Please accept my apology for disappearing this week as I ran off on a last-minute vacation to Hawaii. Now it’s nothing to complain about since I had a full week of relaxing and exploring the islands, but after waiting patiently all winter for the local farmer’s market to open, I managed to miss the first two market Saturdays during the trip. Bummer!
So the first things that I plan to get growing this year once I do make it to the market are herbs since I can easily start them growing inside or out. At the market I can get small herb plants such as parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme, and cilantro each for only about a dollar a plant.
I highly recommend planting your own (even if you only have space on a window sill) as they will pay off to you all summer and during most of the fall (and even on into the winter months if you dry the leaves out).
Although the plants are small at the time of purchase, they grow quickly so it’s best to give each of them either their own pot or a nice space in your garden. Although the picture above is beautiful with a number of herbs planted together, if there is not enough space certain herbs may begin to overpower others and some will survive and some won’t. However, if you give them plenty of space and take good care of them, you can start using the leaves almost right away.
When you’re craving fresh bruschetta in the summer, all you’ll have to do is grab a few leaves off the basil plant and get cooking with tomatoes, etc. Also, the cilantro is great for fresh salsa and I love using parsley for making homemade wheat garlic bread. Hopefully, you will soon discover your own favorite uses and have the leaves readily available!
If you plant your own herbs, you’ll no longer have to pay a few dollars for a small amount of each herb at the grocery store each time you want to cook with them. If you still choose to purchase individual leaves from the store (or wish to keep your fresh leaves in the fridge for a while) wrap them loosely with a damp paper towel and seal in a plastic bag. This will help keep the leaves fresh until you are ready to use them.
I hope you enjoy your herbs if you decide to plant them, please share any delicious recipes you come across in using them as we’d love to try them out!
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Ooooh Hawaii!! Sounds like a blast! I would love to go out and explore the volcanoes and lush tropical scenery and waterfalls. And surf! Hope you guys had a great time.
Oh, and your excuse for missing the farmer’s market is better than mine! I had to work :(
I’ll be down there this weekend though!! Also, there was a note at Lubbers that they are selling Heirloom seedlings starting this weekend I think.
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