Most crops are contaminated with fungal mycotoxins, but some foods are worse than others.
Oats can be thought of as “uniquely nutritious.” One route by which they improve human health is by providing prebiotics that “increase the growth of beneficial gut microbiota.” There are all manner of oats, ranging from steel-cut oats to, even better, intact oat groats (their form before being cut), all the way down to highly processed cereals, like Honey Nut Cheerios.
“Rolling crushes the grain, which may disrupt cell walls and damage starch granules, making them more available for digestion.” This is bad because we want the starch to make it all the way down to our colon to feed our good gut bacteria. Grinding oats into oat flour to make breakfast cereals is even worse. When you compare blood sugar and insulin responses, you can see significantly lower spikes with the more intact steel-cut oats, as shown below and at 0:54 in my video Ochratoxin in Certain Herbs, Spices, and Wine.
What about ochratoxin? As seen here and at 1:01 in my video, oats are the leading source of dietary exposure to this mold contaminant, but they aren’t the only source.
There is a global contamination of food crops with mycotoxins, with some experts estimating as much as 25% of the world’s crops being affected. That statistic is attributed to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, but it turns out the stat is bogus. It isn’t 25%. Instead, it may be more like 60% to 80%. “The high occurrence is likely explained by a combination of the improved sensitivity of analytical [testing] methods and the impact of climate change.”
Spices have been found to have some of the highest concentrations of mycotoxins, but because they are ingested in such small quantities, they aren’t considered to be a significant source. We can certainly do our part to minimize our risk, though. For instance, we should keep spices dry after opening sealed containers or packages.
What about dried herbs? In “Mycotoxins in Plant-Based Dietary Supplements: Hidden Health Risk for Consumers,” researchers found that milk thistle–based supplements had the highest mycotoxin concentrations. It turns out that humid, wet weather is needed during milk thistle harvest, which is evidently why they get so moldy. “Considering the fact that milk thistle preparations are mainly used by people who suffer from liver disease,” such a high intake of compounds toxic to the liver may present some concern.
Wine sourced from the United States also appears to have particularly high levels. In fact, the single highest level found to date around the world is in a U.S. wine, but there’s contamination in wine in general. In fact, some suggest that’s why we see such consistent levels in people’s blood—perhaps because a lot of people are regular wine drinkers.
Ochratoxin is said to be a kidney toxin with immunosuppressive, birth defect–causing, and carcinogenic properties. So, what about ochratoxin decontamination in wine? That is, removing the toxin? Ideally, we’d try to prevent the contamination in the first place, but since this isn’t always practical, there is increased focus on finding effective methods of detoxification of mycotoxins already present in foods. This is where yeast enters as “a promising and friendly solution,” because the mycotoxins bind to the yeast cell wall. The thought is that we could strain out the yeast. Another approach is to eat something like nutritional yeast to prevent the absorption.
It works in chickens. Give yeast along with aflatoxin (another mycotoxin), and the severity of the resulting disease is diminished. However, using something like nutritional yeast as a binder “depends on stability of the yeast-mycotoxin complex through the passage of the gastrointestinal tract.” We know yeasts can remove ochratoxin in foods, but we didn’t have a clue if it would work in the gut until 2016. Yeast was found to bind up to 44% of the ochratoxin, but, in actuality, it was probably closer to only about a third, since some of the bindings weren’t stable. So, if you’re trying to stay under the maximum daily intake and you drink a single glass of wine, even if your bar snack is popcorn seasoned with nutritional yeast, you’d still probably exceed the tolerable intake. But what does that mean? How bad is this ochratoxin? We’ll find out next.
Mugwort flowers amplify and balance the sweet flavors of winter squash, carrots, parsnips, and onion. If you roast fall fruit as a side dish for a savory entrée, add some mugwort to pears, apples, figs, and grapes. In simmered and soupy dishes, mugwort pairs very well with dry beans and lentils.
Above: A medley of potatoes with a flurry of dried mugwort flowers for seasoning. Above: The potatoes are tossed in a bowl with avocado oil, salt and mugwort. Above: The mugwort potatoes roast on a sheetpan for 40 minutes at 400°F. Above: A 9-minute egg tops crunchy mugwort roast potatoes.
Roast Potatoes with Mugwort Flowers
Above: Potatoes roasted with a mugwort flowers.
Serves 4 as a side (2 as an entrée)
A classic side dish, roast potatoes can also be standalone and very respectable meal (serve them with a crunchy salad of greens or radicchio and apple). I usually use avocado oil for its higher smoke point, but if you are not vegetarian and have some duck fat lurking, that combination is spectacular.
1 1/2 lbs potatoes, cut into wedges or quarters (halve if small)
1/4 cup avocado oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons dried mugwort flowers and leaves
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Line a sheet pan with baking parchment.
In a bowl combine the potatoes with the oil, salt and mugwort flowers. Toss until combined. Spread the potatoes out on the baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes, or until they are turning dark golden (shake the pan halfway though to turn some of the potatoes).
When I first wake up in the morning, this energizing rosemary and mint soap is the perfect way to wake me up and feel ready to start the day. Whether you prefer cold process or melt-and-pour soap making, this rosemary soap recipe is for you!
The scent of rosemary is used in aromatherapy to promote focus, memory, and reduce brain fog. Peppermint is purported to help energize and refresh the mind and body. And both of them are effective natural deodorizers.
That’s why I combined these two scents for my morning shower soap (well, that and they smell awesome together). I love this energizing rosemary peppermint soap for my morning shower because it helps me to wake up, clean up, and feel ready for the day.
Let’s get into it!
Rosemary and mint and two great complementary scents.
Soap vs. Body Wash
You may think that your body wash is just a type of liquid soap, but actually, the reason why it is called “body wash” is that it isn’t soap at all. It is a detergent. You know, like you use on your dirty dishes.
Soap can only be called soap if it goes through the saponification process of turning fats and oils with sodium hydroxide into soap. This process makes the most nourishing, gentlest, and healthiest cleanser for your skin, which is why soap is the only thing I use to get clean. No mystery body washes in this household!
Soap retains the natural glycerin that’s created in the soap-making process. Products like beauty bars and body washes are detergents, or a recipe of ingredients that, combined together, cleanse your skin. Glycerin has been removed from these products because it is much too valuable to leave in there and make a big profit. Then a bunch of other artificial ingredients have been added to mask the missing glycerin.
