still have these in stock. You should also check stores and supermarkets that are close to you.
Hyssop
Hyssop is popularly known for its static leaves and flowers, Hyssopus officinalis.
As it’s also known, it’s an evergreen garden herb of the mint that is part of the lamiaceae family. Generally, the hyssop flower is regarded to have quite a sweet scent but a bitter taste and has long been used as a spice or flavoring for foods and beverages and for medicinal purposes too. It is native to southern Europe and central Asia.
How to use hyssop
Hyssop can be used as a gargle in baths to cause sweating and can also be applied to the skin to cure irritation, burns, bruises, and frostbite. In edible aspects, you can use hyssop oil and extract as spices or flavorings in a dish. Its oil is also known to be used in manufacturing to produce skin care products like soaps, cosmetics, and fragrances.
Health benefits
The compounds available in hyssop oil possess some good health benefits. Hyssop is a rich source of flavonoids which are rich in compounds that can act as antioxidants. Eating foods that are very rich in flavonoids can help lower the risk of heart diseases, strokes, and cataracts.
How to preserve hyssops
You can store your hyssop in the refrigerator for up to three or four days. Put the leaves in a damp paper towel and put them in a perforated plastic bag, then store them in the fridge.
It can also be stored by drying them. You can air dry the entire branch and store it.
Store the dried hyssop leaves in an airtight container.
How to plant hyssops
Hyssops actually grow well in full sun, so if you want it to grow as much as possible, you’ve got to pick an area where there’s full sun. However, it can still tolerate partial shade.
Ensure the soil you’re going to be planting your hyssops on is compost-rich and well-drained. You should also add old compost or a commercial organic planting mix to the area you’re going to be planting your hyssops.
You can start seeding it indoors now, about when to start planting. Sow your seeds indoors during early spring, about a week or two before the last frost. You can start the seeds in a flat under fluorescent lights. It’s about fourteen days for germination to begin.
You can go ahead and transplant your hyssops outdoors in mid-to late spring after the last frost.
If you’re planting outdoors, you can actually grow them from stem cuttings, seed, and division. Go ahead and sow the seed outdoors after the last spring frost. It is also possible for your seeds to be seen in autumn. You can start your plants from cuttings in the late spring or early fall. Start them early by dividing the roots during spring or late summer.
Where to get them?
You can get your hyssop plants in grocery shops or you can easily order them online via Amazon.
Blue turmeric
Blue turmeric is a different variation of turmeric, different from the standard yellow/orange curcuma longa. It’s actually for medicinal purposes in countries like Vietnam. It possesses an earthy, savory flavor, somewhat beautifully bitter. So many say its flavors are quite difficult to define but can be likened to carrots, walnuts, and celery.
How to use blue turmeric
You can use blue turmeric in cooking by sprinkling a little bit into a salad dressing to give it that savory flavor and add complexity. You can also add it to a vegetable stew or soup to bring out the flavor of the green vegetable. Various blue turmeric users say a hot water infusion with honey makes a perfect digestive beverage or simply a syrup to balance the sweetness in cocktails.
Health benefits of blue turmeric
Studies have shown that blue turmeric may be active in fighting infection and is good for gastrointestinal and fertility issues. It is also said to be antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticarcinogenic.
How to preserve blue turmeric
To clean the blue turmeric, use a brush to brush off dirt from it, then use a paper towel to pat and clean the wet turmeric. To prevent mold growth, now go ahead and wrap the turmeric in a different paper towel and put it in a sealed bag. Now you can go ahead and place the bag of turmeric in the refrigerator and allow it to stay.
How to plant blue turmeric
Before you begin your blue turmeric planting, make sure you first of all pick a very good site that has rich soil, proper exposure to the sun, a consistently moist soil, and temperatures that are between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Before you plant, make sure you cut a hand of your turmeric into nodes.
Consider spacing. Plant each of your turmeric nodes about 12″ apart from the next node. This is because turmeric is quite a large plant.
On depth, go ahead and bury each node about two to three inches deep.
Do take note that your turmeric can only grow and turn out very healthy when it is planted on fertile soil with good and proper soil moisture, not too moist nor too dry.
It normally takes about three to four shoots for your turmeric to begin to shoot and emerge from the ground after planting.
Where to get them?
Blue turmeric isn’t as rampant as you may think, because it isn’t just easily grown or can easily be purchased, but the best you can do is to locate big grocery shops that have the reputation of having rare commodities in stock and check to get them.
Grocery stores like Walmart and Costco are quite reputable in this aspect, so all you have to do is locate them in your locality and check if blue turmeric is in stock. Just in case you don’t find them, then you should try getting them online. Try ordering from Amazon.
On depth, go ahead and bury each node about two to three inches deep.
Do take note that your turmeric can only grow and turn out very healthy when it is planted on fertile soil with good and proper soil moisture, not too moist nor too dry.
It normally takes about three to four shoots for your turmeric to begin to shoot and emerge from the ground after drying.
