Get started growing herbs
I’m not an avid backyard gardener. My thumb is less than green, and my small patio is shaded by trees and fences, preventing prolific vegetable growth. But I haven’t felt the loss too keenly, as I have a farmers market across the street every week.
Potted herbs, however, are my exception. I manage to not kill them (usually, anyway), and it’s hard to argue with the convenience and freshness of stepping outside and snipping whatever I need.
I recently wandered the aisles of my local nursery trying to decide what to plant. Here are a few different categories that might help you, too, settle on what culinary herbs are most useful to plant. Be sure you also think about what makes sense for the types of dishes you think you’ll be making This list is by no means comprehensive.
■ Herbs you almost always have to buy more of than you use:
How many recipes call for just a sprig or a few tablespoons of an herb, and yet you are still stuck with a clamshell package or a bunch of extras? There are at least a couple of herbs I think are guilty of this, but they’re versatile enough to keep in your back yard. At the top of the list are thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage and chives. And they have a built-in bonus: They all come back each year.
■ Herbs that grow plentifully that you can burn through quickly:
Basil (sweet or Genovese) is my favorite herb that falls into this category. I usually have at least three or four plants in my yard since pesto is such a staple of my summer diet. The more you pick, the more it grows. Parsley, dill and mint are other prolific options that also can be used in large quantities. I’d throw cilantro in, but I have yet to successfully keep a cilantro plant alive through the summer.
■ Herbs that are nice to have but hard to find:
I love making Thai stir-fries and noodle dishes, and Thai basil is one of those ingredients that really helps you come close to replicating the flavors of restaurant dishes.
Fresh culinary lavender is something else to consider, especially if you like floral flavors.