Sunday 10 July 2016

Herbs in Pots

Pots, pots, pots.... so now hooked on food gardening, how to fit many varieties into a small rental space.....???..... POTS!  and HERBS!
How to afford pots when on a limited income?...... discarded pots, and swapped herbs.
"One person's trash, is the next person's treasure!"

So planning - how to feed the hungry man/child with pots and herbs?
Well, spaghetti bolognese is nothing without sage, basil,  rosemary, oregano and thyme.

Starting with Basil, purchased at ALDI for $3.99, the plant has flourished so well it not only went into  Spag Bog, but it has been split several times and given to friends and colleagues.  Enough basil has grown for it to be harvested and used as pesto for my contributions to work morning teas - saving money - and making me very popular for bringing organic, home grown food without those nasty preservatives :-)




PIZZA THYME - also great in roasts, and baked fish.


Oregano


Sage - also good as a tea to help clear bronchial infections.  http://teasense.com.au/


Rosemary - a slow grower, but good in sooooo many dishes!  The plant grows in many, many public places in Melbourne - roundabouts, nature strips, public parks - but people pay $3 for a tiny bunch wrapped in plastic at the supermarkets!  It only costs about $3 to buy a plant, and it cares for itself.  Easy to propagate - just take a cutting, dip in honey and plant.  :-)

Herbs for Health - a talk from Sarah Cowell, and put on at Hawthorn Library by the local council brought great enlightenment on how these herbs enrich our immunity and help treat common minor ailments.  The sage tea works for me!

Below - Flat Parsley is amazing - grows rapidly and is fabulous for Tabouli, and the man/child loves it.  The couscous fills him up, and the cost is next to nix!




Below - Curley parsley as a condiment.......



Next money saving plant - Chocolate mint!
I haven't bought a packet of tea since i got this plant :-)  One or two leaves in a teacup - bit of hot water and voila!  It is sooooooo delicious!  Again - it grows rapidly, so easy to propagate - keep in a pot because it will overgrow any land.




New additions to the potted garden, and so new learning journeys ahead include Pineapple Sage,  Fever few, Sorrel, Thai Basil, Vietnamese mint and Apple Mint.  Perhaps if you have recipes for these herbs, you can leave them in the comments below.

CAUTION - I am told that anyone on medications needs to be aware that herbs can interfere with certain medications - so look into it before experimenting.

The aromas that come with herbs, fill the kitchen and enrich our lives, are very much appreciated.

2 comments:

  1. Cath, your enthusiasm jumps off the page!
    How could anyone not want to grow herbs in pots after reading your post.

    ReplyDelete