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Herb of the Week by Lynn Kirkland for 6th July
Frost-Friend
or Foe? Mid winter and as can be expected we are getting a frost
or two.
There are pros and cons to the frosty mornings. It always seems very
cleansing to the garden to have a good frost as we expect it to kill off some
bugs which may be trying to over winter. However it can kill off some plants as
well and in the herb garden these are likely to be the soft leaved herbs like
coconut geranium or borage or aloe vera. Hardy leaved herbs such as thyme do not
mind the frost and the beauty of the patterns is an added bonus.
The photo
shows pizza thyme which with the frost patterns it looks like variegated thyme. Pizza
thyme, thymus nummilaris, is my favourite winter herb because of its amazing antiseptic
action when used as a bath infusion or as a tea for anyone with coughs.
For
a bath infusion you need to pick a handful of pizza thyme and place in a bowl
and cover with boiling water. Cover this with a plate to trap in the steam as
this contains valuable essential oil molecules which need to condense on the plate
and drop back into the infusion.
Steep the herb for 20 minutes and then strain
into a warm bath. Soak for at least 10 minutes and then head off to bed for the
best sleep ever.
If you are heading off a cold or feeling aches and pains,
then you may feel hot as you sweat out the toxins from your system.
People
young and old have used this simple remedy with wonderful results and the great
thing is that as long as you have access to the fresh herb it is a health giving
treatment that is absolutely free.
Thyme tea is great to drink when you have
a cold or a cough and its antiseptic action works wonders. So next time
Jack Frost makes an appearance take a look at the beautiful effect it has on some
of your plants. If it has blackened off leaves on a plant just leave them on to
protect the plant from further frost damage.
When all danger of frost is over
you can clear away the dead leaves and wait for the new growth. Thanks
lynn another great read. Visit
The HerbFarm Website: | 
