All varieties of basil love warm weather and moisture and are perennials in the right climates. In northern or colder climates, basil is an annual due to the shorter growing season, but is truly a perennial. Thai and African Blue basil can be raised year around, even in colder climates by bringing the plants inside for the colder months and providing plenty of light and moisture. By extending the growing season for basil, cooks can delight the palates of their guests or families year around with fresh basil.
Areas with plenty of sunshine enjoy fresh perennial basil such as Thai and African Blue basil year around. Colder climates present some obstacles, but no obstacle that cannot be overcome. By bringing the plants indoors during cold weather and giving the perennial basil plenty of warmth, moisture and light, raising perennial basil becomes a doable project. Basil raised outside in colder climates need to be replanted each year, but under warmer conditions, basil is perennial.
Thai basil is easy to get started from seed. After the seed is sown, baby plants appear in about one to two weeks. The seedlings need to be thinned out to space each little plant about six to twelve inches apart. African Blue basil is a cross breed and the seeds from this cross is sterile. To grow African Blue, starters are taken from a parent plant and raised as individual plants.
Basil of all kinds needs six to eight hours of continual sunlight each day. Warmer climates provide this type of light, while colder climates need some help with the lighting requirements. An artificial light makes the difference for raising Thai and African Blue basil indoors. The light requirement with artificial light is upped to ten to twelve hours a day. In the summer in colder climates, a south facing garden bed or window sill will give plenty of light to keep the basil healthy.
Well drained soil is a must for basil. Letting too much water accumulate will cause the roots to rot and ruin your plant. Container planting requires that a regular watering schedule is kept. Basil likes lots of moisture, but not excessive moisture. Mulching helps retain the proper amount of moisture for Thai and African Blue basil between watering.
Thai and African Blue perennial basil reaches heights of two to three feet. Once full leaves are on the plant, harvesting can begin. Pinching the leaves and removing flowers helps strengthen the plant and retain the flavor of the basil. Regular harvest improves the health of the plant
Giving perennial basil the right amount of light, moisture and balanced pH in the soil is the secret to raising beautiful plants that produce year around. The pH level should be kept at a neutral level for optimum growing conditions. A small amount of liquid organic fertilizer helps the plants stay strong and healthy.
For a culinary delight, Thai and African blue perennial basil is the secret ingredient for great tasting dishes. The beauty of each variety of basil is immeasurable and will add that touch of elegance to any garden or home.
Black rose and black tulip has always been the dream of gardeners. We haven’t reached that dream yet, but we are getting closer. Flowers we call black, are actually very, very dark red or purple flowers, so dark they appear black to us.
If you are like me, and want some black flowers in your garden, here are some suggestions:
1) Black violas and pansies (Viola)
Black violas are among the few truly black flowers. They flourish richly and are easy to grow and keep. They are edible.
2) Black Columbine (Aquilegia)
They are not really black, nevertheless they are very ornamental and will enhance the basic beauty of any garden. They are hardy and prolific. However, they prefer shady and moist places.
3) Black daylilies (Hemerocallis)
The darkest is ‘Black Emanuelle’, though daylilies are never actually black, only dark, dark maroon. Daylilies are also very easy flowers, all they require is plenty of sun, but do provide shade to black daylilies at the midday sun, to avoid that sunlight bleaches the color.
4) Black Hollyhock (Alcea Rosea var. Nigra)
This is a magnificent and useful plant. It can be eaten, and used to dye food and yarn.
5) Black Scabiosa, Mourning Bride (Scabiosa atropurpurea)
The flowers have a lovely scent and they attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds to the garden. Cut, these flowers will last long in a vase.
6) Black Tulips (Tulipa)
‘Queen of Night’ is my favorite. It’s a spectacular, dark maroon, almost black tulip. Tulips are a little complicated to grow, but not difficult.
7) Chocolate Cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus)
Chocolate Cosmos is aptly named, as it sports the color of dark chocolate and gives off a sweet chocolate scent. This flower, as the Black Scabiosa will attract bees and butterflies to your garden.
8) Black Ball Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)
This flower is not truly black either, but I am very fond of cornflowers. They like poor soil (they create fewer flowers in rich soil) and the flowers are edible, last long in a vase and can be dried so their beauty is preserved for in-door decoration in the winter.
9) Black Iris (Iris)
Black Iris is another really beautiful flower. It needs its soil to be constantly moist, so it’s good to plant irises in a water garden or by a pond.
10) Black Peony Poppy (Papaver somniferum var. paeoniflorum)
Planting this luxurious flower is a very easy way of providing an intense and eye-grabbing splash of very dark purple color for your garden.
