Fall is soup season, roast season, Thanksgiving season, and basically … herb season.
Homegrown herbs are like all other things grown in your home garden: better. They taste better and add a whole new dimension to dishes lacking that special something.
This season I have the below list growing. Here are my tips for each, plus my favorite ways to use them!
Oregano
- Prefers full sun and light watering.
- Use in pizza sauce, on flatbread, in salads.
Parsley
- Parsley is OK in the partial sun outside, or in a sunny window. I like the flat-leaf variety.
- Use on pasta, grilled veggies, or in a chimichurri sauce.
Tarragon
- Tarragon is on the easy side of growing. Likes partial shade, and no fertilizer. Needs good drainage.
- Use tarragon in your turkey brine, on grilled fish, or in a creamy salad dressing.
Lemon balm
- Lemon balm grows best in full sun and can be divided to be shared.
- Use lemon balm in tea for a major anti-anxiety effect, in lemon tea cookies, or in a chicken marinade.
Thyme
- Thyme likes sandy soil and likes to spread out, so plant in a large pot or with space around it.
- Use thyme to season pot roast, on an omelet, or in homemade crackers.
Rosemary
- Rosemary grows best in all-day sun in loamy soil. It can grow as a perennial if you place it somewhere the roots won’t be disturbed.
- Use rosemary in biscuits and bread, on steak with sea salt, or in risotto.
On drying herbs
There are three easy ways to dry herbs: a dehydrator, in the oven, or hung to dry in a dark and cool place.
Dehydrators and ovens are less my favorite because they extract some of the essential oils as they extract moisture. When you hang-dry herbs it takes longer, but the herbs taste more flavorful. Just be careful to not bundle them too tightly, as they can mold.