Growing, Harvesting and Drying Stevia

Three years ago, I had never heard of stevia. My first experience with it was in the form of cuttings in the greenhouse. I opened the bag and read the tag, "Stevia? What the heck is this?" My co-worker informed me that it was an herb for sweetening. What?!  I ate a leaf off one of the cuttings (we do that from time to time at work, eat the plants. Got to see if they are worth selling!) and was hooked. I jumped in with both feet.

As with all new things I grow, I never do it right the first time. (Must have something to do with that jumping in with both feet). My original plan was to use the leaves to brew sun tea because that's what my co-worker told me they were good for. Didn't bother to do any actual research myself. Here's the thing: I don't like sun tea. Even when I used chai tea, didn't like it. So I grew 2 plants that first season (badly, wrong place) and used basically none of it.

In the meantime, I found Stevia sweetner in the store. Fell in love with it for my morning tea. I have blood sugar issues so I try to say away from sugar and the fact that stevia has a glycemic index of ZERO speaks volumes for it. No other sweetener can say that. And it's natural. 

So I tried again. Planted it in a better spot and did some research. It is a South American plant that likes heat and dryer conditions (yay drier conditions! I can so do that!). And while you can use the leaves throughout the season for iced tea and lemonade, the sweetest leaves don't come until after a frost. Seriously, it's like this plant was made for me!

The hardest part actually was timing the harvest. As you know, weather in the midwest is unpredictable. It can be 70 one day and 20 the next with a major snowstorm on the way. While the leaves gets sweeter after the first light frost, a hard frost will damage the plants. It's needs the cold to get the sweetest leaves, but too cold and your plant is garbage. You can see where timing can be difficult!

Last year, which was the first year I harvested in the fall, I battled the cold to go out and pull those plants up. I had to pick and choose among the damaged leaves to get enough to harvest. Even with that small amount, however, I was able to get enough dried stevia to last about 2 or 3 months. 

Considering that a success, I planted two stevia plants this year. I pretty much ignored them throughout the season except for watering the garden as a whole and pinching back the tips once or twice while I was fiddling with the basil. Pinching back the tips is probably the most important thing to do throughout the season. You don't want the plant to flower before the frost because flowering takes away from the sweetness. Fortunately, stevia is a slow-growing plant and a pinch or two is all it takes to make for a nice full plant and push flowering into the fall past harvest time. 

I believe my stevia may have stayed out in the garden for two or three, possibly four frosts. Honestly, our weather has been so crazy here in Minnesota I can't be sure. It is planted close to my house on the south side so it fared very well despite my neglect. Of the two plants I lost one branch, but no matter, I still had plenty!

Because stevia is not hardy in this area, I just pulled those plants up, roots and all, shook off the dirt and brought them in the house. And then stood there wondering just how I was going to get all these leaves off the stems. Flashback to last year's hunt and pick mission made me tired before I even started. Fortunately, the quality of this year's crop was far superior. I was able to simply hold each stem with one hand and strip off the leaves with the other. It actually went rather quickly. The whole pile took about a half hour or less. In the end, I had a bowl full of stevia leaves and a rather small pile of stems which went into the composter. 

I then ran the leaves through the salad spinner to rinse and dry them. Then, I spread them on paper towels to absorb any extra water. Next step, actually drying the leaves. Every site I've ever read indicates that drying stevia in the sun is the best but in the words of Sweet Brown: Ain't nobody got time for that. Truer words were never spoken particularly when living in Minnesota. It's fall. I had to wait for a frost. The sun might be out, it might not. Chances are it's windy as all hell and it's just bye-bye stevia!

So no, there will be no drying in the sun for my stevia. The oven works just fine (a dehydrator is great if you have one, which I don't). After Googling "how to dry stevia" it seems the consensus for oven temperature is about 140 degrees F. Yeah, my oven doesn't go that low so 170F it was. Normally, it takes about 20 minutes or so to dry a batch but I was drying cranberries at the same time so it took about 40-50 minutes per batch.

Mostly, the process was incredibly passive so although the whole process took about 6-7 hours, it really wasn't a lot of work. I lined two cookie sheets with parchment paper, spread a single layer of leaves on each, put them in the oven and set the timer. The first batch was the most labor intensive since I checked on it several times to see how dry it was. After that, all I did was dump the dry leaves into a bowl, spread another layer of leaves, shove them in the oven, set the timer and go about my business. 

As I dumped the dried leaves in the bowl I kind of smashed them up with a meat tenderizer mallet (I have had this handy little kitchen utensil for decades and never once used it for it's intended purpose. Maybe someday...). Because I plan on putting the dry leaves in a tea strainer, I don't want them too fine. I have pulverized them with a mortar and pestle to get a fine powder. However, if you have a large batch you could run them through a coffer or herb grinder. Maybe even a spin in the food processor would work. Even still, you can see how the leaves crumbled pretty fine. 

The leaves on top weren't quite as dry as they should have been. No matter. I left the bowl on the counter overnight and by the next day they were crumbly as well. Seriously, I love passive projects. While the time involved may be long, my involvement is pretty limited. Works for me!

