I was looking at natural remedies for coughs, colds, and aches that come with the general onset with winter. I found some of these suggestions in an article in Dollar Stretcher:

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Thyme: This is one of my favorite herbs to use when I have a cough. To use, prepare a tea with one cup of the dried herb and one cup hot water. Let it steep for fifteen minutes. Strain out the herb and sweeten with honey if needed. Store it in the refrigerator and take one teaspoon every hour as needed. Only use this remedy for a day or two.

Oregano:This is also used for coughs and colds. Prepare it the same way as thyme.

Sage: Sage is a classic sore throat remedy. Prepare the same as thyme and oregano. You can either drink it or gargle with it depending on your preference. Sage is also good for fevers.

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So my question. Is there a typo in the thyme remedy? Do you really take equal parts thyme and hot water (1 cup each) to steep? It seems like a cup of thyme is a huge amount. I probably only have 2-3 ounces at most. I've never even seen thyme sold in quantities that large except for through herb-and-spice company catalogs.

Joyous:

So my question. Is there a typo in the thyme remedy? Do you really take equal parts thyme and hot water (1 cup each) to steep? It seems like a cup of thyme is a huge amount. I probably only have 2-3 ounces at most. I've never even seen thyme sold in quantities that large except for through herb-and-spice company catalogs.

I'm pretty sure it's a mistake. I found this: "1 tsp of dried thyme leaves, or 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves 2 cups of boiled fresh water. Let steep 4-5 minutes," here: Thyme Herbal Tea

Joyous:

So my question. Is there a typo in the thyme remedy? Do you really take equal parts thyme and hot water (1 cup each) to steep?

Joyous, it seems the author is making a cough suppressant similar but not identical to a cough syrup with these herbs.  Note the instructions say to take only one teaspoon every hour as needed.  A tea would be weaker and use far less of the herb to make a cup of herbal tea.  BTW, you can plant thyme and it grows almost everywhere.  Oregano spreads like crazy.  My neighbor has a sage bush in her yard, started from a tiny pot by the previous owner.

Lynnea Berr:

BTW, you can plant thyme and it grows almost everywhere.  Oregano spreads like crazy.  My neighbor has a sage bush in her yard, started from a tiny pot by the previous owner.

Totally off topic, but you just solved a problem for me! I have a small section of yard that never grows grass well. Since it's on the south, I didn't want to put anything really tall like a bush or tree (the yard needs the sunshine), but I could plant some herbs there and just let them take over. It would mean less lawn to mow, too. Thank you.

You can mow over some herbs if you don't harvest them fast enough. (Any kind of mint will grow like weeds and is virtually indestructible.) If the herbs don't get harvested and turn woody, just mow them over and they should come back nice and tender.

slk2042:

You can mow over some herbs if you don't harvest them fast enough. (Any kind of mint will grow like weeds and is virtually indestructible.) If the herbs don't get harvested and turn woody, just mow them over and they should come back nice and tender.

But I'm trying to avoid mowing! I've had experience with mints... LOL About three years ago I put a chocolate mint still in its pot, near a small garden area.  It escaped by drooping over the side and taking root. This year I was still digging it out. Oregano grows well here, too, but not wildly so. 

Anyway, sorry for hijacking the thread.  

No apologies needed. I appear to be part of the crew who turned an advertising thread into an OS thread!

Joyous:

No apologies needed. I appear to be part of the crew who turned an advertising thread into an OS thread!

It happens! LOL

I guess we shouldn't worry, better off topic than narrow and boring. 

Pat:

But I'm trying to avoid mowing!

You're too funny, Pat! I am just thinking about my last veggie garden...it started off great, picture-perfect. Then my morning sickness kicked in and everything went downhill from there. It was so neglected and sorry...If I had to get outside to harvest herbs during that time, too--well, let's not imagine that picture...At least with herbs, they'll come back next year. You'll just have to break out that lawn mower!

I detest mint for the very reason you still have it in your yard today. I tell ya, that plant is like some demon that keeps resurrecting itself!! It makes great tea, but I won't grow it. Even in a pot.