11.9.2015

Enjoy Fresh Herbs Throughout the Winter with an Indoor Herb Garden

[caption id="attachment_3140" align="alignnone" width="710"]

Kitchen herb garden with lemon balm, sage, parsley and thyme[/caption]Cooking with fresh herbs adds a characteristic punch to most recipes, creating aboost of flavor that lets those you're serving know that you've put extra effortinto the dish you're preparing. Unfortunately, fresh herbs can be quiteexpensive at the grocery store during the winter months, and many farmersmarkets are closed for the season.

Luckily, it's possible to enjoy the flavor of fresh herbs throughout the wintermonths when you plant an indoor herb garden. Many herb plants are quite hardyand can be grown indoors near a sunny window. If you don't have enough sunlightin your home, you may still be able to garden inside using a system like theGrow Light Garden. Either way, you'll be able to cook with fresh herbsthroughout the winter months.

[caption id="attachment_3144" align="alignnone" width="300"]

Herbs and green tea[/caption]Let's examine several herbs that lend themselves well to an indoor growingseason:

Basil
Basil is fast and easy to grow, and adds a terrific taste boost to your Italiandishes. When you keep it on hand, you can quickly create pesto, pump up pastasauces, or use it to top breads and pizzas. For the best results, start basilindoors from seed and keep the pot near a sunny window. Basil requires full sunand as much warmth as you can manage indoors, and should germinate in 5-10 days.

Chives
Chives are incredibly versatile and can be used in a wide range of dishesfeaturing eggs, fish, chicken, and other proteins. They can withstand normalindoor temperature fluctuations, and grow best in an area where they can getaround five hours of direct sunlight per day. You can prune the plant byharvesting chives as you need them for cooking and the plants will continue togrow. Chives can be started from seed, but are easier to start from the root ifyou have a friend who's already growing them. As your plant gets larger, you mayneed to divide it into two or more pots -- this is an excellent time to shareyour wealth and pass a plant on to a neighbor.

Oregano
Oregano is a versatile plant that can be grown indoors near a sunny window, andused in a variety of Italian dishes. This hardy plant spreads from the root, soto get it firmly established you'll need to either purchase a small plant from alawn and garden store or acquire one from someone who is thinning out their ownpatch. Once it's happily established, however, oregano is difficult to kill,making it an excellent choice for the beginner container gardener. Simply waterit once or twice a week, repot it as it grows larger, and be prepared to wowyour friends and family with the authentic Italian dishes you're able to whip upat a moment's notice.

Sage
Sage is started from a cutting of an existing plant, or by purchasing a liveplant. Once it's established, however, you can frequently prune its leaves anduse the aromatic herb for a variety of pork and chicken recipes. Choose a well-lit, warm area of the house for your sage plant, as it grows best in theseconditions. If you place it in an area without enough sunlight, you'll noticethat the leaves quickly yellow and turn brown. This is your cue to move yourplant to a warmer area of your home so that it can thrive.

Rosemary
Rosemary should be started from a cutting and grown in a pot that's large enoughto accommodate its future growth. The plant can withstand some coolertemperatures indoors, but will need direct sun to grow properly. When you'reready to add rosemary to your favorite recipes, simply clip off one or twobranches, then slide your fingers down the stems to remove the tiny needles.You'll be pleased with the fresh, pungent taste that fresh rosemary adds to thedishes you create.

Thyme
Thyme can be started either from a root cutting or from transplanting an outdoorplant into a pot and moving it indoors. Thyme is fairly tolerant of indoorconditions. While it grows best in an areas that receives direct sun, it canalso thrive in east and west-facing windows if it is carefully cared for. Thymeleaves make a wonderful addition to poultry dishes, savory baked goods, andmore, so consider adding this beautiful plant to your indoor herb garden today.

[caption id="attachment_3147" align="alignnone" width="300"]

Planting onions[/caption]When you're tired of paying grocery store prices for fresh herbs, it may be timeto consider starting an indoor herb garden. This process allows you to enjoy thefun of gardening throughout the colder months, while growing fresh ingredientsto use in all your favorite recipes. Container gardening is an easy,inexpensive, and enjoyable hobby that you may find yourself growing quiteattached to.

About the Author
Jonathan Leger is a sponsored member of the Garden Writer's Association and a gardening enthusiast. He runs a small site dedicated to the history, education and care of a variety of roses at:http://cabbageroses.net/.