Once the leaves were all dry and pulverized to my satisfaction, I poured the powder into jars. You can use any air tight container or storage bags. This was just what I had on hand. I was so proud of the amount of stevia that I got! This should last me certainly through the winter. It's also given me a new appreciation for the cost of processed stevia I buy from the store. It takes a lot of leaves to fill that little 4 ounce bottle! For as much as I use stevia in my tea, growing and drying my own is certainly worth the effort, especially when my effort is so minimal.

Epilogue: See that bowl up there? Yeah, I decided to make popcorn one night. Since the bowl only held dried leaves I didn't feel that it warranted a complete washing so just wiped it out with paper towels before dumping in my popcorn. Best. Lazy. Move. Ever. If, like me, you like the salty-sweet taste of kettle corn, this is a great non-sugar alternative. Loved it. Tried it out again a few days later by sprinkling the actual leaves onto my popcorn. Yep. Loved it. But don't over do it. A little goes a long way. I've found that when I use too much stevia in anything, it tastes bitter rather than sweet.

Next: The laziness continues! Tomato sauce the easy way.
 

Freezing Herbs: Parsley and Chives

Previously, I wrote about how easy it is to freeze basil and my love of all things easy. And freezing basil is pretty easy but not quite as easy as freezing parsley and chives. 

In the past, I have treated my parsley the same as my basil by giving it a rough chop in the food processor and freezing it with water in ice cube trays. I was pleased with the results and had lots of parsley all winter long for the many soups I made (I have a soup obsession). And, I did do a small batch of parsley cubes earlier this summer.

However, I also bought some parsley on sale at the grocery store in May. A lot of parsley actually. The store got me on a 2 for 1 deal. I thought, why not? I need it for this recipe and I love parsley (the flat-leaf Italian parsley, much better than the curly stuff you find sometimes on your plate at restaurants). It'll get used up. Except that it didn't. I am ashamed to say that I told my daughter to feed it to the worms (I have a worm composter in the pantry, they are adorable!). She looked at it and said, "Really? It seems fine." And it did seem fine, but I didn't have any time to deal with it. I told her to put it a freezer bag and toss it in the freezer. 

Just harvested parsley on the left, parlsey frozen in May on the right.

I pulled it out a couple of weeks ago and it still seemed just fine. Perhaps a darker shade of green but certainly acceptable for soup, pasta or sauces. So when I had all the herbs in the house, pre-frost, I thought, why can't I do all my parsley like that? Certainly easier and besides, all my ice cube trays are tied up with the basil. So I did. Along with my chives, which my kids, strangely, adore. You haven't lived until you've snuggled on the couch with a 9 year old who's been chomping on chives outside all day. Seriously. He thinks this is a great snack. Pungent!

You will need:

• fresh parsley
• fresh chives
• salad spinner (or colander and paper towels)
• freezer bags or containers

Because the stems are as flavorful as the leaves and not a problem in soups which will likely be the bulk of my use, I didn't bother to remove the parsley leaves from the stems. If need be, it will be just as easy to cut the leaves from the stems as I use them. So into the salad spinner they went and under a cold water rinse. I advise shaking the colander around quite a bit to completely rinse the parsley and also to find any hidden surprises like this little lovely gem I found. Since parsley is a fairly low growing herbs the chances are greater that you may find a weed or two hiding in your edibles. 

You will follow the same process for the chives. Throw out any yellow or dry stems and check for weeds. Those things are sneaky, I tell you. 

Once rinsed, give those herbs a good spin in the salad spinner. Since they won't be preserved in water, get them nice and dry. If you are using a colander and paper towels, letting the herbs sit for while before putting them in bags will accomplish the same thing. I did love how the spinner clumped the chives together, though. Talk about making my life easy!

Next step, stick those herbs in a freezer bad or container. I personally prefer to use freezer bags because I can get them really air-tight. You could also use vacuum-sealed bags for this as well. Then when you need either parsley or chives, pull out those bags and simply cut off the herbs that you need with a kitchen scissors or knife and put the rest back in the freezer.

Recap:

You will need:

• Fresh parsley
• Fresh chives
• Salad spinner (or colander and paper towels)
• freezer bags or container

1.  Rinse herbs under cold water, remove any yellow, dry leaves and weeds.
2. Spin dry or leave to drain colander for 1/2 hour or more.
3. Put in freezer bags or containers and put in the freezer.

That's it! It really couldn't be any easier and you have close to fresh-tasting herbs all winter. Just remember that using these herbs frozen will be like using fresh rather than dry so adjust your recipes accordingly if need be. 

Next: What to do with all that zucchini!

 

Freezing Herbs: Basil

Basil is one of my absolute favorite herbs. Every year, I plant way too many plants and eat not nearly enough of it. Until this year! I finally managed to figure out the Basil Botheration!

The trick to basil is to harvest often. At least weekly, if not more. Then there is no need for more plants because the plants themselves will just get thicker and bushier and make more actual basil to eat. The rule with basil, as with most herbs, is don't worry, we'll make more!

