Choosing An Italian Herb Garden
Herb gardening can open many doors for you. It can bring you fresh exotic flavors for your cooking, natural medicinal remedies, ambrosial aromas, efflorescence beauty and chemical free insect control. Italian herb gardening can add even more to your herb agronomical rewards package.
The two most widespread and enduring cuisines in the world are Italian and Chinese. They have been around for many centuries and I dare say that you can go anywhere in the civilized world today and readily find both. They owe considerable thanks for the enduring and widespread popularity of their cuisines to their frequent use of herbs.
Some of the world’s most popular cuisines claim Italian heritage. An influential factor contributing to this popularity is the liberal use of herbs by the Italian chef. Choosing to grow Italian herbs puts you in select company because the Italian herbs are some of the most famous and tastiest in the world and growing them associates you with others that appreciate the finer things in life.
The family of Italian herbs is large and varied. If you opt for an Italian herb garden you should really consider which herbs you will use. The Italian herb family is so big that you have a wide selection to choose from that will easily supply you with all the many flavors, aromas, beauty and remedies you may be desiring. Planting any Italian herbs will definitely quality you as an Italian herb gardener and here are a few of the most popular you might choose from:
Garlic – The mainstay of Italian cuisines. It is easy to grow, maintain and preserve.
Oregano – A dual purpose delight that will provide flavor and beauty.
Basil – A wonder herb that will provide great flavors, improve the flavor of other nearby vegetable plants and repel insects.
Oregano – Provides great beauty with its purple flowers along with delicious flavors.
Rosemary – A wonderful cooking herb with other attractive features. It will grow into a large bush that blooms with beautiful blue flowers and it attracts bees to your garden.
Parsley – This is a widely used herb that is not exclusive to Italian cuisine. Before the advent of breath mints it was found that eating fresh parsley was an effective cure for bad breath.
Sage – A favorite in many Italian dishes from meats to salads.
Fennel – This Italian herb is famous for its seeds that grace and enhance the flavors of Italian sausage.
These herbs mentioned here are the most popular and well known of the Italian family of herbs. Growing any of them will definitely qualify you as an Italian herb gardner. If you decide to raise these plants do a little research before you begin and you will be amazed at the bountiful rewards you will receive from your efforts. Beside the obvious tangible
benefits of a herb garden you can have the satisfaction of knowing you are working with the same herbs enjoyed by the Pre-Christian Romans. So don’t delay start your herb gardening today!
Selecting Growing Garden Herbs
One of the most interesting things about growing garden herbs is discovering the wide array of types of herb garden plants. The range of things created by herb plants is amazing. It includes
culinary, aromatic, ornamental, medicinal and teas usages. Let’s take a quick look at each type.
Culinary Herbs
This is the most recognized class of herbs. Most everyone is familiar with popular herbs such as basil in soup, oregano in speghetti sauce or the old favorite of chives on a baked potato. Their primary use is for enhancing the taste and flavor of most all foods.
Many refer to these plants as “sweet herbs.” They can be annual, biennial or perennial and have a great aromatic flavor. Examples of this type include:
1 Basil – A favorite that will delightfully season your meat, poultry or fish. It is an excellent addition to soups, salads and sauces. It can even make an omelet special.
2. Chives – Has a mildly onion flavor which makes it a zesty addition to lots of dishes.
3. Coriander – A very versatile herb.
4. Dill - Has a sharp slightly bitter taste. Perfect for pickles.
5. Fennel – Great with fish, soups and salads.
6. Mint – Adds a dash of sunshine to any dish.
7. Parsley – Makes a great addition to salads, casseroles and omelets.
8. Sage - An awesome addition to any meat dish.
9. Tarragon – Vinegar’s best friend.
10.Thyme – Another good friend to meats.
Aromatic Herbs
Although some of these herbs are dual purpose in that they can be used for culinary needs their main function is to provide pleasant aromas. They include marjoram, lovage, rosemary and even basil. Like their culinary cousins they have a long history of use. The ancient Egyptians used aromatic herbs to make perfumes and other sweet smelling products.
These herbs are not grown as much as other types but they are a wonderful addition to any herb garden with their delightful aromas.
