Raise Your Garden

Rub herbs between your fingers to release the essential oils in your dishes.Instead of using dried herbs in a recipe, substitute your fresh ones from your garden at three or four times the amount. Remember: dried herbs get added toward the beginning of a longer cooked dish, fresh herbs always get added to the end. Go crazy, substitute marjoram for oregano, savory instead of thyme, cilantro instead of parsley, anise instead of ... Read More »

Wash herbs right before using and pat dry with a paper towel. Keep herbs in the fridge by wrapping them in a loose paper towel and storing them in a ziplock bag filled with air. Try to use before 5 days or they will lose flavor. Heat usually kills the flavor of fresh herbs so try to add it to the end of the dish when cooking or on top as a garnish. Remember that casserole dish? Add a pop of green on top to make your dish more ... Read More »

When you water your container pots, the water not absorbed by the soil mix works its way down to the base of the container. For healthy roots, this excess water must be gotten rid of or the roots will decay. Translation? Bu-bye plant. It was nice knowing you. Most containers do have a hole at the bottom, but if yours doesn't, you'll need to make one. The pot I bought from Wegmans didn't have one, so my husband got to use his power drill. A good ... Read More »

Containers gardeners in cold-winter climates (like Buffalo, NY!) can move plants to a protected indoor location until the following spring. So before you plant your rosemary, thyme or sage plants, consider planting them in a pot that can be taken inside to extend your use of those fresh herbs.  ... Read More »