Nothing taste better than cooking with freshly picked herbs from your own Italian herb garden. I have been cooking with my own herbs for years and I promise you...it makes a difference!
If you have never grown herbs before, you will find they are actually quite easy to grow. I like to group my herbs in themes and have one pot that is all Italian herbs. I harvest and cook with them throughout the growing season, then preserve them for use during the winter months.
Here are a few of my favorite Italian herbs:
1. Basil – 3 to 6 plants, depending on your taste for it. For a constant supply of fresh leaves, plant consecutively over the growing season. For fresh basil and tomato salads you’ll need at least two cups of fresh leaves to serve 4 people.
2. Greek Oregano – this hardy easy to grow herbaceous seasoning will flavor almost everything. Plan on 2 plants to start if you enjoy Italian cooking.
3. Chives – 2 to 3 plants can be found in various flavors. Delicious in fresh salads, on potatoes and in a variety of dishes
4. Flat Leaf Parsley – 4 to 6 plants, or try a few plants of cilantro as a variation
5. Rosemary – 1 to 2 plants will get your garden started and as they grow you’ll have plenty of this pungent evergreen each year. If you live where Rosemary cannot winter over, consider using a container, or plan to harvest and dry for the winter. Delicious in rosemary garlic roasted potatoes, or place a few springs inside poultry before roasting!
6. – Marjoram – 1 to 2 plants will provide plenty of this tasty herbaceous plant for your seasoning needs. Use the leave fresh and harvest the soft seed heads for winter flavoring.
7. Mint – 1 plant at least, in a container so as not to take over the garden. Personally, I keep one peppermint and one spearmint, and use them both prolifically.
All of these Italian herbs are easy to grow and can be grown in container gardens as well. Try adding some fresh Italian herbs to your favorite dishes and see what a difference it makes.
Learn more about growing your own Italian herb garden and enjoy your own fresh herbs throughout the year.
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