Ornamental herbs
The sole purpose of this type herb is to be decorative. Some have overlapping functions but they mainly provide beauty with their brightly colored flowers and foliage. Sometimes just the texture of the leaves add attractive accents to a their surroundings.
Ornamental herb plants include; Dittany of Crete, valerian, borage and chicory.
Medicinal Herbs
This type of herb is probably the most intriguing of all because of its place in man’s history. Before the advent of modern medicine medicinal herbs were all that was available to man for health remedies. Evidence of medicinal use of herbs is present with every civilization throughout history.
Adding medicinal herbs to garden not only provide health aids but it links the gardener with his distant forefathers.
Here is a list of ten commonly used herbs. Some will be familiar others are less know but all are effective gifts to mankind.
1. Nettles – Aids against inflammation due to allergies and is rich in vitamin C and iron.
2. Calendula – Also known as marigold and is a gentle healing agent.
3. Burdock – This is beneficial for the gastrointestinal tract.
4. Chamomile – A well known healing herb best known for its calming effects on the human body.
5. Echinacea – A powerful booster of the immune system.
6. Lavender – A respected pain killer and reliever of anxiety.
7. Lemon Balm – Good for the digestive system and mild insomnia.
8. St. John’s Wort – It’s best know use is in the treatment of depression.
9. Feverfew – For centuries it was known as a cure for migraine headaches as well as arthritis and rheumatism.
10. Valerian – This herb has been used to treat anxiety, nervous tension, restlessness and digestive disorders.
Tea Herbs
Herbal teas have been a favorite for many centuries. The Japanese and Chinese cultures have enjoyed them as far back as recorded history. European societies have an equal appreciation of the benefits of herbal teas so what better recommendation is there to include herbal teas in your herb garden?
This overview of the types of herbs gives you enough information to make decisions. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get that herb garden started.
Herb Garden Information
The popularity of that wonderful family of plants known as herbs is on the rise. For some reason the interest in herb garden information is growing stronger every day. Whether its the economy or the “Green Movement” or folks just seeking ways to spice up their lives, herbs will make your life better.
This rise of interest has caused many to consider growing their own herbs. If you are considering joining the ranks of herb gardeners – Congratulations! All the benefits herbs provide will be more readily available to you as a grower. They include; tasty additions to your cuisine, medicinal remedies, organic insect control and beauty.
Growing your own herbs is an exciting adventure. Unlike vegetable plants, herbs are easy to grow and require little TLC. Watching them grow and produce good things for you make it a pleasure to pass by them everyday and enjoy their exotic fragrances and visual beauty.
In modern times with all its conveniences we got away from producing our own food and fiber by developing a reliance on the grocery store. I believe this contributed to a loss of interest in herbs and its uses but the interest is returning.
We are not the first to discover the wonders of herbs. Most will be surprised to discover that herbs have always been an important part of humanity. We are not the first to have an appreciation of herbs. As long as mankind has been recording history herbs are mentioned. The Egyptians were using herbs before the first pyramid was constructed. Herbs were extensively used by the ancient Chinese and it is still evident in their cuisine that we enjoy today.
There are many references to the plants in the Bible. Almost 800 years before the birth of Christ Isaiah discussed the growing and harvesting of cumin. In the Gospels of the New Testament it is mentioned that tithes were paid in herbs like cumin, mint and others. This indicates that herbs were in use and they had great value at the time. Some herbs like hyssop, rue or horehound which were mentioned in the Bible are rarely seen today. Growing your own herbs gives you the opportunity to sample rare delights such as those from Biblical times.
To be a successful herb gardener does not require any special skills. You don’t have to be a master gardener to successfully produce bumper crops of exotic herbs. They are easy to grow. Now in your first year you make have a few misfires but just keep it up. They are very forgiving and you will find as I did that it is infectious. The more you learn about growing herbs you will find that you want to learn even more. You will find that they are a totally fascinating family of plants that will continually surprise you with exotic flavors, aromas and cures.
Herb gardening is in the middle of a remarkable comeback. Interest is rising and now is the time to join this wave of resurgence and add a little zest to your life.
Mini Herb Garden – Maxi Rewards!
