Basil in a container Did you know that growing your own fresh herbs is really quite easy and that it is very rewarding and satisfying as well? Fresh herbs also elevate flavors in your recipes far beyond what dried herbs do. Not a lot of space or time and attention are required to grow herbs either. So, what are you waiting for?
All you need in order to grow your own herbs are a couple of containers with drainage holes that are large enough for the herbs to spread or large enough to plant two or three herbs in one container, some potting soil, some sand (sandbox type is fine), and Styrofoam packing peanuts, rocks or broken bits of brick, or chunks of broken pottery or stoneware. Put the Styrofoam peanuts or other chunky stuff in the bottom third of the container, use the sand for the next third, and top it off with potting soil on the top third. Then you plant your herb(s) in the potting soil. Herbs don’t like really wet roots, so be sure not to over water them. The purpose of the sand and the bottom layer of your container is to aid in the drainage process to keep the roots from becoming too wet, but if it hasn’t been raining much and if the soil feels dry or the plants are looking a bit wilted, put a little water on them every now and then.
Growing herbs in containers allows even people living in small spaces like apartments to grow them. No matter what your space constraints are, just pot them and put them on the balcony, outside your front door, or outside your back door. You can even grow them in smaller pots on a windowsill. The main thing is to place so that they are convenient for you to get to. After all, the object of growing them is to use them! If you are growing them outside, you can pretty much let Mother Nature take care of them. If they are where Mother Nature can’t help much, water them when the soil is dry or if the plants are looking wilted.
Most herbs do just fine in whatever light conditions are available, but if they are in the direct Florida afternoon sun, this could be somewhat harsh for them. Filtered sunlight is best for herbs. The best thing you can do for your herbs is to use them once you plant them. Snipping off a few leaves or stalks to use in your recipes will promote healthy growth or thickening of the plant, which produces more foliage for you to use.
Ok…so now that you have your containers ready for planting and you know where you’re going to put them, what herbs should you plant? Some of my favorite herbs to grow and use are rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano, chives, dill, mint, cilantro, marjoram, and sage. You can plant some herbs together in the same pot, but be sure to go online and look which plants pair well together.
All you need in order to grow your own herbs are a couple of containers with drainage holes that are large enough for the herbs to spread or large enough to plant two or three herbs in one container, some potting soil, some sand (sandbox type is fine), and Styrofoam packing peanuts, rocks or broken bits of brick, or chunks of broken pottery or stoneware. Put the Styrofoam peanuts or other chunky stuff in the bottom third of the container, use the sand for the next third, and top it off with potting soil on the top third. Then you plant your herb(s) in the potting soil. Herbs don’t like really wet roots, so be sure not to over water them. The purpose of the sand and the bottom layer of your container is to aid in the drainage process to keep the roots from becoming too wet, but if it hasn’t been raining much and if the soil feels dry or the plants are looking a bit wilted, put a little water on them every now and then.
Growing herbs in containers allows even people living in small spaces like apartments to grow them. No matter what your space constraints are, just pot them and put them on the balcony, outside your front door, or outside your back door. You can even grow them in smaller pots on a windowsill. The main thing is to place so that they are convenient for you to get to. After all, the object of growing them is to use them! If you are growing them outside, you can pretty much let Mother Nature take care of them. If they are where Mother Nature can’t help much, water them when the soil is dry or if the plants are looking wilted.
Most herbs do just fine in whatever light conditions are available, but if they are in the direct Florida afternoon sun, this could be somewhat harsh for them. Filtered sunlight is best for herbs. The best thing you can do for your herbs is to use them once you plant them. Snipping off a few leaves or stalks to use in your recipes will promote healthy growth or thickening of the plant, which produces more foliage for you to use.
Ok…so now that you have your containers ready for planting and you know where you’re going to put them, what herbs should you plant? Some of my favorite herbs to grow and use are rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano, chives, dill, mint, cilantro, marjoram, and sage. You can plant some herbs together in the same pot, but be sure to go online and look which plants pair well together.
Caprese Salad If you also love tomatoes, you can make a delectable caprese salad using basil from your herb garden. You’ll need 2 cups balsamic vinegar, 3 whole ripe tomatoes slicked thickly, 12 ounces mozzarella cheese sliced thickly, fresh basil leaves, olive oil for drizzling, and kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. In a small saucepan, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil over medium-low heat and cook for 10 to 20 minutes, or until balsamic has reduced to a thicker glaze. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl or cruet and allow it to cool. Arrange tomato and mozzarella slices on a platter and arrange basil leaves between the slices. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the salad, getting a little bit on each slice. Do the same with the balsamic reduction. End with a sprinkling of kosher salt and black pepper. Enjoy! Oh, and you can store any extra balsamic reduction in the fridge for a later use. Bon Appetite!
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