Every chef, armature and professional, knows that it’s the herbs and seasoning that make a dish. Nothing adds fragrance and flavor like herbs.
Like most ingredients, you can taste the difference between high-quality herbs and the cheap stuff.
That's not all! The adulteration of herbs is a huge problem. Your herbs from the store may contain ingredients, substances, or materials that aren't on the label.
What's the solution? How can you affordably get high-quality herbs?
The answer is simple - grow your own herbs! Our Gardener's Blog has lots of advice to get you started.
Read on to learn why you should start growing your own herbs at home!
What are Herbs?
What are herbs? How are they different from spices?
Herbs tend to be leafy, like cilantro, basil, and thyme. Generally, spices tend to be seeds that are either whole or ground up.
Differently put, are the fresh part of the plant.
Spices are almost always dried. They can be the dried root, stalk, seed, or fruit of a plant.
Herbs can also be dried; you've probably used dried sage or rosemary before. But, uncooked dry herbs can add a dusty taste to your dish.
There's no substitute for fresh herbs.
Herbs add a subtle flavor to your dish.
Growing Your Own Is Easy
Certain herbs are easy to grow regardless of whether or not you have a green thumb.
Sage, parsley, oregano, mint, basil, chives, dill, and rosemary are just a few of the herbs that are great for novice and experienced gardeners alike.
The best part? They can be grown indoors!
What will your herbs need?
- Well draining soil that you will keep moist but not soggy
- Full or partial shade (depending on the herb)
- Fertilizer once or twice a month.
There are also plenty of herbs that grow well in shade or low light areas of your home. These include chervil, chives, cilantro, mint, oregano, parsley, tarragon, and thyme.
Our Gardner's Blog is a great resource to learn more about what specific herbs need.
Herbs, especially the ones listed above, aren't temperamental plants that are difficult to keep alive. Anyone can grow herbs.
It's Affordable
Like any hobby, if you want to spend hundreds of dollars to have a state-of-the-art kitchen herb garden, you can. However, that is totally unnecessary.
There are plenty of affordable herb kits, with most only costing $20-$35.
Most of these kits come with everything you need to start an herb garden from scratch. Including directions, seeds, and dirt
Don't want to work with dirt? There are affordable hydroponic kits, like this Mason Jar Indoor Herb Garden that allow you to grow your herbs in water.
If you don't want to buy a kit, you can also buy all the equipment yourself.
You will need pots with good drainage, potting soil, and seeds.
It's also a good idea to have some fertilizer. There's even fertilizer designed for growing herbs and vegetables.
All these supplies can be found online or at your local gardening store.
Know What’s in Your Food
Do you care about what goes into your food?
Do you want to be sure your herbs haven't been treated with pesticides that are harmful to you and/or the environment?
Do you want to be sure that your herbs are all-natural and aren't contaminated with something else?
The best way to ensure your herbs are grown ethically is to do it yourself.
When you grow your own herbs, you don't have to worry about:
- Identifying the exact origins of your herbs
- Your herbs coming from unsustainable farming with practices like heavy chemical and pesticide use, or poor wastewater management
- Your herbs being harvested under unethical labor conditions
When you cook with your own herbs, you can be confident you know exactly how they came to be on your plate.
Make Delicious Food
Herbs are one of your greatest assets in the kitchen. Herbs add flavor and aroma, all without adding extra salt, fat, or calories!
When you grow your own herbs, you can cut them moments before use. This means they will have maximum flavor and nutrition.
So many different flavor combinations can be added to your dish by adding different blends of herbs or adding your herbs at different times in the cooking process.
Adding your herbs at the beginning can create a delicate background of flavor for your dish.
Is your dish not coming together? Try adding some herbs at the end, especially before you add more salt and pepper.
Oregano can make or break your Italian food. Your bérnaise sauce may not be complete without tarragon. Have you ever had a mojito with fresh mint? There's no comparison!
The French know to use many herbs in cooking. They use Bouquets Garni, or bouquets of herbs to make soup, stocks, and stews.
French cuisine also utilizes herbes de Provence which contains savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and other herbs. In North America, lavender is often added to this mix.
There are plenty of helpful guides out there to help you know what herbs pair well with what dishes.
Growing Your Own Herbs Makes Sense
When it comes down to it, growing your own herbs just makes sense!
Whether you live on an expansive farm or in a cramped urban apartment, you can grow your own herbs in your kitchen.
Growing your own herbs is an easy, affordable way to ensure that you are getting fresh, potent herbs into your dishes.
Restaurateurs and home chefs alike will taste a difference in their dishes when they use herbs they've grown themselves.
What are you waiting for?
We are here and ready to help you get started! Visit our website to learn more about starting your own herb garden!
