Do You Need To Be A Chef To Have A Culinary Herb Garden?

Many people think that you need to be a chef or at least employ one in order to have a culinary herb garden

. However, this isnt the case. Now everyone can and should have a culinary herb garden and it is not hard to do.

A culinary herb garden is simple to grow whether you've got a small space on your counter top or a huge yard to plant every herb possible. Its important to understand exactly what a culinary herb garden is because it isnt as straightforward as you might think. Not all herbs are the same. Some herbs are for culinary use while others are for medicinal use and then there are some that should not be eaten because they are toxic.

Some of the plants that should never be included in a culinary herb garden include mistletoe, mandrake, lily of the valley, foxglove, belladonna, and arnica. Most of these are good for external use like Arnica, which is excellent for all sorts of muscle strains and sprains. Things like Foxglove, however, can be fatal if taken internally. Foxglove is a species of digitalis, which is used to treat cardiac problems. If you do not have heart problems, or you take too much under the prescription of a doctor, it could cause death.

Now that we know which plants to avoid, its time to discuss the plants you want to have in your culinary herb garden. Some very popular herbs are things like Basil, Thyme, Parsley, and so on. But other herbs such as Cilantro, which is a common ingredient in Mexican and Thai dishes, is easy to grow and does double duty. When Cilantro begins to flower and begins to seed, you can pick the seeds, dry them and grind them and you'll have cumin, another popular spice in Mexican cuisine as well as in Indian Curries.

When growing your herbs, the first thing to do is decide if you will have your garden inside or outside. The best place in a perfect world for your herb garden is in a solarium near your kitchen. However, unless you live in an old Victorian mansion, the chances of that being the case are pretty small. So short of a major home renovation project, if you're going to grow your herbs inside, try and put them in a sunny location such as a windowsill or plant window. Make sure you plant your herbs in pots that drain well in a high quality potting mix. This is not the time to skimp and buy the cheap stuff. Its also important to know the amount of water your herbs need. Some herbs must dry out completely before you water them again, while others like to stay moist.

A culinary herb garden is a great way to begin gardening and it is also a great way to add lots of flavor to your dishes without adding a bunch of unhealthy things like salt, sugar and fat. You can get healthier while punching up the flavor factor in all your favorite meals.

by: Pat Mctigue

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