Your Herb Garden
Many things come to mind when we think of growing and having an herb garden. For example, the spicy and piney scent of rosemary growing in the garden, a steaming hot cup of mint tea, an aromatic bath with lavender, or a delicious Italian meal with lots of oregano and garlic. You can relize this with your herb garden. If you’ve ever come down with a cold and wanted to naturally boost your immune system, you’ve probably relied on herbs such as Echinacea or Goldenseal. Additionally, many herbs can be used as coloring agents, cosmetics, and natural room deodorizers. Not to mention that the simple act of growing herbs in your home or garden is a relaxing and rewarding experience. Curious how herbs heal and make us feel better? Plants, in general, produce chemical compounds as part of their normal metabolic activities. These compounds can be divided into primary metabolites -- such as sugars and fats -- and secondary metabolites, which are mainly found in herbs. These secondary metabolites protect herbs from insects and disease and tend to have medicinal properties for humans.
So What Is An Herb, Anyway?It's a plant that doesn't have a woody stem and it dies back to the ground each winter, leaving only its root system alive. Herbs have so many uses and play such a vital role in our lives, but how exactly do we define what an herb is? According to one dictionary, an herb can be defined as "a seed-producing annual, biennial, or perennial that does not develop persistent woody tissue but dies down at the end of a growing season." Furthermore, we can define an herb as "a plant or plant part valued for its medicinal, savory, or aromatic qualities." Savory, aromatic, and medicinal, these are the basic properties we speak of when we talk about herbs. We can also think of the joy of using herbs as ornamentals. So let’s move on and begin exploring this wonderful, healthy, and exotic world of organic herbal gardening!
Designing Your Herb GardenWhen designing an herb garden, there are many different approaches you can take. Herbs can be planted in a formal garden, interspersed with flowers, trees and shrubs or in theme gardens. You can also just plant a patch outside your kitchen door for cooking purposes. Use whatever works best for you and your particular needs. Here at Back to Basics we use pots to plant our herbs. We do have some in our garden area,but mostly potted. Plant herbs in large clay pots to create the classic look of a French culinary garden. Be sure to use plenty of basil, thyme, marjoram, lavender, summer savory, rosemary, sage and fennel. Herbs can be grown by themselves or in groupings, depending upon your preference.
Harvesting HerbsWhen to harvest is really dependent on the herb you are growing and the plant part you intend to use. As a general rule, herbs grown for their leaves should be harvested before they flower. After they flower, most herbs tend to loose their flavor or become bitter. You also want to pick the leaves when they are tender and contain the highest amount of oil, which supplies taste and fragrance. For most herbs, the best time to pick is early in the morning just as the dew evaporates, but before the heat of the day. Do not wash the leaves or aromatic oils will be lost.
Harvest early and frequently to encourage plants to produce new growth. It's okay to prune a perennial to about half its height. You can cut back an annual even more -- to just a few inches. Many culinary herbs, including chives, basil, mint, parsley, and oregano grow back quickly and benefit from the constant pruning your herb garden.
Drying Herbs!For long term storage, and to retain the highest flavor and quality, consider air drying herbs. Dried herbs can be kept for two or three years, but should really be used within a year. Any longer than this, and they won't be as tasty or as fragrant. To dry sturdy, low moisture herbs, like rosemary, thyme, dill, savory, sage, and parsley, cut whole branches of the plant and gently rinse in cool water. Tie the cuttings in small bunches and hang upside down in a dark, well-ventilated and dust-free room. When dry, usually within 2 to 3 weeks, remove the leaves from the stems and store whole in an air tight container. Crush or grind just before use.Now you have fresh herbs,all because you planted a simple Herb Garden. Next time you go to the store notice the price of herbs per pound. WOW! Herbs with large, tender leaves and a high moisture content, including bay leaf, basil, lemon balm, lovage, mint, lemon verbena and tarragon, should be dried quickly to prevent mold. You can dry these herbs on frames covered with netting or window screen. Simply strip the best leaves from the stems and lay them in a single layer on the drying rack. Turn during the first few days and after about a week, when the leaves are completely dry, remove them and store in tightly closed containers for later use. Learn more about how to dry herbs here.
Back to Basics will Have more About Herbs Later.
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