If you intend to make your own aromatherapy garden, understanding the characteristic of the herbs is important to help us maintain the garden better and easier. If we may provide favorable environment to our potted herbs plants, then those herbs would grow healthier in our garden. And we may use it wisely for our beneficial in daily. Let us explore how to take care of those common herbs that we could use it in our daily life.
Indian Borage/Mexican Mint/Cuban Mint/ Cuban Oregano
Indian borage also called as Mexican mint, Cuban Mint or Cuban Oregano. But all are referring to the same plants. It is called as Cuban mint because of its smell is similar to the Oregano, but it is not related to Oregano at all.
Indian borage growth requirements as below:
Sun light requirement: Partial Shade to full sun
Lack of Sun light Symptoms: Discolour of leaves
Water Requirement: Low to moderate
Watering frequency: Daily or 2-3 days interval in raining days
Lack of Water Symptoms: Leaves dried and stem wrinkles
Overwatering Symptoms: Yellowing Leaves, leaves dropped and rotten
Pruning Frequency: 2 weeks interval
Indian borage is beneficial edible plant, it is good to use for relief the symptoms of cold and sneeze like sore throat, cough, stuffy nose and reduce the extra mucus and phlegm. So, we may brew the fresh Indian Borage leaves when we have mild symptom of cold, coughing and sore throat to relief those symptoms. We may add some honey, red dates, honey date to the drink to add some natural flavor to our herbal tea to make it tastier.
Thai Basil
Thai basil is originated from South East Asia and it is suitable to growing in hot and humid condition like our country weather.
Thai basil growth requirements as below:
Sun light requirement: Partial Shade to full sun
Lack of Sun light Symptoms: Leggy stem and fewer leaves grow
Water Requirement: moderate to high
Watering frequency: Daily except in heavy raining days
Lack of Water Symptoms: Leaves dried and plants become droopy
Overwatering Symptoms: Brown or Black Leaves, leaves dropped and rotten
Pruning Frequency: 2 weeks interval
Thai basil with antibacterial function. So, it is good in wounds healing and may help us building a good digestion system. But in South East Asia regardless of its valuable medical function, it is more common using it in cooking of local cuisine like basil chicken, basil tofu, three flavour mushroom & Hakka leicha. Compare to holy basil and sweet basil, Thai basil have stronger pungent smell and more suitable to use it in stir fry cooking.
Spearmint
Unlike the Indian borage and Thai basil are belongs to shrubs plants; the spearmint is ground cover plants. And it is grown on the ground easily compare to grown in the small spaces. But if we unable to transplant it to the ground due to the limited planting space. We mdy increase the pruning frequency to help it overcome the problem of not suitable plant in the pot.
Spearmint growth requirements as below:
Sun light requirement: Partial Shade to full sun
Lack of Sun light Symptoms: Leggy stem and fewer leaves grow
Water Requirement: high
Watering frequency: Daily except in heavy raining days
Lack of Water Symptoms: Leaves dried and plants become droopy
Overwatering Symptoms: Brown or Black Leaves, leaves dropped and rotten
Pruning Frequency: 1 week interval
Mint leaves have various types of varieties like peppermint, Moroccan mint, Chocolate mint, Pineapple mints. Each type of mint has a slightly different smell. For example, spearmint compare to peppermint, it contain less menthol and taste sweeter. Mint leaves with antibacterial function and commonly used for making mouth wash and oral care products to prevent bad mouth smell. So, we may pick some mints leaves for brewing and drinks frequently for health care.
Kesum Leaves/ Laksa Leaves
Kesum leaves is native to South East Asia, its favorable growing condition is similar to the mint leaves. Frequent pruning may promote more branches of Kesum leaves growing.
Kesum leaves growth requirements as below:
Sun light requirement: Partial Shade to full sun
Lack of Sun light Symptoms: Leggy stem and fewer leaves grow
Water Requirement: high
Watering frequency: Daily except in heavy raining days
Lack of Water Symptoms: Leaves dried and plants become droopy
Overwatering Symptoms: Brown or Black Leaves, leaves dropped and rotten
Pruning Frequency: 1 week interval
Kesum leaves with antibacterial function and good for our digestion system. It is commonly using as culinary herbs and add to the local cuisine to enhance the flavour. Its pungent taste and smell are perfect to added to the local street foods Assam laksa, Assam curry fish, Ulam and Nasi Kerabu. That is why the Kesum leaves is more common to called as laksa leaves because it is famous to add in the Penang Assam laksa.
Many types of herbs are gems in our daily life. If we know how to use it wisely it could bring a lot of beneficial function to our mental, health and body. So, do not hesitate anymore. Start to learn how to build your very own aromatherapy garden and fully utilize it.
