I like to cook with fresh herb plants. Don’t you? Not only do they taste great, they smell wonderful too! It’s easy to use fresh herbs too. You can always lop off what you need and add to the rest of your ingredients for a fresh flavor you’ll love.

But what do you do when it is winter and fresh herbs are few and far between?

Try freezing as a fresh alternative to drying your herbs because it is a simpler and better way to keep your herbs fresh. Just grow the herb plants, snip your herbs and put them in a freezer bag. You don’t have to do anything special to prepare your herb plants for freezing, other than rinsing them. If they’re not packed too tightly, you can crumble the frozen herb plants in your hands before you open the freezer bag.

If you do want them measured before you freeze your herbs, you can dice them up and freeze your herbs in ice trays. Once you dice the herb plants, put a tablespoon of herb plants into the ice cube tray compartments and cover with water. Put these cubes into the freezer bags and later, when you are ready toss a few cubes into your soups, stews and other dishes.

If you want to try freezing herbs, these are some good ones to start with:

• Basil: Remove the foliage from the stem just before the flowers of your basil when you are ready to harvest your herbs and dry your herbs. Put the dried foliage into a freezer bag so that you can make use of them later on. If you do not have much time, just take the leaves and put them into a freezer bag and stick your herbs in your freezer to keep your herbs fresh. You can even put them in a container and cover them with oil, which will bring out the taste. You can keep your herbs like this for several months.

• Parsley: Do not keep this fantastic plant as just another ornamental garnish.  Parsley will work well in almost any Italian dish. Nobody appreciates parsley for it’s positive attributes. It cannot help it if the other Italian herbs (like oregano, basil and garlic) have stronger, more memorable tastes.  Parsley works hard to help other herbs taste better. Sprinkle some crushed parsley into your pot along with your other ingredients and your it will enhance the flavors of the other herbs. I generally take the leaves and put your herbs into a freezer bag, put the bags on the shelf of my freezer and then put a box of vegetables on top of my bagsto freeze your herbs flat. When you’re ready to use them, just crunch the bag up in your hand and they’re instantly chopped.

• French Tarragon: Harvest sprigs of this fabulous herb throughout the summer months, but stop in late summer so that you don’t damage the plant. Fresh leaves are better than frozen, but in the middle of winter, I’ll take anything. Add your herbs to your chicken or fish meals. French tarragon also goes well with cream sauces, vinegars and mustards.

Do not forget to write the name of the herb on the freezer bag so that when you pull your herbs out of the freezer you will know what it is.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Italian Herb Garden. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

Isn’t basil one of your favorite herb plants? A meal can’t possibly be considered Italian if there isn’t any basil in it. It’s one of the best herbs to start with because it’s not complicated to grow, a cinch to harvest and it smells awesome too.

You will see basil all over Greek, French and Italian menus, but this small herb that could is native to the tropical Pacific islands. I don’t know what twist of chance brought it to Europe, but what a lovely twist it was. In my opinion, the best basil meal is a scrumptous pesto, which is a green sauce made from a whole lot of chopped basil mixed with olive oil. Wonderful!

Just some of the many varieties of basil that you can select from are:

• Sweet Basil: This is the most typical type used in recipes. The leaves are glossy in appearance and they have a full basil taste.
• Lettuce-Leaf Basil: This type of basil has wide leaves and a milder flavor. There are a number of types of this leaf type, such as Mammoth, Napoletano and Green Ruffles.
• Bush Basil: Tiny Leaf Purple, Bush, Piccolo Fine Verde, Spicy Globe and Green Bouquet are just a few of the many types of this smaller basil which is great for edging.
• Lemon Basil: This lemon scented type has short, small leaves. You can use the leaves in vinegar, fruit salad, fish and poultry dishes and herbal tea.
• Purple Basil: It’s no shocker that purple basil has wide purple leaves and delicate pink flowers. This type is best in vinegars and Greek dinners.
• Thai Basil: This type, which is native to Thailand (of course), has long, narrow leaves. It also has a slight licorice taste that adds extra flavor to Thai and Indian dinners.

Starting with seeds is a good way to get going with basil, but you can also purchase your plant from the nursery, greenhouse or home improvement store. Regardless of how you start, your herbs should grow to about 20 inches high as long as they have plenty of sun and well-drained soil.

