Guidelines for using herbs and plants~

Buy what you need when you need it.

A well stocked herbalist's cupboard does not have to contain everything you may want one day, it only needs to contain what you are going to use.

Probably the best way to start is by buying the ingredients you need for your first recipe and then adding to the store as you move from recipe to recipe.

Always store ingredients in clearly labelled containers and take noe of use by dates.

Many herbs quickly loose their potency, some can even become really quite unpleasant to taste as well.

Almost every non living ingredient will benefit from being kept in a cool dark place.

Plants should be kept in locations suitable to their needs. for example, in or out of direct sunlight, and tended regularly.

Many plants benefit from trimming regularly, and if you dont intend to use them immediately you can dry and store the trimmings for future use.

If you plant out herbs or other plants, keep a note of where they are, as many things die back after winter and it can be difficult to remember what and where they are after the resting season.

Never give anything to anyone else, without telling them what it contains.

Do not give anything to pregnant women, babies or young children, unless it is designed for their use.

Experiment carefully and use your senses.

Information sourced from the book:
The real witches kitchen by kate west ~