11) Black Roses (Rosa)
There are no black roses, only very deep purple and red ones. If you like roses, like I do, you could consider ‘Deep Secret’, ‘Black Baccara’ or ‘Midnight Blue’, depending on if you want a purple or red rose.
Most often people recommend using yellow green foliage to bring forth the magnificent darkness of these beauties, but I personally prefer yellow, orange and pink flowers, small areas of bright light as the backdrop. In my mind dark flowers alone with different shades of green is slightly boring.
Just remember that most black colored flowers are actually purple!
Contrary to popular speculation or belief, growing grapes in your backyard is not as difficult as one may presume. When someone mentions the idea of starting a grape garden, one may immediately assume that without acres of free land at their disposal, it will be almost impossible to be successful. This is absolutely NOT true!
As a matter of fact, there are many amateur grape growers today who are content with their small vine garden in their backyard. The grapes they produce are excellent for eating and making wine and the little effort put into it has a high return.
As a full time grape farmer, I have learned the secrets of what it takes to grow the best tasting grapes for decades. As a child I would work with my father on his farm planting and pruning grapevines all day long and continued working with him as a teenager and even now as an adult and family man. I want to teach you how to grow grapes and share with you the secrets of keeping a successful grapevine garden so that you too can enjoy what these delicious fruits have to offer.
First of all backyard grape growing does not require expensive fertilizers or manures. You can get some really good vines from ordinary soil. Another goodie is that you won’t have to invest a lot of time in your garden because the roots themselves will seek out what they need. The only thing you need to concern yourself with is where to put the vine itself.
It really is quite amazing how no matter where you plant your vines, all you have to do is train the vines around your house towards the well sun lit areas. If you have an open garden where the sun hits all day long, then that will work even better.
The best time to plant your grapevines is during the fall. Do not let the vines fruit during the first season of planting. Instead, always remember to cut down your vines to about four buds. The reason for this is that those four buds will become the strongest points and will lead the rest of the vine up the wall where you planted them in. You want your grapevine to use all of its energy producing a strong wood for the next season because it is during the second season of growth that you get the best grapes.
Remember that the wood that is born this year will lead to next year’s fruits. So during the first year, clip away any flower buds that may form, thus making sure that the vine’s energy is focused on producing wood.
When pruning during the summer, you want to cut off all new growth while leaving the old wood to provide for future fruit. Only remove old growth when they become a straggling nuisance hanging all over your garden. When pruning in the fall or early winter, you should cut back the vines this time to about five to six buds only so that once again, the vines will use all their energy for producing strong wood during the winter.
Most grape vines ripen during the late summer, early September. At this time you can enjoy the best tasting home grown grapes and continue preparing your vines for future growths.
Wait! Don’t go planting some grapevines you purchased at your local nursery and then wonder why you are getting poor results. Many of these vines come from other states and were cut from a healthy patch which will never have the strength to ripen once taken home. Learn the fundamental procedures of backyard grape growing first before making a mistake!
Tips For Successful Backyard Grape Growing
done properly. Grapevines are perennial plants and will grow for years to come. There are a few things to consider before you just jump in and start planting your grapevines. Otherwise, mistakes made at planting will haunt you in the future.
Grapes need lots of sunshine. One of the biggest mistakes that the home gardener makes when growing grapes is to plant them in the shade under a tree or where they get shaded by houses most of the day. If you watch wild grapevines grow, you will notice they make all efforts to climb trees and shrubs to get into the daylight. Without proper sunlight, proper ripeness cannot be obtained. Be sure the spot you choose has good sun most of the day.
A second mistake that many home gardeners make is to not take into account the grape variety’s growth habit and vigor. These two factors come into play when planting the grapevine and deciding on how to trellis the vine.
Vigorous varieties need lots of space. You can find out how vigorous a variety is by consulting your local nursery where you bought your vines. Vigorous varieties need eight feet between vines when planting. Less vigorous varieties can be planted closer at six feet between vines. Very low vigor vines can be planted as close as four feet.
Growth habit determines the trellis type and how the grapevine will be trained and pruned. Grape varieties with a large portion of their ancestry coming from wild American species tend to droop. These are like the wild vines that grow to the top of small trees and shrubs then cascade downward during the summer. The gardener will find that it is best to mimic this natural growth.
Vines of this type will be trained to a high wire about six feet off the ground. The grapevines are pruned to two to four long canes each year. As the shoots grow each year from the canes left at pruning time, they will grow outward from each side and soon start drooping towards the ground, forming a curtain of leaves by the end of the growing season.