I pinch back the white blossoms that can start showing up during the summer. I do it because I could care less about the flowers; I want the one to 2 inch leaves. When you cut off the flowers, you get a fuller herb with more leaves.

Harvesting your basil is as easy as one, 2, three: simply cut the stem just before the flowers, pick off the leaves and dry them. Once they are dry you will put them in a freezer bag to store them. If truth be told, you don’t have to dry them, they will go immediately into your freezer. You can even put them in a container and cover them with olive oil, which will release all their taste. Your herbs will keep for several months this way.

Raising basil indoors is not something that I recommend, even though it can be done. My attempt at wintering basil several years ago wasn’t successful. It really needs about 5 hours of direct natural light a day with moist sod to grow and succeed. I just didn’t have the right amount of sunlight in my kitchen.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Italian Herb Garden. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

The rich delights of fine Italian cuisine is enjoyed everywhere in the world. The colorful array of flavors that excites the pallet can be largely attributed to the refined blend of herbs that has been grown by this fine nation for centuries in herb gardens.

Almost everyone prepares Italian cuisine at home for their families and many grows the plants in their own garden to keep at hand a fresh and flavorful supply for preparing these wonderful meals. If you wish to start this fine hobby for yourself, this is a list of the 7 most used herbs to assure a complete authentic Italian herb garden.

1. Garlic is probably the most used herb to be grown in the garden and is the basic ingredient in many Italian dishes. One thing is certain, a garden that doesn’t grow garlic cannot be considered an Italian garden. This herb can be planted and will thrive requiring very little attention. Once harvested, they can be frozen or pickled and stored in the refrigerator for later use.

2. Basil is among the most commonly used herb. Its distinctive flavor is the soul of Italian cuisine and it also offer certain benefits to the garden itself. This herb repels flies and mosquitoes in the garden and, if planted nearby, will improve the taste of tomatoes and peppers.

3. Another herb that is widely used to garnish many dishes is parsley and can be eaten fresh and raw. An interesting fact about this herb is that it has the quality of absorbing the odors of ones breath after a tasty meal. This tradition is quite old and is still being practiced nowadays.

4. Oregano is a decorative and has a very distinctive flavor that is strong enough to hold its own in any meal. The herb will deliver the most flavor when harvested only once lovely small purple flowers start to sprout. Be patient, it is definitively worth the wait.

5. Sage is a herb that graces many different Italian recipes ranging from salads to meats. It is strongly advised to keep the plants well trimmed when growing this herb for the new shoots are the most flavorful part of the plant. You should harvest the sage plants only after they have bloomed.

6. Rosemary is a perennial plant that forms a rather big shrub that sprouts beautiful blue flowers. This plant is valuable in the garden for its ability to attract bees, thus keeping them away from other plants. Keep in mind though that rosemary is easily affected by frost.

7. Fennel is used when making Italian sausages that adds a distinctive exciting flavor to the palette. This perennial plant must be divided and replanted every 2-3 years because once the fennel plant has reached maturity there is a noticeable loss of flavor.

With these herbs growing in your Italian herb garden you’ll be able to use fresh basil when preparing a tomato based Italian meal or oregano with fried foods and grilled meats. Sage has a peppery flavor that is magnificent with meat dishes, Italian salads and dressings. It will also be a welcomed addition to stuffing for poultry, pork, lamb or seafood.

Of course there are many other herbs that can be added to the garden that are used for Italian dishes but these 7 herbs described above is a great start and will be sufficient for a large variety of recipes. Of course, you can balance them to your particular taste and needs. Be sure to consider the growing needs of each herb you plant.

When herbs comes to mind one of the first thoughts is Italian food. An Italian herb garden would need to be abundant to support all the possible dishes that come with Italian cooking. Once fresh cut herbs are used with this fare, there will be no turning back. Just imagine dishes such as lasagna, spaghetti, and more steaming with the scent of herbs to delight the discriminating nose. Some herbs for an Italian garden would be basil, fennel, oregano, parsley, and rosemary.

