Take a look at that lovely terrace or balcony just outside your Vantage Pointe condo. Is it sitting there empty? As you're deciding how to make use of this great outdoor space, consider creating your own kitchen garden with pots. And, the easiest way to start is with herbs.
Most herbs are easy to grow, happy to get some sun, water, and a little food periodically. And, even if you don't spend a lot of time cooking, a pot filled with flat-leaf Italian parsley, some English thyme, spearmint, or--in the summer--basil can dress up a simple pasta dish or flavor a cocktail.
(photo courtesy of Fern Richardson)
Fern Richardson is a long-time writer who focuses on gardening for apartment and condo dwellers at the marvelous garden blog, Life on the Balcony. She offered several tips for novice herb container gardeners:
(photo courtesy of Fern Richardson)
A great way to use your herbs is to make a dry rub. Combine herbs like rosemary and sage or thyme with fresh cloves of garlic, sea salt, and red pepper flakes. Remove the leaves from the stems and chop the leaves, garlic cloves, sea salt and red pepper flakes together either by hand or in a food processor. Spread the mixture on a cookie sheet and leave it on the counter to air dry for a few days. Then put it in a jar and keep it in a dark, cool cupboard. Use the rub on meats, in olive oil to make a dipping oil for bread, or incorporate it in a vinaigrette.
Of course, before you go out and buy your pots and plants and create the garden, check the condo association's CC&Rs to find out if there are any restrictions for gardening in your outdoor space.
Most herbs are easy to grow, happy to get some sun, water, and a little food periodically. And, even if you don't spend a lot of time cooking, a pot filled with flat-leaf Italian parsley, some English thyme, spearmint, or--in the summer--basil can dress up a simple pasta dish or flavor a cocktail.
(photo courtesy of Fern Richardson)Fern Richardson is a long-time writer who focuses on gardening for apartment and condo dwellers at the marvelous garden blog, Life on the Balcony. She offered several tips for novice herb container gardeners:
- Grow the herbs that you like and will actually use. This seems obvious, but I'm often surprised when I talk to people who are growing a particular herb because someone told them a kitchen garden "should have that herb." There is no point in wasting valuable space on an herb you onever cook with.
- A great way to have a balcony garden that is both useful and beautiful is to combine herbs and flowers in the same pot. An easy formula to remember for combining plants is "thriller, spiller, filler." Basically, this means to pick on "show stopper" plan, one or more plants that flow over the side of the pot, and one or more plants that fill in the space between the thriller and spillers. Herbs make great filler plants.
- Most herbs really don't like being over watered in Southern California. That means protecting container-grown herbs during our winter rainy season, especially this year as we're expecting El Nino conditions. When rain is expected, bring your herbs inside. A bright window should hold them over until the sky clears up.
- If you're looking to expand your herb growing and cooking repertoire, a great way to branch out is to try unusual versions of plans you already like using and know how to grow. For example, if you like growing and cooking with basil, look for lemon basil, purple basil, or cinnamon basil (or any of the other hundreds of varieties!). It's a lot of fun to try out the different flavors and learn which grows best on your balcony.
(photo courtesy of Fern Richardson)A great way to use your herbs is to make a dry rub. Combine herbs like rosemary and sage or thyme with fresh cloves of garlic, sea salt, and red pepper flakes. Remove the leaves from the stems and chop the leaves, garlic cloves, sea salt and red pepper flakes together either by hand or in a food processor. Spread the mixture on a cookie sheet and leave it on the counter to air dry for a few days. Then put it in a jar and keep it in a dark, cool cupboard. Use the rub on meats, in olive oil to make a dipping oil for bread, or incorporate it in a vinaigrette.
Of course, before you go out and buy your pots and plants and create the garden, check the condo association's CC&Rs to find out if there are any restrictions for gardening in your outdoor space.
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