Herb Gardening - Margaret Ullrich

I once attended a class held by David Hanson of Sage Garden Herbs.  

Along with the information, David gave everyone some rosemary and thyme cuttings.  I babied the cuttings in a small jar of water on my kitchen windowsill, potted them and they smell wonderful.  

I also enjoy using fresh rosemary and thyme in my cooking.  

Now, before you "poo pooh" herbs as a hobby-type thing, price fresh herbs at your local market.  Sure, they sell in small boxes for a couple of bucks.  

Do the math.  They cost roughly forty dollars a pound.  

If you really want to bring home the food budget bacon, grow herbs.  They'll give you more bang for the buck than tomatoes.

  

You know that by August you'll have a glut of tomatoes and zucchini.  By September you'll be sick of eating them.  You won't be alone.  Last summer my husband and I went to Morden for a day trip.  There, by the tourist information booth like a basket of unwanted kittens, was a box of zucchini, free for the taking.  And tomatoes can go for less than a buck a pound.  

But fresh herbs, like a GIC, are a safe investment.  They never crash and they give a steady return.

They are also compact.  

One of the annoyances about getting older is downsizing.  A smaller place is easier to keep clean, but often doesn't come with a large garden.  A variety of herbs can easily be grown on a shelf under grow lights or by a sunny window all year round.  

Just put the plants on a layer of pebbles on an old cookie tray and add water for a little extra moisture when the heating is going.