Dried herbs just don’t cut it, do they? Once you’ve had a taste of those fresh ones from the Med, there’s no going back to that dusty pot of oregano at the back of your cupboard. We’ll let you in on a secret: it’s incredibly easy to grow your own once you know how.
And with it being somewhat difficult to get hold of certain items in the supermarket at the moment, these fresh herbs will make your meals a whole lot more interesting – so there’s no better time to learn than now! All you’ll need to start is a window sill that gets a good amount of sunlight.
Making space
Pick your window sill. Ideally, it’s in the kitchen where you can grab a dash of this and a sprig of that, but don’t worry if not. Herbs like mint and parsley will make any room smell great. Just make sure it’s out of reach of tiny fingers, otherwise you’ll probably find someone snacking on a sprig of rosemary sometime soon.
Choosing your herbs
Our suggestions are quick, easy and only need singing to every now and then…
- Mint is a stellar place to start, mostly because it’s an excuse to make mojitos — oh yeah, and tea. It needs a bit of sunlight but not loads. If you keep it fed and watered, it should last from April to November. Challenge accepted?
- Chives: the best finishing touch to any dish, right? From snipping onto scrambled eggs to sprinkling into soups, this humble chive just needs a couple of hours of sunlight and damp soil.
- Basil — because once you’re made your own pesto, there’s no going back to the jars from the supermarket. Tomato and basil soup? Easy. Just don’t let your soil dry out.
No garden centre? No problem
With garden centres shut for the time being, larger supermarkets are often a safe bet for pots and seeds. Start small and pick out two or three you’d like to start with. It sounds obvious but we’re saying it anyway: grow something that you’re actually going to eat — this isn’t the time to ‘get into’ eating coriander. Your shopping list: pots with holes, half-decent soil and your seeds of choice.
Getting the garden started
No herb gardens don’t require especially green fingers. In fact, the only way you can really mess up is through not enough sunlight or a little bit too much water. Dry soil? Needs a drink. Yellow leaves? Not enough light.
Now, it’s over to you.
