Herb Gardening
Herbs are one of the easiest ingredients to grow in your garden. They include plants such as basil, parsley, cilantro, mint, thyme, oregano, and so much more. There are two different types of herbs, tender and woody. Tender Herbs have softer, grass-like stems and are generally more delicate and used fresh. Woody Herbs have tougher, wood-like stems and are not typically served raw. Either can make a big difference when added to nearly any recipe.
Growing herbs:
Starting an herb garden requires a few steps. You need a sunny area, well-draining soil, and a raised bed or container. Most herbs need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day although, herbs such as thyme and cilantro will tolerate some shade. When watering, it is best to let the soil dry out. Stick your finger an inch or two into the soil before watering and check if it's still wet before watering. If it is, don't water them quite yet.
Harvesting herbs:
It is important to note that many herbs are weed-like in their ability to grow and thrive, you can keep harvesting them all summer long and they will continue to grow back. Start by picking the leafy herbs when a plant is at least 6 to 8 inches tall. Snip occasionally to keep the plant even all around, and be sure not to cut off more than one-third of the plant at a time.
Storing herbs:
Fill a short glass or vase with an inch or two of water and put stemmed herbs like cilantro, basil, and parsley in the glass just as you would put flowers into a vase. Store herbs on the counter for 2-3 days, changing out the water once or twice to keep things fresh. For herbs that do not have long stems, you can keep them wrapped in a damp paper towel and place them in a plastic bag in the fridge.
Note: It is recommended to store fresh basil on the countertop only because it can begin to brown pretty quickly in the fridge.
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