Does anyone grow their own herbs? (page 3)

Celia

Rosemary is one herb I don't have and should have !

you can use it fresh, so good with pork, yum...

but you can dry it too, upside down in a dry, dark place, at least not in full sun .

terafera

Celia, thanks for the advice! I'll try it on pork...

Elsewhere, you know it! I recently read a book about veggies and fruit and it talks how our bodies are meant to eat those...not carbs like bread, pasta, etc. I try to eat little else than fruit and veggies, also whole grains. My heart will thank me later! So will yours!

mustang

Scooter,

Just got back for the day. A question:

Where does your Basil grow/grow best? Sunshine or shade? My 'annual' Basils did OK on a sunny corner, but just under a planter window. My perennial Basil seems 'very happy' under the grape vines, somewhere bewteen semi-shade & deep shade, I would say. That corner gets some sun and there are still openings in the vine. What has been your experience???

BTW, almost any soup benefits from grabbing a fresh lemon, cutting it in two and squeezing the juice of a half into the soup.

I cook with lots of dill, so i am thinking about growing my own. The Mexican gardner down the street has promsied me one of his Anise plants; but I am not going tp take the one that is 7 foot tall!!!

Mustang

Edited by - mustang on 23 June 2002 0:0:33

scootergirl

Mustang......my basil is grown indoors. I have read that herbs need at least 5-6 hours of sunshine per day, so every morning (well, almost every morning) I take it outdoors on the deck and bring it back in at night. It is planted in very rich soil/compost and watered every 2-3 days.

Drainage is extremely important, otherwise the water sits at the roots and can do lots of damage.

I highly recommend this book http://www.bookcloseouts.com/bc/display.book.asp?isbn=1585670197.......it has a wealth of information about just about every herb there is.

About basil it says:

"...is an annual and, being a warm country plant, it will stand no frost. It is exceedingly variable but typically grows to about two feet high and has light green, silky and tender leaves...may be sown in light rich soil or compost, either under glass or in the garden when all danger of frost is past. Should be planted 12 inches apart, it may be trained to be bushy (by pinching out shoots).

To all herb gardners......seriously take a look at this book (plus, it is listed at a 65% discount).

FYI, basil can be frozen but first needs to be blanched 1-2 seconds w/boiling water so the leaves don't turn black.

scootergirl

Forgot to add.....

My dill experience didn't go well this year. I tried planting it in a container but then found out that dill does not transplant well and should be harvested where grown.

So.....guess I will be buying dill for pickling this year. Oh well, lesson learned. Next year I will plant it outside.

seedy3

Hello all,

I have just reciently started my own herb garden, I currently have sweet Basil, Rosemary, Oregano, Marjoram, Thyme, Chives, and an herb Called Cuban Oregano. all but the basil I started from Cuttings I got from the Grocery store as fresh herbs or from a friend of mine. The Sweet basil I started from seed.

Seedy

Celia

My herbs look great this year. I pick my basil in the morning, separate the leaves from the stems ans dry them if necessary, then put them directly in freezer bags. I do not blanch them. And they don't discolor or get black, and the taste and smell is like fresh basil.

termite 35

Hi Scooter girl;I missed this thread!

I've been growing herbs for a long time now-my greatest friend is a herbalist who's always sharing info with me..I've been drinking Ladys mantle(Alchemilla mollis/vulgaris)tea for the last few months as I was in a lot of pain most of the time (menstrual/mid month that seems to give no respite,nausea,passing out etc)I have noticed a lot of imorovement lately.One German herbalist was quoted as saying if most women drank it- all the time the need for hysterectomies and hormone treatment would be cut by a third...!

I also like finding other plants to eat for a change from the herbs.

Fushia berries( jelly)

Marigolds,rose petals,nasturtiums,carnations, marsh mallow flowers,chive heads,scented geraniums and myrtle(take off green bit first)

The salads look really beautiful!

As for drying;keep the herbs out of the sun;warmth,darkness and dryness are needed;if you're drying small quantities just lie them on some muslin or brown paper (jab some holes in it)lie this over a 'frame'-rack from the oven will do...store them whole-don't crush;in dark glass;if you see any condensation you'll know they needed a little more drying.

Good luck(edited for a sp.mistake!)

Edited by - termite 35 on 23 June 2002 18:25:45

scootergirl

ooohhhh seedy........cuban oregano! That just sounds good! Did you start that by seed?

How do you start basil by cuttings from the store?

Valis

we grow Italian sweet basil, rosemary, pinapple sage (grows like a weed and invades my other herbs...

Sincerely,

District Overbeer

Does anyone grow their own herbs?

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