That’s why I use soap in my morning shower every day. It’s the healthiest way to cleanse the body, and this particular soap wakes up my mind with its refreshing scent combination of rosemary and peppermint.
These soap bars lather beautifully and are moisturizing for the body as well.
Rosemary and Peppermint: a Winning Combination
Rosemary is an excellent natural deodorizer, and peppermint’s bright scent leaves you feeling fresh. The invigorating scent and natural cleansing properties of both of these essential oils make this combination the perfect choice for your everyday morning soap.
For more information on rosemary and mint, check out these posts:
Energizing Rosemary Peppermint Soap Recipe
Makes 36 oz total; approximately 7 x 5 oz bars; or will fill a 2 lb soap mould
Ingredients
Mix temp 115°F
Oils
Lye mixture
Scent and Colour
I used a round mould to make my soap, but you can also use a loaf mould.
Add the essential oils after you’ve combined your lye water and oils and you’ve just begun to reach trace. You can also add the sage powder at this step, using the immersion blender to blend.
Once that’s all blended, you can add your spirulina powder to make a swirl. To do this, add the spirulina powder directly to the bowl on the edge. Mix it in place with a spatula or the immersion blender.
Then, use a chopstick to swirl it once or twice through the bowl. A majority of the swirling will happen as you pour the soap into the mould.
Once in the mould, let it sit wrapped in a towel and placed somewhere warm for 48 hours. After two days, you can unmould the soap. Let it cure for six weeks before use.
For best results, all cold process soap must cure for six weeks before using it.
Melt and Pour Method
I like using the cold process technique for this soap, but if you want something even easier, you can use a pre-made soap base and add the essential oils and colourants to that.
For info on this technique, check out my own book on handmade soap the easy way (using the melt and pour method): Good Clean Fun.
More Rosemary and Mint Goodness!
Rosemary and Peppermint Energizing Shower Soap
Start the day off right, feeling refreshed and ready to start the day using with this rosemary and peppermint cold process soap recipe.
Servings: 36oz
Put on your safety gear.
Weigh your ingredients on a scale.
Heat olive oil, grapeseed oil, and coconut oil in a double boiler until it reaches 115°F.
While the oils heat, mix together the sodium hydroxide and water in a well-ventilated area. Let it sit in an ice bath until it also reaches 115°F.
Add the oil mixture to a mixing bowl, followed by the lye water. Use an immersion blender to mix until you reach a light trace.
Add the essential oils and sage powder, and mix again until well combined.
Add spirulina powder to the outer edge of the bowl. Mix in place, then use a chopstick to swirl twice through the mixture. Pour soap into the mould.
Let the soap sit undisturbed, somewhere warm, for 48 hours. After which, you can remove the soap from the mould and let it cure for six weeks before use.
Makes 36 oz total or approximately 7 x 5 oz bars. Will fill a 2 lb soap mould.
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Rosemary can be used in so many different ways, from culinary recipes to natural beauty to pest control, and it has long been renowned for its healing properties. This plant is easy to grow and propagate, and a delicious addition to many culinary creations. Follow this essential guide to rosemary for the best tips on how to grow, care for, preserve, and use this hardy wonder herb.
Rosemary thrives in dry, rocky conditions, so it is a great choice to grow in a rock garden or on a wall. This is because it is native to the Mediterranean, where it grows wild along rocky ocean cliffs—the plant gets its name from the Latin “rosmarinus,” which means “sea mist.”
When rosemary was brought to England in the fifteenth century, it became known as a symbol of loyalty and was often given as a token of fidelity from a bride to her groom on their wedding day.
It has since travelled all over the world and become one of the most common—and well-loved—herbs for home gardens.
Let me share all of my rosemary tips and goodness with you!
Healing Rosemary Benefits
Rosemary is known for its antiseptic, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties—in the sixteenth century, it was often burned to disinfect rooms that had previously been occupied by sick people.
It is also purported to have anti-stress properties and to improve focus and memory, so grab a sprig of rosemary and rub it between your hands to release the aroma if you need to study or get some work done.
Rosemary is often used as a natural painkiller for nausea and headaches by rubbing the fresh herb or diffusing rosemary essential oil.
A rosemary leaf can even help with your breath. Chew one leaf as a natural breath freshener, or add some to a batch of homemade dog cookies if your pampered pooch wakes you up in the morning with a kiss.
Rosemary is also a great herb for hair, and is a primary ingredient in this hair serum.
How to Grow Rosemary
Plant rosemary seeds about eight to ten weeks prior to the last frost of the spring. Plant in an area with well-draining soil. Rosemary can grow quite large (up to four feet tall with a four-foot spread), so make sure that you give it enough room between other plants
Be careful not to overwater, which is a common mistake with rosemary. Remember that it likes dry conditions and only water when the top two inches of soil feel very dry to the touch.
Perennial herbs like rosemary are great additions to the hardy garden.
Rosemary Plant Care
Pruning: trim rosemary back after it flowers (cut off the top inch or two of each flowering sprig) and be sure to prune regularly to keep the plant from becoming leggy.
Pests and Disease: root rot is common. To prevent it, provide good drainage and air circulation and don’t overwater. Whitefly and spider mites are common pests on rosemary plants. Prevent them by keeping your rosemary healthy and strong (they can’t do much damage to an already healthy plant), and get rid of them with a solution of water mixed with soap or neem oil applied directly to the leaves.
Propagation: snip a piece of new growth (the stem should be soft and green as opposed to woody) about five inches long. Strip off the lower leaves, place the cutting in a jar of water with a plastic sandwich bag over top for protection. When roots begin to develop, remove the cutting from the jar and plant in soil. You can also use rooting hormone to help your cutting along, if you wish. For more details on propagation, head over to this post.
Overwintering: Rosemary is hardy to Zone 6 or 7, but you can also overwinter it indoors if you would like to have fresh rosemary to use all winter long.
To overwinter outdoors, remove any weeds from around the base of the plant, give it a good prune, and cover with a two-to-four-inch layer of mulch to insulate and protect it from cold winter temperatures. See more tips on overwintering herbs.
Harvesting and Preserving Rosemary
Harvest up to one-third of the plant at a time. Try to trim the new, green stems, as opposed to the woody stems.
