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If you cook a lot, you have probably used at least a few fresh herbs, even if it’s just something as common as parsley or basil. Fresh herbs are an amazing addition to any cook’s repertoire, but they can be intimidating to grow your own.
Growing your own herbs has many benefits, and it doesn’t require a lot of time, skill or knowledge. If you’ve been on the fence about growing an herb garden, read on to see what you’re missing out on.
It’s Easy to Get Started
All you need to grow some herbs are the seeds of your choice, a few pots, some dirt, and sun or light. You can find all of these things in your local hardware store, or even your supermarket during the right time of year. You don’t have to spend a fortune, as a packet of seeds only costs a few dollars, and you don’t have to buy expensive pots. Once you’ve got the supplies, it’s as easy as filling your pots with dirt, burying your seeds in it, and adding water and sunlight. Within a few days, you should start seeing sprouts.
You’ll Save Money
If you like the flavor of fresh herbs, you’ve probably bought bunches of parsley and cilantro at your grocery store, or worse, those little plastic containers of basil, rosemary, and thyme. At several dollars for a small amount, buying a few different herbs for a recipe can severely eat into your grocery budget. If you don’t use them all, they go bad, and that wastes money.
By growing your own, you can plant what you want, and use only the amount you need. Use it all, and more will grow back for next time. Your investment is a packet of seeds and a pot, and you’ll get way more herbs than you’ll ever get from those little plastic boxes.
Fresh Herbs Taste Better Than Dried
Like everything else in the culinary world, fresh is better, and it’s definitely true when it comes to herbs. While dried herbs and spices do have their place in the kitchen, if you’re making a salad dressing, pizza, or pesto, you need the flavor and aroma of fresh herbs.
If you have an abundance of fresh herbs, you can dry them yourself by laying them out in a single layer until dried. Then, crumble them up and put in a spice jar. You’ll be surprised to learn that even these have more flavor and aroma than the dried herbs you buy in the spice aisle.
You Can Grow Anything You Want
While you may be able to get more variety at your local farmer’s market, the fresh herbs you’re going to be able to get at your grocery store is pretty limited. You can get parsley, basil, and thyme, but anything else you may have trouble seeking out.
When you start your own herb harden, you can grow anything you can find seeds for. Are you a fan of sage? Grow it. Chervil or tarragon more your thing? You can grow those too. You’re only limited by the pots you can fit in your space. You can even grow uncommon varieties of common herbs, such as Thai basil, or lemon thyme.
It Will Make You Happy
It’s amazing to take a tiny seed and put it in dirt and watch it sprout into a big plant within a short period of time. It’s even more amazing when you take the first bite of something you made with something you grew yourself.
In addition, studies have shown that having plants around raises endorphins, meaning you will feel just a little bit better brewing your morning coffee while looking at the rosemary plant on your window sill.
You Can Grow Indoors or Out
Unlike fruits and vegetables, which require a lot of space and time to grow properly, you can grow a small herb garden with very little space. A windowsill, small back patio, or small table near a door or window is enough to get a small herb garden going.
If you’re growing indoors, you need to have either an artificial light, or your plants should be next to a window where they will get plenty of sunlight. Outdoor plants may need to be brought in during colder months depending on where you live. Either way, you can still grow outside for several months of the year in most places.
It’s a Great Way to Try Your Hand at Gardening
Gardening is not necessarily difficult, but there is a learning curve. Mess it up, and it could cost you money and frustration that will make you never want to grow anything again.
A small herb garden is a great way to test the waters and see if you have a green thumb or if you’re just better off buying from the grocery store or farmer’s market.
It’s Easier Than a Vegetable Garden
If you want to grow a vegetable garden, you need plenty of space depending on the plant. You’ll also need the right tools to keep weeds and animals away. Stakes, garden hoes, and fencing are all part of gardening. It’s also much more time consuming to maintain since you’ll need to pull weeds, trim your plants, and harvest often to keep them healthy.
That’s not to say that there aren’t benefits to growing a vegetable garden; there most certainly are many reasons why you might want to do it. It’s just that it is often more work than you think.
Herbs, however, are different. They are usually small plants that you can grow in small pots. They require little maintenance other than the initial planning and watering. It’s a great way to try your hand at gardening without a lot of commitment up front. If you like growing herbs, you can move on to a small tomato or strawberry plant.
Bad Weather Won’t Kill Your Plants
If you grow your herbs in pots, they can easily be moved indoors to protect from an unexpected cold front or too much sun. Of course, if you plant in the ground, this isn’t the case, so get some small pots.
Your Food Will Taste Better
We’ve been taught to think that fat and sugar make our food taste good, but there’s little that beats the fresh flavor of fresh herbs. They’re perfect in both sweet and savory dishes and will allow you to cut back on bad for you foods like salt because they will more than make up for the loss of flavor. Using fresh herbs is an easy way to eat healthier without missing out on flavor.
Conclusion
If you want to try your hand at gardening, but don’t know where to begin, starting with one or two easy to grow herbs (try basil or mint) is a great way to test the waters. Growing your own herbs will teach you a lot about gardening, plants in general, and will most definitely save you money if you’ve been buying containers of herbs from your supermarket. Start out slow, so you don’t get overwhelmed, and experiment in your cooking to use up all the herbs that you grow. While an herb garden has many benefits, one of the best ones is tasting the fresh flavor from the plants that you created yourself.