Herbs

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Ginger by Shin Liu
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Ginger

Ginger, Zingiber officionale, is a tropical plant originally from southern China. It can be grown in Northern California with the right amount of care. The "root" portion used in cooking is a rhizome, technically not a root but an underground stem.
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Herb garden by Pam Roper
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Herb Gardening Basics

This page contains top tips for growing a successful herb garden. Topics include location in yard, watering needs, and fertilization.
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Lavender by Elizabeth Evans
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Lavender

Lavender has many uses in the home garden. It can be a hedge, border, or part of an herb garden. In culinary use, lavender flowers are used in herbal teas and desserts. There are many more uses for lavender in fragrances, potpourris and sachets, oils, and aromatherapy. The various cultivars of lavender…
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Spiky green leaves with small blue flowers
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Spring Garden Fair Herbs

Listed are the herb seedlings that we will be offering. Many of these, especially the basils, are very popular and may sell out early.
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Lovage by Brian Okamoto
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Lovage

Lovage, Levisticum officinale, originates from the Eastern Mediterranean. It is typically grown for its leaves, stems, roots, and seeds. The leaves have a flavor similar to celery, only stronger. They are commonly used to flavor salads, soups, and stews. Lovage is considered to be an herb, but the stems can…
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Close up of purple flowers on green stalks
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Central Sierra | Agriculture | Other Crops

The foothills of the Sierra Nevada have a diversity of growing regions. Throughout the region, farmers have been successful in growing many different types of agricultural commodities.
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Herb-Marjoram-MG-Karen-Schaffer.jpg
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Marjoram

Marjoram is grown for its aromatic leaves, which can be used fresh or dried. Closely related to oregano, they are sometimes used interchangeably in recipes. In general, marjoram has a sweeter, more floral flavor than oregano. Enjoy marjoram in soups, egg dishes, beef and chicken dishes, sausages, and cheese…
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Herb-Oregano-Greek-MG-Ying-Chen
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Oregano

Oregano is grown for the aromatic leaves which can be used fresh or dried. Closely related to marjoram, oregano is stronger and more pungent. There are many varieties of oregano, for both culinary as well as ornamental use. With a wide range of flavor characteristics, you may wish to grow different varieties…
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Peppermint by Yahui Tu
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Mint

Of the over 600 varieties of mints, the two most popular are peppermint (Mentha piperita) and spearmint (M. spicata). Peppermint, which is a hybrid of watermint and spearmint, has a higher concentration of menthol than does spearmint. Accordingly, peppermint is more often used in candies, chocolates,…
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