You can use rosemary fresh, tie the sprigs into a bundle and hang them up to dry, or store them in an airtight container for future use.
How to Use Rosemary
There are endless ways to use rosemary in cooking, natural beauty recipes, and around the home. Here are a few ideas:
Recipes
Aromatherapy and Beauty
Put a pot of rosemary or a rosemary candle on your work desk to improve focus.
My whole haircare routine revolves around rosemary, thanks to it stimulating and restoeative herbal properties. Here are all my rosemary haircare recipes: conditioner, hair serum, and dry shampoo.
Gargle with rosemary tea for a natural homemade mouthwash.
Relieve congestion by adding fresh or dried rosemary to a bowl of boiling water and breathing in the steam.
Add a bundle of rosemary to the shower to really wake you up in the morning! Or add it to a sugar scrub to exfoliate while you breathe in its energizing scent.
Home and Garden
Whether you use it for cooking, crafting, or healing, you won’t regret adding a rosemary plant to your garden!
More Helpful Tips for Growing Herbs
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Whenever I feel a little under the weather or sense that I’m coming down with something, these essential oil roll-on remedies are the first thing I turn to. These essential oil roll-on recipes are super simple to put together and really work. I’ll show you my favourite recipes to help relieve symptoms from headache, insomnia, and cold and flu viruses naturally!
Roll-on remedies are a quick and natural first line of defense against common (yet super annoying) ailments: headaches, disrupted sleep, and cold and flu viruses. They are made with high concentrations of herbs and essential oils in a gentle dilution of carrier oil that is convenient to use.
Today, I’ll share the three essential oil roll-on recipes that I turn to so I can avoid popping pills.
This post will cover…
Herbs have many different healing properties, depending on which you choose.
Do Roll-On Remedies Work?
In a word…yes!
Somehow, I’m always surprised at the effectiveness of my homemade roll-on remedies. Even though I use a lot of essential oils and remedies on myself and with my family, I still have the tiniest jolt of awe every time they work.
And why shouldn’t they? Herbal healing has been around for longer than me, or you, or Western Medicine, for that matter. The power of plants is something that you can easily harness into a pocket-sized roll-on bottle to help with little ailments before they get out of control.
I include essential oils in many of my recipes both for their scent and herbal properties.
Selecting Essential Oil for Your Roll-On Recipes
Before I give you the recipes for my roll-on remedies, I want to share a little about essential oil brands. I’m not affiliated with any essential oil network marketing companies and, to be honest, I’ve only tried a few of the products they offer.
Over the years, I have tried a large number of brands from traditional stores, though, and I like to shop around for different brands to experiment with. I use my nose and other senses to evaluate how the oils work for me.
I have researched and even chatted with the makers of a number of brands and have learned two things:
There is no certification or industry standard for essential oil brands, meaning the quality of the products is all over the map.
More expensive oils are not necessarily better. Some brands that have high price points have far inferior products than those with lower price points. Yes, ingredients are one reason for the price of the bottle, but that number is also influenced by marketing, customer demand, and supply scale, among other things. I used to bypass the inexpensive essential oils brands, thinking that they were of poor quality, when in fact the price of some brands is low because they produce so much that they are able to gain more economies of scale.
Do your research to ensure your essential oils are of good quality.
Are Roll-On Essential Oils Safe?
Essential oils are compounds extracted from plants, meaning they are supercharged with the plant’s aromas and herbal benefits. They’re potent and strong, one of my favourite herbal ingredients, and completely safe for use when used right.
When using essential oil roll-ons, it’s important to get the dose right. Typically, you never want to place pure essential oil directly on the skin. That is why I dilute it with a high-quality carrier oil to make it completely safe for skin application. Certain essential oils should also be avoided for skin use, such as cinnamon bark and oregano.
And as mentioned above, you want to make sure you’re using high-quality essential oils. So do your research into any brand before buying, regardless of price point. This will make certain that you’re actually getting results from your roll-on oil!
Essential oils will need carrier oils to be safely applied to the skin.
How to Use an Essential Oil Roll-On
I made three of my favourite roll-on remedies from the essential oils, and I used grapeseed oil as the carrier oil to dilute them.
To apply your roll-on oil, make sure to perform a patch test beforehand to see how your skin will react. To do this, wash your forearm with soap and pat it dry. Roll on your essential oil remedy and wait 24 hours to see if there is any kind of reaction.
I apply every one of my roll-on essential oils differently. Some I like on my face, behind my ears, on my chest, and even on the bottom of my feet. I noted for each roll-on oil how I like to use it, but experiment for yourself. Just make sure to keep the oils far enough away from your eyes!
So let’s put these oils to good use, shall we?
Headache Relief Roll-on Remedy
Add the drops of essential oil into the roller bottle and fill with grapeseed oil, leaving a bit of headspace for the roller cap. Pop the roller into the bottle and add the cap.
How to Use
When I first feel a headache coming on, I use this roll-on for headaches by creating a halo around my head. Rolling it around my hairline from my forehead to temple, around the nape of my neck, and back up to the starting point. If I catch a headache before it gets momentum, this remedy will help take it away.
Sleep Well Roll-on Remedy
Add the drops of essential oil into the roller bottle and fill with grapeseed oil, leaving a bit of headspace for the roller cap. Pop the roller into the bottle and add the cap.
How to Use
I apply this remedy before bed to help promote restful sleep. To use, I roll it behind my ears, the back of my neck, and the soles of my feet. I also apply hand and foot lotion at night, so I roll the ball in the palm of my hand, mix it in with the lotion, and then rub it into my hands and feet.
Cold and Flu Roll-on Remedy
Add the drops of essential oil into the roller bottle and fill with grapeseed oil, leaving a bit of headspace for the roller cap. Pop the roller into the bottle and add the cap.
This one has a lot more ingredients, but every drop is worth its weight in gold! Having gone through every single virus the last few years that my son was in daycare, I stopped getting 80% of them when I started using this combination.
How to Use
I apply this remedy in cold and flu season and when there is a virus going around. Usually, I roll it on my chest and the soles of my feet. I also use it as a hand sanitizer when I’m out in public and can’t wash my hands.
Thanks to their small size, you can bring these remedies with you on the go.
