Herb Planting Time
I have been buying basil in my favorite Whole Foods market
all winter. A package of the hydroponic herb can last several weeks, sometimes
longer. It is one of my favorite spices. So now that the weather is hinting at
Spring, I am beginning to think of planting some in my garden.
I already have mint back there. It comes back every year. At
first I had planted mint in the ground but it spread so fast and so far that it
threatened to be the only thing growing in that space. I dug up as much as I
could and replanted it in a large pot, which gives me more than enough leaves
for my needs. I still get outcrops of mint where I least expect it but it is
manageable.
This year I think I will make an attempt to grow my own
basil outside. My friend’s neighbor, who owns an Italian restaurant, has a
virtual nursery of basil plants in pots outside his townhouse. It doesn’t seem
that hard to do. I would be in basil heaven to have so much of that herb
growing in my garden.
I am also thinking of planting cilantro, which I absolutely
love. Cilantro, like basil, has many uses – in sauces, salads, sprinkled into
soups. And the simplest of all is to add some to any kind of sandwich for a
distinctive lift.
Yes, I will plant herbs this Spring. I don’t need a whole
lot, just a bit. They are subtle tastes but their presence always makes me take
notice. I think they will be a good reminder to pay attention, to be in the
present while eating, a very Yogic concept. Maybe that little bit of herbal
awareness will generalize and spice up the rest of my day.
The basics of basil and other herbs -
definition, planting, harvesting, drying,and more:
http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/hortcult/herbs/ne208hrb.htm
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