Reaping the Benefits of Your Home Herb Garden
You toiled and slaved to make them flourish, you experienced the thrill of seeing the first sprout grow, and the heartache of seeing them wilt away. You learned the ropes; you made everything work despite your ‘ungreen thumb’ and you became somewhat of an herb expert in the local sapling club of your town.
Now, after all you’ve accomplished, a question hangs…
What do you do with your herbs?
Harvesting herbs is the next step in your herb garden journey. Having a home herb garden is pretty much like having your own health food grocery store.
Herbs are extremely useful, and each have their own uses. But to harvest them isn’t as simple as plucking the leaves out whenever you feel like it. You can do it of course, but only if you intend to use your plants just once.
If you plan to harvest your home herb garden regularly, timing is crucial.
The best time to harvest your herbs is on a calm, dry midsummer morning because wind and heat have the tendency to disperse the herb’s essential oils.
On extremely wet days, herbs produce less oils, so harvesting herbs after the dew has dries and before the flowers open is strongly suggested. When harvesting, you should be conscious not to take more than one-third of the foliage.
Harvesting the whole plant obviously is not a good idea. The plants need foliage to re-grow well. Be sure also to check the plant and leaves for insects, diseases and damaged leaves before harvesting, and to take the proper steps to remove them if found.
Once you harvest your home herb garden, it doesn’t mean you would have to use them right away.
You can always store and preserve your harvest for later use.
There are three ways people use employ when preserving herbs for later use; drying, freezing and preserving them in salt or vinegar (much like pickling).
To start preserving, begin by bundling six to twelve stems together making sure to remove the foliage at the base of the stems. Secure them using string or special bundling cords for plants that are available in your local gardening store.
Hang the bundles in a cool place away from sunlight. Drying individual leaves, placing them in a screen or special rack is best. Be sure to turn the leaves or bundles regularly to ensure a proper and balanced drying process.
To make the most of their home herb garden some people who resort to using microwaves or ovens to speed up the drying process, but these methods tend to yield unsatisfactory results.
Freezing herbs is a more simple process of preservation.
You cut your herbs into 1.4 inch pieces, put them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper, and put them in a freezer. Once frozen, you can bundle them into plastic bags and place in the freezer again to save space.
The third way is via a certain medium like salt or vinegar.
Chopped herbs like mint, basil or tarragon can be covered with vinegar and it will be preserved for several months. You can also use salt by alternating layers between the salt and the herbs.
When it is dry, you can then separate the salt from the herbs and store them in an airtight container.
But what if you wish to use them straight from home herb garden?
First, you should clean the herbs carefully before using in any recipe. Cleaning them requires you to place them in a bowl filled with water.
If the herbs are too many to fit in a bowl, the sink can suffice. Then put two tablespoonfuls of salt in the water.
The salt will drive away whatever insects are in the herbs without damaging the plants. Once clean, remove the herbs and dry them in a salad spinner, or you can toss them by hand if you don’t have a salad spinner.
Remember, different herbs require different approaches.
What is mentioned above is generally true for all, but to be sure, know what kind of herb you wish to harvest and prepare and learn all you can about it.
Caring for a home herb garden is both beneficial & rewarding and reaping what you sow is good, but learn how to reap them properly lest you lose them.
Home Grown Flavor With A Culinary Herb Garden
If you have ever dined on a dish prepared with fresh herbs, you know what incredible flavor they lend. Whether it is the garlic and oregano in your special spaghetti sauce, or the perky mint in your tea, or the soothing aroma of a lavender sachet, each herb is unique and wonderful in its own way. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have these fresh herbs growing right in your backyard? The good news is that growing a culinary herb garden is easier than you might think.
Once you have decided on the particular herbs you want to grow, you will want to determine the location of your garden. Since many herbs can be grown successfully in containers, you have even more flexibility. Herbs like basil, parsley and cilantro require rich soil, lots of sun and good drainage to thrive. Oregano does well in dry, sandy soil, and rosemary prefers dry and rocky soil.
It makes sense to start out small, particularly if this is your first stab at gardening as you can always add plants when you begin to feel more confident. As with any garden, plant taller growing items in the back of the bed with shorter herbs in the front. As you nurture your plants through their growing season, the point of harvesting will require some extra attention on your part. A good rule of thumb is that the leaves are the most flavorful just before they bloom. Harvesting your herbs a day or so after they have been watered will help to jump start the drying process.
