Growing Fresh Herbs
There’s nothing like fresh herbs to add flavour and fragrance to your favourite recipes. Packaged herbs can be quite costly to buy and quite often don’t compare to the flavour of freshly snipped herbs.
Planting
Whether planting in containers or the garden, ensure soil is rich and well drained. Garden soil can be amended with Sea Soil Compost or Coco Coir before planting. If planting in containers, choose Sea Soil container mix; this organic compost potting soil provides amazing nutrients while helping maintain soil moisture.Remove plant from pot, and ‘tickle’ the roots (gently pull or cut apart healthy white roots to loosen them). In doing this, you encourage the roots to grow outwards. Water in plants with a transplant fertilizer such as 10-52-10 or Pro-Mix Root Booster.
Varieties
Basil
A very popular herb for cooking, Basil is the perfect herb to stir into pasta sauces, meat recipes, and many other dishes. It’s one of the few herbs whose flavour increases once cooked. Provide bright light, do not overwater. Sensitive to cold temperatures.
Chives
A very hardy perennial, chives will spread if given room, so should be contained if grown outdoors.
Lavender
Both hardy and tender varieties available. Prefers a bright, sunny spot, tolerates dry soil when established.
Mint
Many varieties available, from lemon to chocolate and spearmint. Very easy to grow, many will overwinter outdoors. Do not allow to dry out extensively, pinch often.
Oregano
The most popular Oregano for cooking is Greek, however sweet, spicy, golden and more are available. Dubbed the “pizza herb” Oregano is excellent for flavouring meat sauces, and virtually any Italian recipe! Pinch back often, and take care not to overwater.
Rosemary
This slow growing herb is powerful and a little goes a long way. Use the tender tips for cooking and the older leaves for potpourri or sachets. Use stronger, older stems as skewers for barbecuing meat and chicken.
Sage
Popular for flavouring poultry and dressings, sage reminds everyone of Thanksgiving and Christmas. This strong herb prefers to stay on the dry side and requires frequent pinching to promote the most flavourful tender growth.
Stevia
This easy to grow herb can be used fresh or dried as a sugar substitute. Grows to about 18” tall or so, requires rich yet well drained loam in a sunny spot.
Tarragon
Hardy perennial herb with woody stems. Has a distinct flavour similar to anise. Used in many dishes; meats, poultry, fish as well as virtually any vegetable or salad. Requires full sun.
Thyme
One of the easiest herbs to grown, thyme requires a warm sunny spot, tolerates drought.
Winter Savory
Woody growth habit similar to thyme with small rounded leaves. White/pale lilac flowers appear in summer months. Fresh or dried leaves are used to flavor vinegars, herb butters, bean dishes, creamy soups, and tea.
Maintenance
Pinch herbs often to maintain a tidy shape, and promote new growth. Herbs can be fertilized once every two weeks with CIL 15-30-15 or Liquid Kelp.
In spring and summer months Greenland stocks a wide variety of unique herbs such as sorrel, variegated basil and more. For current availability call 780-467-7557 and ask for Annuals or send us an email.