Spring Herbs

If you haven’t planted any spring herbs yet, I say you need to get going.  There’s nothing like being able to step out your back door and grab a handful of flavor for whatever you’re fixing in the kitchen.

And there’s something truly satisfying about watching your little plant babies grow up before your eyes.

I woke up this morning to a nice breeze blowing into my bedroom, and uncharacteristically hopped on out of bed without trying to sneak another five, ten, fifteen minutes of snoozing.  Even through the shades I could see that we were in for a bright, hot day.  The kind I dig.  Why not get up and get a head start?

My herb pots are right outside my bedroom window, so when I opened the shades, my herbs were there to greet me.  Basking in the sun.

The sage and mint have had a major head start on the other herbs, being perennials and all.  They are growing full bore.

My chives and basil are newer.  I just planted them three weeks ago.  Today, they both looked taller, fuller and greener than they did even yesterday.

The great thing about planting and growing herbs is that there is NO WAY you can’t be successful.   If you stick them in good dirt and give them enough water, they will produce for you throughout the warm weather.  And I can always find young plants CHEAP at my neighborhood grocery store, so I don’t even bother with seeds.

And I use them for all sorts of yummy purposes.  And just to name a few:

Omelets and Frittata: Add basil or chives.  My favorite frittata is made with basil and parmesan.  My favorite omelet is the classic cheddar and ham, with chives added.

Everday Drinks: Add mint to lemonade, iced tea, or ice water (remember my citrus water?).

Pasta Sauce: Basil is my favorite herb for two of my favorite simple tomato sauces, which you can find here and here.

Salad: I love to add fresh basil leaves to a green salad dressed with a simple vinaigrette.

Herbs are just the beginning for me, though.  I’ve planted a variety of tomato plants in a plot shared with my neighbor, and I’m getting ready to do two pots of chili plants this weekend.

Stayed tuned for more of my gardening nirvana