Sales of herbs are rising, driven by trends in health-conscious gardening, interest in global cuisines and the popularity of meal kits that often come with unfamiliar fresh ingredients.
It is very easy to raise herbs at home, and sowing now will yield not only summer harvests but also leaves with maximum flavour for drying in July and August. Plants of most herbs are widely sold, but seed is more economical where several plants are needed. Except for hybrids, seed can be collected for re-sowing.
Seed-raised herbs are especially easy and rewarding. Coriander, for example, grows swiftly in a sunny spot. Much used in Asian cuisine, coriander flowers quickly and seeds can be collected for winter use or to re-sow. Corianders “Cruiser” and “Santo” are slower to bolt than others. Successional sowings every few weeks will maintain a continuous supply. A 1m row is sufficient in most cases.
Some people with a particular gene find coriander distasteful, resembling soap, and favour basil or mint instead. Vietnamese coriander reportedly does not induce this reaction.
‘Hot and spicy’ oregano has an intense, peppery flavour (Photo: Nicola Stocken/RHS)Vietnamese coriander is a tender perennial, only available as plants, unrelated to true coriander. It has a similar flavour, but with more citrus notes. It is easy to grow in summer but must be brought indoors for winter.
Herbs grown from seed include basil, dill and parsley. Treat dill like coriander – it runs to seed rapidly. Dills “Domino” and “Delight” are slower to bolt and have good flavour and form. Parsley is a steadier herb, cropping for months from a spring sowing. A further sowing made in August will last the winter, flowering in spring. Flat-leaved forms are reportedly better-flavoured and more winter-hardy than curled types.
Basil is a little tender but grows well now until the frosts. There is a lot of choice: recommended ones include “Aroma 2” and “Salvo”, both hybrids that are less likely to bolt or succumb to disease; “Lemonade” and “Mrs Burns’ Lemon”, with hints of lemon; and red-leaved basil that adds colour and spice to salads. “Pluto” is attractively domed.
Chervil is an easy herb that has a hint of aniseed. It is a biennial grown as an annual – most people seem to prefer the curled form to the flat-leaved form.
For containers, add extra grit to the peat-free potting compost (Photo: Tim Sandall/RHS)Lovage is also a relatively overlooked herb with celery-flavoured leaves; it is invaluable for those who don’t grow celery or celeriac. It is perennial, so should survive winter and return in spring, although it can be short-lived.
Oregano (left) is also highly rewarding. A perennial, it loses its leaves in winter. Although it can be grown from seed, plants usually offer better quality. Look out for “Hot and Spicy”, a mound-forming grey-green leaved plant; sweet marjoram, a taller plant noted for a fine flavour; “French”, which is notably robust and mild-flavoured; and the smaller “Compactum”, which is a mere 15cm tall. Rich in pollen and nectar, oregano flowers are relished by insects.
Summer savory is used to flavour barbecues and bean dishes with its peppery and spicy flavour not unlike thyme. It is an annual and relishes warmth and light. Winter savory is a semi-evergreen small shrub with a similar but more pronounced, less subtle, flavour.
Grow herbs in any reasonable garden soil in full or partially shaded sun, ideally near the kitchen door so they are handy for the pot. For containers, add extra grit to the peat-free potting compost.The RHS is a charity inspiring everyone to grow via its research, advisory, outreach, shows and gardens. For more information, visit: rhs.org.uk
Hence then, the article about the best herbs to sow now for a summer of homegrown flavour was published today ( ) and is available on inews ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The best herbs to sow now for a summer of homegrown flavour )
Also on site :