Many varieties have the European grape, V.vinifera, in their ancestry. The European grape varieties tend to have a more upright growth. These grape varieties need a more extensive trellis system. At least four wires are needed to contain them. The first wire is approximately three feet off the ground with the two additional wires at eight inch intervals above the bottom wire. The vines are trained to a trunk that extends to the bottom wire.
Two to four canes are pruned and tied to the bottom wire on each side of the trunk. As the shoots grow during the spring and summer they are tied straight up to the wires above. Once the shoots have reached approximately 16 inches above the top wire, they are cut off at the tips. This “hedging” prevents further growth and shading of the vine below.
Grapes need a good water supply when they are actively growing in the spring and summer. They should be watered at least once a week in areas of little rain. More often under drought conditions. This watering should be continued until the berries begin to turn color. After coloring, watering is not needed and will in fact slow the ripening process. Once the leaves have fallen in the fall, one last large watering should be undertaken before the ground freezes to get the vines through the winter.
Perhaps the biggest mistake I see with home gardeners growing grapes is neglecting pruning the vines each year. This is a must! Without pruning the grapevine becomes an overgrown tangled mess. The grapevines overbear and the berries don’t ripen properly. Disease sets in as the vine is over shaded and doesn’t receive drying winds. The vines will weaken over time and eventually die before their time.
Pruning removes 90-95% of the previous year’s growth. It keeps the vines in balance and aids in controlling the crop and ripening the fruit. Pruning the grapevine is an art, not a science. Information on grapevine pruning can be obtained through your local Ag Extension agent. They have agricultural bulletins that detail the pruning process.
Growing grapevines can be a nice hobby that will provide you and your family with fresh fruit or grapes to make wine with. Table grape varieties and wine varieties are distinct. Make sure you are planting the proper varieties for the wanted purpose. Home gardeners should also make sure that the varieties they are planting are adapted to their local climate. Some varieties cannot take cold winters, while others can tolerate freezing temperatures down to -25-30F.
Varieties that have American grape species in their ancestry can tolerate colder winters. Make sure you consult with your nurseryman to fit the variety you are planting to your conditions. The variety you choose must also be able to ripen in your climate. I see too many home gardeners planting varieties that take up to 170 days or more to ripen in areas that have only 150 days or less in their growing seasons.
If you are thinking of growing grapevines in your backyard or garden, be sure to consider the above factors before you start planting. Choose your grape varieties based upon what you plan to use them for, how they are adapted to the local growing conditions, and plan the trellis according to the variety’s growth habit. I wish you all the luck in your endeavor.
As oriental dishes are becoming more popular in America, so are the vegetables used in those dishes. You can grow these unusual Asian vegetables in your own organic garden.
Mizuna: Also know as Japanese Greens, Japanese Mustard, Spider Mustard and many more.
Mizuna is a compact green plant with fringed, dark green leaves that can be used cooked or fresh. This plant has been described to be slightly spicy and have mild peppery flavor. One can use the leaves in a fresh salad, cooked in a stir fry, steamed, or even boiled. Add them to a clear soup to add color and texture.
The best time to sow seeds is in early spring. You will want to grow this plant like spinach. Space the plants about 6 inches apart. This plant is good for successive plantings. You can harvest the entire plant, or just some of the leaves.
Shungiku: Also known as Chrysanthemum, Tong Hao in Chinese, Ssukgat in Korean, and Kikuna in Japanese.
Shungiku is a beautiful plant that has single yellow flower which are edible, but it is mostly known for the leafy green leaves. Both the leaves and the flowers can be enjoyed in a fresh salad either alone or with other Asian vegetables. You may use the leaves in stir fry, casseroles, soups or many other hot dishes although it is recommended that you wait to the last minute to add the Shungiku leaves. These leaves cook quickly and are known to loose their structure.
Sow seeds in early to mid spring and early fall. This vegetable will not do well during summer conditions causing it to go into premature flowering. You may harvest individual leaves or the entire plant. Thin the plants as needed while enjoying the thinned plants in your favorite dishes.
Daikon: Also known as Chinese Radish, Aukobi-Daikon, or Asian Radish.
Daikon is a torpedo shaped radish that comes in many colors but most commonly white. Larger breeds can get up to 2 ft long and 3 in wide. The root (radish part) is mildly spicy and adds flavor to salads, sauces, and stir fries. In Korea, the daikon is traditionally made into a diced sweet pickle. You can steam the peppery leaves or add them to a soup.
Sows seeds during the spring for a summer harvest, and fall for a winter harvest. When purchasing your seeds, select the variety for the season you are planning on planting. Plants should be spread 6 inches apart. They take about 60 days until harvest. Carefully dig up the entire plant.