Still I ended up planting about 9 plants (3 types of basil, split into 3 plantings each) which was closer to what I need but next year I will stick to a total of 6 plants (2 types, 3 plantings each). This gave me plenty to harvest starting almost immediately and I was able to rotate plants and not have to worry too much about plants bolting. Bolting is bad, very bad, with basil which is why frequent harvesting is so necessary. When basil starts to flower (bolting), the basil tastes bitter. So trim that basil back often, even if you're not eating it or freezing it. Don't worry about waste. Seriously, they make more. 

However, since I am so much smarter this year, I didn't trim and toss to prevent bolting as in previous years. No siree! I actually did something with that basil rather than waiting until close to frost to harvest what was left of my basil plants (not always the best quality basil) to try to freeze and make pesto. I don't even know what I was thinking. My yield was very low and I was out of basil by the beginning of November.

With all the eating that we did this summer, I only had to do 2 major harvests throughout the season and one right before frost. Not bad and not at all time consuming. Seriously, I'm lazy. Anything too complicated and I'm out. So I know of what I speak. Each batch took about a half hour or less to process. Most of the time involved is in the freezer and you're not needed for that part so you can go play. See? Easy!

What you will need:

• fresh basil
• ice cube trays
• food processor with chopping blade (or a sharp knife and mad chopping skills, which will increase the processing time)
• salad spinner or colander and paper towels

Obviously, the first step is to gather that lovely basil from the garden. Keep in mind that if you think you have too much basil, you probably don't. Once the leaves are removed from the stems and chopped, you will have roughly 1/3 the volume you have gathered in your arms. It takes a lot of basil to fill three ice cube trays and the time and energy to do one tray compared to three is about the same. Make it worth your while to pull out that food processor!

Remove leaves from stems and put in your colander or salad spinner. Discard any black, dry or generally icky leaves. I sometimes pull them off, sometimes I find a kitchen scissor is faster. Don't worry if you get some small stems in the mix. Rinse leaves under cold water and give them a good spin or use paper towels to dry them off. 

I know what you're thinking, if I'm going to freeze them in water, why do I have to dry them off? Excellent question! Because it makes the basil much easier to work with. If it's too wet those tiny pieces of basil are just going to stick to the food processor, to the ice trays and to your fingers. If you're anything like me, this is going to just irritate you to no end and make this easy process unpleasant and not so easy. 

In fact, with the Purple Ruffles basil there, I had to leave in the middle of the whole process to run kids somewhere. It sat for about 45 minutes before I got back to them and was very dry. So easy to work with! So if you don't have a spinner, draining them in the colander for about a half hour is another option. Not necessary but just for ease. If you're into that kind of thing. Which I am. 

Next, put the leaves into the food processor and pulse a few times. Don't just turn the food processor on because in a heartbeat you will have pesto and that's not what we're going for here. We just want a rough chop. I've never actually counted how many times I've hit the pulse button but I'd say around 6-12 times. It depends on how much basil you have in the bowl. Basically, you want it to look like this:

(Just a little side note about purple basil: I love it. Good flavor. Looks fantastic in caprese salad, in pasta, even in eggs. It does not make pretty pesto. Tastes great! Looks like baby poo. And then no one will eat it because of the poo resemblance and you will be sad. So just don't.) 

Once roughly chopped, scoop the leaves into the ice trays. I use a measuring spoon and try to get a tablespoon into each one. This, however, is not an exact science. While the measuring spoon is pretty good for scooping, the basil apparently does not like to be scooped. So each cube will be approximately one tablespoon, give or take a bit. I'm not much for measuring when I cook so this is fine with me. For the most part, you're not going to over-basil a dish so I suggest over-filling rather than under-filling. This will be like working with fresh basil so you are more likely to need tablespoons rather than teaspoons anyway. Slowly top the trays off with water. Be careful not to fill them too full or your basil will go floating away. 

This was my last fall harvest and I chopped down about 5 entire plants. As you can see, with all that basil I still wasn't able to manage to fill that last little ice cube up there! Tsk! So, really, when harvesting, more is better. 

Also, I cut the plants down the night before I had time to process them. They sat on the table for about 16 hours before I was able to get to them. They were a little wilted but perked up after the cold water rinse. See? You can do everything "wrong" and it still works out!

In regards to the ice cube trays, these are terrible! My freezer didn't come with trays so I had to go buy some. They are hard to find. Walmart, of course, had them. I had the choice of these at like $1.98 or some ridiculously low price or the complicated metal ones from the 70's at $15. I didn't know how this herb freezing thing was going to go so I went on the cheap. Mistake. I recommend getting some good quality ice trays if you don't already have some. 

Finally, stick those bad boys in the freezer. You don't want to leave them in the freezer too long as the water will evaporate eventually and expose more of the herbs and there is more chance of the herbs taking on flavors you would rather it did not. However, once again, I have left my trays untouched in the freezer for 2 weeks or so. They are fine. Once the cubes are frozen solid however, it's best to put them in a freezer bag or plastic storage container. 

