Gardening Tips And Herbs
When most people think of gardens they think of elaborate flower or vegetable gardens and they think that gardening takes so much time to tend to them. But a garden can be simple and small but make the most delicious improvement with your cooking. Grow an herb garden and enjoy the availability of home grown fresh herbs year round. Herb gardening is easier and more fun to do when you look at other green tasks like lawn care and lawn treatment.
There is such a huge selection of the types of herbs you can grow that it can be overwhelming to decide what to plant. My suggestion is to take a look at the herbs you regularly buy for your kitchen, take a look in your cabinet or spice rack and familiarize yourself with the favorites. Growing your own herbs can save you money at the grocery store and add so much rich flavor to the foods you cook. Some of the more popular herbs to grow included Rosemary, Basil, Chives and Parsley, but there are so many more.
One of the tricks to growing a healthy herb garden is to have good draining soil. If the soil gets too wet and stays that way for extended periods you will be dealing with unhealthy plants. If your garden is in the ground you can use crushed rock about a foot down into the soil under your garden bed, then just cover with the top soil, this will allow the moisture to drain down.
As with any garden you can start it with plants or with seeds. Starting with seed packets can save you a ton of money and some are very hardy growers; such as mint. Planting mint in an open area will encourage it to take over the entire area. It is better to plant very hardy growers such as mint in containers with good drainage. These containers can go either in your outdoor garden area, your porch or even on a window sill. The smell alone makes them a wonderful addition to your indoors.
Don’t be too hasty to harvest your plants right away even if they do look healthy and ripe for the picking. The plants should be well established for several months before harvesting the leaves. Being patient and waiting for the right time will produce a healthier plant that will thrive for years to come.
Once your herbs have been harvested they need to be dried out in order to be usable for cooking. You can accomplish this by baking them on a sheet at 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 to 4 hours. Once that process is complete, consult your favorite cookbook on how to use your own home grown herbs in your cooking.
Dried herbs can be stored in plastic or glass containers. Do not use porous containers such as paper or cardboard as they will absorb the flavor out of your leaves. Be sure to regularly check the containers during the first few days to make sure no moisture has accumulated. If that happens, simply remove them and repeat the drying process. If you don’t take this step, mildew can grow in your herbs and you don’t want anyone to get sick from your cooking.
So if you enjoy gardening or even if you love to cook, consider growing your own herb garden. It requires a little work in the beginning, but with optimal growing conditions you will have fresh grown herbs for years to come to enjoy. Share them with your friends too, they make a great gift.