For fun, I added some fresh herbs to my essential oil roll-ons to help me identify them. I added a tip of young rosemary to the cold and flu remedy, and a few small peppermint leaves to the roll-on for headaches.
I also added small lavender flowers on the stem, plus some purple Centaurea Classic Artist Mix petals (because lavender doesn’t hold its colour in oil, but Centaurea does) to the sleep remedy.
Add fresh or dried botanicals for appearance.
But…you can go a bit more traditional by using a label maker to identify the name of each of the essential oil roll-on recipes, too.
Add labels, especially if you plan on gifting these remedies.
Either way, you’ll be sure to love these fantastic essential oil roll-ons. I recommend mixing them up so they are ready for you the next time you feel symptoms coming on. You’ll be thankful you did!
More Ways to Use Essential Oils
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Whether you are cooking with pumpkins or carving a Jack-O-Lantern, it’s likely that you’ll find yourself with some extra pumpkin seeds on hand this fall. Don’t throw them out! With just a little prep, these rosemary pumpkin seeds make the perfect tasty, healthy snack.
I should warn you, though, you’d better make a LOT of these sweet and salty rosemary pumpkin seeds. You will eat them all. You will burn your mouth tasting one out of the oven, then burn it again because you can’t believe these are so good. Yeah, yeah, they are just roasted pumpkin seeds. Try them. Just once. You’ll see.
Sometimes I put together recipes from the ingredients that are freshest and calling out to me. Sometimes I just use whatever I have around. And sometimes it comes from a craving. I first made these pumpkin seeds years ago, and they’ve turned into a yearly staple.
It started when I first bought a fresh pumpkin, and I let Kiddo, who was a baby at the time, get his little hands in the gunky insides and play around. What a wonderful sensory experience for him!
We had fun digging out the pumpkin, sitting near the herb garden where the rosemary was growing like a crazy, fragrant octopus that is trying to strangle all the other herbs. The smell of rosemary was the jumping-off point here. I just love rosemary with a hint of sweetness, and thus this highly addictive recipe was born!
Find ideas on what to use with the rest of the pumpkin at the bottom of this post!
Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds
In addition to being scrumptious, pumpkin seeds are just plain good for you. They are full of fibre, minerals, and healthy fats, which can help to improve bladder and prostate health, regulate blood sugar, reduce the risk of heart disease, and aid in digestion.
Now, without further ado, here is my absolute favourite way to eat these healthy little seeds.
Scoop out the pumpkin guts, then separate them from the seeds.
Sweet and Salty Rosemary Pumpkin Seeds Recipe
This recipe calls for a little sugar, but if, like me, you live a sugar-free lifestyle, you can use stevia as an alternative, natural sweetener. See how to grow and use stevia here.
Ingredients
Makes 1 cup
Make it!
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Rinse seeds under cold water until they are no longer sticky. Dry well and add them to a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Stir to coat and spread the seeds on baking sheets.
Roast for 15-20 minutes, removing after 10 minutes to shake the pan and move the seeds around a bit, flipping some of the crispier ones. Remove from the oven when they are golden brown.
Allow them to cool before you start snacking.
More Pumpkin Fun!
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Since the start of the pandemic, many people’s daily routines have fluctuated. That means waking up later in the mornings and eating and drinking later into the evenings. This lack of consistency can have significant impacts on both physical and mental health.
Herbs are outdoor plants. There are many plants that can grow well as houseplants, but herbs are not among them. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t choose certain herbs to grow indoors. This article covers which herbs to grow indoors, as well as some that you should leave outside.
If you’re a foodie, you know that having fresh herbs at the ready makes all the difference when it comes to at-home cooking. So I can understand the desire to have an indoor herb garden at the ready!
Herbs don’t grow nearly as well indoors as they do outdoors, but you can still have a good supply of fresh herbs if you give them the best conditions possible. Indoor herbs are ideal for those who live in small spaces or during the winter when your outdoor herb garden is hibernating.
Here are the best herbs to grow indoors (and which ones you might want to avoid!).
You can also overwinter some of your outdoor herbs inside.
Herbs to Grow Indoors
Leafy Herbs
These leafy herbs grow quickly and are the easiest to grow indoors. You can clip a few leaves for garnishing and salads regularly. When the plant looks a bit droopy and sad, move it outdoors and plant another one. Luckily, these are often inexpensive as well, so they’re ideal for using and replacing when needed.
These evergreen /evergreen-ish herbs like to live outdoors where the sun shines brightly, the soil keeps their roots dry, and there is enough cold for a period of rest.
They are a bit harder to grow indoors as they are slow-growing and slow to adapt to limited light conditions. They may not survive more than a few months, but they look gorgeous in a living planter, and you can certainly harvest a few clippings from them when needed.
Propagate a few of your outdoor perennial herb clippings to bring indoors for the winter.
Honourable Mention
Curry plant is very pretty and makes for a nice addition to indoor gardens. It is not cold-hardy, so it prefers to be indoors in a warmer climate than some of the other herbs. That being said, curry is a pretty plant that is aromatic in a herb garden.
As a culinary herb, much of the aroma is lost when cooking, and it doesn’t seem to add much flavour. So if you choose to have this in your herb garden indoors, do so for the aromatics and aesthetics.
Curry plant is a personal favourite herb of mine.
Herbs to Keep Outside
Dill – This herb is huge! It’s far too large for an indoor garden.
Fennel – As with dill, fennel is big and best left outdoors.
Basil – basil can be really hard to grow indoors. You could certainly plant it to keep the herbs fresh for longer than those that are cut, but basil is happiest in the ground with lots of bright sun and compost-rich soil.
Cilantro – while it looks like parsley, I find it hard to grow enough cilantro indoors to make it worth my while. Without strong direct light, the stems are thin and leggy, and the leaves stay small. You can plant it densely and cut a few stems at a time, but I like to add a lot, and growing it indoors is just too much effort for what it produces.
Chamomile – chamomile flowers are what make this herb special, and you will be hard-pressed to get it to flower indoors without adequate light.
Garlic – garlic is more of a vegetable in that you harvest the roots to eat. It also takes a long time to grow with a cool season in between.
More Tips for Growing Herbs
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Here’s how herbs can help balance your dog’s health by supporting her body as an ecosystem. Discover holistic herbal remedies for digestion, immunity, stress, and overall well-being.
