Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Growing herbs in backyard easy to do
If you love good food and you love to cook, you probably grow herbs within reach of your kitchen. If not, why not? Growing herbs is easy and can make a good meal even better. Is a tomato dish the same without fresh basil? Herbs bring nutrients to the table as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Herbs are versatile: use mint to repel insects, lemon balm to sweeten the kitchen sink and lavender to help relax. Our ancestors treasured herbs, whether they were native or brought from afar.
Prior to refrigeration, herbs were used to disguise the taste of foods that were no longer fresh. By definition, an herb is derived from the leafy parts of a plant, usually green. They can be grown in our temperate climate and can be used fresh or dried.
On the other hand, a spice is derived from seeds, fruits, bark or stems of a plant or tree that is typically grown in a tropical clime.
Growing herbs requires good sunlight and well-drained rich soil. They like to be trimmed so they don’t become “leggy’’ or “woody,” and they will grow nicely in a container, as long as it drains.
Let’s look at some commonly used herbs:
PARSLEY » Parsley is more than a garnish with bright green ruffled leaves. It is a staple, widely used together with thyme and bay leaf to flavor stock, sauces and stews.
Parsley adds vitamin C, iron and fiber to the diet, and it sweetens your breath. Use it fresh with steamed potatoes, in salads, marinades, vinegar and salts. Flat-leaf parsley has an added benefit: black swallowtail butterflies are known to lay their eggs on the leaves.
Plant parsley in several places in your garden, then sit back and look for brightly striped caterpillars; who doesn’t welcome butterflies in their garden?
SAGE » Sage is one of the oldest and most-revered plants. It was considered to be the “salvation plant.” Soldiers carried it into battle, with the belief sage could cure anything from wounds to a sore throat to dental problems.
In the Middle Ages, Salerno documented “why should a man die whilst sage grows in his garden?”
Sage is a member of the mint family with a distinctive flavor and scent often associated with stuffing the Thanksgiving turkey. It is also used with brown butter as a sauce for butternut ravioli and as an ingredient in sausages. Sage is native to the Mediterranean region, is high in vitamin K as well as many other nutrients. It has oval downy grayish-green leaves and will sprout purplish flowers.
ROSEMARY » Rosemary is a Mediterranean herb with thick needlelike leaves. A member of the mint family, it prefers moist soil and frequent trimming. It is known for its strong lemony-pine flavor that compliments meats, fish, potatoes, bread and marinades. It is frequently used with olive oil as a dipping sauce.
It can be finely chopped to release its aromatic oils. Rosemary has long been associated with remembrance, as Shakespeare reminds us in “Hamlet.” Roman brides wore rosemary in their hair as a symbol of fidelity. Greek students wore rosemary to help with their studies. Rosemary can be decorative when pruned as a topiary and used cosmetically in bath and beauty products.
THYME » Thyme is a compact plant with leaves of many varieties and delicate scents. It is known to have numerous health benefits, including antioxidant and antiseptic. In 1340 people wore posies of thyme to stave off the black death.
Interestingly, it has also been used to repel insects, to embalm bodies and as an ingredient in cosmetics. Thyme complements eggs, potatoes, vegetables, soups and seafood. It can be used with other herbs as a rub on meats.
It makes a lovely border plant in the garden, imparting a pleasant scent when the gardener brushes against it. It sprouts delicate blooms and it is very hardy. It is always a favorite.
Herbs are interesting and fun to grow, bringing zing and zest to your garden.
Elizabeth Farrell is a Berks County Penn State Master Gardener volunteer.