Growing unusual Asian vegetables in your own organic garden is fun and exciting. If you decide to grow these or any other Asian vegetables, you better get your Asian cookbook out and get ready to make some delicious meals!
Vegetable Gardening in Small Spaces
Do not let the lack of space be a reason or an excuse to not have a vegetable garden at your home. Thousands of people are in the same situation as you and that is the space they have available to grow fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs from seeds is very limited.
Maybe you live in a big city and land available is scarce, or you reside in a condominium or apartment and the only thing available to you is a patio. Either way, there are some great solutions to help you through this. You can be growing your own fresh veggies in no time.
I recently spoke with Tracy Godsey who runs the small container blog Eden’s Container. Tracy started her small space vegetable gardening adventures when growing fruits, vegetables and herbs in containers is all she could do with her limited apartment space, which consisted mainly of a balcony.
“I currently grow herbs on my patio including basil, parsley oregano, thyme, mint and chives. The basil and parsley are the only plants that won’t overwinter in my containers outdoors.”, says Tracy. “In a vegetable garden, full-sized plants can grow in any pot that holds 3-5 gallons of soil. Large plants like tomatoes need 5 gallons, while plants with shallow roots like lettuce can get by in a 3 gallon pot. Even smaller plants like radishes can grow well in trays and produce a harvest very quickly. If you don’t have a container handy, you can make one by filling a plastic tube (such as a garbage bag or bread wrapper) with potting soil. These types of tubes are known as grow bags.”
Tracy reminded me of a very important factor that I had not thought about and that was the weight of what you are growing. If you are on a second floor balcony where weight will be an issue, Tracy recommends, selecting smaller heirloom varieties and grow them in hanging baskets.
Just because you are limited on space does not mean you are limited on what you can grow. Remember to select fruits, vegetables and herbs that you and your family will consume. Since space is a premium you do not want to waste any with items that will get discarded. Be careful not to over water your items in containers and make sure your containers have adequate drainage holes. To protect from the loss of dirt through those drainage holes use coffee filters at the bottom or paper towels. Both options allow water to pass through but not dirt.
On a final note, “never put ordinary dirt in containers, only potting soil,” says Tracy. “You will have much better success since the soil is already formulated for growing plants in pots.”
Now it’s your turn to roll your sleeves up, get some containers, fill them with potting soil and plant the seeds of your favorite fruits, veggies and herbs. Don’t let space, or in this case, the lack thereof, prohibit you from eating fresh from the garden.
Tomatoes from the grocery store shelves taste like-NOTHING! Why? Most of the tomatoes purchased from grocery stores have been harvested days before they reach the grocery, treated to turn red, and bred to stay firm and not bruise on the shelves. Plant breeding for the last fifty years has concentrated on producing a tomato that can survive anything-except for a taste test.
Growing Tomatoes – Heirloom Vs Hybrid Varieties
Gardeners and tomato aficionados alike have given up on the produce aisle for anything other than garnish. Instead, they turn to seed and plant catalogues to find tasty varieties to grow. When viewing a plant catalogue of tomato seed sources, you will be confronted with hundreds of varieties. Huge and tiny, purple, red, yellow and orange tomatoes. Perfectly round, almost flat, and lemon-shaped tomatoes. Seed catalogues highlight another variable to understand regarding tomato growing: heirloom versus hybrid tomatoes.
Heirloom Tomatoes
Tasty and unique, heirloom varieties are endless. This category of plant is where you will find purple, orange and yellow tomatoes sharing catalogue space with red ones. Heirloom varieties are “open pollinated” plants, which means that if you harvest seeds from a plant, prepare them, save them, and plant them next year, you will grow the same plant. Heirloom varieties were developed over time, in isolated gardens and communities, thus developing unique characteristics.
Heirlooms require particular growing conditions, and each variety is different. The key to success with heirlooms is choosing a variety that is well suited to your growing conditions. Because heirloom tomatoes have not been bred for generations to promote vigor and disease resistance, these varieties need a little bit of extra care. They are, however, worth the extra work. Heirlooms will produce lush, flavorful tomatoes of every shape, size and hue, for every culinary taste or need.
Hybrid Tomatoes
These tomatoes are the result of two different tomato varieties being “crossed” or joined, and the seeds harvested from the resulting plants. Hybrid tomato seeds will produce the tomato with hybrid characteristics for only one plant generation. If you harvest your tomatoes from the hybrid plant and plant those seeds next year, you will not have the same plant.
