Papaya - a world class meat tenderizer, natural digestive aid, prevents ulcers, and also a soft contact lense cleaner.Rosemary The Safety Factor
In culinary amounts, rosemary poses no dangers. But even small amounts of rosemary oil may cause stomach, kidney, and intestinal irritation. Larger doses may cause poisoning.
Rosemary is included in the Food and Drug Administration’s list of herbs generally regarded as safe. For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, rosemary is safe in amounts typically recommended.
Rosemary should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If rosemary causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, use less or stop using it Let your doctor know if you experience unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.
Pretty Garden Accent
Rosemary is a woody, pine-scented, evergreen perennial with needlelike leaves. It reaches 3 feet in the United States and produces small, pale blue flowers in summer. Creeping rosemary (R. prostratus) is widely used in the Western United States as a groundcover and cascade over garden walls.
Rosemary can be grown from seeds, but germination can be a problem and seedlings are slow to develop, which is why most herb growers prefer to start with cuttings. If you sow seeds, plant them in spring 6 inches apart. Plant cuttings in sandy soil, leaving only one-third of each twig showing.
Rosemary prefers light, sandy, well-drained soil and full sun. Over-watering may cause root rot. Rosemary usually survives zero-degree winter temperatures without special care. If you live where temperatures dip lower, mulch plants each autumn or grow the herb in pots, bring them indoors each winter, and keep in a south-facing window.
Cut twigs and strip the leaves anytime after plants have become established.