Easy to Grow Kitchen Herbs

Easy to Grow Kitchen Herbs

Several years ago, after seeing a lovely herb garden, I decided to take the plunge and plant my own. I researched. I perused herbs at the garden center. I got caught up in the uses of herbs, how to tend, preserve, and cook using herbs. After all the in-depth digging, I decided to concentrate on kitchen herbs to use in cooking.

My favorite cooking herbs

I have a few favorites that I use in my kitchen. Most are perennials, meaning they come up in my garden every year. Other than dividing large plants every few years they are low maintenance. These include:

My Perennials

Chives
Oregano
Thyme - A bit more temperamental because they are deciduous, losing their leaves in the winter and then budding new growth.

Biennials 

The biennials, those that need replanting every third year include:

Italian Parsley - I prefer the flat Italian version rather than the curly parsley (like what you find on your restaurant plate).

Annuals

And, lastly, annuals which need to be planted every year in my growing zone. These are:

Basil
Rosemary

Ideas on how I use these herbs in my kitchen

Oregano - Italian dishes, meatballs, homemade spaghetti sauce, sprinkled on Greek salad.

Chives - snipped up in salads, chicken salad, egg salad, top deviled eggs, baked potato

Thyme - spice blends for roasted meats, roasted vegetables, soups, omelets, sauteed with green beans

Italian Parsley - soups, Mediterranean recipes, meatballs, meatloaf

Basil - (I cannot do without basil) snipped up fresh in salads, bruschetta, Italian dishes, soups, grilled cheese sandwiches

Rosemary - soup, roasted meats, roasted vegetables

Hints for Growing Herbs

Most herbs need plenty of sunshine and well-drained soil.  Be sure to check the specifications on the plant when you purchase them. You can plant them in the ground or they do just as well growing in planters.  I like to keep basil, parsley, and rosemary in pots by the kitchen door for easy access at dinner time. My perennials are in my small stone-walled garden in the back yard.