Thursday 17 July 2014

Kitchen Garden Notes - My herbs

I've mentioned the herbs in my garden several times and people have commented on them. However, I've never actually shown you any of them so here is my collection and a few tips on what herbs to have and what to use them with.

When picking herbs for the first time it is tempting to go mad and buy lots of herbs you like the look of. You then get them home and find you don't really know what to do with them. You keep watering them but because you aren't using them they start to get leggy or woody so you stop watering them and they die. If you use dried herbs start from there in your selection. Quite often garden centres and nurseries sell herbs in two different sizes. Unless you are planning to use large quantities of the herb save your money and buy the smaller pot. With regular watering herbs grow quickly and before long they will be the size of the larger pot.

I don't plant my herbs in the ground as I don't have the space. Instead I re-pot all the herbs I buy into bigger, ceramic pots. As they are outside my back door by the kitchen they are always handy to get to rain or shine. If you suddenly decide your tomato sauce bubbling away on the hob could really do with some fresh oregano you are more likely to snip some off if you just have to step outside rather than traipsing across a soggy lawn.


The rosemary is the oldest herb in the garden. We originally cut a piece of the lawn out to make a fruit and herb area. Wind, rain, sun and snow – the rosemary keeps green and keeps growing through all of these. Every so often we have to cut it back by hacking some of the branches off. Yes, it doesn't mind such brutality. I use it in both sweet and savoury dishes. It goes really well with lamb but also in a sausage and apple casserole. It want to use it in cakes I find it is really nice with lemon as in gluten free lemon and rosemary polenta cake.

I can't tell you how old this chive plant is. It was certainly bought in a supermarket which I then planted outside. I leave this out all year round. In the winter it does do a good impression of being dead but once spring comes it starts to look edible again. When it starts to look a bit scraggy it likes a bit of a haircut and it is soon back growing again. It's great for sniping over salads as a quick garnish but I particularly like it in potato salad with chives.

This mint is new this year. I find it is one of the few herbs you can buy in the supermarket which will survive on a kitchen window sill and in the garden during the summer. I would avoid planting it in the ground as it grows very quickly and spreads. I like to cut a sprig of it and put it in a pan of salad or new potatoes. It also makes a very good pesto.

The other mint is a lime mint. I saw it at the garden centre at RHS Wisley last year and simply fell for it. I used it in a strawberry and mint meringue. I was very naughty and left it out all winter but the mild weather was kind to it. Certainly not an essential herb but surely I'm allowed one frivolous buy?!

I make a lot of tomato sauces to go with pasta and always put some herbs in to flavour it. I have two varieties of oregano. The first is the standard plain green type. It goes well in cooking as it has a strong flavour.

The second variety is a pretty, variegated oregano. It has a slightly milder flavour which means it really nice cut up and served raw in salads.

Another herb I have two of is thyme. It goes so well with chicken whether you are roasting it or putting it in a casserole. The stems can be a little woody so I would advise you take the leaves off by running your finger and thumb up the stalk.

The other thyme is a lemon thyme. It really does have a distinct citrus taste. I find this really handy as I don't always have lemons in the house. It has a lot more leaves on it than the common one and in fact looks a lot more healthier!

For pork dishes the classic herb pairing is sage. I chose the variegated variety simply because it looked prettier than than the plain green one. If I use a mixed herb combination for something like lasagne I use rosemary, oregano, thyme and sage.

Bay trees can be terribly expensive and quite often only used for ornamental purposes. I searched high and low for bay that was a reasonable price and found this one for £3.99. Use it to make your own bouquet garni with the other herbs to flavour stocks or soups. I like to put a couple into beef casseroles in the slow cooker.

My favourite herb is basil and for the first time this year I have grown some from seed. It's quite a tricky herb to maintain. As a Mediterranean herb it likes the sun but dries out quickly and goes very limp. However it also doesn't like to be overwatered. I think this little collection needs to be re-potted soon and brought into the kitchen from the greenhouse. Tomato sauce, pesto and mozzarella beckon for this little lot.

The only herb I don't have at the moment which I like to have is parsley. My dad was growing some to give to me but the local squirrels got to it first. I guess they decided to use it as natural breath freshener...


 

Manneskjur

44 comments:

  1. I love my herb garden too. It is great to go outside and pick fresh herbs. We're growing tarragon and fennel for the first time this year x

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    1. I may have to add tarragon to my list. I'm already thinking of some lovely chicken dishes to make with it.

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  2. I have lots of herbs in pots too - nothing better than being able to pick fresh herbs when you're cooking!

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    1. Fresh herbs really do taste much than dried ones.