Recap:
 
You will need: 

• fresh basil
• ice cube trays
• food processor with chopping blade (or a sharp knife and mad chopping skills, which will increase the processing time)
• salad spinner or colander and paper towels

1. Remove basil leaves from stems and rinse with cold water. 
2. Spin leaves in salad spinner or drain in colander and dry with paper towels.
3. Pulse leaves in food processor (or chop with a knife) to a rough chop.
4. Scoop basil into ice cube trays estimating each scoop at a generous tablespoon.
5. Slowly top off ice cube trays with water. Be careful not to overfill.
6. Place in the freezer until frozen.
7. Remove from trays and store in freezer bags or containers.

Voila! Homegrown basil all winter long!
This process works with pretty much any herb although is best for those you would use in sauces, soups or anywhere the bit of extra water won't ruin the recipe. 





Next:  Freezing Parsley and Chives. Even easier!

Growing Herbs: Edible Ornamentals

In addition to the plants traditionally grown as herbs, there are also a number of plants many gardeners grow as ornamental plants that are edible as well. Who doesn't like a plant that does double duty? The only caution is to make sure you are not eating any plants that you use any kind of pesticides on or fertilizers not suitable for edible plants. The following is not a comprehensive list of edible ornamental plants but includes some of the most common.

Edible Annuals

Marigold (Tagetes teniufolia, Tegetes signata)- While many cultivars of marigolds can be eaten, most are bitter and better left in the garden. The Gem hybrids (Lemon Gem and Orange Gem) are single flowered marigolds that add a citrus flavor to salads. Use the flowers fresh throughout the season as they don't dry or freeze well. 

Curry Plant (Helichrysum italicum) - This plant is generally grown for its striking silvery-gray foliage. It is not what is traditionally thought of as curry as that is a blend of several spices. However, this plant has a flavor reminiscent of curry and can be added to rice and vegetable dishes to give it a hint of curry-like flavor. It's also great to dry for use in potpourri. 

Nasturtium - Not only is this easy-to-grow annual gorgeous in the garden, but it's gorgeous in food as well. Use the flowers and leaves in salads, sandwiches or in dips. Make sure flowers are washed thoroughly to get rid of hiding insects. Too much nasturtium can cause stomach upset due to the high amount of mustard oil in the plant. However, more than an ounce a day would need to be eaten for problems to occur. The strong peppery-taste means a little goes a long way so the chances of overeating this plant is unlikely. Nasturtium is especially gorgeous when planted with Bright Lights or Rainbow Swiss Chard. Use these two plants together for a colorful and delicious salad. 

Perilla - Even Magilla Perilla, the very popular, gorgeously colored foliage plant is edible! The plant is commonly used in  Asian cuisine. Its leaves have a cinnamon-lemon flavor. Use them whole or chopped for garnish, in tempura or sushi. Use the flower spikes fresh in salads. 

Calendula - This is another easy-to-grow annual that's not too fussy about growing conditions and handles our cool weather. Known as "poor man's saffron", calendula flowers can be added to stews, pasta, rice and potatoes as well as cakes and muffins. Fresh calendula can be bitter but mellows with cooking. Petals can also be added to herbal teas. 

Edible Perennials

Bee Balm (Monarda) - This popular perennial is easy to grow and attracts bees, butterflies and if you're in the right area, hummingbirds. Use the leaves to make a minty, citrus-scented tea or add leaves to salads and summer beverages. Bee Balm, part of the mint family, can be used interchangeably with mint. 

Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii) - Catmint is another popular perennial in this region. It's a drought-tolerant plant with beautiful silver foliage and violet-blue flowers. Use the leaves to brew tea which is thought to reduce anxiety and induce sleep. It's also a good source of magnesium and manganese. Fresh leaves can also be used in soups, sauces, pasta and vegetable dishes. Use the youngest shoots chopped and sprinkled in salads. 

Rose - Both the flowers and the rose hips of this plant are edible although the best rose hips come from rosa rugosa plants. Rose hips are a great source of vitamin C. All roses are edible but the best for eating are those that don't need to be sprayed. If roses are being treated for insects or other diseases, do not eat. Rose petals can be sprinkled in salads or preserved in butter or vinegar. They can also be crystallized in sugar for gorgeous decorative edibles. Use both the flowers and rose hips in herbal teas. Use rose hips dried or fresh as a fruit or in preserves or desserts.

For a lot of gardener's, these plants are already in their gardens. How wonderful to discover that in addition to beautifying the garden, they can also beautify your food. 

Next week: My favorite annuals of 2010

Growing Herbs: Dill

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Dill is easily one of my very favorite herbs. I have, in fact, been accused of over-dilling food by my children on more than one occasion. Strangely though, I have no affinity for dill pickles. In addition to tasting great, smelling good and adding a pretty, airy texture to the garden, dill is incredibly easy to grow. It's listed as an annual here but is really a biennial. I haven't had dill reseed, but many people claim they've planted it once and never had to plant it again. At any rate, this is a must have herb for the garden. 

