We plant spicy herbs we harvest we are treated

Nikolay Zvonarev - Spicy herbs. Planting, growing, harvesting, treating a summary

Spicy plants are used in cooking, medicine, and cosmetology. They suppress bacteria and help preserve food, so vegetables are canned with them. Spicy plants activate the removal of toxins from the body, cleanse it from mechanical and biological contamination. They even have a positive effect on mood! In the book you will find the most necessary information about herbs - from methods of cultivation to useful properties and their use in cooking and medicine.

Spices. Planting, growing, harvesting, treating read online for free

Spices. We plant, grow, harvest, heal - read the book online for free, author Nikolay Zvonarev

N. M. Zvonarev

Spices

We plant, grow, procure, heal

Spice can be a spicy addition to a dish, and a doctor, and a source of vital energy.

Matveev V.

Spicy plants entered human life with the ability to cook food on fire. The meat of any animal has a specific flavor and a person has learned to get rid of it with the help of spicy plants.

People with meat ate some kind of green plants to improve the taste and smell. They tried to leave some part of the meat for future use. Only herbs could help preserve the product. Many people know that meat wrapped in nettles lasts up to 3 days. If you gut a fish or small animal, a bird and put dry mustard inside, the effect of preservation will overwhelm you.

And now we love spicy plants and even grow them.

Many spicy plants love warm, sunny climates. But we have learned to grow them in summer cottages, balconies in rooms on windowsills.

Of course, it is impossible to grow cinnamon in our conditions, but Russians grow celery, dill, sage, basil and other spices with success.

We use spicy plants in cooking - we season soups, cook vegetables, meat, fish with them, not a single salad can do without them; in medicine - we treat colds, cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the kidneys, liver, joints and spine with herbs and roots, strengthen the immune system; in cosmetics - we whiten and rejuvenate the skin of the face, hands and body, preserving their health and beauty for a longer time.

In addition, aromatic plants have the ability to inhibit bacteria (bactericidal action), mainly decay bacteria, and thereby contribute to a longer preservation of food (canning). With spicy plants, we canned vegetables in the winter.

At the same time, the overwhelming majority of spicy plants have the ability to activate the removal of various kinds of toxins from the body, to cleanse it from mechanical and biological contamination. Spicy plants have a positive effect on our mood.

We can no longer do without greens in our diet. All these plants induce appetite, improve digestion, and have a healing effect on the body. Easily procured for future use.

In our book you will find the most necessary information about spicy plants - how to grow in our conditions, useful properties and their use in cooking and medicine.

Anise ordinary

Anise ordinary - one of the oldest essential oil plants. Its fruits, as well as the essential oil obtained from them, are widely used in medicine, perfumery and cosmetic production and the food industry. Even in ancient Rome and Greece, they knew about the value of this plant, and Avicenna in his "Canon of Medicine" mentions anise, which was most often used in children's medical practice.In the wild, this plant is found on the island of Chios (Greece), it is widely cultivated in many European countries, India, China, Japan, in some countries of the American continent and in northern Africa.

In the 30s. last century, anise was brought to Russia in the Voronezh province and is now widely cultivated mainly in the European part of Russia. Anise plants are cultivated for the value of the seeds. When ripe, they accumulate up to 5% of essential oil, the main component of which is anethole. Anise oil is a clear, colorless or slightly yellowish liquid with a characteristic odor and sweetish taste without bitterness. Anise fruits and anise essential oil are used as an expectorant, often added to baby potions. It has a stimulating effect on the secretory function of the digestive tract; is part of laxative, breast and gastric tea. The oil has disinfecting properties, it is also used for rubbing hands and face in order to protect against mosquito bites. Anise oil, dissolved in alcohol or sunflower oil in a ratio of 1: 100, is an excellent remedy in the fight against bird mites, chewing lice, lice and fleas.

Growing anise ordinary

It is possible to cultivate anise in a personal plot on any soils, with the exception of heavy, damp, clayey and saline soils. The precursors of anise can be pulses, vegetables, and potatoes. You can not sow anise after coriander, as it is difficult to clear the sowing of its seeds that have fallen into the soil.