I am a great believer in the benefits of herb gardening. A mini herb garden is an excellent way to enjoy fresh herbs at you fingertips. Growing your own herbs not only provides your home cuisine with exciting additions but the joy of watching plants grow and thrive is very satisfying and relaxing. After a trying day on the job it is soothing therapy to care for your herb plants.
Herb plants are highly productive so you don’t need a giant garden to make enough for home use. They are ideal for small mini gardens in a container indoors or on a window sill. What could be better than having a fresh sage or rosemary plant on the kitchen counter at the ready with a supply of exciting herbs for your cooking?
An indoor herb garden is a great way to getting started in the avocation and it can lead to even bigger things in an outdoor garden or remain as a wonderful addition to your indoors. If you are going the indoor route be aware that light considerations are important. In order to thrive herb plants need ten to twelve hours of sunlight per day. Southern and western exposure is preferable but any direction will do.
Starting your own mini-herb garden is easy. Herb plants plants are available everywhere. They can be found in nurseries, garden stores, big box stores and even grocery stores. Just pick out your favorite and replant it or let it grow in the container from the store. Another way that is even cheaper and easier is seeds. The seeds grow so fast they will produce just about as soon as the plants.
Herb plants are a hearty breed but they do not like wet feet so where ever you plant them make sure the soil is well drained. If you use pots or window boxes put a layer of gravel, chipped stones or wood chips in the bottom and do not pack the soil tightly. That should take care of the wet feet problem. Other than that you are good to go.
Should you elect to go with seeds be careful to read the directions. It is important to size the container correctly. Some plants grow much larger that others and its a good idea to know how much space you will need down the growing road. The plants need to be rotated occasionally so knowing how large the seeds will grow up to be is helpful.
You may find that your herbs will outgrow their indoor homes. This provides a great opportunity to start an outdoor herb garden. You can take a portion of the plants you have lovingly nurtured indoors and move them outside to establish an outdoor herb garden. Before long you will be producing enough herbs to share with your neighbors.
I hope you now see that having a small herb garden provides a wide variety of benefits to the gardener. You are encouraged to find out how rewarding it can be. Just read up a little on the subject and then go for it! It is easy and you will enjoy it’s delights.
Start Herb Garden Now!
Start herb garden now is advice that can bring you loads of enjoyment. It is easy to get turned off by the thought of planting a regular vegetable garden with all the work associated with such a project but growing herbs is a lot easier and produces exciting results. Herbs can make your food taste better, provide medicinal comfort and bring bring beauty to your garden.
If you decide to become a herb gardener your first big hurdle is selecting what you want to grow. There are so many types and classes of herbs available to grow that it can be a little intimidating just deciding what to grow. Probably the easiest way to chose is to merely look at your kitchen spice cabinent and start with the herbs that you use on a regular basis. Start off with something familiar like rosemary, sage, basil, dill, mint or parsely.
Herb plants do not like wet feet. The soil in your garden must be well drained. If it doesn’t drain well it will be necessary to rig up some sort of a “french drain.” This is accomplished by putting crushed rock one foot under the garden soil. Luckily it doesn’t take a big area to raise more than enough herbs for your use.
The initial planting of your garden brings you to another decision point. Herb plants or seeds. The plants are readily available. They can be found in garden shops, big box stores and even grocery stores so finding your target plants is easy but growing them from seeds is cheaper and even easier. Most herb plants grow very fast so your not losing a lot of time if you go with seed. It comes down to personal preference.
Follow directions when it your plants are ready for harvest. Premature leaf removal can be fatal to plants that haven’t reached maturity even if you have that perfect salmon filet screaming for some of your home grown fresh herbs. Treat them right and they will produce a bountiful harvest for you.
When your herb garden begins to produce is when the fun begins. Many can be used straight from the plant with food on a grill or in the pot but some require drying. This will preserve them for later use and facilitate their use in cooking. An easy way to dry herbs is to spread them out on a baking sheet and put them in the oven on low heat for about three hours.
After your herbs are dried store them in glass or plastic. Other type containers will not preserve the taste and flavor. Several days after storage check for moisture in the containers. If moisture is present they were not dried properly should be redried or they will mildew.
Establishing a herb garden is a rewarding experience. It doesn’t require a lot of work and it will provide a world of satisfaction so do yourself a big favor and start you herb garden today!