Growing and Harvesting Dill

The one downside to dill, particularly here on the plains of the windy Midwest, is that tall, wispy dill needs to be in a spot protected from strong winds. Other than that, dill isn't too fussy. Grow dill in full sun and average, well-drained soil. If you are also growing fennel, keep these two plants apart to prevent cross-pollination. If that happens, the seeds of each plant will lose their own unique flavor. 

Many varieties of dill grow anywhere from 2-5 feet tall so give it a place in the back of the garden. Those that get up to 5 feet tall may require staking. Compact varieties will still be 24-36 inches high. 

Use fresh dill leaves throughout the season. For the most flavorful dried dill, cut leafy stalks before flower heads appear. Dry stalks on drying racks in a cool location. When dry, separate leaves from the stalks and store in an airtight container. Fresh dill can also be frozen in ice cubes for use throughout the winter. 

Dill seed can be collected in the fall as it begins to fall from the seed heads. Remove the entire seed head and dry on a tray in the sun. When dry, seeds can be shaken from the seed heads and stored in an air-tight container. 

Using Dill

Of course we know dill is used in canning pickles but it's also excellent in egg salad and other egg dishes, on potatoes, in dressings, dips and on vegetables. My favorite is butter and dill on green beans. Divine! It's also great on carrots. Add dill to butter and bread mixes or use on fish. The seeds are commonly used for pickling or can be used as a substitute for the leaves. 

Allrecipes.com has an incredible collection of recipes featuring dill from dips to potatoes to fish to vegetables. I want to try them all!

Next week: Plants you may already be growing that are edible!

Growing Herbs: Mint

Image: Michelle Meiklejohn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There are many things you can say about mint. It's a great tasting and versatile herb to have in the kitchen. It's a fragrant plant to have in the garden. It makes a great ground cover. And...it's invasive. Tell a gardener that any plant they plan to put in the garden is mint and watch them drop it like a hot potato. Mint and many other plants in this family are notoriously invasive. So much so that there is invasive and then there is mint invasive. With a reputation like that, why in the world would any gardener want it? Well, for all the reasons listed ahead of invasive--great tasting herb and fantastic smelling garden plant. There are easy ways to keep this herb in check and enjoy it's great taste and fantastic fragrance. 

Growing and Harvesting Mint

Mint is perennial here in Minnesota and there are several different cultivars you can grow. The most common are peppermint (mentha piperita) which is hardy to zone 3 or Spearmint (mentha spicata) which is hardy to zone 4. Others include orange mint, applemint, gingermint and many others. My personal favorite is chocolate mint (zone 4 or 3 depending on the source) because it tastes and smells great and also has great ornamental qualities with dark veined foliage. 

Since mint's hardiness actually translates into extreme invasive-ness, what's a gardener to do? There are a couple of options. One, grow mint as a container plant which you then bring inside during the winter months. Fresh mint all year! I've used chocolate mint as a trailing ornamental in container combos (looks great with ruby red geraniums and other dark foliage). It did go wild and was all over the ground but didn't plant itself. This is because mint spreads by rhizomes which are shoots that come off of the roots. If the roots are contained, the plant will behave.

Which bring us to option two. I really don't recommend that you plant it in the garden unless you are prepared for it to take over. I read one comment by a gardener who threw it out in what she called the north 40 where she assumed it would die because of competition from other plants and lack of attention. She now has only mint back there. If you wish to grow mint as a perennial in the garden without the worry of it taking over everything, this can be easily done by planting the mint in a large bottomless container that is then planted in the garden with the edge of the container at least 3 inches above the soil. Control the roots, and you control the plant. 

Mint grows in full sun or partial shade and average soil. They are easily prone to dehydration and prefer moist soil. In addition to being a great herb for kitchen use, mint attracts bees and butterflies to the garden. However, mint tastes better before it flowers so you might want to plant some for yourself to keep pinched back and some for the pollinators that you let go to flower. 

Pinch leaves off throughout the season for fresh use. If your plant is spending the winter months outside, mint can be preserved in a variety of ways. Chopped leaves can be added to water to be frozen in ice cube trays or full stems will keep for several weeks in the freezer in zip top storage bags. Mint does very well dried. It can either be hung to dry or on drying racks. When completely dry, strip stems from leaves and store in an airtight container. 

Using Mint

What can't you use mint in? Use it in refreshing summer beverages such as lemonade, iced tea or mojitos (chocolate mint is a customer favorite in this drink). Add chopped leaves to butter for use on toast and crackers. For an easy and delicious dessert, add chopped fresh mint to softened ice cream. Refreeze for 30 minutes and serve. Divine! The leaves can also be brewed into tea which is known to soothe an upset stomach and promote sleep. I love this idea for mint ice cubes! I'm going to have those on hand all year. Check allrecipes.com for more mint recipes.

