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Fresh Herbs All Year Make for Great Entertaining
Turkey salad with fresh tarragon, crostini spread with homemade pesto and a refreshing mint mojito on a hot summer day. What do these things have in common? Fresh herbs. Whether cooking for a family, entertaining friends after work, or having a romantic cocktail with that special someone, fresh herbs can be the difference between ordinary and extraordi- nary. Fresh herbs can take cooking and entertaining to the next level. This goes way beyond adding oregano to your spaghetti sauce. Did you know you can save money, time and waste of produce if you grow your own fresh herbs, right there on your kitchen window- sill?
Basil and parsley are two of the most common herbs grown in kitchens. This is because these herbs have a wonderful scent, are relatively easy to grow and are very common ingredients in both winter and summer dishes. Other popular herbs include dill, cilantro, chives, rosemary, oregano, thyme, mint and sage.
One note on mint - this herb spreads quickly and can become unmanageable in the yard. But mint does extremely well in containers - just make certain you keep the container separate from your other herbs. With only a window ledge and very little effort, you can
Area News Group
Hudson Litchfield News
April 27, 2012 Page 14
have fresh herbs at your fingertips. To get started growing herbs indoors, try these helpful hints: * Location is key. Herbs like sun, so make certain your
window area receives plenty of good light - preferably from the south. Stem herbs like oregano and thyme will send out new growth toward the sun, so also plan to rotate the pots to keep the plants growing tall. You might consider setting up a grow lamp to give your herbs additional light - especially in the winter months when the daylight hours are shorter and less intense. * Grow those tiny seeds. Getting your herb garden started
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leaves. But if you do notice dead leaves on branches, trim those away to allow for new plant growth. As your herbs grow along your window sill, don’t forget to plan delicious recipes using these fresh ingredients - recipes that will delight the palate and impress your friends. Consider some of the following ideas for incorporating fresh herbs into your meals: * Make your own pizza. Spread olive oil or sauce
might seem like a monumental task, but the Miracle-Gro Culinary Herb Garden makes this process so much easier. Plant the handy seed disks - choose three from basil, chives, cilantro, dill and thyme - directly into the mini Gro-Bag, which contains Miracle-Gro Potting Mix. Keep the soil damp and your herbs will thrive. You can also try the Culinary Herb Kit to grow a single herb plant. Simply pour the nutrient-enriched potting mix - which comes in the kit - into the bamboo pot and plant the seed disk. Both kits come with recipes on the back, or visit
www.groyourown.com for additional recipes. * Water maintenance. As your plants develop, prevent
over watering by allowing the soil to dry to the touch. When watering, use enough moisture to see water pooling near the container drain holes. * Trimming and upkeep. If you use your herbs frequently, you probably won’t need to trim off any dead branches or
Deer- continued from page 13
about $1 billion a year in damage to farms, gardens, yards and timber.” “We know that deer will eat more than 500 different types of plants, so there’s a good chance that something you’ve planted will appeal to them, and you can bet they’ll eat it,” Ecsedy says.
Since deer need to consume a high volume of calories to
survive - bucks weighing 125 to 250 pounds need 4,000 to 6,000 calories per day - their foraging can cause significant damage to suburban landscapes. Deer seldom travel alone, so a small herd can devastate a neighborhood quickly. Deer’s close proximity to people over the course of time has dulled their natural fear, so it’s quite common to see multiple deer nonchalantly noshing away - right outside your window. Deer’s adaptability stems from their capacity to learn.
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Homeowners can defend their landscape by putting deer’s natural learning ability to good use. Deter- rents that convince the deer your yard is no longer a desirable dining destination can successfully protect your home envi- ronment from these foraging foes. Several methods can be effective in de- terring deer, including the use of repellents like all-natural Bobbex Deer Repellent. Common solutions include: * Deer Repellent - Deer rely heavily on their sense of smell to assess the desirabil- ity of an area for feeding, and to alert them to danger. Disrupting their sense of smell can disrupt their sense of security, which is
why scent-based repel- lents often prove effec- tive. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station gave Bobbex a 93 percent protec- tion index - second only to a fence, at 100 percent, for effective- ness. The repellent uses ingredients that blend the scents of putrescent eggs, garlic, fish, clove oil and other proteins, so it smells and tastes awful to deer. It’s en- vironmentally friendly and safe for animals and your family. Apply it in almost
any weather, it dries clear, won’t wash off after heavy rain or burn plants and grass. Bobbex Deer Repel- lent is available online at www.homedepot.
com and in garden retail stores. To learn more, visit www.
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* Deer Deterrent Devices - Motion-activated noise mak- ers and lights can scare deer off for a short time. Deer’s movement in the yard can acti- vate motion lights at night, scar- ing them away, during the day you can use motion-activated sound. It’s likely, however, that deer will become acclimated to both tactics over time, and the sound and motion might not have an effect on them. * Deer Fence - Fencing is considered the only surefire way to keep deer out of a garden, but keep in mind that deer have been known to jump 10-foot fences, and many com- munities restrict the height of fencing. You may not be able to put up a fence high enough to keep deer away - plus, fencing might not be practical and can be costly.
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* Deer Re- sistant Flowers - Another option is to grow plants that deer don’t like. A hungry deer will eat just about anything, but you may have some success by planting deer-resistant flowers and plants like catmint, hellebore, yarrow, fuzzy lamb’s ear, and cleome near the plants you want to protect.
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over pizza crust, then top with fresh veggies and chopped up basil, rosemary, thyme and oregano. A little cheese and you’re ready to bake. * Pesto is a great basil-based sauce, and when made, freezes well so you can have a delicious din- ner all winter long. * Decorate soups - both out of a can and home- made - with parsley, chives or to emit a bit of spice, cilantro. * Add a couple basil leaves to a sandwich for some unexpected zip. * Give salads a slight peppery taste by tossing the lettuce with cilantro, mint and chives.
* Freshen your drinks with crushed mint. It will give your lemonade or iced tea a surprising kick and make your mint julep even tastier.
* Can some pickles using fresh dill. * Develop rubs for chicken and pork using dill or sage. * Make a fresh bouquet garni by tying together assorted fresh herbs with thread. Then just drop into soups, stews or roasting meats. * Don’t forget, herbs aren’t just for cooking. Give an herb in a painted pot as a hostess gift or use an herb topiary as a centerpiece to add interest to any gathering. The options are endless, and as you browse through your recipe collection, you won’t have to look far for the season- ing ingredients, since these are growing on your windowsill. - ARA Content
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