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  3. I would love to grow herbs however I'm not the best at gardening. I'm always buying fresh parsley so it would make sense to learn how to grow them!

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    1. Try starting out by re-potting a parsley plant into a bigger pot. You'll be surprised at how quickly it will grow.

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  4. I would love a herb garden but my fingers are not green at all!

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    1. Just start off with a few pots and don't forget to water them!

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  5. that is so great!!! they love your garden. we have tried many but the only ones that manage to stick are the rosemary and basil

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    1. I think rosemary can withstand anything! Nothing seems to stop it growing bigger.

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  6. You herbs look ace. We grow them too and this year they are doing really well

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    1. I think they are enjoying the mild weather year as so many herbs are Mediterranean in origin.

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  7. I have just planted some herbs in a little wooden wheelbarrow. Let's hope I keep them alive x

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    1. Don't forget to keep watering them and make sure you use them as this promotes new growth.

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  8. Your herb garden looks great! I couldn't live without thyme, rosemary and oregano now. And once you start growing herbs it's amazing how much you use. Like the sound of lime mint, going to check that out.

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    1. I really do like the lime mint and it's nice raw as the taste isn't so strong as garden mint.

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  9. I absolutely love herbs - when I was little I had my own little herb garden. I must get back into growing them now, my children would love to as well. Herbs are the best!

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    1. They are easy to grow from seed so kids will like filling a tray with soil and watering it. I think they are amazed when they see them germinate.

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  10. I love my herbs it has to be said - though they are dwindling a bit now as my rosemary got really woody (yep I am a bad pruner-backer!). My chives wereb ought from a supermarket too. They look so pretty when in bloom, which isn't now - they are brown and limp at the moment, but they did that last year and then Ta Da! in Spring - back up again!
    Herbs are so expensive in the shops, it really pays to grown your own doesn't it!

    Thanks for joining in again, there's some really informative posts this week - loving it!

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    1. I think I have been lucky with this rosemary as it doesn't get too woody. It is haven't a battle for space with the strawberries though.

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  11. I love rosemary and mint and it's great to hear they grow well in pots as we haven't got a garden. Maybe we'll try them on the windowsill x

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    1. I'd re-pot them but then another pot would look so much nicer anyway. Keep using and water when dry.

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  12. Oh wow just look at them, wish could grow stuff like this .x

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    1. Just start off with some herbs from the garden centre. They start growing all by themselves as long as you water them.

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  13. I love this herb garden I would love to have one sadly I don't have green fingers.

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    1. Start off with herbs on the window sill as you are bound to use them then.

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  14. I've thought about starting a herb garden before, but haven't got around to it. I bet it's great to be able to pick fresh herbs for meals.

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    1. Just start off with the herbs you use the most first of all.

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  15. I got into growing herbs years ago after planting some I got from the supermarket. When we moved to a house with a big garden I made sure to get a kitchen garden started with a herb patch nearer the house.
    Currently in Canada I miss my UK garden but our rented house here has mint in the garden so my punjabi chutney and Moroccan tea needs are sorted for the summer!

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    1. At least you have your mint. Punjabi chuntey sounds interesting.

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  16. I love growing herbs and I used to have a lot of them in our garden. But now I'm renting and I don't have my herbs with me anymore :( I really miss having them right there whenever I needed.

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    1. Try getting a terracotta herb planter. They don't take up much room and you can take it with you.

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  17. I have few potted herbs and I so in love with them! Mine are way smaller but they are so giving! #hdygg

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    1. I think I'm lucky and got them in a position that suits them.

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  18. Ive never managed togrow anything in my life, would love to have all these beautiful herbs in my garden!

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    1. Just start off with a few herbs first of all.

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  19. I get stuff like this so wrong, so this is really helpful for me. Great herby tips

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    1. Herb growing in pots is actually quite straight forward it's vegetables that can get confusing!

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  20. Wow, you have a lovely herb collection. And your basil is coming out perfectly.

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    1. I'm very proud of that basil as it's the first herb I've ever grown from seed.

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  21. lots of great tidbits of herb info. my favorite is cilantro, but I have yet to have success growing it. I am planning on starting an ornamental herb garden next year as I've noticed the butterflies really like my friend's herb garden (and she will give me starts).

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    1. I think cilantro is what us Brits call coriander. That's great if you can get some plants from your friend to get started.

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  22. Your herb garden looks great! We have just started to grow a small one in our kitchen. I love adding herbs to recipes always makes them tastier.

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  23. Fresh herbs make all the difference to your cooking - never thought of planting shop bought ones out on the patio before though!

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I appreciate your comments. If you have any tips, tricks or tweaks please pass them on!