Next week:  Dill
 

Growing Herbs: Tarragon

Tarragon is one of many herbs that's perennial here in the Midwest (zones 3-7), growing up to 5 feet tall and up to 2 feet wide. Don't let it's large size fool you though! A little goes a long way as the sweet anise or licorice flavor can overwhelm dishes if too much is used. That said, tarragon is a drought resistant perennial with fine-leafed foliage that combines well with other perennials such as iris, daylilies and shrubs. Edible and beautiful!

Growing and Harvesting Tarragon

Because tarragon grows so large and is a full sun plant, it's not suitable for indoor container gardens. It can be grown outdoors in containers easily but would most likely need to be treated as an annual in this part of the country (tarragon is propagated by cuttings, plant some in your garden and take cuttings for your containers). I suggest finding a permanent spot in either your perennial bed or vegetable garden. 

For culinary purposes, make sure you are planting French tarragon (artemisia dracunculus) rather than Russian tarragon (artemisia drancunuloides) as the Russian tarragon is bitter and can become weedy. French Tarragon is propagated by cuttings or root divisions so if you find seed, it's the Russian variety. Pass on by!

Although tarragon will grow well in partial sun, for best flavor plant this herb in full sun. It needs fertile, well-drained soil and will benefit greatly from mulching in the fall for winter protection. 

Use fresh leaves throughout the season for use in the kitchen. At the end of the growing season, strip leaves from stems, chop and mix with water to freeze in ice cube trays. Whole stems can also be stored in airtight containers and frozen or preserved in vinegar. As with most herbs, tarragon's flavor is greatly diminished by drying, however, they are useful in a pinch. Hang stems upside down and strip leaves from stems when they are dry. Store in an airtight container. 

Using Tarragon

Tarragon, in addition to being a strong tasting herb, is one that's greatly enhanced by blending with other herbs. It's is one of the four herbs in the fines herbes blend along with chervil, chives and parsley (although some fines herbes blends may vary, sometimes including marjoram, thyme and other herbs). Tarragon is an excellent addition to herb butters or combined with mint for use in tea. It blends well with eggs, seafood, fruits, poultry, vegetables and is the main ingredient in Bearnaise sauce. Heat intensifies the flavor of tarragon, so in addition to being mindful of how much is used, it should be added at the end of the cooking process so as not to overwhelm the dish. 

My favorite tarragon dish is an easy dipping sauce for shrimp or fish. Combine 1/2  cup of mayonnaise, 2 tbs. of Dijon mustard and 2 tbs. of fresh, chopped tarragon. Unbelievably good and so easy! Other easy recipes include Orange Roughy and Vegetables and Tarragon Green Beans. See allrecipes.com for more recipes featuring tarragon. 

Next week: Mint. Invasive? Yes, but delicious...

 

Growing Herbs: Oregano

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Oregano is one of the more popular herbs grown in the garden. It's practically synonymous with Mediterranean cuisine including Italian, Greek and Spanish. This herb livens up a variety of dishes and is easy to grow. Oregano is often confused or used interchangeably with sweet marjoram since they are from the same botanical family of origanum. They do taste similar, however, oregano is more pungent while sweet marjoram is more delicate and well, sweeter. Each brings a unique flavor to dishes and deserves to be treated separately rather than interchangeably. When choosing plants, oregano will bear the name origanum vulgare while origanum majorana is sweet marjoram. 

Growing and Harvesting Oregano

Oregano is hardy to zone 5 which means that it's not hardy here in Minnesota. However, that means it's perfectly suited for container gardening to grow inside the house as well as out. My personal preference is definitely for  fresh oregano. Prior to trying this herb fresh, I just didn't care for it. This is something to keep in my mind when trying herbs. If you don't like it dried you may find fresh is a completely different experience. The opposite can be true as well. 

Oregano is easy to grow, preferring full sun and average, well-drained soil. It can be started from seed about 6 weeks before the last frost. It can also be propagated by cuttings or root divisions if you are growing as an indoor/outdoor perennial in a container. It's a low growing, mounding plant which makes it ideal for borders in the garden. It's mounding habit also makes it perfect for container combos as a filler plant. 

Oregano needs to be harvested before it flowers. Harvest throughout the season for fresh use once the plant is at least 4-5 inches tall. Stems can be cut back to the ground and will encourage a fuller plant and more oregano!

While oregano dries easily and preserves much of it's flavor, it's much better used fresh (in my opinion). The herb can be dried by hanging bunches of stems in a cool, well-ventilated space to dry. As always, oregano can be chopped and mixed with water to be frozen in ice cube trays for use throughout the winter. Oregano also preserves nicely in butter. Mix finely chopped leaves in softened butter for use on bread with Italian dishes. It will keep several weeks in the refrigerator. 

Using Oregano

Oregano is most commonly used in spaghetti sauces and on pizza. It's pungent flavor is perfect for these dishes. However, oregano can be used in any tomato-based dish as well as pasta and rice dishes, eggs, chili, salad dressings, vinegars, beans, chicken, mushrooms, peppers and zucchini. 

Easy recipes include baked chicken breasts seasoned with garlic and oregano or add fresh oregano to olive oil for bread dip. Check allrecipes.com for their collection of recipes featuring oregano.

