The best place to start is with the herbs you will use most frequently. A lot of nurseries also recommend complimentary herbs that grow very well alongside each other. It is worthwhile remembering that herbs vary in size, and therefore may grow best in small containers, through to large gardens.
When you are starting to learn about herb gardening, it is recommended that you begin with something small – perhaps with a few simple herbs in a small pot, growing in full sun.
Two of the most important things to remember when growing herbs are:
- Herbs require lots of sunlight
- Herbs prefer well-drained soil
Most herbs require full or partial sun and generally flourish in these conditions. Likewise most herbs will not grow well in wet soil, or if they are over-watered. Resist the temptation to water your herbs too frequently. Every 2-3 days is usually sufficient; some herbs even prefer up to 7 days between watering. It is also recommended that a good quality potting mix is used for planting herbs.
Wednesday, 22 August 2007
Saturday, 21 July 2007
Herb Gardening - Preserving Herbs: Drying
Some herbs are grown simply for their beauty and fragrance in the garden. But once grown, many herbs are harvested for what they were grown for: medicines, seasonings, aromatics and so forth. That requires proper preservation techniques, usually drying.
There are different traditional methods - bag drying, tray drying, air drying and even a few new ones such as microwave drying.
BAG
Many herbs have delightful flowers, some with seeds which are harvested. For those, one of the easiest ways to preserve is simply let the flower dry over a piece of paper, then curl the paper and pour the seeds into a bag. For leaf preservation there are a few extra steps.
Remove the flowers and roots from the stalk and rinse the remainder, leaving the stems in water to soak for a few hours. This will loosen any soil that simple rinsing wasn't able to wash away. Then put them onto a cotton or paper towel and let them air dry.
Put the plant into a small paper bag, with the (now gone) flower end inside and the stalks protruding an inch or two out of the bag. Tie the bag around the stalks and place upside down. Upside down, that is, from the plant's point of view. In other words, put the bag on its base, with the stems up. Oil from the stems will move by capillary action into the leaves, where they become saturated with flavor or aroma.
In about a week or two, if the air is moderately dry, the leaves will become brittle and easy to crumble. Avoid breaking them at this stage, just separate and place in an airtight jar. Then when you want to use them, they can be put into potpourri or crumbled for seasoning.
TRAY
In tray drying, there's no need to keep the stalks, just the leaf stems and leaves. Clean as above and lay them out without overlapping on the tray, then put the tray into a dark, well ventilated area. Remove the tray once per day and flip the leaves over to ensure even drying. In a few days, they'll be ready for use.
MICROWAVE
If you're pressed for time, you can even dry herbs in the microwave oven. Put the herbs onto a paper towel or a paper plate. This helps absorption better than use of a microwave-safe plate. Set for medium power and microwave for a couple of minutes. The exact time will vary depending on the type and amount of herb, but 2-3 minutes is right for most.
Check the degree of dryness by rubbing a leaf between thumb and forefinger. The leaf should be brittle, crumbling without much pressure. If not, try again in 30 second intervals until you've reached the right dryness for your purposes.
Cautions: At a certain point, you're no longer drying. Microwaves operate by agitating water molecules in food, causing it to heat up and evaporate. After the moisture is gone, you're not drying the plant and may be harming your microwave oven. Also, if the power is too high or the timing too long, you can inadvertently cook the herb. Experiment until you find the right adjustments for your circumstances.
There are different traditional methods - bag drying, tray drying, air drying and even a few new ones such as microwave drying.
BAG
Many herbs have delightful flowers, some with seeds which are harvested. For those, one of the easiest ways to preserve is simply let the flower dry over a piece of paper, then curl the paper and pour the seeds into a bag. For leaf preservation there are a few extra steps.
Remove the flowers and roots from the stalk and rinse the remainder, leaving the stems in water to soak for a few hours. This will loosen any soil that simple rinsing wasn't able to wash away. Then put them onto a cotton or paper towel and let them air dry.
Put the plant into a small paper bag, with the (now gone) flower end inside and the stalks protruding an inch or two out of the bag. Tie the bag around the stalks and place upside down. Upside down, that is, from the plant's point of view. In other words, put the bag on its base, with the stems up. Oil from the stems will move by capillary action into the leaves, where they become saturated with flavor or aroma.
In about a week or two, if the air is moderately dry, the leaves will become brittle and easy to crumble. Avoid breaking them at this stage, just separate and place in an airtight jar. Then when you want to use them, they can be put into potpourri or crumbled for seasoning.
TRAY
In tray drying, there's no need to keep the stalks, just the leaf stems and leaves. Clean as above and lay them out without overlapping on the tray, then put the tray into a dark, well ventilated area. Remove the tray once per day and flip the leaves over to ensure even drying. In a few days, they'll be ready for use.