Anise seedlings under favorable conditions appear on the 14-15th day after sowing and in the first half of the growing season grow and develop slowly. This is why basic and seedbed preparation are essential. The site should be excavated to a depth of 22–25 cm a month before the onset of frost. In the fall, as weeds appear, hoeing the soil is carried out. In spring, when the soil dries up, the plot is leveled with a rake, then it is loosened with a hoe to a depth of 4–5 cm, again leveled with a rake and slightly compacted, leaving the top layer loosened.

It is better to apply mineral fertilizers in the fall when digging a plot at the rate of 20–25 g / m² of nitrogen and 25–30 g / m² of phosphorus fertilizers. Top dressing with nitrogen fertilizers can be carried out in the stalking phase at a dose of 10–15 g / m². When fertilizing, fertilizers are applied to a depth of 5–7 cm. In the absence of rain, after fertilization, watering is carried out.

The presence of essential oil in the seed coat hinders their germination. Therefore, before sowing, the seeds are germinated. After 3-5% of seedlings appear, the seeds are dried and sown to a depth of 3-7 cm in one of three ways: wide-row - 45 cm row spacing, seeding rate 1.3 g / m²; two-line tape - the width between the tapes is 45 cm, between the lines in the tape 15 cm, the seeding rate of seeds is 1.5 g / m²; solid - width between lines in the tape 15 cm, seeding rate 1.8 g / m². The choice of sowing method depends on the cleanliness of the site: the cleaner the site, the thicker the sowing can be.

Caring for the site consists, firstly, in its lateral harrowing with a rake before and after the emergence of shoots. Pre-emergence harrowing is carried out on the 4-5th day after sowing, but not later than the beginning of seed germination in the soil; harrowing on seedlings is carried out in the phase of 3–9 true leaves. Further care consists in loosening row spacings and weeding.

Anise is removed when the seeds become greenish. It is best to cut the plants at a height of 10–12 cm from the soil surface, and then lay them out to dry in the attic, under a canopy, on the veranda. After 3-5 days, the seeds are threshed and cleaned of impurities, natural drying is carried out again (artificial fire drying can be carried out at a temperature not exceeding 40 ° C) and stored at a humidity of 13-14% for consumption. From 1 m² you can get 100–150 g of seeds. Store them in a closed container. The shelf life of raw materials is three years.

Basil

Basil is a useful plant, spice, honey plant and an indispensable ingredient in many cuisines of the world. Fragrant basil is rich in essential oils. In addition to cooking, basil is used in natural herbal home cosmetics. Providing the right conditions for the basil, it will willingly grow in the garden, in the pot on the patio, in the box on the balcony and on the sunny kitchen window of the house.

Basil comes from India. The plant's name comes from the Greek word basileus, which means king or king. There are two versions of the origin of the name of the basilica. According to one, the basil was first found near the place where, according to the description of early Christian authors, Queen Helen discovered the True Cross. According to another, more mundane version, basil has traditionally been used to heal and appease royalty.

Fragrant basil, or camphor, or ordinary - the most common type, a plant up to 80 cm tall with a tart clove flavor.

Varieties of fragrant basil: cinnamon, or Mexican - a plant with a cinnamon flavor up to 50 cm in height, with purple flowers; small-leaved - a plant with small and narrow leaves and a sweet, almost not tart taste; aniseed, or Thai - a plant with silvery leaves and a strong aniseed scent, often used in Thai cuisine; bushy - a plant with small leaves and a bushy manner of growth; hybrid lemon - a plant with a strong lemon scent and taste (often used in fish dishes); purple - basil with reddish-purple leaves, most popular in Caucasian cuisine (called reagan). This basil is more thermophilic and less tall than common basil.

Growing basil

Many gardeners grow basil from seeds. The seeds are sown in small boxes in the seedling soil, lightly sprinkled on top, moistened and covered with a transparent bag or film to maintain moisture. In a warm place, seeds germinate in 5-7 days. When the plants reach a height of 5 cm, you can carefully transplant them to a permanent place: in a vegetable garden, box or other container. After the appearance of 4-6 leaves, the top of the plant should be pinched so that it grows wide and bushy.

The easiest and fastest way to propagate it is by cuttings. The same can be done with growing store-bought basil. Basil takes root so easily that you can even root cut stems from the store, provided they are fresh. Put the basil cuttings cut from the top or the middle of the stem in water, they will put down strong roots in 5-7 days, and after a couple of weeks the ready-made young plants can be planted in a permanent place.

