Metus dictum at tempor commodo While it’s not exactly a get-rich-quick scheme like those touted on matchbook covers, growing ginseng promises financial rewards that do sound almost too good to be true. But the fact is that, if you live where the climate is right, in five years (and with little capital investment) you can grow as much of the prized botanical on only half an acre of woodland!

Learn about growing hops at home for how and where to grow them, including the history of hops.

Beneficial Weeds? Garden weeds are often thought to be a nuisance destined for eradication in modern western culture, but I have come to appreciate them as an herbalist. Many herbal weeds have beneficial effects on health, contribute to the health of the soil, produce flowers that can serve as food sources for our pollinators, and thrive in difficult growing conditions.

Learn about the elderberry shrub that’s making a comeback, and explore elderberry uses that include culinary, garden, and medicinal purposes.

No Spanish American’s herb garden was complete — at least here in California during the state’s early days — unless it contained te-de-limon, or lemongrass. Then, over the years, the plant slowly faded from use and cultivation. Today’s renewed and still-growing interest in herbs and herb teas, however, is now bringing te-de-limon back once again: For the first time in years, dried lemongrass is being sold — and purchased! — in health food stores throughout southern California.

The chemical compounds in herbs and spices make them powerful gifts for our minds and bodies. They nourish our senses and provide wonderful memories. Think of the aroma and taste of eggnog with nutmeg during the holidays, for example, or the pungent flavor of garlic on pizza for a relaxing night.

While many people rely on a cup (or four) of coffee to get going in the morning, they may not realize that their favorite brew contains far more than the caffeine that kick-starts their days. Dozens of chemicals long banned in the United States, such as chlorpyrifos, disulfoton, and methyl parathion, are still used in nonorganic coffee production, putting both farms and field workers at risk of toxic contamination.

Growing your own thyme pleases people in so many ways it should be no surprise that more than 300 types have come into cultivation. The thymes preferred by cooks, broadly categorized as English or French thymes (Thymus vulgaris), impart a woodsy, aromatic flavor to savory dishes based on vegetables, grains, seafoods and meats. A few fruits make tasty thyme combinations, too, including figs and pears. The English thymes have broader leaves than the French; both are well-mannered garden

Instead of buying basil seedlings from a nursery, I buy one container of fresh, live basil from a supermarket. One bunch of live basil often contains between 20 and 40 individual plants; some are as tall as 12 inches.

Merlin is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary exploration of the natural origins and early evolution of this famous plant, highlighting its historic role in the development of human societies. This section details the nutritious benefits of hemp seeds for human consumption.