MICROWAVE
If you're pressed for time, you can even dry herbs in the microwave oven. Put the herbs onto a paper towel or a paper plate. This helps absorption better than use of a microwave-safe plate. Set for medium power and microwave for a couple of minutes. The exact time will vary depending on the type and amount of herb, but 2-3 minutes is right for most.
Check the degree of dryness by rubbing a leaf between thumb and forefinger. The leaf should be brittle, crumbling without much pressure. If not, try again in 30 second intervals until you've reached the right dryness for your purposes.
Cautions: At a certain point, you're no longer drying. Microwaves operate by agitating water molecules in food, causing it to heat up and evaporate. After the moisture is gone, you're not drying the plant and may be harming your microwave oven. Also, if the power is too high or the timing too long, you can inadvertently cook the herb. Experiment until you find the right adjustments for your circumstances.
Friday, 13 July 2007
Herb Gardening - Common Herbs – Chives, Peppermint, Parsley
Creating an herb garden is fun and practical. The aromas are wonderful, the view is beautiful, and many can be used as medicines or for cooking. Growing them is easy. They're hardy and thrive well in all kinds of soils. But for optimal results, it's helpful to keep in mind a few things about each specific one.
In these three we have herbs that smell great and make for an essential addition to any chef's toolkit.
CHIVES
Growing up to a foot, they make for little soldiers all lined up in a row, or a chaotic bunch of radicals. Either way, these beautiful green stalks with their violet-colored flowers are a delightful sight in the garden. A member of the onion family, they also make for a terrific addition to dozens of recipes.
Dried and chopped, the leaves will be delicious in omelettes, fresh salads, and tomato soup. The flowers can also be used for making potpourri where they add a spicy scent.
You can plant seeds or develop them from bulbs. As perennials, they'll come back strong year after year, as they winter over well. They take little care, though you may want to divide the plants every couple of years to avoid overcrowding.
PEPPERMINT
Another perennial, these fragrant herbs can grow up to two feet or more in height. The scent is familiar from Christmas candy, but the plant is a delight in nature as well. Their tiny purple flowers are as beautiful as the leaves are aromatic.
They've been used in cooking and natural medicines for centuries and they make for a useful addition to everything from chewing gum to soap. As a scenting agent for eau de toilette water they're divine. As a spicy addition to tea, they're superb.
They should be grown in soil that is kept moist and you'll need to trim them fairly often. They can grow in sun or shade, but a mixture is best. You may have to renew the beds every few years. All the extra effort is well worth the reward, though.
PARSLEY
Indispensable in the kitchen, these herbs are easy to grow and maintain. A biennial, they'll blossom every two years and they do well in containers or gardens. They sprout into dense mounds, but may reach as high as a foot if kept spaced eight inches or more. One type has mossy leaves, another a flat leaf, but either is great for cooking.
They can be started from seed, but in that case they should be planted indoors before winter ends and allowed to develop at room temperature for a few weeks. They love full sun, but will thrive in partial shade as well.
Their use in cooking is well known and every chef will have his or her favorite way of using them in soups, salads and casseroles. Just dry the leaves in air and crumble according to your favorite recipe.
In these three we have herbs that smell great and make for an essential addition to any chef's toolkit.
CHIVES
Growing up to a foot, they make for little soldiers all lined up in a row, or a chaotic bunch of radicals. Either way, these beautiful green stalks with their violet-colored flowers are a delightful sight in the garden. A member of the onion family, they also make for a terrific addition to dozens of recipes.
Dried and chopped, the leaves will be delicious in omelettes, fresh salads, and tomato soup. The flowers can also be used for making potpourri where they add a spicy scent.
You can plant seeds or develop them from bulbs. As perennials, they'll come back strong year after year, as they winter over well. They take little care, though you may want to divide the plants every couple of years to avoid overcrowding.
PEPPERMINT
Another perennial, these fragrant herbs can grow up to two feet or more in height. The scent is familiar from Christmas candy, but the plant is a delight in nature as well. Their tiny purple flowers are as beautiful as the leaves are aromatic.
They've been used in cooking and natural medicines for centuries and they make for a useful addition to everything from chewing gum to soap. As a scenting agent for eau de toilette water they're divine. As a spicy addition to tea, they're superb.
They should be grown in soil that is kept moist and you'll need to trim them fairly often. They can grow in sun or shade, but a mixture is best. You may have to renew the beds every few years. All the extra effort is well worth the reward, though.
PARSLEY
Indispensable in the kitchen, these herbs are easy to grow and maintain. A biennial, they'll blossom every two years and they do well in containers or gardens. They sprout into dense mounds, but may reach as high as a foot if kept spaced eight inches or more. One type has mossy leaves, another a flat leaf, but either is great for cooking.
They can be started from seed, but in that case they should be planted indoors before winter ends and allowed to develop at room temperature for a few weeks. They love full sun, but will thrive in partial shade as well.
Their use in cooking is well known and every chef will have his or her favorite way of using them in soups, salads and casseroles. Just dry the leaves in air and crumble according to your favorite recipe.
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