Benefits of Growing Your Own Herb Garden

Here at The Culinary Herb, the focus is on the cooking side of culinary herbs. However, many of our readers enjoying growing their herbs as much as using them. For many of us herb gardeners, the acts of sowing, growing, harvesting and cooking with herbs are just facets of the entire herbal experience. There is absolutely nothing like having your own fresh herbs right outside your kitchen door. Ah, just smell that mint you just crushed in your fingers!

Here’s a look at the benefits of herb gardening.

The Benefits of Herb Gardening

There are many benefits of herb gardening. Although herbs, both fresh and dried, are available at the market it is not always convenient to pop out and get some just when you need them. How much better it is to have them growing on the windowsill or in the back yard or garden.

For centuries herbs have been used for different purposes such as in cooking or treating illness.

Before you plant your herb garden take into account these factors. Do you want perennials, biennials or annuals? Consider how much space you have - will you be growing them on the windowsill, back yard or garden? If you are using them for cooking which ones do you like? Do you simply want a fragrant herb garden. They are all things to be considered and the benefits of herb gardening are many.

Here are some of my favourite reasons for growing fresh herbs:

1. Adding an extra dimension to dinners - no more boring meals. Mint added to potatoes make them more delicious as does rosemary added to lamb. Cooking becomes far more interesting and you can get more adventurous with your meals. Simple dishes become a whole new meal with a bit of experimentation.

2. Herbs are good for you - they are a great way to increase your vitamin intake. Not only are herbs a health benefit in your food but gardening is a healthy exercise to undertake.

3. Readily available - No more need to rush out before the stores close as you have them available when you want them and in the quantity you want. You have fresh herbs right at your fingertips just when you want them.

4. Money saving - We all know that fresh herbs from the grocery store can be expensive when purchased individually. Even then they may not have the particular ones you want which means having to go a speciality store and having to pay even more for them. Once you have made the initial investment in your herb garden think of all the money you will save.

5. You have something to share - as you will have more than enough for your own needs you will still have plenty to share with family, friends and neighbors. Next time you get invited out for dinner you can bring a basket of fresh herb, you’ll never be short of invitations.

6. They make great gifts - dried, fresh herbs make a wonderful gift if you put them in a pretty jar.

7. A herb garden for children - it’s a great way for children to learn about gardening and nutrition. Most herbs are easy to grow and need little care. Children love to have their own patch in the garden and what better way to start than with herbs. As most children love pizza they can grow origami, parsley and basil and make their own pizza using their home grown herbs. They could even grow their own tomato plant and make their own tomato sauce for the pizza base.

8. Variety - there are so many different herbs you can grow that you are only limited by space and what you like to eat. Some sources say that there are over 150 varieties of basil. Parsley comes in many varieties with curly leaf and flat leaf being the most popular.

These are just some of the benefits of herb gardening plus you have the added benefit of growing a variety of your favourite herb that can’t be found in the local grocery store.

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