Dogs are more than their individual parts. They are ecosystems, with each body part playing a crucial role in the harmony of the whole. This perspective emphasizes balance and connection between physical, emotional, and energetic well-being. Let’s explore the canine body as an ecosystem, and how herbs for balancing your dog’s health support it.
Your dog’s body as an ecosystem
The idea of your dog as an ecosystem is rooted in a holistic view of health. For example, the digestive, immune, nervous, and lymphatic systems work together to benefit the whole. An imbalance in one part can trigger a chain reaction that disrupts the entire ecosystem.
Check it out: Health isn’t just about treating symptoms; it’s about nurturing the whole.
This analogy helps you understand that addressing one issue requires finding its root causes and systemic origins.
Using herbs to support your dog’s ecosystem
Herbalism is a natural and comprehensive way to support a dog’s ecosystem. It combines modern scientific research with traditional herbal wisdom, offering you practical tools for addressing various health concerns.
Check it out: Science has helped analyze plants, and identify their constituents and nutritional components. It confirms what traditional herbalism has long known about their actions and uses.
Herbs actively support the immune system, soothe the nervous system, improve digestion, and promote emotional balance. More importantly, they work synergistically with a dog’s natural processes rather than overriding them.
Herbal remedies restore equilibrium, unlike pharmaceutical interventions that target specific symptoms. They focus on identifying underlying imbalances that lead to issues such as acid reflux, allergies, anxiety, arthritis, or digestive problems.
Understanding your dog’s unique needs
Every ecosystem is unique, and so is every dog. Understanding your dog’s individual constitution is one of the most critical parts of holistic care.
Constitutional assessment helps identify what each dog needs to thrive. Some run hot, others cold. Some are naturally nervous, while others are laidback. Tailoring care to these tendencies improves systemic balance and supports overall harmony.
Check it out: Cooling herbs like chamomile or rose hips benefit a “hot” dog, while warming herbs like ginger or turmeric help a “cold” dog.
Practical steps to a healthy ecosystem in your dog
The following simple steps can provide a good starting point:
Focus on nutrition: A balanced, minimally-processed diet is fundamental. Food serves as medicine and has a direct impact on the ecosystem.
Support the gut: Incorporate probiotics, prebiotics, and gut-soothing herbs like marshmallow root, ginger, or gotu kola to promote digestive health.
Address stress: Calming herbs or flower essences can benefit anxious dogs. Create a calm and supportive environment for your canine. And remember that our stress is their stress; when we care for our own well-being, we positively affect our dogs.
Observe and adapt: Pay attention to your dog’s unique needs and adjust care accordingly.
Embrace herbal remedies: Start with gentle, versatile herbs like chamomile, calendula, or nettle to support overall health.
Create a healing herbal protocol for your dog’s ecosystem
Supporting your dog’s health with herbs doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Follow this step-by-step approach to build a healing protocol that nurtures your dog’s body gradually and effectively.
Check it out: Before giving your dog any new herbs, consult an integrative or holistic veterinarian, or canine herbalist.
Give healing time – expect to notice changes after about eight to 12 weeks. Reassess and adjust as needed. And keep it simple: choose one herb only from each category.
Balance the nervous system
A stable nervous system is key to healing. Use calming herbs to reduce chronic stress and support nerve function. Start here and continue throughout the protocol.
Finally, choose one or two herbs specifically for your dog’s health issue. Introduce them gradually while continuing the earlier steps. Examples Include:
Joint support: Turmeric (Curcuma longa) or Solomon’s seal root (Polygonatum biflorum)
Skin and allergies: Nettle (Urtica dioica), burdock root (Arctium lappa)
Immune support: Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) or Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum)
Dosage: 1/4 tsp dried herb per 10 lbs twice daily
As more dog parents embrace holistic care, the ecosystem perspective on canine health serves as a guide and inspiration. Educate and empower yourself to view your dog as a complex, vibrant ecosystem requiring thoughtful individualized care.
Holistic care with herbs strengthens the bond between dogs, humans, and nature. This compassionate approach helps your dog thrive as the complex ecosystem she is.
The liver-digestion link – an example of how a dog’s ecosystem works
The liver-digestion connection is a great example of a dog’s ecosystem in action. A healthy digestive system relies on a healthy liver. The liver and gallbladder produce bile to emulsify fats, making them easier to break down and absorb.
Your dog’s liver releases bile into the small intestine when she eats fats. Without bile, fats remain undigested, causing malabsorption and nutritional deficiencies. This, in turn, disrupts the lymphatic system — your dog’s fat-based nutrition and waste superhighway — affecting every cell in her body.
Fats are responsible for many bodily functions, including cellular membrane structures and signaling, hormone regulation, vitamin absorption, insulin sensitivity, and inflammation levels. Fats are just one aspect of the interdependence between the liver and digestive system.
The liver also works with the lymphatic system, which relies on fats to transport fat-soluble vitamins, immune cells, and nutrition to the liver and cells. The immune system defends the body against pathogens and depends on the lymphatic system to protect your dog against pathogens.
Natural supportive care
As your dog’s person, you play a crucial role in her day-to-day balance of health. Educating yourself, observing changes in your dog, and understanding the basics of herbal remedies (with the help of an integrative or holistic veterinarian) are essential steps to natural supportive care.
Holistic herbal medicine complements conventional veterinary care, offering plant-based therapies that support your dog while she takes organ-taxing NSAIDs or other pharmaceuticals.
Chances are, you’ve seen packets of stevia in your local coffee shop. But did you know that the stevia plant can be grown in your own backyard? Here’s everything you need to know about how to grow, harvest, and enjoy stevia leaves at home.
Stevia has become all the rage lately, and for good reason! It is a no-calorie, plant-based sweetener that is 200 times sweeter than sugar. Green stevia leaves can be grown in the home garden and harvested to make a huge number of sweet-tasting recipes that won’t spike insulin or cause inflammation like sugar does.
I love the flavour of green stevia, and I regularly give visitors stevia leaves from my garden to taste. They often have the same look after tasting it: a combination of “Wow, that’s sweet” and “Hmmm, it doesn’t taste like sugar.”
That’s because people tend to think of stevia as a diet product or a sugar replacement. Even though it is often marketed that way, the stevia plant is an herb with a wonderful flavour and a great many uses. If you are trying to kick a sugar addiction, stevia very well may help, but it should also be appreciated for the herbaceous, green, sweet flavourthat is uniquely its own.
