Herb Garden - A gift that keeps on giving...

Spring has sprung and it is time get your herb garden planted! Since yesterday was Earth Day I decided there was no better excuse then to go out and purchase my herbs for the summer. I started growing my own herbs last summer and it was so rewarding. I love cooking with fresh herbs, it brightens up the simplest dishes and brings them to life. Here are a few herbs that I will be growing this summer and a couple of tips on how to grow and use them...

BASIL:
Officially one of the most popular herbs and one of my personal favorites. Basil most commonly used in tomato sauces, caprese salads, and margarita pizzas, is a great herb to start out with in your garden. You can grow basil in the ground or in a pot by itself. Make sure it gets plenty of sunlight and do not plant your basil if there is still a threat of a frost it will kill it. Once you have planted your basil water it once a day, if planting in a pot I always water until I see the water draining from the bottom of the pot. Basil leaves will start to turn yellow if over watered so keep an eye on that. Once you are ready to harvest your basil pinch off the stem right above where a pair of leaves are. Also basil plants will flower, if you see a flower be sure to remove it, the flowers will cause the leaves to lose their flavors.

MINT:
This is my first season growing mint so we will see how well I do. I make so many desserts I had to have it in my herb garden. I will also be planting mint in a pot by itself. It tends to grow rapidly and it can overcome some of the other plants. Mint needs full to partial sunlight and also needs to be watered once a day. I have also read that mint can attract some pests so I will be sure to get some all natural and safe pesticide spray. Mint can be used for multiple dishes or even in drinks. You can also just rough chop the leaves and add them to your dinner salad!

ROSEMARY:
Another one of my favorite herbs Rosemary has a deep woodsy flavor and I absolutely love to cook with it! Rosemary needs lots of sunlight and does well in dry humid weather. When you are watering your rosemary be sure to let the soil dry between each watering. Trimming your rosemary will help it flourish, you want to trim just above the leaf joint and only trim a small amount at a time. When I lived in San Diego we had a huge Rosemary bush right outside our door and anytime we had the door open the fresh aroma would fill our house and it would make me want to cook! Here is a great tip to adding flavor to your everyday mashed potato's:
 When I have my potato's in a pot boiling I always start another pot of 1/2 heavy cream and 1/2 milk. I add a couple sprigs of fresh rosemary, a quarter of an onion, and a smashed clove of garlic. Bring this to a very low simmer (do not boil) you just want to warm and flavor your cream. Once your potato's are ready for mashing strain your cream and add to your potato's until they are whipped and creamy add salt and pepper to taste!

PARSLEY:
The herb in the pot on the left is Parsley. Also another common herb and something that is great to have around the house. I grew parsley last year and that is why I put it in the same pot with my rosemary. I found it was pretty delicate to grow and it does need partial shade because the leaves will burn in to much sun. Since Rosemary is a very hardy herb and doesn't need to be constantly watered the two do well together. You also don't want to over water your parsley. Give it sun for about 6 hours a day and then place in the shade. Living in Ohio we have a lot of humid summer days so partial shade for the rosemary will be just fine.
 So there is a few tips on great herbs to grow in your own backyard or back deck in my case. Another great thing about having your own herb garden is that you don't have to keep spending the money at your local grocery store. You can just walk outside and clip a couple sprigs of this and a couple sprigs of that, exactly what the recipe calls for, no waste! 
Happy Eatings!!
Krystal