Spices
Blue spice basil
Blue spice basil is an annual vigorous plant with small to medium-sized leaves, some of which only reach up to three centimeters in length and have an oval, lanceolate, teardrop shape. It is botanically considered to be in the Ocimum genus, which is part of the Lamiaceae family. Blue basil is also said to be great for fruit salads, savory dishes, and spicy vanilla. Blue basil isn’t just known for what it brings to the pot but also for its medicinal benefits.
How to use blue basil
Blue basil, as stated earlier, can add a whole lot of magic to your pot with its flavor. You can use it as a garnish for your soup, salad, or grain bowl. The leaves of the blue basil can also be stuffed into sandwiches, mixed into paste, and used as pizza toppings.
Health benefits of the blue basil
The blue basil prevents blood clotting and also tends to control your cholesterol levels. The vitamin C in blue basil helps improve the immune system. It also contains calcium and magnesium that keep the bones strong. It also contains high levels of antioxidants that slow down premature aging.
How to preserve blue spice basil
You can preserve your blue spice basil by either drying them or wrapping them in a paper towel, putting them in a sealed bag and placing them in the fridge.
How to plant blue spice basil
Blue spice basil grows very well in fertile soil that has been well tilled. Do well to amend the soil with well-rotted organic compost or manure at least one month before you embark on planting and ensure you clear the area against weeds and keep it moist free.
You can also sow seeds inside for transplanting outdoors in late February, but if you wish to sow directly to the ground, it is advised that you wait until late March when there’s probably no chance of frost and the soil temperatures have warmed up.
Where to get them?
You can get blue basil from farmers and gardeners if you want it fresh. You can also get fresh ones from grocery stores too, but this is not always the case. A lot of the blue basil you might find in stores has withered. You do well to select fresh ones that do not look or feel weak.
Blue fenugreek
Blue fenugreek is actually an old traditional spice that is often used with cheeses and dips, which undeservedly has not been very popular in people’s awareness until recently. The blue fenugreek is actually appreciated by the vast majority of people for its unique flavor, especially the people in Switzerland, whose love for the blue fenugreek continues to engulf the country.
Almost similar to curry spices, trigonella caerulea is an annual plant that is easy and fast to grow, ready for harvest in 2-3 months already. Not only is the blue Fenugreek filled with flavor, it also possesses some good medicinal benefits too.
How to use blue fenugreek
Blue fenugreek serves as a spice or flavor for most people. You can use the grounded seeds as flavor in special soups, stews, and dishes.
Health benefits of blue fenugreek
The compounds present in fenugreek help to slow down sugar absorption in the stomach and stimulate insulin, especially in people that are diabetic. Fenugreek is also known to improve the levels of testosterone and estrogen, which improves one’s interest in sex.
How to preserve fenugreek
Fenugreek fresh leaves are likely to stay for up to a week if you remove them from the stalks, kindly wrap them in a paper towel, and go ahead and place them in an airtight container and put them inside the fridge. You have to water the crop from time to time and make sure that it gets at least four to five hours of direct sunlight each day.
How to plant fenugreek
sow the seeds directly into the ground, keep the soil moist but ensure its not waterlogged, plant in a spot that gets exposure from sun or indoors inside containers.
Fenugreek will grow quite well if planted in an average, well-draining soil, especially when the soil is neutral to slightly alkaline and has a pH range of about 6.5 to 8.2.
Make sure you sow the seeds after all the chance of frost has passed and the soil has begun to warm, which is anytime from late spring to late summer.
Where to get them?
You can get fenugreek plants from grocery stores or order them online from Amazon.
Arp Rosemary
Arp rosemary, also known as Rosmarinus officinalis arp, is a relatively cold-hardy shrub rosemary. It has a stiff upright growth habit and a mid-spring display of light blue flowers. The flower smells like citrus while having light blue colors. It is quite a popular culinary herb because it is so versatile in the kitchen. Additionally, it is known that rosemary is endowed with medicinal benefits.
How to use arp rosemary
Since rosemary possesses good flavor, you can use its leaves to actually add flavor to your soup and other various dishes.
Health benefits of arp rosemary
Rosemary arp has some very good compounds that help with good skin health, anti-inflammatory qualities, breath freshener, stimulates blood flow, aids and reduces migraines, pain relief, memory booster, stomach soother, antibacterial potential, and immune booster.
How to preserve arp rosemary
You can wash it and put it in an airtight container and place it in the fridge. It can last for 1–7 days.
How to plant arp rosemary
This plant is best to be planted during spring, once the weather has warmed and there’s no frost in the forecast. However, you can start container planting indoors anytime of the year.
A planting site is very important for your rosemary to grow. It has to be in a location where it’s exposed to the sun and has fertile soil with proper drainage. Ensure the location does not contain very big and tall trees that might shade the rosemary.
Now, make sure you space your rosemary shrubs at least two to three feet apart.
Where to get rosemary arp?
You can get rosemary arp from so many online grocery shops or the physical ones located around you. You can also purchase them on Amazon by placing an order.