When harvesting seeds, it is important to catch your herbs before the seeds begin to dry out, but after they have ripened. A great way to prevent losing any seeds during the harvesting is to cut the heads over a brown paper bag. The seeds can remain in the open bag as they dry out. Hanging your cut herbs is an ideal way to dry them. When storing leaves from your culinary herb garden, freezing them will ensure the optimum preservation of their flavors.
Whether you have a small or large garden, or just a few containers with your favorite herbs, you will enjoy the satisfaction of having grown your own herbs, and you will savor the results of your hard work for weeks and months to come.
Herb Garden Tips
Herbs are easy to grow and starting out they don’t necessarily have to be grown in their own garden. They can be planted in an existing flower bed or garden as long as it drains well and it will receive plenty of sunshine. They can also be grown in pots that can be placed either indoors or outside. If culinary herbs are being cultivated it is a good idea to plant them near the kitchen so they will be immediately available for cooking.
An enjoyable challenge to the beginning herb gardener is picking which herbs to raise. In addition to culinary herbs other types include medicinal, aromatic, ornamental, beverage, pesticidal and industrial. It is recommended for the beginner to start with familiar culinary herbs and expand with other type herbs as the confidence and experience levels grow.
Here are a few suggestions with comments for the new gardener’s considersation.
SWEET MARJORAM – This is a good plant for growing in pots because it only grows to twelve inches and needs only six inches of space. In warmer areas it can be a perennial but in cooler climes with frequent frosts it is an annual. Its reward is the delicate flavor it adds to soups, salads, fish and lamb.
THYME – This herb is used to flavor poultry dressing and soups. It grows to twelve inches and needs eight inches of space. It is a hardy perennial that becomes a shrub that produces leaves for flavoring. It also needs rich soil.
SUMMER SAVORY – Excellent when used to create mouth-watering fish specialties and to flavor soups and beans. This is a delicate little annual that germinates in only seven to ten days and grows up to twelve inched and requires five inches of space.
BORAGE – This plant’s leaves are a great addition to a tossed salad with its subtle flavor. It does not like to be moved so it should be planted directly in the garden where it will reach a height of two feet and need twelve inches of space. It is an annual.
LAVENDER – Here is an aromatic that a new herb gardener might like to try. It is a hardy perennial with gray leaves and spikes of fragrant lavender flowers. The leaves can be dried by hanging them in a cool dry space like and attic or garage. The pleasant scented dried leaves can be used for a variety of purposes including freshening up a linen closet.
Armed with this information you are now ready to start your adventure in herb gardening so go for the gusto.
Lush Italian Herb Gardens
Italian cooking would be incomplete without basil. No-one can resist fresh pesto sauce which contains basil as a key ingredient. Basil works great with tomato sauce and always enhances any pasta dish. Soups, marinades and sauces all work well with basil.
The most common variety of basil is The Sweet Italian Large Leaf. Genovese Basil is used in authentic pesto. To grow your own basil, plant the seeds in a sunny location or start them indoors in small pots and transfer them directly into your garden. Trim the flower buds below the node to keep the plant from growing up.The leaves can be harvested just before the plant flowers. You can easily store them for upto a week by keeping the stalks immersed in a cup of water. For long-term storage, you can just hang them to dry in a cool, dry place.
Meatballs and Italian sausages always contain fennel seeds. They’re also used for meat and fish to give it that lovely distinctive flavor. Toasting the seeds lightly before using them enhances the flavor of fennel seeds.Fennel originally belongs to Italy and can be found growing naturally throughout the country. Fennel seeds replant themselves quickly when they fall. Due to this reason they should be grown in a separate area in your garden to prevent them from taking over other plants’ growing space. Fennel also requires a good amount of sunlight and well-drained soil. Fennel seeds can be harvested when the flowers turn brown and can be stored in paper bags.
Garlic is an essential Italian herb. They can be directly planted and they grow easily without much attention. Autumn is a good time to plant garlic.Garlic should be harvested when the tops turn brown and fall. The bulbs can be dried in the sun and stored in a bag. Freezing garlic cloves can enable them to be stored for a longer time.
Oregano is another commonly used Italian herb. It complements the flavor of basil and goes well with tomato-based dishes, meat, fish and salads. It’s also great for use with beans and eggplant. Plant oregano stem cuttings or root divisions for best results. Plant them in a sunny part of your garden. Sunlight has a direct impact on the flavor of the herbs. Harvest them before the flowers bloom and keep trimming the plant to maintain its health. Fresh oregano can be stored in water like basil or can be dried for long-term keeping.