The main conditions for the successful cultivation of basil are a sunny place, warmth and regular watering, provided that the soil is permeable to water.

Like many other herbs and vegetables, basil grows well in a pot or box filled with light structural soil. Grass growing in containers may need fertilization. Use nitrogen fertilizer that stimulates the growth of green mass. For the winter, pots of basil can be moved to a warm room or placed on the kitchen window at home. When lit, basil can be grown on a windowsill all year round.

The rich taste of basil is loved not only by people, but also by garden pests. Basil should be protected from slugs and snails.

Grow basil next to tomatoes, asparagus, various cabbages, bell peppers, and hot peppers.

Like many herbs, basil is best harvested without pulling out the main plant. To do this, regularly break off or cut off the tops of shoots with multiple leaves. Such collection stimulates the further lush growth of greenery and the safety of plants for a long time. If you need to collect a lot of basil for future use, cut off the entire stem, leaving 4 lower leaves (new juicy leaves will soon grow from the axils).If buds appear on the plant, pick them off immediately if growing basil to collect leaves rather than flowers.

The use of basil in cooking

This spice is used to prepare the finest dishes in the finest restaurants around the world.

In the food industry, basil is used to flavor sausages, canned meat products, and is also used in smoking.

As a flavoring agent, it is added to various alcoholic beverages in the alcoholic beverage industry, primarily in liqueurs. As a spice, it is widely used both fresh and dry.

Fresh herbs are used in soups, cold dishes, salads. Young leaves, finely chopped, are added to pastes and sandwich butter. In various national cuisines of Europe, basil is also added to fish, eggs, tomatoes, green vegetables, and cheese. It is often used in any form in the manufacture of pizza, ketchup, sauces, gravies, dressings, especially for pasta. Fresh or dried greens are used in soups, vegetarian dishes from legumes and green crops, including salted or sauerkraut (for example, added to cabbage), as well as in meat dishes. Young shoots and leaves are a good fragrance for vinegar, which, when mixed with basil, adds a special flavor to salads and sauces. In home cooking, chopped dried basil leaves improve the taste of sausages, dumplings, pates.

In Mediterranean cuisine, it is added to seafood dishes.

Basil is also used when pickling vegetables, especially cucumbers and zucchini. When mixed with various spices, basil contributes to the creation of magnificent, incomparable aromas.

The culinary specialists of Central Asia make a spicy mixture of dry basil leaves with the addition of rosemary and other herbs. It also goes well with parsley, mint, coriander, tarragon.

In the first courses, boiled and fried second courses, basil is placed 10-15 minutes before being cooked, and added to the minced meat during cooking. The average bookmark for one serving of fresh herbs is 2–5 g. In dried form, basil requires less - about 0.5 g per serving.

The use of basil in medicine

Traditional medicine has long used this plant to treat inflammatory diseases of the kidneys and bladder with decoctions. Infusions are used to treat flatulence, stomach ailments, loss of appetite and hypotension.

With the help of external remedies from basil, wounds are treated, including purulent ones, as well as diseases of the oral cavity and tonsillitis.

With bronchial asthma and cough, basil preparations are used to achieve an expectorant effect. Anesthetic effect is exerted by infusions and decoctions for local pain - for example, with a sore tooth or during critical days.

Basil is a good tonic. It enhances immunity, strengthens the body after various infectious diseases. Basil preparations help with upper respiratory tract infections, inflammatory kidney diseases and problems in the circulatory system. Its healing properties are used in the fight against depressive conditions, while strengthening the central nervous system. Therefore, basil is used to restore physical and emotional strength, helps relieve feelings of fear and anxiety. If you put dry basil herb near your bed, your sleep will be calmer. For this purpose, you can also take an infusion or decoction of the herb.

Basil is considered an aphrodisiac - that is, it helps to increase the sexual potency of partners, and also helps to relieve headaches, nervous tension, and relax.

With the help of basil essential oil, various spasmodic conditions are removed, migraines and headaches disappear. They are good at removing warts. The basil oil bath is a paradise for those who take it. This procedure perfectly relaxes, soothes, tidies up the nerves and head, gives strength and energy.

