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Old 16-05-2009, 02:23 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible
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Default Easiest Herbs to Grow

They didn’t mention Cilantro.

--

Easiest Herbs to Grow
Patricia Lanza


Store-bought dried herbs can’t compare with the fresh, intense flavors
of herbs straight from the garden. Herbs tend to be very easy to grow.
All they need is good drainage and lots of sun (unless otherwise
noted). If you plant them in pots, you can take them inside in the
winter. Snip off leaves when you need them.

To encourage leaf growth, remove flower buds when they appear.

The easiest herbs to grow include...

Basil (Ocimum basilicum). Basil is a key ingredient in pesto and a
perfect complement for tomatoes. There are hundreds of varieties of
basil, but I would nominate this Neapolitan basil as the tastiest.
Basil is an annual that struggles in cold weather, so don’t plant it
too early in the season. Trim the uppermost leaves and stems off basil
plants (along with any flower buds) to increase the plant’s bushiness
and leaf production. Excess basil leaves can be put in plastic food
bags and frozen.

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum). The leaves of this hearty perennial can
be added to soups or used in fish or potato dishes. The blossoms are
beautiful and tasty in salads. Snip the entire flowering stem off the
plant when you remove a flower bud. Chives will flourish as far north
as Canada.

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum). Fresh parsley is wonderful sprinkled
on fish, salads and other dishes. Parsley is a biennial (grows for two
years), but its flower buds must be cut off as soon as they appear in
the second year or the plant will not produce many leaves. Young
parsley plants can take more than a month to germinate, so consider
starting new plants indoors in a sunny window, then transferring them
to your garden after the last frost.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). Fresh rosemary stems can be placed
in vinegar or olive oil for flavor, and the leaves are great in lamb
dishes and in many sauces. Rosemary is a perennial, but cold climates
in the northern US might prevent it from returning in future years. It
can be grown indoors when provided with lots of sunlight and small
amounts of water. (Overwatering causes more problems than
underwatering.)

Sage (Salvia officinalis). Sage is used to season meats, sauces,
stuffings and soups. It is a folk remedy for sore throats when
consumed as a tea. If you like hummingbirds in your yard, this
particular variety of sage, when it flowers, is likely to attract
them.

Spearmint (Mentha spicata) or peppermint (Mentha x piperita). Add
fresh mint to lemonade and fruit salads. Mint can become a bully in
the garden, crowding out other plants. Planting this perennial in a
pot is the best way to keep its invasive roots in check. Unlike most
herbs, mint likes shade. Place your mint pot under a tree, or hang it
inside your house near a window.

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris). There are hundreds of varieties of this
perennial herb. It is a perfect seasoning for chowders and many other
soups. Thyme can be tucked into rock gardens and between stepping
stones.

Bottom Line/Personal interviewed Patricia Lanza, who previously ran an
herb farm and operated Lanza’s Country Inn in Fairfield Glade,
Tennessee. Now retired, she is the author of several books on lasagna
gardening (a system of layering organic materials), including Lasagna
Gardening with Herbs

(Rodale).
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