Thrifty Gardening: How to Grow and Store Summer Herbs
Read these easy money-saving tips for growing and storing herbs so you can enjoy your garden and its produce
The knowledgable women of The Country Women’s Association of Victoria have pooled their practical herb-growing and storing information so your edible garden can prosper… as can your cooking. This is an extract from Thrifty Gardening, published with images from the Houzz photo archive.
Cut sprigs of rosemary and freeze whole. The flavour of this frozen rosemary is more intense than fresh. Double bag the rosemary so the flavour doesn’t permeate your freezer. Rosemary doesn’t like being waterlogged. The rosemary flowers are edible and can be used in salads or as a garnish for vegetable dishes.
Do you want to set up a beautiful garden? Find a reviewed local landscape designer on Houzz
Do you want to set up a beautiful garden? Find a reviewed local landscape designer on Houzz
If you have a small courtyard or balcony garden, fix a mesh screen to a wall and hang pots of herbs on the screen wall to save space. Group the herbs according to their origins. Mediterranean herbs – oregano, mint, rosemary, sage, thyme, marjoram – and Asian herbs, such as coriander, Thai basil and lemongrass. Soft-leaved herbs such as basil can be planted together in one pot, but don’t plant a large herb such as rosemary or mint in with them.
If you have a worm farm, put some of your worms in the herb pots to help keep the soil healthy. Keep pots moist but not wet; they can dry out quickly in wind and full sun.
If you have a worm farm, put some of your worms in the herb pots to help keep the soil healthy. Keep pots moist but not wet; they can dry out quickly in wind and full sun.
Harvest basil leaves regularly to prevent the plants putting up flower heads prematurely. If this happens, cut off the flower heads to encourage more leaf production. Tear basil rather than chopping with a knife as it bruises easily. Basil plants can grow quite tall so give them plenty of room. Liquid feed the plants every fortnight. Basil needs the warmth of late spring and summer to grow well. Protect the plants from cold winds.
Make the most of the spring growth and freeze your oregano. Using scissors, cut off the spring growth (like mowing a lawn). Wash and then dry, either in a fan-forced oven at 60 degrees celsius or in an electric dehydrator. When totally dry, remove the leaves (discard the twiggy stems) and crush the leaves in your hands. Gently shake through a colander or strainer to keep the best oregano. Feed and water the harvested oregano plants to generate new growth to harvest again.
Browse images of productive gardens to inspire your own
Browse images of productive gardens to inspire your own
Image of mint by Nate Steiner.
Unless you are prepared to let mint take over your garden, grow it in a pot where it can be contained. Mint comes in many varieties with many uses in the kitchen: add some finely chopped mint to crabapple jelly before bottling; add finely chopped apple mint to apple jelly before bottling; and mint sauce is always delicious with roast lamb.
Unless you are prepared to let mint take over your garden, grow it in a pot where it can be contained. Mint comes in many varieties with many uses in the kitchen: add some finely chopped mint to crabapple jelly before bottling; add finely chopped apple mint to apple jelly before bottling; and mint sauce is always delicious with roast lamb.
Text from Thrifty Gardening by The Country Women’s Association of Victoria Inc. Published by Murdoch Books RRP AU$24.99.
Your turn
Do you have herb-growing and storing advice to share? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images for inspiration, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Find more great edible gardening tips by reading
How to Get Fertile Soil for Your Edible Garden
Your turn
Do you have herb-growing and storing advice to share? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images for inspiration, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Find more great edible gardening tips by reading
How to Get Fertile Soil for Your Edible Garden
Have an ice-cube tray set aside to be used for freezing finely chopped fresh herbs. The aroma of herbs can’t be removed easily and can unpleasantly flavour ice used for mixer drinks.