Fenugreek

Fenugreek hay in the form of a spice appears in the cuisines of different countries under various names: fenugreek, fenumgrek, fenigrec grass, Greek hay, Greek goat shamrock, Greek nymph, cocked hat, camel grass. The brightest, of course, is Shambhala. The favorite plant of the Indians bears the name of the legendary country in which the highest secrets of Tantrism and Buddhism are kept, which calls for a respectful and attentive attitude towards this plant.

In recent decades, gingerbread and aromatic plants, including fenugreek, have been very popular among vegetable growers. As a seasoning, two of the ten species that grow on the territory of the country have found application; hay fenugreek (another name is Greek fenugreek, fenugreek) and blue fenugreek (another name is trigonella); the rest are found in the wild, mainly in the south of Ukraine and in the Crimea. Hay fenugreek is an annual plant that vaguely resembles peas. The stem is weakly branched, up to half a meter high, straight, but in thickened crops and when grown on a high agricultural background, it is prone to lodging, and the branches rise up. Leaves are typical for plants of the legume family - complex, three-leafed, elongated, petiolate. Flowers are inconspicuous, sessile, 1–2 in leaf axils; corolla is whitish-yellow, slightly violet towards the base. The fruit is a pod, straight or curved, glabrous or slightly pubescent, gradually tapering into a straight nose. Seeds are triangular or diamond-shaped, resemble small pebbles, hard, brown-yellow in color. Blossoms in June, seeds ripen in July - August. For gingerbread seasonings, hay fenugreek seeds are used. They contain essential and fatty oils, alkoloid trigonelline, saponins, bitter and tannins, mucus, mineral salts, sugars, starch, vitamins P, PP, etc.

Blue fenugreek is an annual plant. The stem is straight, from 30 cm to 1 m high, densely branched in the upper part, with lateral shoots growing upward. Leaves are oblong, sharp-toothed at the edges. Inflorescences are dense, capitate or spherical, after flowering they do not stretch out and do not become friable, bluish-blue in color, located at the ends of the shoots. Fenugreek blue in appearance is very similar to alfalfa, and their seeds are similar. Blooms in June - July. Ornamental plant, good honey plant. The raw material is the dried and powdered apical part of the plant, which is harvested at the end of flowering - the beginning of seed ripening. Used in spice mixtures to flavor dishes. Fenugreek is a valuable forage plant, both of which are nutritionally similar to clover and alfalfa. Fresh and dried, they are well eaten by pets. Due to their ability to store nitrogen, plants are good precursors for other crops. It is advisable to use them as siderates. It is not difficult to grow fenugreek, however, under unfavorable conditions, the plants are inhibited, the yield of green mass and seeds decreases, and their quality deteriorates.

Growing fenugreek

Areas should be well lit. The best predecessors are early cereals, potatoes, vegetable crops, under which organic fertilizers were applied. Fertilizers are not applied directly to fenugreek: plants, as noted above, are capable of fixing nitrogen. On poor soils, it is advisable to apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizers as a top dressing before flowering. Excessive fertilization contributes to the intensive development of the vegetative mass to the detriment of seed productivity.

Soil preparation is traditional for the growing area. In autumn, immediately after harvesting the predecessor, disking is carried out. Winter plowing is carried out in two weeks (with a massive appearance of weeds).The moisture is closed in early spring by harrowing in two tracks across or diagonally to plowing, after which spring, continuous cultivation with harrowing is performed. Before sowing, it is preferable to treat the area with complex aggregates to give the soil a fine crumbly structure, level the surface and compact.

Sowing - early spring (for the northern regions - the 1st decade of April), single-line - with a row spacing of 45 or 70 cm.With such schemes, crops are easier to process, the most favorable conditions for plant growth and development are provided. After sowing or simultaneously with it, the soil is rolled up.

Crop care is about keeping the soil loose and free of weeds throughout the growing season. For this purpose, three to four loosening of the row spacings is carried out. The first - as soon as the seedlings appear, the subsequent ones - as weeds appear, the formation of a soil crust, and also after rains and watering (up to the closing of the rows). If necessary, thickened crops are thinned across the rows with light harrows set “tooth to tooth”, or manually at a later period (phase 3-5 true leaves), leaving a distance of 3-5 cm between plants.

