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Growing Herbs in Your Kitchen
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Growing herb plants inside is more complicated than outside, just because of issues with light, warmth and drainage, but when cold weather comes and the frost covers all your outdoor herb plants you can always find pleasure in your inside herb plants. And the kitchen is the best spot to grow your herb plants, simply because that is where you are more likely to use them.
I have a big, south-facing window in my kitchen that allows full, rich sunlight to flow over my kitchen table on sunny days. That is where I keep my herbs over the winter, for convenience and because south-facing windows give the best light. If you do not have a south-facing window, don’t feel bad because any sunshine can be good sunlight.
Because it isn’t simple to take your herbs from outdoors to indoors for the winter months and then back out for the summer months, I suggest that you allow the outdoor annuals to die with the first frost and just get new potted plants from the market, home improvement store, nursery or greenhouse .
That way I won’t ever have to live without my herbs and I do not have to go through all the hassle about taking in an herb and having it get leggy.
Here are a few of my favorite herbs that I can’t make it through the winter without:
- Garlic: Be sure to grow garlic in your kitchen herb garden. The pink and white flowers will add to the prettiness of your kitchen and can deter little insects from gathering. Make a floral arrangement of garlic flowers. They are beautiful and can last for many days. They have a small hint of garlic taste. Try them on a salad. When garlic flowers start smelling garlicky, throw them out. If you’re hungry, you can always eat your garlic buds.
- Rosemary: When you cook with rosemary, you’re adding one the most uniquely flavored herbs around. You can pluck a couple of sprigs and sprinkle in with the rest of your ingredients. I take out the rosemary before I dish out the dish, simple because I cannot take the rough pine-like leaves and I’m a little too lazy to crush them. Please do not let that prevent you from pulverizing it with a mortar and pestle or in a food processor.
- Basil: This wonderful addition to your Italian meal is a quick grower and does well indoors. Within a few weeks, you’ll be able to pluck the leaves to use in a whole host of delicious dishes. If you’re looking in the supermarket for your plant, focus on the Sweet Basil type.
- Parsley: Buy your parsley full-grown rather than by starting with seeds. You’ll be pleased with the results, because starting with parsley seeds can take forever. Add your parsley in just about any dish. Just do not limit this lovely herb to the supporting role of a decoration. Its ability to enhance the taste of other dishes make pasrlsy a wonderful herb to have around all winter long.
There’s no need to stop in the kitchen either. Once you get your inside garden going in the kitchen, move along to the living room and bedroom. There is nothing like a sweet tiny pot of lavender in the bedroom to help you fall asleep more quickly.
Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.
Here is more information on Home Herb Garden. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.
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