Hybrid tomatoes have been bred for disease resistance, uniformity, and ability to withstand mechanical harvesting, packing and shipping. Little time has been spent in enhancing flavor in hybrid tomatoes. Much like hybrid tea roses, hybrid tomatoes may be nice to look at, but they have few other desirable attributes.
For large-scale commercial tomato growers, hybrid tomatoes are a great help. For consumers expecting bright red tomatoes in the middle of winter, hybrids are a way to consume. For home gardeners, Heirloom varieties produce yields as large, and much more flavorful. Home gardeners have enough time an attention to successfully grow heirloom tomatoes and bring out their best qualities.
Choosing the Right Variety
Whether Heirlooms or Hybrids are your tomato of choice, you much choose tomato varieties that are well suited to your growing environment. Climates with high heat and humidity will help certain varieties flourish, while colder climates with shorter growing seasons require cultivation of plants that set fruit and mature faster.
What is the difference between determinate and indeterminate tomatoes?
When it comes to determinate and indeterminate tomatoes, the main difference is in how they grow. Determinate tomatoes are bred to grow a certain way and ripen all at once. They are mostly used for canning or sauces. Indeterminate tomatoes are bred to vine and grow continuously, so they are better for fresh eating.
Determinate tomatoes generally grow to be about two to four feet tall and have a compact, bushy growth habit. The fruit ripens all at once on these plants, making them ideal for canning or other recipes where you need a lot of ripe tomatoes all at once. Indeterminate tomatoes, on the other hand, can grow much larger, up to six feet or more. They have a vine-type growth habit and produce fruit throughout the season. Because of this, they are better suited for fresh eating.
When it comes to taste, there is no difference between determinate and indeterminate tomatoes. Both types can produce delicious fruits that are perfect for eating fresh or using in recipes. The only real difference is in how they are grown and how the fruit ripens. So, if you’re looking for a tomato plant that will produce a lot of fruit all at once, go with a determinate variety. If you want a plant that will keep producing fruit throughout the season, choose an indeterminate variety.
Container Gardening Ideas For Your Home
Many gardeners have given up on the idea of a garden because they lack space, time or lots of experience. But if growing plants is an interest of yours container gardening could be your answer. Container gardens will allow you to enjoy “playing in the dirt” without investing a lot of time or money. You can get very creative in container gardening using vegetables, decorative grasses or flowers and herbs. You can plant a container garden with any plant that would grow outside. The trick is to come up with some creative ideas for your container garden.
You should do some research at your local nursery or on the internet to choose the plants you wish to grow to help you come up with some ideas. Try to use plants that complement each other and have the same basic needs for water, air and light.
A container garden idea that has taken off recently is the landscape container. Some people plant a simple evergreen tree in a container with good drainage to place at their front door. Or you could plant an assortment of flowers for a bright and beautiful vista. If you do plant flowers, add plants that spill over the sides of the container to add more visuals and interest. What ever container gardening idea you can come up with can be placed on a deck, patio, and balcony or by the front doors. Put them somewhere that your family and friends can enjoy.
You can grow vegetables in containers but choose wisely. Vegetables like squash and pole beans need lots of space, while tomatoes need a deep pot. When you grow your own vegetables you will have tasty produce not the bland stuff that is in the grocery store. Nothing tastes better than a tomato right off the vine. There are many chefs and good home cooks that grow their own for just this reason. Don’t forget to pot some herbs, they are pretty plants and add zest to your meals.
But don’t just stick to vegetables and herbs; why not add fruit trees too? Instead of using an evergreen tree, pot a fruit tree instead. There are many dwarf varieties available that work best in pots since with pots there is less soil therefore less nutrients to draw from. If you live in a year round warm climate citrus trees are perfect. In other regions, stick to pear, apple and cherry trees. Another good container gardening idea is to grow strawberries. With strawberries climate does not matter since you can bring the container inside. Fresh strawberries are amazingly sweet and delicious. Imagine how good a bowl of fresh strawberries will be, strawberries that you have just picked.
Remember that container gardens dry out more quickly than traditional gardens. Be diligent about watering your plants if you don’t want your container gardening ideas to wither and die. Container gardens must be fertilized too. Keep a small notebook handy so you can write down the needs of your plant so you will always know when to water or feed. Keep an eye out for pests. If you find a container that has an infestation, isolate it immediately and treat it with a natural pesticide. You don’t want harsh chemicals on fruits, vegetables or herbs. A good natural pesticide recipe is:
In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests.
So, do some research, come up with your own unique container gardening ideas, gather your materials and get to work. The fruits of your labor will be amazing.
