How to Grow An Herbal Garden

If you like to cook, even occasionally, having a few organic, fresh and flavorful herbs growing in your kitchen is a real plus. And, it saves money. Fresh herbs in a small packet from the grocery store can cost several dollars. And usually, unless you really like the taste of certain herbs in your food, most of the packet wilts or gets dried out. There is a way to have great and really fresh herbs right in your kitchen.

Pick two of your favorite or useful herbs - basil and flat leaf (also called Italian) parsley are very common. Buy two packages only of organic seeds - these will grow and last you all summer. If they don't, you can always buy a few more packets. If you have some clay pots you aren't using (quite small), you can put a bit of soil in those and put the pots in a plastic tray in your kitchen window. Small pots dry out quickly in a sunny window so be sure and keep them watered, and check daily for moisture content. Too dry and the herbs won't grow, or they'll die. Too moist and you'll have soggy roots and then the plants will also die. And probably smell bad, as well.

A fantastic and eco-friendly way to go here is to rinse out vegetable cans, make sure the lips are smooth, punch holes in the bottom with a screwdriver and hammer, then fill with soil. After you line them up on the drip tray, in your window by a light source, moisten the soil and plant the herb seeds. Seed germination varies so don't worry of your parsley grows before your basil or vice versa. Let children help as they love this sort of thing and it shows them how to recycle in a very practical way.

If you have an outdoor garden as well and even one tomato plant (you know how prolific they are) you can make a fantastic and super simple pasta sauce by using your own organic tomatoes and your own organic herbs. If you grow them, you know where your vegetables have been - and if you pick them immediately to cook or eat - how incredibly fresh is that, and tasteful, and not wasteful because you only pick what you are going to use right away. Cook a flavorful wheat or non-wheat pasta, and sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese on top (if you eat animal products) and the kids will be clamoring for more.

Eat well and be safe.

Fay Porinsky is a retail saleswoman who has 20 years of experience buying and selling cutting edge health products. She has particular experience helping her customers stay healthy with the aid of an herbal Vaporizer, and is an avid user of the Volcano Vaporizer herself.