Jump ahead to…
How Growing Stevia Saved My Life
After I gave birth to my son, my hormones got all messed up, and I felt awful. I went to talk to my doctor about what could possibly be making me so tired, puffy, sluggish, and craving food all. the. time.
It didn’t make any sense to me.
I exercised regularly and followed the Canada Health guide for eating a balanced diet: everything in moderation, lean meats, a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, low fat, and whole grains. I was doing everything right.
But I felt terrible.
And I was always starving.I craved sugar like it had an all-powerful control over me, and I couldn’t figure out why. When I asked my doctor if I could possibly be insulin resistant, she said, “Oh, you most certainly are.”
I was shocked! I asked, “Why didn’t you tell me this before? Can’t you do something about it?” She replied that what you do about it is what I was already doing: following a healthy diet and exercising regularly.
Clearly, that was not working.
I became insulin resistant after the birth of my son.
Saying Goodbye to Sugar
I changed my diet dramatically by cutting out all sugar: sugar, honey, maple syrup, and even fruit. Yes, even fruit.
I also cut out anything that my body could easily convert to sugar: carbs. Then, I cut out all grains and all starchy vegetables as well. Finally, I added more healthy fats into my diet, organic and grass-fed meats, and lots and lots of green vegetables.
These changes made an enormous difference in how I felt almost immediately. At first, I felt horrible. I was so sick and felt like I was going to die as I detoxed from sugar.
But then, after a few weeks, I started to get much better. I had more energy than I’ve ever had in my life. I felt much lighter and less puffy. And I lost a ton of inflammation, which helped to reduce my chronic pain dramatically.
How I Reversed Insulin Resistance
The numbers showed why I felt so much better. When I first had my blood tested, it showed a very high level of insulin resistance, and I looked like I was well on my way to developing diabetes. Within 6 months of a sugar-free diet, I’d cut that number in half. Within a year, I had completely reversed the insulin resistance. And then my doctor asked me to teach her what I had done!
It took a ton of willpower to cut out sugar for good. No sugar. At all. Not even on my birthday. Yup, that’s right, no birthday cake.
Living sugar-free is not easy. Sugar is in absolutely everything. It’s part of every celebration and social gathering. And it’s the first thing that your body wants when you’re hungry. Your body knows to ask for that quick fix of something sweet so that it can give you a burst of energy. And it tastes so good. So, so good.
I was committed to kicking sugar in all its forms so I could stop the cycle of insulin resistance and build a better life. I wanted to have the energy to be able to raise my son. And live a long life to see him grow up.
Needless to say, cutting out sugar has been a lifesaver for me. But also, it can be a bummer to have to pass on your favourite treats. I looked into how I could use something herbal and natural to create recipes that I loved that don’t replace sugar but are even better. That taste delicious, sweet, and green – just how I want to live my life!
That’s where stevia (and the stevia plant!) comes in.
The stevia you grow tastes very different than the stevia you get at the grocery store.
All About the Stevia Plant
There used to be controversy around stevia, particularly in the United States, where it was banned because there were not enough studies to say whether or not it was safe to consume. Even products like aspartame and other artificial sweeteners (oh, and sugar) were deemed safe to be sold on the market.
I won’t go into the politics behind sugar and sweeteners because there are more than enough resources out there to shed light on those issues. I can only speak to how everything that I do for my own personal health and the health of my family has to make sense and feel good to me.
In short, when I can grow an herb in my garden organically, I have a lot more trust in its safety than I do in man-made or synthetic products.
Many people don’t realize that stevia is actually a herb.
Stevia Plant Vs Powdered Stevia
The stevia that you buy at the grocery store is very different than the stevia plant you grow in your garden.
When I first tasted stevia, it was in a powder form from a packet, and it tasted quite bitter and very sweet. Honestly, I did not like it at all. But when I started growing the stevia plant in my garden, I experimented a lot to find ways that it could help me feed my sweet tooth while doing good things for my body.
As an artificial sweetener, stevia is often either a clear liquid extract or a white powder. Essentially, what’s been done is the sweet component of stevia has been extracted and added to either a powder or a liquid like alcohol or glycerin so that it dilutes the sweetness and helps to remove some of the bitter aftertastes.
Green stevia, or Stevia rebaudiana, is what you’ll grow in the garden. It grows like an herb with serrated-edged leaves and is native to South America. Indigenous peoples of South America have used the stevia plant for hundreds of years, both medicinally and as a sweetening agent.
The flavour of green stevia leaves reminds me of a bit of green tea mixed with sweeteners. It is quite sweet, so a little goes a long way. Over the past three years that I have been growing and testing out stevia in various recipes, I have learned how to harvest and prepare it so that I don’t miss sugar one bit. And, more importantly, stevia helps me to stay away from sugar so that I don’t fall off the wagon.
Stevia rebaudiana has a herby and earthy sweet taste.
Benefits of Stevia
I’m not the only one who noticed a change! In a 2010 study, stevia has been shown to significantly lower insulin and glucose levels. The plant can help to keep blood sugar levels in check. And as a nonnutritive sweetener, it has no calories.
When you look at stevia as a herb, you see it in a whole new light. The herbal properties of stevia help to scrub away the biofilm in the gut, which can hide bacteria and cause digestive problems. The stevia allows your good gut flora to neutralize the bad flora. Plus, you’re not adding sugar and therefore avoiding a bad bacteria gut party.
Most of all, it works well to kick that sugar habit. Since it’s so much sweeter than regular sugar, a little goes a long way. One stevia plant can provide you with more than enough sweetness for your daily cravings.
Stevia leaves have not been approved by the FDA for commercial use, so you can only grow and use stevia leaves from your garden. Little research has been done on using stevia leaves. But in my experience, they’re a wonderful alternative and have made all the difference in kicking my sugar habit.
Dried stevia can be ground into a powder to easily top desserts.
How to Plant Stevia
Grow green stevia in full sun in containers or in loose, loamy, well-draining soil. Space plants 18” apart so they can fill out and grow 12-36″ tall. Like basil, if you continue to pinch the plant back and use the top leaves, it will become bushier and fuller with stronger stalks.
