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Growing your own herbs is not only fun and enjoyable it is a great way to add some incredible flavor to your meals. There are also added nutritional benefits when using fresh herbs to flavor your meals. Another nice thing about growing herbs is that many of them do very well in containers, so they can be easily grown on a windowsill or even on a deck or patio. Some may scoff at the thought of growing herbs on a patio thinking they would not be very attractive. The fact is that many herbs make very attractive container plants.
When selecting herbs to plant it is wise to choose the ones that are used most commonly in the kitchen. By planting a collection of these herbs, money can be saved over buying them from the grocery store while having the added benefit of freshness. Some of the herbs worth considering are rosemary, sage, basil, dill, mint, chives, and parsley.
If herbs are going to actually be planted in a garden, it is important to remember that the soil should have extremely good drainage. If drainage is a a little bit of extra work will be required. One way to fix a drainage problem is to incorporate sand into the area to be planted. By mixing sand in with the existing soil the soil will not hold as much water. Another way is to remove 12" of soil then add a layer of crushed rock or gravel then replace the soil over the layer of gravel. This will give the water a place to escape. Another method would be to build a raised bed area for the herb garden.
Herbs are easy to grow them from seed. Much money can be saved buying the seed packets rather then buying ready grown plants. Keep in mind that some herbs grow very fast. Mint is one good example of an herb that will take an entire garden very quickly. The best way to prevent this problem is to plant more aggressive plants in pots to limit their area.
Wait until herb plants are well established before taking off many leaves. If leaves are removed when the plant is to young serious damage can be done to the health of the plant. When young plants need all the leaf surface they can get in order to manufacture food for growth.
The best way to use most herbs is fresh from the garden, however as the season comes to the end they can be easily harvested and stored for later use. One process would be to dry them. This is easily achieved by placing them on a cookie sheet and baking them 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 to 4 hours. To store the herbs for later usage, keep them in a plastic or glass container. Paper or cardboard will not work, because it will absorb the taste of the herbs. During the first few days of storage, regularly check the container to see if any moisture has accumulated. If it has, remove all the herbs and re-dry them.
Herbs are a great addition to any garden or any patio for that matter. They add great flavor to any meal. Herbs are very easy to grow as long as they have proper drainage. Easily grown from seed herbs will save money on the grocery bill while adding nutritional value to many meals. Herbs are fun to grow, look good and taste great.
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