Italian Herb Garden Secrets to Success

Growing your own herbs in an Italian herb garden provides a huge amount of possibilities. Italy is home to some of the most delicious herbs in the world.

The following list are some essential herbs for every Italian herb garden.

Basil is a well know Italian herb and useful in many Italian recipes. Basil will not only add flavor to many Italian cuisines, it is useful in the garden to other plants. Planting basil next to your peppers and tomatoes will actually improve their flavor. Plus, basil will also repel flies and mosquitoes.

Parsley is a more difficult hard herb plant to grow but it’s useful for many Italian dishes as well as many other types of cuisines. Many generations ago before their were breath mints it was found that eating fresh, raw parsley after a meal eliminated the bad breath left over from enjoying a flavorful cuisine. The tradition arose to serve parsley on a small dish after the meal. The tradition lives today by using parsley as a garnish on a variety of meals.

Oregano is as decorative as it is flavorful. When it is fully mature it will sprout pretty little purple flowers. Oregano should not be harvested until it has flowered because this is when the plant is most flavorful.

Fennel is a popular herb and is best known for its seeds. The fennel seeds are added to sausages and pizza, while the bulb can be cooked as a wonderful side dish. Fennel has a licorice flavor and is perfect for a wide variety of dishes.

Like basil, rosemary is an Italian herb that is beneficial to the garden. It grows into a large shrub that spouts pretty little blue flowers. It helps the garden by attracting bees. Although it is a tough evergreen perennial, it is sensitive to frost.

Garlic is perhaps the best know Italian herb and the one most closely equated with Italian food, even though not all Italian regions use much garlic in their cuisines. Garlic is easy to grow and does not require much attention. Simply plant the cloves in your garden bed and they will do quite well. Garlic cloves can be stored for several weeks in a cool, dry container or frozen for later use.

Sage is the popular herb of Thanksgiving turkey, stuffing and gravies. Sage has a strong flavor, and like rosemary, only a little is needed to add flavor to your cooking. This herb is a good choice for your Italian herb garden because it is easy to grow and propagate into new plants.

There are many Italian herbs you can choose to plant in your garden, but I would start with these herbs because they are popular in cooking and easy to grow. Plan your herb garden before you start planting, considering the conditions the herbs need and also what they will look like when mature. Italian herbs and not only wonderful for adding flavor to your cooking, but can be a beautiful part of your landscape. With a little planning, your Italian herb garden can be like taking a stroll through the countryside of Italy.

Before you start your herb garden, make sure you check out Joy Harrison’s excellent free mini-course on growing your own herbs, and enjoy your own Italian herb garden.