News & Articles

What's New: Rediscovering Global Traditions

Over several decades, ethnic and improved herbs have reshaped North America's herb industry. Discover the exciting history of "new" herbs in the North American market.

Getting Oregano Right

Oregano, the popular "pizza herb," is a fast, easy, and profitable crop when grown with the right variety—Greek oregano. This guide covers propagation, growing conditions, pest control, and market opportunities.

Success With Mints

Mints are beginner-friendly, fast-growing, and profitable herbs. This guide highlights key varieties, propagation techniques, optimal growing conditions, pest management, and tips for successful spring sales.

Silver Herbs: Planning a moon garden

A moon garden, featuring silver and grey herbs, creates an enchanting nighttime retreat with light-reflecting foliage and calming daytime appeal. Discover drought-tolerant herbs like artemisia, lavender, and yarrow to design your own magical, low-maintenance sanctuary.

The Search for a Herbal Viagra

The success of Viagra has inspired a global surge in herbal alternatives like Tribulus terrestris, yohimbe, and damiana. These natural remedies, steeped in traditional uses, highlight the growing trend of lifestyle herbs for vitality and well-being.

Calendula: Medicine from the Garden

Calendula, a hardy garden annual, is both a medicinal and culinary herb. It aids wound healing, soothes skin, and adds vibrant color and flavor to dishes, making it a versatile and valuable plant.

Mother Herb: An Interview with Waltraut Richter

An interview with Richters co-founder, Waltraut Richter, explores how her passion for herbs and desire to share their benefits led to founding Richters Herbs, a pioneer in North America's herb industry.

Ultimate Guide to Growing Herbs Indoors

Herbs are rewarding to grow indoors, providing flavour, fragrance, and beauty year-round. This guide covers the best herbs for indoor cultivation, light and soil needs, pest control, and tips for thriving plants.

Ground Cover Herbs from Seed

Herbal ground covers offer unique, low-maintenance alternatives to traditional lawns. This guide highlights options like wild thyme, yarrow, and chamomile, detailing their growth, uses, and seeding tips for lush, aromatic landscapes.

Sowing the Seeds of Herbal Happiness

Learn how to grow fresh herbs in your garden with this expert guide. Discover the best herbs for Toronto gardens, from seeds to plants, and start your herbal journey today.

Popular Herbs Grow Happily Indoors

Herbs thrive in Canadian gardens and can be grown indoors year-round with proper light and care. This guide covers planting tips, maintenance, and a selection of popular herbs for indoor cultivation.

Commercial Calendula Cultivation

Discover calendula's versatile uses, from medicinal and cosmetic applications to edible flowers and oilseed production. Learn about top-performing varieties, site preparation, planting, irrigation, pest control, and harvesting techniques to optimize flower and seed yields. Explore how this hardy annual can thrive in diverse climates and unlock opportunities for growers worldwide.

The Many-Splendored Scents of Herbs

Discover the fascinating science behind the diverse scents and flavors of herbs. Learn how natural genetic variation and essential oil chemistry create unique aromas like lemon verbena, orange thyme, and more. Uncover how observant gardeners—and plant breeders—can find or develop new scented herb varieties, all without GMOs.

Fall Is Not the Time to Be Timid in the Herb Garden

Demystify fall herb planting with beginner-friendly tips for harvesting, drying, and growing favorites like basil, rosemary, and garlic. Get ready to prep your garden for next year’s success!

The 50th Anniversary of Richters Catalogue!

Richters Herbs began in the 1960s with Waltraut and Otto Richter growing European herbs alongside flowers. A 1969 Toronto Star article inspired their first catalog in 1970. Under their son Conrad’s leadership, Richters became a trusted source for diverse herbs, fueled by customer passion.

Introduction to Cryptolepis: Nature’s Antibiotic Root

Cryptolepis sanguinolenta, a West African climbing vine, has long been used for fevers, particularly malaria. Its active compound, cryptolepine, demonstrates potent antimalarial, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer properties, including effectiveness against Lyme disease and resistant bacteria like MRSA. Interest in cryptolepis continues to grow globally for its promising medicinal potential.

Spring Brings Out the Gardener in Everyone

Richters Herbs, specializing in herbs for 50+ years, sees rising demand for antiviral herbs like elderberry and garlic amid COVID-19. Owner Conrad Richter notes a shift from culinary to health focus. Offering 500 varieties, Richters ensures top-quality, flavorful plants.

Growing Excite-mint for Everything Herbal at Richters Herbs

Richters Herbs in Goodwood, Ontario, specializes in a vast array of culinary, medicinal, and aromatic herbs, offering seeds, plants, and educational seminars. Founded in the 1960s, they now grow over 600 varieties, blending traditional and scientific knowledge to inspire gardeners and herbalists.

Industry Watch: Canada's Ban on Salvia Divinorum

The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) now includes Salvia divinorum under Schedule IV, banning its production, sale, and export due to misuse of its hallucinogenic compound, salvinorin A. This overreach impacts gardeners and collectors using the herb for non-drug purposes, limiting Canadians' rights.

Fresh Herbs Add More Than Good Taste

Adding fresh herbs to meals transforms the ordinary into extraordinary, enhancing flavor and promoting health. Herbs like basil, chives, and thyme not only elevate taste but also support digestion, nutrient absorption, and relaxation. Grow your own herbs and enjoy their benefits for both body and mind!

Industry Watch: The Kava Ban

In April 2014, Health Canada issued its first license for a kava-based product, ending a long-standing ban initiated in 2002 over concerns about liver damage linked to kava use. Despite these concerns, studies and historical use suggest minimal risk with traditional preparations. Germany lifted its kava ban in 2005.

How to Grow Dill

The bold flavor of dill enhances pickles, dips, and fish dishes, making it a must-have in any herb garden. Conrad Richter of Richters Herbs highlights its dual use: fresh leaves and seeds, with varieties like Mammoth for tall gardens and Dukat or Monia for compact spaces.

Be Open-minded and Make the Most of What's in Front of You

Mama Richter, Co-Owner and Head Grower of Richters Herbs, reflects on her journey from Ghana to Canada. Moving to rural Durham in 1996 was a culture shock, but she overcame isolation by joining an African drumming group and engaging with her community. Her advice: embrace change with an open mind to thrive anywhere.

Parsley!

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum), a nutrient-rich herb, is valued for its flavor, versatility, and ornamental use. Both common (curly) and Italian (flat-leaf) varieties are culinary staples, enhancing dishes worldwide. Easy to grow in gardens or containers, parsley thrives in sunlit, well-drained soil. Harvest and store fresh or frozen leaves for soups, sauces, and garnishes year-round.

Industry Watch: Invasive Plant Policy Threatens New Herbs

The CFIA’s invasive plant policy proposes "black" and "white" lists, restricting new plants in Canada. Over 100,000 species face delays or bans due to lengthy assessments, with little evidence for some plants’ invasiveness. Public and small growers lacked input, limiting future plant diversity.