Growing and Cooking Herbs 101

Now that spring has arrived you may be thinking about you home garden. One of the things I love to do in the spring is plant fresh herbs. I usually start them in the house and then move them to the outside. The trick is to keep them away from the wildlife. I try to use a selection of planters that I place on my porch where the deer and bunnies are less likely to visit thanks to my dog Pearl.

Planting herbs in the garden is fun but I tend not to use those plants for cooking. Herbs that I plant in the garden make great outdoor aromatics. And by that I mean if you are roaming though the yard you can reach down rub a bit on your hands. I like to do this while I work outside or while I enjoy a beverage in my favorite lawn chair. Fresh lemon Balm or the smell of pineapple sage accompanying you on your walk around the yard really adds to the scent of the spring and summer air.

Jamie Oliver has a great video that breaks down herbs and how to use them in food.

And HGTV has a great video of how to grow your own herbs on a porch or in a kitchen.