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[caption id="attachment_3140" align="alignnone" width="710"]

Kitchen herb garden with lemon balm, sage, parsley and thyme[/caption]Cooking with fresh herbs adds a characteristic punch to most recipes, creating aboost of flavor that lets those you're serving know that you've put extra effortinto the dish you're preparing. Unfortunately, fresh herbs can be quiteexpensive at the grocery store during the winter months, and many farmersmarkets are closed for the season.

Luckily, it's possible to enjoy the flavor of fresh herbs throughout the wintermonths when you plant an indoor herb garden. Many herb plants are quite hardyand can be grown indoors near a sunny window. If you don't have enough sunlightin your home, you may still be able to garden inside using a system like theGrow Light Garden. Either way, you'll be able to cook with fresh herbsthroughout the winter months.

[caption id="attachment_3144" align="alignnone" width="300"]

Herbs and green tea[/caption]Let's examine several herbs that lend themselves well to an indoor growingseason:

Basil
Basil is fast and easy to grow, and adds a terrific taste boost to your Italiandishes. When you keep it on hand, you can quickly create pesto, pump up pastasauces, or use it to top breads and pizzas. For the best results, start basilindoors from seed and keep the pot near a sunny window. Basil requires full sunand as much warmth as you can manage indoors, and should germinate in 5-10 days.

Chives
Chives are incredibly versatile and can be used in a wide range of dishesfeaturing eggs, fish, chicken, and other proteins. They can withstand normalindoor temperature fluctuations, and grow best in an area where they can getaround five hours of direct sunlight per day. You can prune the plant byharvesting chives as you need them for cooking and the plants will continue togrow. Chives can be started from seed, but are easier to start from the root ifyou have a friend who's already growing them. As your plant gets larger, you mayneed to divide it into two or more pots -- this is an excellent time to shareyour wealth and pass a plant on to a neighbor.

Oregano
Oregano is a versatile plant that can be grown indoors near a sunny window, andused in a variety of Italian dishes. This hardy plant spreads from the root, soto get it firmly established you'll need to either purchase a small plant from alawn and garden store or acquire one from someone who is thinning out their ownpatch. Once it's happily established, however, oregano is difficult to kill,making it an excellent choice for the beginner container gardener. Simply waterit once or twice a week, repot it as it grows larger, and be prepared to wowyour friends and family with the authentic Italian dishes you're able to whip upat a moment's notice.

Sage
Sage is started from a cutting of an existing plant, or by purchasing a liveplant. Once it's established, however, you can frequently prune its leaves anduse the aromatic herb for a variety of pork and chicken recipes. Choose a well-lit, warm area of the house for your sage plant, as it grows best in theseconditions. If you place it in an area without enough sunlight, you'll noticethat the leaves quickly yellow and turn brown. This is your cue to move yourplant to a warmer area of your home so that it can thrive.

Rosemary
Rosemary should be started from a cutting and grown in a pot that's large enoughto accommodate its future growth. The plant can withstand some coolertemperatures indoors, but will need direct sun to grow properly. When you'reready to add rosemary to your favorite recipes, simply clip off one or twobranches, then slide your fingers down the stems to remove the tiny needles.You'll be pleased with the fresh, pungent taste that fresh rosemary adds to thedishes you create.

Thyme
Thyme can be started either from a root cutting or from transplanting an outdoorplant into a pot and moving it indoors. Thyme is fairly tolerant of indoorconditions. While it grows best in an areas that receives direct sun, it canalso thrive in east and west-facing windows if it is carefully cared for. Thymeleaves make a wonderful addition to poultry dishes, savory baked goods, andmore, so consider adding this beautiful plant to your indoor herb garden today.

[caption id="attachment_3147" align="alignnone" width="300"]

Planting onions[/caption]When you're tired of paying grocery store prices for fresh herbs, it may be timeto consider starting an indoor herb garden. This process allows you to enjoy thefun of gardening throughout the colder months, while growing fresh ingredientsto use in all your favorite recipes. Container gardening is an easy,inexpensive, and enjoyable hobby that you may find yourself growing quiteattached to.

About the Author
Jonathan Leger is a sponsored member of the Garden Writer's Association and a gardening enthusiast. He runs a small site dedicated to the history, education and care of a variety of roses at:http://cabbageroses.net/.