Stevia can be grown from seed in the winter or from rooted cuttings. As far as herbs go, growing stevia takes a little more effort than most. They require some heat to get started, and it may take a few practice seedlings.
Green stevia can overwinter in zones 8 and above, although the older the plant, the tougher the leaves become. It’s better to start new cuttings or new seeds each year for the freshest stevia.
Prune back your stevia plant a few times throughout the growing season to prevent flowering and to encourage branching. Once the plant flowers, the leaf flavour becomes less appealing. Similar to most herbs and vegetables that you eat for their leaves, once the plant energy starts to go into flowering, the leaves become bitter or less flavorful.
Grow new stevia plants each year for the best flavour.
Where Can I Buy Stevia Plants?
Stevia plants are now usually available at your favourite garden center in the herb section. Since most plants from garden centres have been treated with pesticides, don’t eat the stevia leaves right away. Wait for new growth, prune back your stevia plant, and enjoy the new (untreated growth) for consumption.
If you prune back your stevia plant a few times in the year, you’ll have plenty to use fresh and in recipes throughout the summer months.
Check out the delicious coconut ice cream and melon dessert that Chef Andrea from Burdock & Co made from my garden stevia when I hosted a garden-to-table event there last year.
Remove the leaves from the stems and use the leaves to make fresh tea or liquid extract. You can also dry the leaves by tying the stems and bundles and hanging them in a cool, dark place until the leaves dry.
In the fall, harvest the entire plant after the weather has dipped. Cooler temperatures enhance the sweetness of stevia leaves.
Harvest green stevia in the morning when it has the highest sugar content.
Stevia leaves are used as a garnish for this hibiscus iced tea as well as a natural sweetener.
Drying and Storing Stevia
To dry stevia, cut the stems and bundle them together with garden twine. Hang them upside down on an herb drying rack in a cool, dark place out of direct sunlight. When there is no moisture left, you can remove the leaves and store them in Mason jars or grind them into a powder.
Use the leaves only, discarding the dried stems.
How to Use Stevia Plants
Now that you have your stevia plant harvested and dried—what do you do with it? Depending on the form of the stevia, you can use it for many different things, including smoothies, coffee, and even baking. Dried stevia powder, the leaves themselves, and a liquid sweetener are all great ways to use the herb.
Homemade Green Stevia Powder
To make a green stevia powder that can be used in baking recipes, take the dried leaves and put them in a powerful blender or food processor (I use the “dry ingredient” attachment on my Vitamix) to create a very fine powder.
Even though this powder may be quite fine, it will not dissolve in liquids. Instead, it will just float to the top, so you probably won’t want to use it in your morning coffee. I like to use it in baking and in recipes where it is dispersed throughout, like in a mousse.
Stevia powder will not dissolve like sugar. Keep this in mind when using it.
Stevia Sweetened Tea
Use fresh or dried stevia leaves to sweeten tea. Add one small bit of leaf to hot water in combination with your other tea herbsto add a natural, earthy sweetness.
Stevia will not steep in cold water so the water must be warm in order to release the sweetness. Always keep in mind that stevia is so much sweeter than sugar that you only need a little bit as it will go a long way.
One fresh leaf per cup of tea is usually all I need for a little bit of sweetness.
Making an extract involves adding the stevia leaves to a liquid to draw out the flavours. You then strain out and discard the leaves, leaving you with a sweet stevia extract that is easy to use in liquids like tea, soda, smoothies, and other recipes where powdered stevia would not dissolve.
I like this recipe for making stevia extract because you can make it in alcohol, but there are also instructions on how to dealcoholize it if you wish.
Use fresh or dried stevia as a garnish.
I hope that the stevia plant changes your life for the better as it did mine. Let me know in the comments how you use stevia, and feel free to share your favourite recipes!
More Herbal Growing Guides
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
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Garlic is a great reminder that we eat herbs not just for flavour, but for medicine. Pungent in smell and useful in the garden, there are many garlic health benefits for us as well. Here’s how garlic can help you, and a few recipes to harness that pungent power.
When we think of garlic, the word herb doesn’t usually come to mind. It’s somewhere between a vegetable and a spice, something that gives flavour to our food.
In reality, garlic is known in the herbal world as a very powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal.
Just think about how we use it in the garden. We use it to repel pests with its pungent aroma, as its strong smell helps to mask the appeal of surrounding plants.
And when you go out and plant the bulbs or harvest the garlic scapes, your hands can quickly smell like garlic for the rest of the day.
This strong aroma works hard in our body as well, as the sulphuric compounds provide a range of health benefits. It’s as powerful for us as it is out in the garden.
Let me show you!
Hardneck, softneck…all garlic has health benefits.
History of Garlic
There are around 1,000 species in the Allium genus, including cultivated garlic, Allium sativum. Originally native to central Asia, it has quickly been used all over the world as an all-around herb.
Garlic has been used medicinally for over 7,000 years, with traces of the plant found in paleolithic caves. Egyptians and Greeks both used it to strengthen the work capacity of their workers and slaves, helping to reduce fatigue.
Of course, we all know it as the thing vampires hate most. And it might not just be the garlic breath! As a flower essence, garlic is known for providing vitality and resistance to adverse energy. Garlic gets rid of that bad juju, vampires included.
I won’t go into the details about how to grow garlic in this post, but you can find all my tips and tricks, including timing, in my garlic growing guide.
Garlic scapes can also be eaten. I make them into a pesto!
Garlic Health Benefits
Garlic is one of the most well-researched medicinal herbs, if its popularity in modern-day cooking isn’t an indicator enough. It’s known to have great effects on the cardiovascular, digestive, and respiratory systems, as well as the liver. Most of that comes from the allicin constituent, the sought-after part of garlic.
Cardiovascular Benefits
The aromatic compounds of garlic can dilate blood vessels, helping to boost circulation and prevent clotting. It’s known for reducing blood pressure, so those with high blood pressure can benefit from including garlic as a daily part of their diet. It’s also known to prevent atherosclerosis, the hardening of arteries.
Digestive Aid
If you’ve had a garlic-heavy meal, you may have noticed how it gets your guts moving and grooving. Garlic brings heat and vitality to the digestive system. It’s incredibly nutritious, providing manganese, selenium, fibre, and Vitamin C and B6, as well as antioxidants.
