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August 03 2010
Posted in
Portland -
Grow it - Portland
I am the first to admit that despite loving freshly grown produce, I just cannot grow it myself. I always manage to kill almost everything I try to grow—whether it be a houseplant or a tomato plant. My urban living situation in Portland the last few years (in apartments with no yards), has not given me much of an opportunity improve my gardening skills, either.
But this year, I set out to grow my own fresh herbs—ingredients that I love to use in my cooking. I wanted fresh basil for caprese salad and pesto, rosemary for roasted potatoes and thyme for my barbecue salmon (get the recipe here).
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| Photo: Flickr |
Determined to giving herb gardening a shot, despite the many difficulties I’d have to surmount (growing the herbs in planter boxes by the kitchen window, not having any idea what I was doing…), I decided to make a list of the 5 best reasons to grow your own herbs to help keep me motivated on the task at hand:
1. Herbs add big flavor to almost anything
Herbs are beautiful, aromatic and flavorful – they scent your kitchen (if you grow them inside like I do) and they are perfect for adding great flavor to your meals without extra salt or fat.
Adding a few different herbs to a simple chicken dish makes it a whole new meal, and adding them to your roasted veggies or potatoes can be a new adventure on a nightly basis.
2. You’ll always have fresh herbs at your fingertips – One of the best benefits of growing your own herbs is always having them accessible for your cooking.
When you have your own herb garden growing right outside – or in my case, inside – your door, you will always have the right ingredients waiting for your dinnertime recipe. They also provide endless inspiration for new recipes and help my creative cooking juices flow.
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| Photo: Flic |
4. It’s cheaper – Let’s face it—fresh herbs can be expensive when you purchase them individually at the grocery store every time you need them. And many local grocers don’t always stock all the herbs you’re looking for, which just makes life that much more inconvenient.
When the herbs are right there in the kitchen, you’ll never have to make a last-minute run to the store.
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| Photo: Flickr |
There is always something new to learn, whether it be a new gardening technique, a different recipe or a new and use for your herbs. I learned a lot during the process, and although my success was limited, I’m still glad I gave it my best shot.
Got more good reasons to grow your own herbs? My favorite so far is that having fresh herbs around (and smelling them) gave me lots of creative inspiration for new dinners on nights I was feeling blah and uninspired.
Learn more about growing your own herbs in a great article in the Oregonian called Easy Steps for Growing Your Own Herbs.
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