Basil is a hardy plant which needs to be started indoors. It can be left indoors permanently as long as it gets about 16 hours of sun. Sun lamps can provide this. Once basil has grown to several inches it can be planted outdoors. Choosing a sunny location with good drainage helps foster growth. As a natural repellent it may be planted along with pepper plants and tomatoes. This helps keep some pests at bay. An Italian herb garden with basil will need to be tended for long lasting growth. Once flowering takes hold the plant loses flavor. Prune the flowers and basil will become bushy and abundant.

Fennel has a dual purpose. It not only adds flavor but it also helps with digestion. That distinct flavor in Italian sausage is fennel. An Italian herb garden requires fennel. The main thing to remember is that it would be best to grow in a windy area. This shakes off the pests. Fennel starts from seed and is a perennial. Easy fennel is the balance for challenging parsley.

Seeds for parsley require soaking in warm water. The next day they can be planted outdoors in a garden or pot. The root is long and needs the space to grow properly. If parsley is grown indoors it requires about five hours of sun. To keep parsley hardy from year to year remove the flower stem at first sight in the spring.

Oregano grows with gusto. It will take over a garden so careful planning must be used for the Italian herb garden. It is popular as one of the most often used herbs in Italian dishes. This plant can be started from seeds but is often started with shared cuttings from farmers. Oregano is not ready to be used until it has flowered.

Rosemary is a perennial and grows into a shrub. It is a strong plant which likes the sun. Indoor preparation from seeds will take about five months. Sun lamps are best to allow for the need for a lot of sun. Rosemary can then be transplanted to pots or gardens. They do best with moderate, not saturating, watering. The flowers can also be eaten and make attractive garnishes. Bees love rosemary.

There are many more Italian herbs for you to consider.  These are just a small sample of some of the most popular ones and would be a great choice to start an Italian herb garden.

Interested in starting your own Italian herb garden?  Italian herbs can add spice and flavor to any meal.  All of your favorite spices including basil, garlic, parsley and chervil are considered Italian spices and commonly appear in every pasta or pizza dish you order.

One of the newest trends in cooking is for chef’s to maintain their own Italian herb garden.

The advantages in this are not only economic but also related to flavor.  The chef knows that freshly picked Italian herbs are far more satisfying and tasty than store-bought seasoning.  They may also enjoy having more control over all the factors in the growing process.  They feel personally responsible for the plant and producing a fresh herb, and therefore can feel better about the quality of their cooking.

Secrets you need to know

What are some well protected secrets about an Italian herb garden?  Gardeners suggest that you should not pick all of the leaves at once.  Instead, you might try picking a few at a time and give the plant a chance to steadily re-grow.

In fact, plants increase in size and produce every time you pick the leaves.

No doubt you’ll want to protect your garden from the threat of pests, so try marking off the area.  Furthermore, be careful about pesticides and the threat of invasive weeds.  Some chefs find that growing herbs in a pot is far more effective, since they can control the temperature and humidity (they simply bring the plant inside) and can also protect it from outside threats.

Another option to consider for growing an Italian herb garden is buying a kit, which can provide everything you need from the pot, to the pre-seeded pods, rich soil, and the plant itself.  In general, you want pots that are 8-10 inches.  You want to give each plant enough room to grow in its roots, but also allow for sufficient drainage and adequate watering.  Be sure your garden gets plenty of sunlight (or at least fluorescent light) at least six hours a day (or as recommended in the instructions).

Instructions to Herb Kits

The actual instructions you work by will differ with each type of herb.  For example, rosemary grows consistently as long as it has sunlight and well-irrigated soil.  Rosemary is sensitive to overwatering.  On the other hand, sage requires a more ideal environment, one well-sunlit and with good moisture.

Sage plants also need to be re-planted (using the cuttings) every few years otherwise they become too thick.  Parsley grows best in full sunlight with minimal shade, whereas oregano requires plenty of sun and excellent drainage.  Oregano also produces many leaves, more than the usual, so you will only need a few plants to get started.

Regardless of what herb you choose to grow, the secret to growing a successful Italian herb garden is in the amount of care you give to each plant.  Kits, super-formulas and various tidbits on how to pick the leaves are all secondary to the nurturing you give your garden.  For more information on growing Italian herbs, talk to your local nursery.