Planting an Italian Herb Garden
There is an unlimited amount of possibilities in growing your own Italian herb garden. Some of the most famous and tastiest herbs in the world come from Italy. Italy is widely known for its best cuisines partly because of the herbs used in cooking.
Basil is a well know Italian herb and useful in many Italian recipes. Basil not only enhances the flavor of many Italian cuisines but also helps other plants in the garden. The flavor of peppers and tomatoes will greatly improve if they are planted right next to basil. Basil is also an insect repellent that will help your Italian herb garden.
Parsley is a relatively hard herb to grow in an Italian herb garden but it is very useful in both Italian and other types of cuisines. Many generations ago before there 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. It became a common practice to serve parsley on a small dish after every meal. This practice of using parsley as a garnish on a variety of meals lives on to this day.
Besides being flavorful, oregano is also used as decoration. When it is fully mature it will sprout pretty little purple flowers. Oregano should be harvested after it blooms because this is when the plant is tastiest.
Fennel is famous for its seeds that grace and enhance the flavors of Italian
sausage. The interesting thing about fennel is that the plant loses its flavor as it matures. It is a perennial plant that should be divided and replanted in an Italian herb garden every few years to savor its flavor.
Like basil, rosemary is an Italian herb that is beneficial to the garden. It grows into a big shrub that produces pretty little blue flowers. It attracts bees, which in turn helps the Italian herb garden. Although known for being a tough evergreen, it is extremely sensitive to frost.
Probably the most used herb in Italian cuisines is garlic. An Italian herb garden is not complete without this very versatile herb. Garlic gloves 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.
Sage is used to flavor a variety of Italian meat and salad dishes. 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. Young shoots will begin to sprout. The best time to harvest sage is after it has fully bloomed.
Although there are so many more herbs that can be included in an Italian herb garden, you really should consider which herbs you will use. You need to determine whether or not you can provide the conditions necessary to grow these plants.
Italian herbs should be considered as more than something that just improves the flavor of food. They also make amazing additions to landscape designs. They can be displayed for color and their aroma. By planting Italian herbs amongst other plants, you will be graced with the sweet aromas straight from Italy. Having an Italian herb gardenwill be just like strolling along an Italian hillside.
Buy Non-Hybrid Heirloom Seeds for healthy, good tasting, and continuous harvesting of your favorite herbs for many years to come.
For Food Storage Secrets for All you favorite herbs, click here.
