Are you looking to add fresh herbs to your cooking? Here are some of the most common garden herbs and how to use them!
Herb gardens can be small, or large, grown either in a patch of earth, or on a sunny window sill. Whether you choose to have a few plants on your kitchen shelf, or many plants in your giant backyard, you will find that herb gardening is both pleasurable and rewarding.
All of the plants listed here are considered perennial. If planting outdoors you may want to cover them in fall, in colder climates, to ensure their return next spring.
Chives are one of the best loved herbs. They are raised for their hardiness, and ease of care. They offer lovely blooms in the spring and summer, and add a touch of flare regardless of whether you use their pungent leaves or edible flowers to enhance your cooking.
Parsley is an easy to grow herb, that comes in many varieties. Parsley can add a lovely texture to the earth garden, or can be grown indoors for a decorative, and productive display piece. It is a common herb used in a variety of dishes, from Italian to down home American cooking. Parsley is used both dried and fresh, however it’s flavor and eye-appeal is generally at it’s best when the plant is used fresh.
Oregano is also a nice addition for the herb garden. It will grow in almost any climate, and is useful in the kitchen as well. While chives and parsley are herbs that are generally used fresh, Oregon can be dried, and added to your favorite recipes, long after the garden has been covered over for the winter.
Rosemary is a lovely, fragrant plant. Though not used as often in the kitchen as some of the other herbs mentioned, it does add an intriguing flavor to many Italian dishes. Rosemary is easy to grow, does well in pots and planters, and will bloom if left uncut in the summer.
Sage, used in stuffing, with chicken and pork, and even occasionally in pasta or pesto. This plant is also easy to grow, and will provide you with plenty of “produce” when grown either indoors or out.
The best location you can use for your herb garden is one that gets the majority of sunlight throughout the day. Herb gardeners grown just outside the kitchen door are convenient, if you plan to cut your herbs just prior to cooking with them. Herbs grown in pots in the kitchen are also convenient when cooking, and they lend a cheery, homey atmosphere to your decor as well.
