Growing Herbs In The Kitchen
Growing Herbs In The Kitchen
Nothing adds more colour or life to a kitchen than some plants, especially if you can those plants can be used to improve your cooking. Here are some herbs every aspiring chef can grow easily in the kitchen. If you don’t have room, or a use for them all, simply grow the ones you use most.
Basil – If you like cooking Italian food, then Basil should be top of your herb list. Basil loves the sun, so this should occupy the sunniest position on your windowsill. Basil is one of those plants that can be tricky to germinate from seed in a UK climate, so it’s probably easiest to buy a young plant from a garden store, or simply use a plant from supermarket.
Bay – Bay leaves can be used in a lot of dishes such as casseroles and stews but needs a lot of space, so it isn’t suitable for the windowsill. Instead plant a small bush in an attractive floor-standing pot near an exterior door or on a piece of furniture. Bay does well in an outside pot all year round.
Parsley – Like bay, parsley doesn’t require too much sun, so a good place is on a kitchen table or even below your windowsill on a worktop. If you use parsley a lot, it’s an idea to keep a few pots going at any time. Try to keep both curly and the flat leaved varieties in your collection.
Chives – If you’re fortunate enough to have a garden, then to sustain a supply of chives through the winter, simply transfer a batch from the garden to a pot in the kitchen at the end of the growing season.
Oregano – Another one for Italian food lovers. It’s easiest to start with a cutting from another plant, Just make sure it gets plenty of sun on the windowsill. Next to your basil is ideal.
Rosemary – Few herbs go better with lamb than rosemary. If you have a garden, then an outdoors plant should keep you supplied all year round. Otherwise, a cutting should thrive in a south-facing window.
Thyme – Great with roast chicken, thyme looks after itself once established. Start with a healthy plant from a garden centre or supermarket and place is an east or west facing window. There are huge variety of species ranging from Common English Thyme to Lemon Thyme. Choose the ones that suits your cooking best. Thyme needs very little care and will survive in the garden throughout the winter.
Mint – Mint will grow quickly just about anywhere. Again, this is one to buy already established and replant in a bigger pot.
Taking care of your plants
Try not to overharvest your herbs. If you use a lot of one type of herb, buy a few separate pots, so the plants have a chance to re-grow. Turn the pots regularly so the plants grow evenly and water regularly, but make sure the plants are able to drain into a pot holder, so they don’t become waterlogged.