Stepping into the backyard and pinching off fresh herbs to add flavor to anything I am experimenting with in the kitchen is pure joy! Whether it is a dash of rosemary in soup, or fresh basil leaves in a Caprese salad or sandwich, or fresh curry leaves to season an Indian dish, fresh cut herbs add that zing factor as nothing else does.
Mints
I joined a local plant swap group about 2 months ago and was delighted to double the kinds of mint plants I had already growing. I already had Peppermint growing for the past several years. It is a great perennial that I always keep in a terracotta pot. Mints can get very invasive if put in the ground and take over the entire area in just a few weeks with fast growing runners helping it spread in all directions.
A friend offered some Spearmint this spring and it has been a good addition to have in the yard.
I had never realized how delightful Chocolate Mint could be until I added some as a topping to ice cream. It is now a favorite in my herb garden!
Basil
Last year, I planted some Sweet basil, Genovese basil and some Thai basil. I got a good amount to make two jars of pesto. This year, the Thai Basil seems to be doing well.
The Sweet Basil is not happy with all the rain we are getting. This is the only plant which seems to look healthy.
I did manage to get an Indian Holy Basil this year for the first time. It seems to be doing well in the terracotta pot.
Cilantro and Parsley
For the first time this year, I was successful in getting a good crop of Cilantro for a period of over two months. It was fresh and so aromatic!
It got warmer and the cilantro bolted and has a lot of flowers now. I will let it seed over time.
Broad-leaf Parsley is also a new addition to my herb garden. If this works out well, I will try growing some curly leaf parsley as well.
I use fresh Thyme for seasoning pasta and pasta/pizza sauces. It has been a very useful addition to the herb garden.
When I planted the seeds of this Greek Oregano last season, it got lost in the raised bed with peppers on one side and vigorously growing Genovese Basil on the other. I had forgotten it was there until the basil dried out when it got cooler. This little plant got to see sunlight and started to grow at an alarming rate. I quickly transferred it to a large planter and it seems to be doing well. Fresh Oregano adds so much flavor to so many recipes.
Onion Chives
Another subtle yet flavorful herb to grace any garden. The beautiful flowers add color in spring and the leaves are a great addition to salads, noodles, and entrees.
I collect seeds once the flower has dried and replant them in the next season.
Curry Leaf Plant
This one was given to me about fourteen years ago by a friend. I had it in a planter and eventually put it in the ground. It has survived some very harsh winters and I cannot imagine what some Indian dishes would taste like without using it in the seasoning.
Lemon Grass
A friend gave me a small piece of this wonderful member of the grass family. I put it in soil, and didn't fuss around it too much. A year later, it is thriving, and it was my turn to give away little pieces of it to friends. It is a such great addition to have in the yard, especially in winter when the slightest hint of a sore throat or runny nose sent me into the backyard to get a couple of leaves. Boiling these leaves in water with a little ginger/clove/cardamom seeds provides soothing relief.
Lavender
I had tried growing lavender several years ago but it did not do very well. This year, at the plant swap with a local group, a lady had some cuttings with blooms on them. I got a couple. She asked me to scratch off the stem at the bottom, cut off the bloom, and stick the stem in soil. I did just that but let the bloom be for a while. I was delighted that it has taken root and it growing well. The fragrance is heavenly! I hope it will bloom soon.
On that fragrant note, I sign off for today!
Mints
I joined a local plant swap group about 2 months ago and was delighted to double the kinds of mint plants I had already growing. I already had Peppermint growing for the past several years. It is a great perennial that I always keep in a terracotta pot. Mints can get very invasive if put in the ground and take over the entire area in just a few weeks with fast growing runners helping it spread in all directions.
The one below is the Moroccan Mint. I had both the Peppermint and the Moroccan mint earlier. They both add great flavor to summer drinks, and to chutneys and relishes.
A friend offered some Spearmint this spring and it has been a good addition to have in the yard.
I had never realized how delightful Chocolate Mint could be until I added some as a topping to ice cream. It is now a favorite in my herb garden!
Basil
Last year, I planted some Sweet basil, Genovese basil and some Thai basil. I got a good amount to make two jars of pesto. This year, the Thai Basil seems to be doing well.
The Sweet Basil is not happy with all the rain we are getting. This is the only plant which seems to look healthy.
I did manage to get an Indian Holy Basil this year for the first time. It seems to be doing well in the terracotta pot.
Cilantro and Parsley
For the first time this year, I was successful in getting a good crop of Cilantro for a period of over two months. It was fresh and so aromatic!
It got warmer and the cilantro bolted and has a lot of flowers now. I will let it seed over time.
Broad-leaf Parsley is also a new addition to my herb garden. If this works out well, I will try growing some curly leaf parsley as well.
Rosemary, Thyme and Oregano
These three make a great addition to season pasta, salads, and pasta/pizza sauces. A butternut squash soup I make would never taste the same without the addition of Rosemary.
I use fresh Thyme for seasoning pasta and pasta/pizza sauces. It has been a very useful addition to the herb garden.
When I planted the seeds of this Greek Oregano last season, it got lost in the raised bed with peppers on one side and vigorously growing Genovese Basil on the other. I had forgotten it was there until the basil dried out when it got cooler. This little plant got to see sunlight and started to grow at an alarming rate. I quickly transferred it to a large planter and it seems to be doing well. Fresh Oregano adds so much flavor to so many recipes.
Onion Chives
Another subtle yet flavorful herb to grace any garden. The beautiful flowers add color in spring and the leaves are a great addition to salads, noodles, and entrees.
I collect seeds once the flower has dried and replant them in the next season.
Curry Leaf Plant
This one was given to me about fourteen years ago by a friend. I had it in a planter and eventually put it in the ground. It has survived some very harsh winters and I cannot imagine what some Indian dishes would taste like without using it in the seasoning.
Lemon Grass
A friend gave me a small piece of this wonderful member of the grass family. I put it in soil, and didn't fuss around it too much. A year later, it is thriving, and it was my turn to give away little pieces of it to friends. It is a such great addition to have in the yard, especially in winter when the slightest hint of a sore throat or runny nose sent me into the backyard to get a couple of leaves. Boiling these leaves in water with a little ginger/clove/cardamom seeds provides soothing relief.
Lavender
I had tried growing lavender several years ago but it did not do very well. This year, at the plant swap with a local group, a lady had some cuttings with blooms on them. I got a couple. She asked me to scratch off the stem at the bottom, cut off the bloom, and stick the stem in soil. I did just that but let the bloom be for a while. I was delighted that it has taken root and it growing well. The fragrance is heavenly! I hope it will bloom soon.
On that fragrant note, I sign off for today!
I had no idea about the diff variation of mint thanks:)
ReplyDeleteYour herb garden is too good.Please send a photograph of the whole garden ( on whatsApp please). I am planning a herb garden in my balcony. I will find it useful. The article is excellent. I didn't even know Mint has so much variety. The information is really good. You have become an excellent gardner as well.
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