Growing Herbs: Thyme

Not only is thyme a delicious and versatile herb in the kitchen, it's also a hardy, easy-to-grow perennial that is indispensable in the garden. Use creeping thyme in rock gardens, to edge pathways, under roses or any place you need a good ground cover. Taller, upright varieties work well in borders, herb gardens and containers. Beautiful and edible! That makes thyme a must have plant for the garden. 

Growing and Harvesting Thyme

Thyme is incredibly easy to grow so much so that it can be considered to grow itself. It prefers those hot, dry areas of the garden where other plants might suffer. Plant thyme in full sun and don't fertilize. This herb actually prefers poorer soils. 

With over 100 varieties of thyme to choose from there is bound to be a cultivar perfect for your garden. The most common types are creeping thyme, which makes an excellent ground cover, lemon thyme, which has a stronger lemon scent and common thyme, which is an upright variety. 

In addition to adding fantastic fragrance to the garden, thyme flowers in colors ranging from pink to purple and sometimes white. Once thyme has flowered, trim plants back by half to encourage new growth and to keep the plant from getting too woody. 
 
Because of our snow cover during the winter months, thyme planted in the garden is obviously unavailable for fresh use at that time. However, thyme propagates easily by cuttings. In the early summer, pot up cuttings to bring inside during the fall and to enjoy throughout the winter.

To harvest thyme, simply cut entire stems from the plant. If using as garnish or on the grill, leave stems intact. If using for seasoning, strip leaves from stems and add to dishes. 

Thyme can be dried by placing whole stems in paper bags. Once herb is dried, remove leaves and store in an air-tight container. Thyme can also be frozen by placing whole stems in zip top bags or frozen in ice cubes for use in soups and sauces. 

Using Thyme

There is almost no dish that can't be improved by thyme. It works well with any meat including wild game, vegetables, tomatoes, black, kidney or pinto beans, and potatoes. Lemon thyme works especially well with fish and vegetables while common thyme is perfect for beef and venison. Use it in soups, sauces or infuse vinegar and oil with thyme for use on salads. 

Check allrecipes.com for their collection of recipes featuring thyme. Food.com also has an enticing recipe for Oven-baked Pork Loin that looks delicious and easy. 

Next week: Oregano, you can't have Italian food--or pizza!--without it.

Growing Herbs: Sage

In addition to smelling and tasting great, sage has gorgeous foliage that works well in planter combos along with flowers. Foliage colors rage from gray-green to chartreuse to purple as well as several multicolored varieties. Sage is easy to grow and combines perfectly with rosemary and thyme (thusly, the song, I guess). 

The botanical name for sage is salvia and you will notice if you grow salvia varieties such as 'Black and Blue' or 'Hot Lips' that they, too, have that wonderful sage smell. However, these salvias we grow for their ornamental use don't have quite the flavor of salvia officinalis or common sage. 

Growing and Harvesting Sage

I've found conflicting information regarding the hardiness of this perennial herb. Some sources say zone 4, some say zone 5. I think it's safe to say that it's marginally hardy in this area. However, if you want fresh sage year round, it's best to plant it in a container that can be brought in for the winter. Sage will do very well in containers either alone or with companion plants. It's a woody perennial that is best replaced every 3 to 4 years whether overwintered in a container or in the garden (similar to rosemary). 

Sage can be grown from seed but you won't be able to harvest it the first year. A better solution is to purchase a plant from a reputable nursery or propagate from cuttings. Sage is a good companion plant for most other plants. Because it has similar water, sun and soil needs, it grows well with rosemary. Sage helps to repel the dreaded cabbage butterfly so plant or place near broccoli, kale and cabbage. 

Sage prefers full sun although can take a light shade. A good rule of thumb for our area where we don't have a lot of trouble with heat is to ensure this plant gets at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. Soil should be average fertility and well drained. This herb, similar to rosemary, will suffer if over-watered. The good news is, once established, it's drought tolerant. 

As with all herbs, fresh leaves are best. Pinch off flowers throughout the growing season to preserve flavor. Older leaves will have a stronger flavor than younger ones. When cutting leaves for use, never take more than a quarter of the foliage at one time. Because sage has such a strong flavor, a little goes a long way. 

Sage can be dried by hanging bunches of leaves in a cool, dark place. Once dried, strip leaves from stems and store in an airtight container. Fresh sage can also be frozen by removing stems, washing and drying leaves and putting in freezer bags. Alternately, sage can be chopped and mixed with water to be frozen in ice cube trays. 

Using Sage

Sage is almost synonymous with poultry, and more specifically, with stuffing. It also goes well with soups, stews, sausages, pork, ravioli, bean, cheese and tomato dishes. Sage is a great addition to turkey burgers along with apple sauce, savory, thyme and celery salt. Mix all ingredients in a bowl, form into patties and throw on the grill. Delish! Amounts are based on your tastes but I've found about a cup of apple sauce per pound of meat and more seasoning is better.

