Small Pots, Big Flavor

As I am taking all of my gardening classes and practicing in my own garden beds and borders, I have felt myself wanting a really good set of cheat sheets for my veggie plants and herbs. So, I decided to make my own, starting with the herbs! And now I am sharing these with you.

I created four cheat sheets for Culinary Herb Gardens.

1. A chart of the most common herbs that thrive in pots, sorted by herb family with growing condition details.
2. An easy three-pot herb garden plan, with plants in groups based on soil and moisture needs.
3. A list of these herbs in alphabetical order and their culinary uses.
4. An illustrated chart of 17 common culinary herbs.

Choosing Your Herbs

The first step to enjoying fresh herbs is to grow them yourself. Potted herb gardens are perfect for small spaces, balconies, or patios. They're accessible, manageable, and bring a little bit of nature right to your doorstep. Here are some of my absolute favorite and easy-to-grow herbs to get you started:

Mint Family

• Basil: A cornerstone of Italian cuisine. Perfect for whipping up pesto, adding to fresh salads, enhancing tomato sauces, and topping pizzas.
• Oregano: This robust herb brings that classic Italian and Greek flavor to pizza, pasta sauces, meats, and hearty stews.
• Rosemary: I love using rosemary to roast meats (especially lamb and poultry). It adds depth to roasted potatoes, and flavor to soups, stews, and bread.
• Thyme: This herb is so versatile! Use it in soups, stews, roasted vegetables, poultry dishes, and savory stuffings.
• Mint: A burst of freshness for desserts, teas, salads, sauces, lamb dishes, cocktails, and many Asian recipes.
• Sage: Earthy and aromatic, it's a must-have for poultry stuffing, sausages, roasted root vegetables, soups, and rich sauces.
• Marjoram: Similar to oregano but with a milder touch, it's delicious in stews, soups, meats, and savory sauces.

Parsley Family

• Parsley: A workhorse in the kitchen! Use it as a vibrant garnish and in soups, sauces, salads, and stews. It's incredibly versatile across many cuisines.
• Cilantro: A key player in Mexican, Asian, and Indian dishes, essential for salsas, curries, soups, and salads.
• Dill: Reminds me of Scandinavian flavors. It is for pickling, pairing with fish, and adding zest to salads, sauces, and soups.
• Chervil: A delicate and under-appreciated herb from French cuisine. This herb has a subtle flavor that enhances soups, salads, egg dishes, and light sauces.

Onion Family

• Chives: These add a mild, oniony note. They are fantastic as a garnish in salads, soups, egg dishes, potato dishes, and creamy sauces.

Aster Family

• Tarragon: Another French cuisine favorite, essential for sauces (like the classic Béarnaise). It is delicious with chicken, fish, and in flavorful vinegars.
• Stevia: (A new favorite!) For those looking for a natural sweetener, stevia is your answer in teas, desserts, and other sweet beverages.

Other Herbs for Your Garden

• Sorrel: This herb adds a unique tangy, lemony flavor. It's wonderful in soups, sauces (especially those served with fish), salads, omelets, and quiches.
• Bay Leaves: An indispensable ingredient in Mediterranean cooking, used to flavor soups, stews, sauces, braising liquids, and stocks.
• Lemongrass: This aromatic herb is a staple in Southeast Asian cuisine. It has a distinctive citrusy note to soups, curries, teas, and marinades.

Storing and Preparing Fresh Herbs

To really get the most out of your homegrown herbs, it's important to store and prepare them correctly. Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks that I've picked up along the way:

Storing Fresh Herbs:

• Like a Bouquet: For herbs with stems, like basil, mint, and parsley, treat them like flowers! Trim the stems and place them in a jar with a bit of water. Next, cover them loosely with a plastic bag and store them in the refrigerator. This keeps them hydrated and fresh.
• Delicate Herbs (Basil, Cilantro): These lovelies are best stored at room temperature in a jar of water. And remember, they love it when you change the water daily.
• Hearty Herbs (Rosemary, Thyme): For herbs with woody stems, like rosemary and thyme, wrap them in a slightly damp paper towel. Place them in a plastic bag or wax wrap, and refrigerate.
• Freezing for Later: Don't let your herbs go to waste! A great way to preserve them for longer use is to freeze. Just chop them up and mix them with either water or olive oil in ice cube trays. Once frozen, you can pop them out and store them in freezer bags. One of my favorites is to make my summer pesto sauce and freeze them to use throughout the winter.

Preparing Fresh Herbs:

• Wash with Care: Always rinse your herbs gently under cool water and pat them dry carefully with paper towels.
• Chop Right Before Using: To maximize their flavor and aroma, chop your herbs just before you're ready to add them to your dish.
• Use a Sharp Knife (Always!): A sharp knife is key to preventing bruising, which can release bitter compounds and dull their bright flavor.
• Add at the End (Usually): Remember that delicate herbs like basil and chervil lose their flavor if they're overcooked, so it's best to add them towards the end of the cooking process.
• Pinch, Don't Always Cut: For leafy herbs like basil, try pinching off the leaves instead of cutting them with a knife to prevent browning.
• Make Herb Butter Magic: Create a flavorful spread or cooking fat by mixing finely chopped herbs with softened butter. You can then refrigerate or freeze this mixture for later use.
• Infuse Oils for Extra Flavor: Infuse oils with the essence of your favorite herbs by adding them to the oil and letting them sit for a few days before straining.
• Dried vs. Fresh: A Rule of Thumb: If you're substituting dried herbs for fresh, use about 1/3 the amount, as dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor.

My Personal Tip:

• Taste, Taste, Taste!: When adding herbs to your dishes, do so gradually, tasting as you go. This is the best way to achieve the perfect flavor balance and make your dishes truly sing.

I believe that everyone can experience the joy of gardening, even on a small scale. Growing your own herbs is a fantastic way to connect with nature, enhance your cooking, and bring a little bit of freshness into your life. So, let's get those herb gardens started! potted herb garden! It's a fun and informative look at how easy it can be to get started. Stay tuned for that post – it's packed with practical tips and inspiration!

PS: If you do not want to grow herbs, we have a wonderful collection of paper herb crafts to add to your kitchen decoration. ;-)

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