Organic Herbs to Purchase & Grow

Organic Lavender

• Organic lavender smells similar to conventionally grown lavender, but this type of lavender is grown without chemicals which is beneficial for your body as well as the environment. Lavender is mainly grown for it's aromatherapy qualities, but this herb is also a good source of vitamin C and other minerals. Growing organic lavender helps preserve minerals in the soil because the crops are rotated and not mass-produced like with conventional farming. You can apply these same techniques when growing your own organic lavender in your backyard garden.

  There are several varieties to choose from with different texture and appearance and slight variations in smell. Melissa lavender is a species of organic lavender that has soft pink flowers rather than purple. This variety has a light scent and grows 18 to 24 inches tall. Most other varieties are light to deep purple or blue in color. The Sharon Roberts species is dark purple and it grows 20 to 24 inches tall. Lodden Blue lavender grows up to 2 feet tall and it has deep blue flowers with tightly packed blossoms.

Organic Horsetail

• Organic Horsetail is another herb you can grown on your own. This particular herb has many medicinal and culinary uses. The University of Maryland Medical Center says that Horsetail has been used for thousands of years to treat ailments such as wounds, bleeding and kidney issues. You can also add horsetail to your favorite salads, teas and other dishes for its medicine-like properties and flavor. The herb tastes similar to horseradish, dill and other tangy herbs. Horsetail comes in many varieties such as Equisetum Arvense and Equisetum Hyemale and it's an excellent source of silica, iron, calcium and other minerals.

Organic Mint

• Organic mint is herb that is widely available to purchase and grow. This herb is often made into a tea to help with digestion, heartburn and sleep. The strong scent of mint leaves can also help clear sinus congestion. There are many different varieties of mint suitable for a home garden such as Chocolate Mint, Spearmint and Alpine Mint Bush. The nutrients contained in each variety are generally the same, but taste and texture can vary. Just like with other herbs, mint contains high amounts of chlorophyll, vitamin C and vitamin A. Chocolate Mint has a light chocolate taste and spearmint has a potent strong minty flavor. Apline Mint Bush has a lighter mint taste, but this plant looks different when compared to other varieties. Alpine Mint Bush blooms purple and white flowers in the spring, making this herb one of the most attractive species in the mint family.