CrystalWriter
Cook
I was wondering, which fresh herbs do people regularly have on hand. As I was thinking of growing a selection, in the run up to x-mas. Especially now I have found compound butter 
Herbs, which do you have?
- Thread starter CrystalWriter
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I grow chives (a perennial in cold climates), rosemary (comes indoors in winter and back outside in summer), thyme, oregano, parsley, and basil. Those are coming indoors when it gets cold, but I don't expect the parsley or basil to last more than a couple of months. I'll find out how the thyme and oregano do.
larry_stewart
Master Chef
Right outside my kitchen:
Oregano, Sage, Parsley ( flat/ curled), Chives, Thyme, Dill, Bay leaf, Scallions, Rosemary, basil, ( and there is catnip in there for the cats ). There is actually some celery in there too ( got mixed up with the parsley at the store by accident, and decided just to leave it there)
In the fall, winter and early spring, I grow fresh basil inside using an aerogarden, hydroponic system)
Oregano, Sage, Parsley ( flat/ curled), Chives, Thyme, Dill, Bay leaf, Scallions, Rosemary, basil, ( and there is catnip in there for the cats
). There is actually some celery in there too ( got mixed up with the parsley at the store by accident, and decided just to leave it there)In the fall, winter and early spring, I grow fresh basil inside using an aerogarden, hydroponic system)
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GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme! And basil, dill, bay tree, chives, cilantro, epazote (a Mexican herb I'm trying this year), oregano, mint and tarragon. I also have fennel that provides seeds. Mine are all in the ground, except the mint, so I freeze the overflow for use during the winter. Mint can become invasive, so I have one in a strawberry pot and one in another container.
And basil, dill, bay tree, chives, cilantro, epazote (a Mexican herb I'm trying this year), oregano, mint and tarragon. I also have fennel that provides seeds. Mine are all in the ground, except the mint, so I freeze the overflow for use during the winter. Mint can become invasive, so I have one in a strawberry pot and one in another container.
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Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
If you do bring me a corn dog and a funnel cake.
We have basil, dill, and lemon balm (to add to my earl grey from time to time)
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
If you do bring me a corn dog and a funnel cake.
We have basil, dill, and lemon balm (to add to my earl grey from time to time)
People sometimes ask me which herbs they should start with, and that's always my answer
CrystalWriter
Cook
Thanks for the advice guys. I'll try and get to the garden centre to pick up the seeds.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
People sometimes ask me which herbs they should start with, and that's always my answer
I'd tell you to grow the herbs you use most.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
I find that a lot of the time, when people ask me that, they're not using any herbs at all.
CrystalWriter
Cook
You found me out
ok fresh herbs we rarely use, as my mother has an extensive spice & dried herb collection (most of which are a few years old.) So when I started cooking the meals on a Sunday (she works), I just stash dive, and don't really look. We've had some interesting combinations of herbs/spices & food.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
You found me out
So when I started cooking the meals on a Sunday (she works), I just stash dive, and don't really look. We've had some interesting combinations of herbs/spices & food.
You will be shocked at the difference in flavor between fresh and dried herbs. There's just no comparison, particularly with soft herbs like parsley and basil.
I recommend herbs that are noticeably better fresh (rosemary is horrible little sticks that poke your gums when it is dry. It's really nice fresh). I would especially choose herbs that are less available fresh at the grocery store, as well as the ones that you use in small quantity. If I buy fresh rosemary or mint, the chance of using it up before it goes off or dries up is low, so just cutting the small amount I need is far more practical for me.
I grow chives, green onions, both flat leaf and curly parsley. I have a huge rosemary bush and some sage as well. I need to replenish the basil. I have a little bay laurel going but I don't harvest from it yet because it's still small and I'd have nothing but a stick left in a very short time.
I'm curious about the chives. You live in Hawaii. One of our members who lives in SoCal can't manage to grow chives. I have no problem growing them in Quebec, but we have WINTERS.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
We have tried a number of times to keep a rosemary plant/bush alive with zero success. We have planted them outdoors and moved them indoors for the winter, left them outdoors all year, kept them indoors all year. It doesn't matter. They die. SO is the gardener and we follow all the info we find on the topic to no avail.
CrystalWriter
Cook
I buy fresh from the supermarket, when I can. They tend to die off very quickly. I grow saffron, but that came about as a mistake, when an online garden supplier sent me the wrong crocus. Sadly harvesting the threads are a pain.
So if there was a herb garden, I might get a chance to replace the dried stuff, before they go seriously off
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
How do you store them? I put them in a vase of water on the counter or windowsill and change the water every day or so. They last about a week.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Yes, or less for things like basil.
Maybe it's the variety? All I ever see on sale her are called "garlic chives" and rather then round and cylindrical they more flat. But they are "chivey" nontheless. And as far as the rosemary, I completely neglect it. I do know that I have mostly sand here. I always dig a bigger hole and fill it with potting soil. That rosemary as far outgrown it's potting soil addition. It must love sand and draught.
My challenge plants are tomato's. The birds get to them every time.
I've hung metallic streamers off the tomato cage and I've actually stuck plastic snakes around the plants trying keep the birds off them. Fail.
Steve Kroll
Wine Guy
Basil, chives, mint, cilantro, and parsley. Next year, I'll probably add rosemary to the mix.
I used to grow a lot of different herbs, but for the past couple years I've just cut back to the ones I use most. For example, I used to grow lemon thyme and it would always end up going to waste. Same with oregano. I've found I don't care for the flavor of fresh oregano and the dried stuff is dirt cheap.
I used to grow a lot of different herbs, but for the past couple years I've just cut back to the ones I use most. For example, I used to grow lemon thyme and it would always end up going to waste. Same with oregano. I've found I don't care for the flavor of fresh oregano and the dried stuff is dirt cheap.