There are a couple of ways for approaching tomato growing in a greenhouse, you can either dig and prepare the soil of the greenhouse ready to accept the tomato plants or you can grow the plants in a container such as a plant pot (12″ diameter) or growbag.
Realistically most growbags that are available which can be 3 to 7 gallons in size are only enough to support two plants. There are ways in which you can push this out to 3 plants but for the cost of a growbag its probably as well just to stick to 2 plants, particularly if you take good care of them and produce lots of fruit.
If you go for pots then you should sterilize them before use, to do this you can use a dilute solution of a suitable disinfectant, something like clorox fluid is perfect for this task.
While we are on this subject, you really should wipe down the inside of your greenhouse with disinfectant as well to ensure any residual contaminants that could also cause disease are removed from the glass.
One of the reasons I am suggesting using large pots or growbags for growing tomato plants is because the soil in the greenhouse is going to need to be dug out and replaced every 2 or 3 years anyway to ensure that you get rid of any build up of disease and also because the soil will be pretty much spent in terms of nutrients.
Space is limited in a greenhouse so the best option for plant varieties is to use the indeterminate variety of tomato plant i.e. a vine plant. You can prune the plant to the required size, leaving about 4 to 6 trusses on the main stem, which is about 6′ to 7′ in height, greenhouse size allowing. This will give you lots of fruit over an extended period. You will have to pinch out the main stem when you have enough trusses to stop further growth.
As an aside, using the bush variety is less convenient for greenhouses because they, as the name suggests, form a determinant size of bush without pruning which is probably a little too large in diameter for the average greenhouse. The fruit also has a tendency to all come at once.
Irrespective of the growing method you choose, you should start to feed the tomatoes at the first sign of fruit and for the duration of the growing period, twice a week should be sufficient. Also as you are in a greenhouse regular and consistent watering is also very important and I recommend 2 to 3 times a day with water that has been allowed to warm in the greenhouse.
As the end of the season nears a way of helping the last remaining fruit ripen is to hang a couple of bananas in the apex of the greenhouse. If that fails to ripen the last bit of fruit you can always use the green tomatoes for making a delicious chutney.
Here are my top three herb garden plants. That is, if you’re primarily gardening for culinary herbs. With this list in hand on your first trip to the nursery, you’re bound to have success in finding what not only works in your yard but choices that will mesh well with your taste buds.
Basil is the best herb for pesto, hands down. Its leaves have a warm and spicy flavor. You need to only add a small amount of this delightful herb in such dishes as soups, salads and sauces. Basil is also particular suited, by the way, to season anything dish with tomato flavoring. Don’t hesitate to use basil to enhance the flavor of your meat, poultry or fish. You can even add it to your morning breakfast omelet.
You’ll want to start your basil plants early in the spring, preferably in a greenhouse or a sun-drenched windowsill. Early in the summer transplant this herb to your garden. Or, if you have the courage, sow basil seeds directly into her garden early in the spring. Or you may want to try your hand at both methods, just in case those seeds don’t catch.
Who doesn’t love some fresh chives on a hot, newly baked potato? If you’re as mad about this herb as me, then you’ve already noticed that chives have a mildly onion taste. This makes them an excellent addition to salads, any egg and cheese dish, cream cheese, sandwich spreads and sauces. And, oh, by the way, don’t restrict chives to just the baked potato. Taste how in adds a little zing to your mashed potatoes as well.
If you plan on growing chives from starter plants, then you’ll want to get these into your garden in the early spring. And you’ll want to give these plants plenty of room. My recommendation is to plant them a good 9 to 12 inches from each other.
If you plan to plant the chives seeds, then plant them in the fall or the spring, digging down a good half inch and setting the seeds in rows that are spaced about 12 inches apart.
3. Coriander
Now here’s a versatile herb. Its versatility is so great that different parts of this plant are known as different herbs. Grinding the dried seeds to use them in your meats, like veal, ham or pork? You’re using coriander. Using the leaves to add to some Indian or Asian dishes? You’re actually using cilantro.
And of course you can use the roots of coriander as well. If you can’t use them right away, don’t worry you can freeze these. They can be used to flavor soups. Or chop the roots and serve with avocados. You’ll find this deliciously delightful!
Even a novice herbalist should have no problem growing coriander from seeds (I know I did it my first time around and there was no novice who was more naive and at a loss than I!).
Sow these seeds in the early spring. Dig a hole about ¼ inch in depth. Plant them in rows that are just about a foot apart. Once the seedlings appear, you’ll want to thin them down some, making sure they’re at least 6 inches from the other.
