Grow Your Own Kitchen Herb Garden For New Cooking Sensations

Now that you have tasted the huge difference fresh, flavorsome herbs can make to your cooking, you may be interested in growing your own kitchen herb garden. You will be happy to discover that it is easier to grow than you think. There are just a couple of steps to take and some tips to keep in mind to get you on your way to growing your own delightful culinary herb garden.

To start your cooking herb garden, decide whether it is going to be an outside one, a patio or a kitchen window sill one. The important thing is for you to have easy, close access to your herb plants from your kitchen.

The next important factor is that your herb plants need a number of hours of bright daylight for them to prosper and bear abundant foliage and flowers. In caring for your herbs you also have to consider tips on watering and temperature. Herb plants need adequate watering, but take care not to over water them as they could fall prey to diseases like root rot and powdery mildew. As for temperature, herb plants overall do not grow well in extreme hot or cold temperatures. Care should therefore be taken to shield them adequately under those conditions. You can find more information on indoor herb gardening here.

A kitchen herb garden has a multitude of benefits and can be grown for its culinary, aromatic or curative powers. Many times we might use specific herbs in cooking without being aware of their additional beneficial properties. Before refrigerators, many herbs like marjoram, thyme, bay and rosemary were a necessary ingredient in preserving food. Now we are learning about their health-preserving properties as well. Once you become interested in these amazing plants, your herb discovery journey has started!

Here comes the exciting part: you have to decide which herbs you want to grow! Of course the culinary herbs come to mind first when speaking about a kitchen herb garden. But, I’m sure, you would want to grow all your favorite herbs and enjoy their easy availability and fresh, full flavor.

As everyone has different favorites, I will provide some information on a couple of generally popular and versatile herbs you may consider for your kitchen herb garden.

1. Basil
At the start of spring you can easily find basil seedlings at any nursery, and even at the local supermarket. If you want to start from seed, it would be preferable to sow them in early spring in a greenhouse or a warm spot, and during springtime directly in the garden.

Basil is one of the most well-known herbs and adds a warm and spicy flavor to pasta and soup dishes, omelets, salads and sauces, especially the green, tasty Italian pesto sauce. It goes especially well with tomatoes , enhances any meat, poultry or fish dish, and adds medicinal properties when added to vinegar. Basil strengthens the heart and digestive system.

There are other varieties of basil as well, like the African blue basil and cinnamon basil which can be used as a fragrant herb.  Go here for more interesting info on growing basil.

2. Mint
Having your own mint is essential, whether you like it in a mint sauce to accompany a lamb dish, brew into a soothing, hot tea or add a fresh taste to a cool drink on a hot summer afternoon. Mint sauce or mint jelly is also made from spearmint.

Mint can be propagated from pieces of the root of the plant. They are good growers when watered well, but you need to contain the roots as they easily invade the root system of neighboring plants.

3. Parsley
Many people  think of parsley only as a beautiful, green, curly-leaved garnish on hotel aperitif, party food platters and meat or fish dishes. But apart from its appealing decorative value, parsley adds taste to soups, casseroles, omelets and salads.

Parsley can be grown from seed in the springtime, but soak the seeds overnight before sowing, and be sure to thin out the seedlings to about 10 inches of space in between them.

4. Sage
Sage is an an important ingredient in pork sausages, and enhances the flavor of lamb, cheese and omelet dishes. It is also traditionally added to chicken and turkey stuffing.

Sage can also be grown from seed or seedlings in springtime. The plants need about one foot of distance from one another to grow well.

So here you have an excellent list for a basic kitchen herb garden. There are many other popular culinary herbs including chives, origano, thyme, savory, marjoram and rosemary, but it will be interesting to take a look at them on another page. Until then, happy cooking!