Parsley is one of the most flavorful Italian herbs. The flat-leafed variety is more tasty than other types and is great for use in soup stock and vegetarian dishes. You can also use them with grilled meat or fish.Parsley seeds should be planted in direct sunlight or in light shade. It’s a good idea to grow two crops, one year apart, to get the best parsley because the first years plants are always the tastiest. The second years crop can be used for harvesting the seeds. Parsley is ideally harvested when the plant reaches about six inches in height. They can be chopped and dried or frozen for storage or they may be used fresh.
Why Grow Herbs Gardens?
Much of the early foods man consumed were not of the quality of the hybrid improved, oven ready version groceries that are available in stores today. Herbs were an effective method of making foods more palatable. In the past herbs aided in making natural foods taste better. Today they make the improved hybrid foods available to us taste better. In both situations we OWE herbs a great deal of thanks for making man’s life better.
Another significant contribution herbs have made to mankind is in the field of medicinal remedies. Before the advent of modern medicine herbs were the primary source of comfort to the sick. Modern drugs and medicines began to appear during the industrial revolution and herb remedies began to lose favor but herbal cures were the inspiration for the development of all modern drugs and still today provide a wonderful array of curative relief. Some of these medicinal herbs include: Nettles, calendula, burdock, echinacea, lavender and St Johns’s Wort to name a few.
The Romans valued herbs greatly and utilized them extensively in their culture as did the Egyptians. The Romans had a tendency to take over neighboring areas and spread their influence in such areas as the law, architecture, engineering, military and cuisine. Among other things when they came they brought herbs with them. The early Britons have the Romans to thank for their introduction to herbal delights when they arrived in 43AD. It is believed that the invaders brought with them over 200 types of herbs from the Mediterranean including chervil, rosemary, hyssop, lavender, thyme, fennel, sage, dill, marjoram and parsley.
It is exciting to think that when you are using fresh rosemary in your cooking that you have a kinship with ancient Roman or Egyptian chefs who used the same herb in their dishes. It is even more exciting to grow your own herbs so that you will have a supply of fresh herbs on hand whenever you desire to use them. Growing your own may not be such a far fetched idea because in fact they are very easy to grow compared to a traditional vegetable garden. Herb plants are very productive so a lot of space is not required to produce more than enough for a family. They are also very suitable for growing indoors. You can have an aromatic herb in the kitchen that provides not only better tasting foods but pleasant aromas and in some case beautiful flowers.
Herbs are a wonderful gift to mankind. Now is a great time to join the “green revolution” by growing your own herbs. You will be joining your fore bearers in an exciting pursuit. It is fun, easy and rewarding.
The Secrets to Growing Herbs in Pots
Quite possibly the easiest type of garden for beginner gardeners to start is a container garden. Small pots make it easier to move plants to the ideal location as well as monitor their moisture levels, all while keeping everything on a small and manageable scale. But there are some insider secrets that can be quite useful when growing herbs in pots, especially for beginners.
The first thing you need to decide is what you want to grow. The varieties of herbs that are available are enormous. You’ll also need to know if you want to grow herbs for cooking or herbs for medicinal purposes since they are very different. For argument sake, we’ll assume you are growing herbs in pots for cooking.
Once you decide on what you want to grow, you’ll need to select your pots. Pots can be anything from traditional pots to old coffee cans or olive oil cans, as is popular in Mediterranean herb gardens. Anything that you can put soil in and have adequate drainage in will work. If you do use coffee cans or something similar, use a drill or an awl to punch holes in the bottom to allow for drainage or your herbs could become water logged and die.
Next you’ll want to consider the soil you’ll need when growing herbs in pots. You can’t use just any soil. Plain old nutrient deficient top soil won’t work. When you are growing herbs in pots you want to be sure that you get a high quality potting soil, and make no mistake, they are very different. Plain top soil is just like the same dirt you have in your back yard. But potting soil is a combination of soil, fertilizer, plant food and in some cases even special fibers that will absorb water to help keep your plants moist.
Growing herbs in pots will also require you to decide where exactly you want to set your pots, once they are planted. Different herbs will require different conditions. Should you decide that growing herbs in pots in your home is the way to go for you, you’ll likely need to supplement their sunlight with a halogen light bulb to be sure that they get all the light they need.
Once your herbs have begun to grow, wait until they have about 6-8 inches of growth and that they have become reasonably full before you start harvesting. Once you do start harvesting your herbs there are a number of things you can do with them. Of course, you can use them fresh in all your favorite dishes, but you can also hang bunches of them upside down to dry and then strip the leaves off and use them dried when your herbs are out of season. You can also use certain fragrant herbs such as lavender and mint to make things like scented sachets for drawers and closets or to make tea.