Tiny as they are, herbs are enjoyable and easy to grow. Using them in your cooking allows you the possibility to change the flavors in your dishes in different ways. The freshest of them are great in soups, stews, vegetables, pasta, salads and breads.
Different kinds of herbs create different tastes in foods. If you are new to using herbs, work on them slowly, adding just a little at a time will help you adjust as you go along until you have it just right. As you get used to cooking with herbs, you will learn the best ones that can be associated with particular foods. Storing herbs is also not difficult. Even fresh ones will keep in the refrigerator for several days. But once herbs are frozen, remember that they would be best when only used in cooking and not as garnishes.
For instance, basil is paired with tomatoes, oregano with sauces, rosemary with roasts, and chives with butter or cream cheese. Although these herbs are not limited to these items, you will see them paired most often these ways. If you think oregano can be ideal for a particular food you have in mind, use your imagination and go for it. You never know your experiment will discover you a new-fangled recipe perfectly flavored with the herb.
You will also see that even the simplest meal may seem like a gourmet delight, no wonder why gourmets are masters in associating herbs with food. You can even make herb vinegar for your salad dressing and herb oils that you can use for recipes that call for oil. You can create your own robust-tasting marinades and herb-inspired spreads and rubs. You can make herb butter by mixing butter with minced fresh herb. You will find it fun using your own herb mixes every time you prepare a recipe that calls for vinegar, oil or butter. Really fun, isn’t it?
Imagine how fresh herbs can dress up any dish and make it spectacular-looking. Envision how you can lay individual sprigs of rosemary over your roasts, how you can garnish grilled fish with minced basil, and sprinkle chopped parsley over your potato salad. I like chopping a fresh herb and mix the green pieces in my pale salad dressing. The effect was awesome, and my salad entrée really turned out sparkling. With your own creativity, you can make endless combinations and delicious outcome.
In my little garden, I love growing basil, parsley, oregano, lemon balm, mint and a few others. Mint can over run your garden so growing them in individual cans to prevent the herb from “creeping” all through your garden is worthwhile. My wife makes an instant natural face mask using basil, lemon and avocados. She would pulverize a handful of basil by blending it on high, then throw in half of an avocado and a teaspoon of lemon juice. I tried the trick and there was nothing like an all-natural face mask fresh from my garden!
These are just a few ways you can use fresh herbs from your garden. There are still a lot of fun techniques of using herbs that you can learn for your own culinary style and recipes. But first, start planting your herbs.
Have you tried storing basil for the winter in a milk carton? This is just one of three good methods to store basil that are revealed below.
With the threat of frost, all garden basil must be harvested and then hopefully stored to be enjoyed during the cold months to come. Since basil has a high water content is cannot be dried like many other herbs as it will turn black and lose flavor. It will also turn black if chopped or bruised and exposed to air. Fortunately freezing basil works great.
Before describing the freezing methods, let’s digress briefly. If you are growing basil yourself, then hopefully you have been harvesting and pruning all season. Pruning makes the plants fuller and keeps them from going to seed which diminishes the leaf flavors. You can store basil keeping it fresh for up to two weeks by placing the branches in a vase and keeping them on the counter out of the sun.
So let’s get back to how to freeze basil. The first step for all three methods is to clean & dry the basil. First remove all leaves from the stems. If you are going to try out the second freezing method, then you will probably want to leave some of the buds intact. The stems should be discarded. Rinse the leaves thoroughly taking care not to bruise them. Finally you want to remove excess water from the leaves by using a salad spinner or laying them out on towels to dry.
The first and most common way to freeze basil is basically the start of a pesto sauce. You chop or puree the basil leaves with olive oil and a bit of salt in a food processor. Coating the basil pieces with oil protects them from air so they can maintain their color & flavor. Pour the puree into small air tight containers and add some extra olive oil on top. After defrosting the puree, re-process adding your favorite pesto ingredients.
The second method takes a little more time, but is still an easy way to freeze basil. This method keeps whole individual leaves or plant buds intact to use as garnish. Put prepared leaves & buds on trays in the freezer for about one to two hours. Once they are frozen, put them into air tight containers. Do not over crowd them; otherwise they will lose their shape. After defrosting for use, you can julienne the leaves or use them whole as garnish on pasta dishes or soups.
Now how about that milk carton? This third method is the easiest. Simply pack the leaves into a cleaned out milk carton with the top cut down. Seal the top closed. Use quart sized cartons & then put the sealed carton inside a Ziploc baggy to make it air tight. When you want to use the basil for cooking, cut off a slice of the carton & re-store the remainder as it was. The frozen leaves are great to use in sauces.
