No matter where you live in the world most cultures like to use herbs in their cooking to provide the flavours and aroma that we have all come to love. With the enormous spread in popularity of Gourmet Cooking shows on television we are encouraged to expand our culinary tastes to include dishes from all over the world . As most professional chefs prefer to use fresh herbs in their cooking why should we not follow in their steps and grow our own basic herb garden at home.
Growing your own basic herb garden is not rocket science, most of the common herbs will grow easily in average soil, some like oregano require a rich soil.
Additionally, some herbs in a basic herb garden such as parsley are biennial in nature. This means the first year they are grown they will not be useful for seasoning. It is during the second year that the crop can be used. Ideally, with parsley, , plant a new crop of seeds one year after planting your first parsley plants so that in a couple of years they will overlap, providing u sable seasoning every year.
The following herbs, which make up a basic herb garden, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano and basil all like direct sun and will require a minimum amount of water to survive. It is normal to harvest leaves, sprigs and twigs from any of your herbs as they are growing providing fresh organic herbs for your kitchen.
Thyme is a very forgiving plant, if you forget to water it and it appears to dry out just add water and it will come back to life. As different herbs have different soil requirements and like to grow under slightly different conditions it is suggested that, having them separated by variety can help get them started and keep them growing and flourishing.
Plant Herbs Close To Where They Will Be Used
When the chef needs fresh herbs for the dish he or she is preparing, a long journey down to the far reaches of the back yard is not realistic, wouldn't you plant your herbs close to the kitchen for easy picking? It is important to know that, the entire plant does not have to be cut and used at once. With the right care, the herbs will continue to grow and be usable during the entire season. Before winter arrives drying or freezing the extra cuttings can possibly supply the herb throughout the winter, often lasting until the next crop produces the following year.
If you are little short on space why not consider companion growing? When planting a basic herb garden that would take more room than available, certain herbs can be planted among other plants, especially tomatoes. Parsley can play well with other plants specifically tomatoes, asparagus and among roses. Broccoli and cauliflower also welcome rosemary in their midst. Basil also likes to grow alongside tomatoes too.
If you do decide to companion plant be sure that you don't trample on the herbs when weeding, pruning or generally taking care of these other plants in your mixed garden bed. A basic herb garden is a valuable addition to your kitchen supplies and really wont take to much of your valuable time to care for it.
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Indoor Herb Garden
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