When you are growing herbs in pots, your possibilities are endless. So no matter what you grow, you can’t go wrong.
Creating an Attractive and Productive Home Herb Garden
Gardening to some is considered an art form. So what about herb gardens, have you thought about starting one? Well gardening in itself is a healthy pastime, add the added benefits of fresh herbs to the mix and you come up with an idea that warrants some extra attention. Now if you like to garden and like to cook then this idea has double the benefit for you.
With the additional benefits herbs can provide in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, starting your own home herb garden has many positive prospects. Through the positive benefits natural herbs have in a diet and lifestyle change it is only natural to want things within reach for continued and convenient use. Some of the things you will need to think about before you begin your journey into herb gardening.
What you need to think about before you start. What will be the main purpose for growing an herb garden? Will it be for healthy, hobby or cooking? This will determine the herbs you purchase.
How much space do you have to use to grow your herbs in? An efficient garden can be grown in a small amount of space, if you know what your needs or use will be for them. What will be your goal in starting and maintaining your garden? Why are you thinking of growing an herb garden? Once you have these few answers and a plan of action any plant supply store can help you to gather what you need to begin as long as they know your needs.
Once you have your supplies planting is the easy part after doing some research on the herbs you have chosen (the internet is a great beginners tool) so that you know how far apart, deep and what should be next to what for optimal growth reasons.
Even the beginner can make herb gardening look like an art. Then you just wait and with some basic care needs nature will do the rest. Once you have grown herbs you can simple use what you need. Fresh herbs are now at your fingertips, learn what works best for you and enjoy. Now although fresh herbs are great gardening herbs can be done year round and when you can’t grow them you can dry and store them for later use. Cut them by the stems rinse them with cold water and hang in leaves to dry, bunch them by type and put inside a paper bag leafs down and store in a dry place.
In two weeks check the paper bags, they should be dry with little moisture in them at this point you can bake on low oven setting after you crumble and place them on a baking tray. This process is not to cook the herbs but to make sure they are fully dried. Then you can store them, their uses are endless.
Home Herb Gardens
Growing your own food at home is easier than it sounds. I started out with my own home herb garden. I’ve successfully grown a variety of fresh, healthy herbs which I can now enjoy every day without having to worry about the amount of chemicals in them. It’s been worth the time and effort I’ve put into it and I think it’s one of the best things I’ve done with my free time.
Let me share a little bit of my experience as a home herb gardener. I started off with a couple of containers and planted some herbs in them. I chose a window-sill on my kitchen which was just the right place because I could just reach out and get my herbs when I was cooking and used them fresh, right off the plant!
I was lucky that my kitchen window, which faced south, received about 8 hours of sunlight daily because most herbs need a good amount of sunlight to thrive. But later on, as I began to learn more about herbs and tried growing more types of herbs, I discovered that there were some herbs which could thrive even on artificial light. My love for these plants grew deeper and deeper. I eventually ended up growing my own backyard herb garden which has been my pride and joy till this day. I did not even need too much space to grow them.
But that was later on. I started with planting basil as my first herb. Basil seeds are really small so they don’t need to be planted deep. I planted a few seeds into one pot and slipped a plastic baggie over the pot to ensure a warm, humid environment. I just kept the pots in the sunny window sill and they germinated pretty soon. But if you’re not up to planting your own seeds you can always buy herb plants and care for them at home. Whatever your preference, I highly recommend having them at home simply for the joy they bring along with health benefits.
Learn About Herb Gardening – Get The Natural Facts!
There are so many herb plants to choose from, it can be a bit daunting to the beginning herb gardener. A good source of information that you probably have is your cookbook, which often devotes a chapter or two to the uses of different herbs as flavorings and accents.
Planting a Basic Herb Garden
Get acquainted with herb gardening by growing herbs you think you’ll use, plus throw in one or two that sound interesting to you. Herb gardens can range in size from small containers to vast outdoor gardens.
To best learn herb gardening, start simple with a small, sunny plot, or use a clay pot filled with potting soil.
The Two Big Needs that herbs have are:
- lots of sun, and
- well-drained soil.
Most herbs have a preference of full or partial sun, and the seed package or nursery will have this information clearly stated. Most herbs will not do well in very wet soil, and watering about every 2-3 days is usually sufficient. Raised garden beds are a good fit for herb gardens. They have excellent drainage and can be easily arranged for proper sunlight.