Watering is carried out depending on the state of sowing and soil moisture, especially during periods of initial growth, flowering and seed formation. Hot dry weather in the phase of formation - ripening of seeds leads to "burning" of plants, as a result of which their seed productivity decreases (seeds are puny, with reduced germination). Fenugreek is practically not affected by diseases and is not damaged by pests, therefore, the treatment of plants with pesticides is not needed. But young juicy greens attract hares, and plants in small areas can be completely destroyed by them. Therefore, preventive measures should be taken to scare away "intruders".

The seeds are harvested when two-thirds of the beans are ripe. The small-seededness of the crop should be taken into account and the harvest should be prepared accordingly. Insufficiently dried plants, especially hay fenugreek, are poorly threshed. Under unfavorable weather conditions during harvesting (heavy rainfall, prolonged cloudy weather), it is possible to thresh the underdried mass, and subsequently, under favorable conditions, a second threshing. This technique ensures the maximum collection of seeds. A delay in harvesting fenugreek leads to shedding of seeds and, consequently, to significant losses.

The use of fenugreek in cooking

As a food additive, powder from ground seeds is most often used, which is added to spice-aromatic mixtures. These are world-famous curries, hops-suneli, adjika, as well as specific ones - for example, maple syrup. A powder made from lightly roasted hay fenugreek seeds called shambhala has been known as a spice since ancient Egypt.

Eating fenugreek helps to increase appetite; it is used for diseases of the lungs, skin, eczema, for the treatment of boils.

Porridge made from crushed fenugreek seeds is considered very nutritious and is used in the diet of people weakened by a long illness. Fenugreek is also used as a vitamin preparation for vitamin deficiency. For this purpose, seed sprouts are eaten. It is advisable to lay seeds for germination at intervals of 2-3 weeks - thus, the conveyor supply of products is ensured. Young plants (shoots) are used as a seasoning in cheese making and for meat dishes.

Leaves and tender stems are used for food. In the form of dry herb, crushed into a fragrant powder, it is added to "green cheese".

This spice gives the dishes a nutty flavor, so roasted and chopped hazelnuts can be added to some vegetable dishes instead of shambhala. This plant is widespread in Armenia under the name "chaman".Now in many specialty stores you can buy almost any spice, including fenugreek. As a spice, dry seeds of irregular shape, ribbed, almost cubic, are used. They go on sale in the form of a powder, it is very difficult to grind them without a machine. It is more difficult to obtain viable seeds that you can plant in your vegetable garden or sprout in a bowl for fresh herbs.

The use of fenugreek in medicine

Fenugreek seeds are included in preparations to cleanse the body of toxins and toxins.

Indian women eat shambhala seeds after giving birth to help them regain their strength and stimulate lactation.

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N. M. Zvonarev

Spices

We plant, grow, harvest, heal

Spice can be a spicy addition to a dish, and a doctor, and a source of vital energy.

Matveev V.

Spicy plants entered human life with the ability to cook food on fire. The meat of any animal has a specific flavor and a person has learned to get rid of it with the help of spicy plants.

And now we love spicy plants and even grow them.

Many spicy plants love warm, sunny climates. But we have learned to grow them in summer cottages, balconies in rooms on windowsills.

Of course, in our conditions it is impossible to grow cinnamon, but Russians grow celery, dill, sage, basil and other spices with success.

We can no longer do without greens in our diet. All these plants induce appetite, improve digestion, and have a healing effect on the body. Easily procured for future use.

In our book you will find the most necessary information about spicy plants - how to grow in our conditions, useful properties and their use in cooking and medicine.

Anise ordinary

Anise ordinary - one of the oldest essential oil plants. Its fruits, as well as the essential oil obtained from them, are widely used in medicine, perfumery and cosmetic production, and the food industry. Even in ancient Rome and Greece, they knew about the value of this plant, and Avicenna in his "Canon of Medicine" mentions anise, which was most often used in children's medical practice. In the wild, this plant is found on the island of Chios (Greece), it is widely cultivated in many European countries, India, China, Japan, in some countries of the American continent and in northern Africa.