Garlic works as an ally in fighting the bacterium H. pylori alongside antibiotics, helping to increase antibiotic treatment by over 30%. It’s also been traditionally used to kill worm parasites.
Pickled garlic is a great way to enjoy garlic health benefits. Eat a clove daily!
Liver Benefits
Daily consumption of garlic is proven to lower serum cholesterol levels, and maybe even triglyceride levels. It can even promote HDL, AKA good cholesterol, improving overall liver function.
And if the liver is working well, you can also expect a more stable blood sugar level.
Cold and Flu Aid
Garlic is often used at the beginning stages of a cold or flu to help prevent it from developing worse. It’s known to have a whopping 18 antiviral and antibacterial substances. When used as an immune stimulant, it can help to fight viruses, bacteria, yeast, worms, and fungi.
Garlic is used as an expectorant, removing phlegm. The volatile oils in garlic are excreted through the lungs, aiding with respiratory infections.
Use garlic when you first feel the inkling of a cold or have been around someone who is sick.
How to Use Garlic Medicinally
Like any herb, there are periods of my life where I don’t eat garlic because my immune system is already reactive. I have an autoimmune disorder, so when I stick garlic in there, I can react to it and notice some stomach issues.
In reality, I don’t need garlic as much as other people may. Other times, when I’m feeling run down and in need of some nourishment and strength, I will reach for it. It’s such a powerful herb that I take it gently!
Preparing Garlic
In nature, garlic will release its highly sought-after sulphur compounds and allicin when it is disturbed by wildlife. To release it in your kitchen, you must chop or crush the garlic.
Then, it’s important to let it oxidize for 3-5 minutes before you ingest it. The oxygen helps to activate the compounds.
It’s important to note that heat will stop the process.
Remove skin and crush or chop garlic to get the proper health benefits of garlic.
Fire Cider
Popularized by herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, fire cider has become a tonic that many people rely on daily during the cold and flu season. The tonic is an infused preparation of apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic, onion, ginger, and more. It works as a decongesting tonic as well as a digestion aid.
Garlic honey is one of my favourite ways to harness the power of garlic. I’ve made it for a few years when I thought I needed a boost, and it tastes so delicious. It’s a great staple to have on hand during the winter months.
Like the fire cider, fermented garlic honey works as an immune booster. You can also use it in your cooking, because it’s that tasty, as a sauce or marinade.
Here is a recipe and instructions on how to make fermented honey garlic from Colleen over at Grow Forage Cook Ferment.
All you need is honey and garlic for this recipe!
FAQ About Medicinal Uses of Garlic
What is the 10-minute garlic rule?
This refers to how long you’re supposed to let garlic sit after you chop or crush it to ingest it. In reality, you only need about 3-5 minutes to allow the garlic to oxidize and form the compounds that provide the health benefits.
Who shouldn’t use garlic?
Avoid using garlic if you’re on blood thinners or have a bleeding disorder. It should also be avoided two weeks before and after surgery.
It’s also an immune booster, so those with autoimmune disorders should be cautious about when they choose to ingest garlic.
Always ask your doctor before using any herbs for their medicinal purposes.
What are the side effects of garlic?
Besides bad breath? Garlic can affect the ability to clot blood, since it works to open blood vessels. It’s also a warming food, so it can irritate the digestive system in high doses, causing gas and nausea.
More Garlic Tips and Uses
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Harvesting Coriander: Save Seeds for Your Spice Rack or to Plant
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What’s in a name? If it’s two varieties of Perilla, potentially a lot of confusion. Even growers and trusted internet resources (I’m looking at you, Wikipedia) get them wrong, muddling images of shiso and sesame leaf (also called beefsteak plant). These different but very similar varieties of Perilla frutescens are both commonly eaten in East […]
Basil Leaves Curling? Here are 8 Possible Causes & Solutions
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Culinary herbs add freshness and flavor to our meals. Growing them at home means that a quick trip to the garden or to the pot at the front door can yield a handful of aromatic goodness. It is often assumed that herbs require full sun to thrive, but many herbs prefer to grow in shade, or at least in partial shade. These shade-loving herbs include plants native to regions as diverse as the Mediterranean, North America, and Southeast Asia. Some of them are deeply familiar, and others may be more surprising.
Here are 13 herbs for shade that are staples in my kitchen. (If you have a favorite shade herb that you don’t see here, let us know in the comments.)
It took me years to learn that basil appreciates shade where summers are very hot. It begins to make sense when you realize that Ocimum species are native to tropical Asia and Africa, which conjures leafy forests. While basil will grow in full sun (with adequate watering), in hot summer climates it thrives in either full shade, afternoon shade, or dappled shade. The most shade-loving basils in my experience are purple, Thai, and Greek, in that order. Lemon basil also likes shade, while sweet (so-called Italian) basil will take more sun. Purple basil relishes shade, where it is as ornamental as it is delicious. During this very hot July my Thai basil planted in full sun is tall and full of flowers, but wilts twice a day, while the pot in full shade has remained more compact, is bushy with fragrant leaves, and has not bloomed yet; plus, it does not require double watering.
Mint
Above: This mint is Mentha spicata.
The mint we buy in grocery stores is Mentha spicata, a semi-aquatic perennial native to Eurasia and Southwest Asia. With a tendency to proliferate when planted in-ground, contained in a (large) pot it loses its invasive potential. This mint thrives in shade, where it will also guzzle less water than if it is planted in sun. Harvest it by pinching or cutting it back to another set of leaves, and water it deeply, rather than sprinkling the surface of the soil.
Coriander, or Cilantro
Above: Bolting ain’t bad—cilantro’s flowers turn to delicious coriander seeds.
The herb cilantro (Coriandrum sativum, native to Southern Europe and the Mediterranean) is also known as coriander in English, while in the United States, the seeds are always called coriander. Grown in shade, cilantro is slow to bolt and you will be harvesting its succulent leaves for longer than from a plant in full sun. When it does bloom, the pollinated flowers form citrus-forward seeds, which are an ephemeral delicacy while still green.
Parsley
Above: Parsley dislikes humid heat and will appreciate shade.
Parsley, another soft herb, will flourish in half a day of shade or in high, bright shade. Whether it’s curly or flat-leaf, Petroselinum crispum, native to Europe and parts of the the Mediterranean, will be slower to bolt when shaded.