Hopefully you will try one (or all) of these easy ways to freeze basil. By taking time to store basil in the fall, you can enjoy the fresh basil flavors throughout the year. Happy cooking!
If you’re like most gardeners, you probably consider August to be the tail end of the growing season. The truth of the matter is that it’s a great time to start your fall garden.
A fall garden can produce excellent vegetables and extend your crops long after your spring planted garden is finished. The vegetables you harvest from the fall garden are often sweeter and milder than those grown over the summer.
What type of vegetable plants you plant in your fall garden will depend on the space you have, as well as the types of vegetables you like. Be sure that you plant vegetables with the shortest growing season, this will increase the chances they will be full grown and harvested before the hard frost sets in. Starting your seeds indoors the first week of July will also give you a good head start.
Most seed packages will be labeled “early season”, or you can find the seeds that are labeled with the fewest days to harvest. Since seeds are not usually kept in stock towards the end of summer, you will probably need to purchase seeds for your fall garden in the spring. You can also find them easily online.
Even vegetables that like the heat of summer, like tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and peppers, will produce nicely until harder frosts hit, which can be fairly late in the year in certain areas.
There are certain vegetable plants that normally stop producing towards the end of summer. These include snap-beans, summer squash, and cucumbers. Even these, if planted in the middle of summer, can produce nicely until the first frosts arrive. Many hardy vegetables will grow with temperatures as low as 20 degrees.
If you have root plants such as beets, carrots or radishes, that have the tops killed by a freeze, you can save them by applying a heavy layer of mulch.
For fall gardening you need to know approximately when the first hard frost normally hits your particular area. The Farmer’s Almanac is a great resource for this type of information. It will give you specific dates and is fairly accurate most of the time. You also need to know approximately how long your plants will take to mature. As I said, this is available by reading the individual seed packets.
To prepare the soil for your fall garden, the first thing you will need to do is clear out leftover summer crops and weeds. If you leave the leftover vines and plant debris from your summer crops, bacteria and diseases can develop from these leftover remnants. If your spring plants were not fertilized heavily, you may want to spread a few inches of compost over the garden next.
Once that is done you will need to till the soil and wet it down. Now simply wait 24 hours and your ready to plant.
All too often gardeners will shy away from planting a fall garden, to avoid dealing with frosts. I can tell you from experience that sturdy and healthy vegetables can stand up to a few frosty nights, while producing wonderfully tasting produce.
Fall gardening is not for everyone, but why not give it a try? It can provide you with the opportunity to enjoy garden fresh vegetables for a little while longer each year.
Herb garden kit is perfect for amateurs and professional gardeners. It includes everything you need and it is very easy to use. There are lots of kit variations to choose from. Find one that would best fit your needs. It’s an easy way to start gardening whether it is indoor plants growing in pots or outdoors in the yard. Great thing about these indoor types herb is that they can be easily moved from places to places, especially outside for their need of sunshine and it is always within reach for their maintenance. They already have the utmost ideas of what to consider about. But what they really need is the easier way of gardening.
Some of the herbal garden kit versions have artificial light to keep the plant from growing even if it’s away from the windowsill. If you prefer the window herb garden kit which includes everything but the sunlight and water, you can go with that too. You can even choose a kit with plants that grows and submerge in water, this solution eliminates the possibility of dirt spilling and resulting to a messy home. Professional gardeners have already the knowledge about gardening.
It is a great idea to nurture herbs for whatever reason it is appealing to you and it is also fairly simple. People’s everyday routine is to rush from work to their job and vise versa. Do you have the time to keep your herbs happy and healthy? Any herb that you grow has to be tended to, from beginning to end including the harvesting part.
Determine what herbs you will need to grow. Will it be for flavor in cooking, for medicinal use or even herbal tea? How many times am I going to use it? Will it be for personal use or a source of income? For professional gardeners, getting the herb garden kit is a walk in the park. If they get too busy with other things and less time for gardening, they can just order the kit. Not only does it require a little of your time, but it can also take up a little space at home.
There is also a choice of a larger kit that could take up a 10 by 10 feet space and has different kinds of herbs to choose from. Some kits have field contraptions that are used to make sure that the growth of the herb plants under any weather conditions. A small kit is available if they just need easy access of their herb garden inside the house. If you chose culinary herb garden kit, you can put it near where you cook. If you chose beautification garden kit, you can put it outside to attract beautiful looking insects to your garden with the right mix of colors and fragrances. Or even a medicinal kit for therapeutic needs.
As long as you know the category of herbs that you are planning to grow and the usage it would be easier to determine the space and the kit that would be perfect for you.