When planting herb seeds, cover them lightly with soil, and don’t plant the seeds too deep. A good rule of thumb with herb gardening is “the smaller the seed, the shallower you sow.” If you are using young herb plants already started in growing trays, simply transplant them into your pots or garden bed. Sometimes the plants in the trays are dry; if so, water them first before planting them.
Finally, remember that annual herbs (herb plants which only grow for one season and then die) and perennial herbs (herb plants which will return the following year) do best when planted separately. This avoids disrupting the perennial plants’ roots when it is time to dig out the dead annuals. It also prevents leaving dead root pieces behind which can contribute to fungus growth.
Grow Fresh Herbs for Cooking
Cooking with fresh herbs from your garden is a wonderful experience. To get started, here are gardening tips for two well-known herbs that are great for beginning herb gardeners.
Sweet Basil — Sweet basil leaves are good in salads, and are a main flavoring ingredient in tomato dishes such as spaghetti and marinara sauce. In the northern climates, basil is usually grown as an annual plant. In milder climates, sweet basil will return each year on its own, and therefore is considered a perennial plant.
The sweet basil herb is a pleasure to grow because it thrives in average soil, and likes sun or partial shade. Sow the seeds after danger of frost is over, or start them indoors about eight weeks before growing season and then transplant them outside. You can also purchase ready-to-grow starter plants from nurseries and through catalogs.
It’s easy to promote the bushiness of the basil plant leaves by pinching and clipping the herb throughout the summer. Use the leaves fresh during the summer growth months, and in the fall, dry the leaves and store them for use during the winter.
Garlic — Garlic is full of minerals and nutrients, and is known to have great medicinal properties. It is a staple in every chef’s kitchen for cooking dishes from chicken and pasta to seafood and vegetables. We’ve all seen garlic bulbs at the grocery store… but did you know that one simple garlic bulb has enough cloves to begin a garden full of garlic plants? Here’s what you do:
When spring arrives and the weather has begun to turn warm, prepare a small garden bed in a sunny spot. Take the cloves and place them, pointy side up, in the soil. Plant them in clusters, or rows, and put a light layer of topsoil over them with some compost mixed in. When fall arrives, lift the garlic bulbs out of their bed.
Dry the garlic by slicing the bulbs into thin slices and placing them on a rack at room temperature. You can also store the bulbs by braiding the stalks and hanging the garlic in a dark, cool space. You may also freeze the entire garlic bulb!
Learn about herb gardening with these herbs, and then begin to branch out with more. In the meantime, you’ll add wonderful flavors to your recipes, and mouthwatering aromas in the kitchen!
Setting Up a Home Herb Garden
The first thing you will want to do is decide where you want your home herb garden to be. Some people believe plants belong outside. Others would like to have their herbs close to their stove for easy access. The location of your herb garden will determine what you will need to do. While aesthetics may be very important to you, you need to keep in mind what is best for the plant. You want to grow your herb in the best possible conditions. This will allow you to enjoy the herbs for years to come.
For beginners, the windowsill is a great place to set up a home herb garden. You can buy the pots and soil in the same location you buy your seed. There are many different kinds of planting pots to choose from. You are sure to find one, which will fit your home decor. Many people like to opt for a multiple pot tray for their garden. This will allow you to have several herbs without having a cluttered look. Make sure the window you choose get enough light for the herbs you are growing.
Those with a little more experience in gardening may want to plant outside. This will allow your home herb garden to have more variety. You will be able to grow herbs, which need more space. Basil is an herb best grown outside. This is because of the way the leaves soak up the sun. Before planting, you will want to determine whether you have the right soil. You will also want to determine the time of year you are planting. Rosemary will grow practically year round, while Basil is more of a summer herb.
Soil, water, air and light are the basic essentials to a good home herb garden. You will want to maintain a soil, which is moist to the touch. Be careful not to over water as you will kill your herbs. If you notice your soil is fine, but your plant is limp it may not be getting enough sunlight. A change will have to be made in order to maintain the health of your plant. As your herb garden grows, you may notice a tendency for the herbs to struggle. This is because they have used up the nutrients in the soil. You can either replace the soil, or mix in plant food to your water. This will allow your plants to continue to thrive.
Remember, some plants will be resilient to being plucked while others will die. Rosemary will continue to grow after having leaves removed. Basil may have some trouble bouncing back after having leaves removed. Using proper pruning practices will allow you to be able to enjoy your herbs now and later. Simply by giving your herbs everything they need, you will be able to enjoy them for years to come. Enjoy setting up your home herb garden today to enjoy your plants tomorrow.
