Growing An Italian Herb Garden
Growing your own herbs in an Italian herb garden provides a huge amount of possibilities. Some of the most famous and tastiest herbs in the world come from Italy. And herbs have an important role at least in a small way to contributing to popular Italian dishes.
Basil is a well know Italian herb and useful in many Italian recipes. Basil will not only add flavor to many Italian cuisines, it is useful in the garden to other plants. Did you know that planting them beside tomatoes and peppers will improve their flavor?. Plus, basil will also repel flies and mosquitoes. Click here for more: herbs in italian
Parsley, while slightly harder to grow will find it’s way into many Italian recipes as well as other types of cuisine. Many generations ago before their were breath mints it was found that eating fresh, raw parsley after a meal eradicated the bad breath left over from enjoying a flavorful cuisine. The tradition arose to serve parsley on a small dish after the meal. That is why today many of us use parsley as a garnish to our food.
Oregano is as decorative as it is flavorful. When it is fully mature it will sprout pretty little purple flowers. Oregano should not be harvested until it has flowered because this is when the plant is most flavorful.
Next is Fennel. whose seeds enhance the zest of many a sauasage. Fennel, unlike Oregano, looses its essence with age. It is a perennial plant that should be divided and replanted every few years to savor its flavor. For more visit our blog: Herb Gardening Blog
Like basil, rosemary is an Italian herb that is beneficial to the garden. IT sprouts little blue flowers and grows into a large shrub. It also finds usefulness in attracting pollinating insects like bees. However, it is sensitive to sharp frosts even though it is a hardy evergreen perrenial.
Garlic is of course one of the most used herbs in Italian cusine. And no Italian herb garden would be complete without garlic. Garlic cloves can be planted and will thrive in just about any garden with very little attention. They can be stored to be used at a later time after they are harvested by freezing them or pickling them to store in the refrigerator.
Another herb used in Italian dishes from salads and meats is Sage. New shoots of the plant contain the most flavor so it is recommended not to let sage plants to get to woody by keeping them trim. Therefore, new shoots will be encouraged to grow. Sage can be harvested after it blooms.
While there are many more herbs that canbe put to good use in your Italian herb garden, it is important to think about which ones you will use. Think about the growing conditions each plant needs and consider whether or not you can provide them. So while Italian herbs are essential for cooking they also provide much more than just flavor. They also make amazing additions to landscape designs. They can be displayed for color and their aroma.
Plant them among other plants and think of them as bringing you the sights and aromas straight from Italy itself. It will be like taking a stroll on a Italian hill side. Click here for more: Herb Garden Information