In the 30s. last century, anise was brought to Russia in the Voronezh province and is now widely cultivated mainly in the European part of Russia. Anise plants are cultivated for the value of the seeds.When ripe, they accumulate up to 5% of essential oil, the main component of which is anethole. Anise oil is a clear, colorless or slightly yellowish liquid with a characteristic odor and sweetish taste without bitterness. Anise fruits and anise essential oil are used as an expectorant, often added to baby potions. It has a stimulating effect on the secretory function of the digestive tract; is a part of laxative, breast and gastric tea. The oil has disinfecting properties, it is also used for rubbing hands and face in order to protect against mosquito bites. Anise oil, dissolved in alcohol or sunflower oil in a ratio of 1: 100, is an excellent remedy in the fight against bird mites, chewing lice, lice and fleas.

Growing anise ordinary

It is possible to cultivate anise on a personal plot on any soils, with the exception of heavy, damp, clayey and saline soils. The precursors of anise can be pulses, vegetables, and potatoes. Do not sow anise after coriander, as it is difficult to clear the sowing of its seeds that have fallen into the soil.

Anise seedlings under favorable conditions appear on the 14-15th day after sowing and grow and develop slowly in the first half of the growing season. This is why basic and seedbed preparation are essential. The site should be excavated to a depth of 22–25 cm a month before the onset of frost. In the fall, as weeds appear, hoeing the soil is carried out. In spring, when the soil dries up, the plot is leveled with a rake, then it is loosened with a hoe to a depth of 4–5 cm, again leveled with a rake and slightly compacted, leaving the top layer loosened.

Mineral fertilizers are best applied in the fall when digging a site at the rate of 20–25 g / m2? nitrogen and 25-30 g / m2? phosphorus fertilizers. Top dressing with nitrogen fertilizers can be carried out in the stalking phase at a dose of 10–15 g / m2. When fertilizing, fertilizers are applied to a depth of 5–7 cm. In the absence of rain, after fertilization, watering is carried out.

The presence of essential oil in the seed coat hinders their germination. Therefore, before sowing, the seeds are germinated. After 3-5% of seedlings appear, the seeds are dried and sown to a depth of 3-7 cm in one of three ways: wide-row - a row spacing of 45 cm, seeding rate 1.3 g / m2; two-line tape - the width between the tapes is 45 cm, between the lines in the tape 15 cm, the seeding rate of seeds is 1.5 g / m2; solid - the width between the lines in the tape is 15 cm, the seeding rate is 1.8 g / m2. The choice of sowing method depends on the cleanliness of the site: the cleaner the site, the thicker the sowing can be.

Anise is removed when the seeds become greenish. It is best to cut the plants at a height of 10–12 cm from the soil surface, and then lay them out to dry in the attic, under a canopy, on the veranda. After 3-5 days, the seeds are threshed and cleaned of impurities, natural drying is carried out again (artificial fire drying can be carried out at a temperature not exceeding 40 ° C) and stored at a humidity of 13-14% for consumption. From 1 m? you can get 100-150 g of seeds. Store them in a closed container. The shelf life of raw materials is three years.

The use of anise in cooking

In cooking, the English were the first to actively use anise, who began to add it to jam, jams and gingerbread, in which anise was an essential component. If only anise seeds are used for medicinal purposes, then all the ground parts of this plant are used in cooking. Anise greens are used in salads and main courses.

Anise is often spiced with sea fish, which is especially popular in the Mediterranean countries.

Anise seeds are used to flavor some spirits. Anise oil is traditionally added to sweet alcoholic drinks.

Dried aniseed umbrellas are used in the preparation of canned vegetables, in the preparation of meat.

When choosing anise seeds to use in cooking, you need to pay attention to the color. High-quality anise fruits have a light brown tint and an odorous odor. And dark fruits indicate that they were either collected at the wrong time, or they have been on the counter for a long time.

The use of anise in medicine

Anise is often added to medicines to improve their taste.

Anise infusion is a classic cough remedy. Pour one teaspoon of crushed anise seeds with a glass of boiling water. The same remedy perfectly helps with inflammation of the gums and nasopharynx, bad breath, and flatulence. Anise seeds can be brewed in place of tea or with tea. Such a drink, in addition to the above-described action, perfectly strengthens the nerves. Into anise tea

Date of publication:Growing