Whether you’re planning on growing an herb garden as a pastime hobby, a means to save money, or just to eat healthier dishes, there are a lot of herbs to choose from. You can even grow them anywhere: on your front porch, backyard, or even right on your windowsill. There really is no doubt that fresh herbs can do wonders!
If you’ve wanted to make your recipes tastier, especially with your stews, soups, and salads, herbs can be your trusted friend. Growing them won’t require much from you; as long as you give them a good four to six hours of daily sun exposure, everything will be fine. Enhance your cooking by checking out this list of must-have herbs to plant in your garden:
Marjoram
Also called “knotted marjoram” and “sweet marjoram,” this cold-sensitive herb is an undershrub known for its sweet pine and citrus flavors. Though marjoram has a much milder taste than oregano, they can sometimes be mistaken for each other. They are a popular additive to soups, sauces, and meat dishes in Mediterranean countries like Turkey and Greece.
Both marjoram’s fresh and dried leaves can also be used as a seasoning because of their mild and bittersweet taste. They are sometimes included in popular English dishes such as roasted goose with chestnut stuffing. However, in most recipes, marjorams are used alongside other herbs and spices like basil and parsley. Click Here to know more about growing marjoram in your garden.
Basil
Who doesn’t know basil? No one! Basil is an annual herb of the mint family and one of the essential ingredients in Italian cooking. They are known as the main ingredient of traditional pestos and a chef-favorite in tomato-made pasta sauces. But others also use basil in other cuisines like Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Thai.
Basil has a sweet, fragrant smell with a peppery taste. It has large yet delicate leaves with a smooth, veiny texture. They are pretty easy to grow in kitchen gardens; you just have to give them lots of sun, warmth, and water. You may frequently pinch the tops of basil to encourage full growth.
Parsley
It comes without a doubt that parsley is one of the most versatile herbs ever to exist. They may commonly be used as a garnish, but parsley is also a popular spice in recipes. This herb has two main varieties: flat and curly leaf. You may have always recognized curly-leaf parsleys in restaurants, but both varieties may work just as fine in the kitchen.
Because of parsley’s fresh taste and light scent, they are included in almost every dish, from sauces to soups to vegetables. As a garnish, they are either sprinkled or chopped in hummus, soups, or mixed with ground meat such as beef or lamb. To grow parsley, you may start up from seeds or dig a clump from your home garden. Make sure they get enough sunlight.
Rosemary
Rosemary is an herb with fragrant, needle-like leaves with flowers of varying colors from white, pink, blue, purple. They are mainly used as seasoning in different dishes like casseroles, salad, soups, and stews.
You may add rosemary with a variety of meat and poultry. This herb especially goes well with oily fish too. Rosemaries grow best in a spot directly facing south of a window with good drainage. It will help if you prune them to add more flavor regularly.
Thyme
Thyme has small leaves that grow on tiny clusters of thinner stems. This herb is used in several savory dishes, including roasted or braised meat, fish, or vegetables. Thyme also brings depth and flavor to soups and stocks, marinades, teas, and cocktail elements. They are added in recipes either chopped or whole.
When including them in your dishes, it is best to know that the longer you cook thyme, the more flavor it can provide. They have fibrous stems that won’t easily break down when cooked. So when you are harvesting thyme from your garden, better pick the stems out and discard them when served.
Oregano
Oregano is a popular herb known to add flavor to several dishes like pasta sauce and pizza. It is primarily found in Mexican and Mediterranean cuisine, even one of the main components that make up chili powder. Though an oregano’s dried form is more commonly used, fresh oregano is also used in many recipes. They like to spread when planted on the ground.
Cilantro
Also known as Chinese parsley or coriander leaf, cilantro is best combined with spicy dishes like chills and Chinese, Mexican, Indian, and Southeast Asian cuisines. This herb can start growing early in the season. They do not prefer it when the soil becomes too warm, so you need good drainage when growing cilantro in your kitchen garden.
Takeaway
Starting a kitchen garden is one of the most accessible and exciting things you can do in your free time. Growing herbs is also an interesting and delicious way to inspire you to start your gardening journey. Check out the list of herbs provided above to know what to grow in your kitchen garden.