Check allrecipes.com for their collection of sage recipes. My favorites to try are the Turkey Scallopini and Squash Ravioli or the Parmesan Sage Pork Chops from Food.com


Next week: Thyme...to finish the song and also because it's a great looking perennial that tastes great, too!

Growing Herbs: Parsley

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Most people are familiar with the curly parsley many restaurants use as decorative garnish on dishes. Perhaps for this reason, it has become one of the most under-appreciated herbs. I know for myself, until I started actually cooking with fresh parsley, I didn't really see the value of it. While the curly variety is pretty and has a fresh, crisp flavor that complements many salads and sauces, Italian flat leaf parsley is more fragrant and less bitter. It also holds up to cooking better and is therefore well-suited to hot dishes. 

Parsley is the perfect complement to many dishes. It's mild flavor also blends well with other herbs such as chives, tarragon, rosemary, thyme and coriander. In addition, parsley is rich in vitamins A and C and is known to reduce inflammation, inhibit histamines and lower blood pressure among other nutritional and health benefits. 

Growing and Harvesting Parsley

Parsley can be grown in either full sun or partial shade. Soil should be well drained and have average to rich fertility. Parsley grows readily from seed yet prefers not to be transplanted. Plant seeds where you intend to grow them or if you plan to plant seeds earlier indoors, use peat pots that can be planted directly into soil to prevent transplant shock. 

As with most herbs, parsley grows well in containers and can be kept handy by the kitchen for easy use throughout the summer season. In the fall, the container can be brought in (parsley, while a biennial, is better treated as an annual due to bolting the second year. Also, it's not wholly hardy in our zone) for use through the winter months. With its compact foliage, parsley is an attractive addition to container combos and mixes easily and beautifully with flowering plants. Parsley is a good companion plant to many plants including tomatoes and roses.
 
Parsley is most flavorful when used fresh. Cut stems as needed throughout the growing season. Most often the leaves of the plant are used but the stems can be used as well in the same way. Stems are most useful in soups and sauces. 

Parsley can dried although it does not have nearly the flavor of fresh. Dried parsley should be used within a few months of drying while the leaves are still green. It can also be finely chopped, mixed with water and frozen in ice cube trays for use in cooking throughout the winter. Parsley can be frozen simply by storing clean, chopped parsley in zip top freezer bags. 

Uses for Parsley

Parsley is the perfect herb for egg dishes and also complements potatoes, salads, soups, vegetables, pasta, chicken and fish. Pesto is easy to make by blending 2 cups of Italian flat leaf parsley, 2/3 cup of olive oil, 1/4 cup of pine nuts, 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and 2 cloves of garlic in a blender. Pesto can be frozen and is delicious on pasta and breads. 

One of my favorite parsley recipes is asparagus gremolata. This simple dish bursts with flavor without over powering the asparagus. It's quickly become very popular in my family. See allrecipes.com for the their collection of parsley recipes for more ideas. 


Next week: Sage, beautiful, fragrant and delicious!

Growing Herbs: Basil

Arguably the most popular herb is basil. With over 40 varieties available, it's not hard to see why. Basil is part of the mint family (although it's not aggressive like mint) and has a strong flavor with hints of pepper, mint and clove. Some varieties such as lemon basil or cinnamon basil also have hints of their namesake flavors as well. Basil is useful in both savory and sweet dishes so is really indispensable in the kitchen. 

Notable Basil Varieties

With so many basil varieties, how does one choose? In my experience, any basil is a good basil, however, after trying several I do have my favorites. One is 'African Blue' basil. This is a large, vigorous growing basil with purple veined leaves. It also has gorgeous purple flowers which the bees love but once it flowers, it's inedible. I recommend getting one for ornamental use and one to eat. This basil has a fantastic aroma and amazing flavor--like sweet basil only more so. 

'Spicy Globe' basil is a bush basil which has a mounded habit and tiny leaves. The leaves can be plucked off and used whole. I love this variety with pizza with either tomato or alfredo sauce. As for it being spicy? Not any more than any other basil in this family. 

'Purple Ruffles' is a gorgeous deep purple color that looks great as an ornamental plant. Tuck this into your container gardens for contrast. You can still eat it! The taste is similar to other varieties of sweet basil although the way it looks in salads or with fresh tomatoes is stunning. 

Since the taste of sweet basil varieties is largely the same with minute differences and can be used all the same way, I suggest trying several varieties. Very quickly you will realize which ones you like. The best part? You really can't go wrong. 

Growing and Harvesting Basil

Basil is very frost sensitive so if you're starting from seed, you'll need to start them indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date. Basil grows very well in containers and will easily grow in a sunny window. Outdoors grow basil in full sun and well-drained soil. Basil is a good companion plant to tomatoes and peppers as its aroma deters insects. It's also said to increase the vigor of asparagus. If you have these plants in your garden consider planting the basil along with them. 

Basil needs to be pinched off regularly so it doesn't "bolt'. To bolt means that the plant goes from mainly leaves to mainly flowers and seeds. Once a plant bolts, it's no longer edible.  The leaves will be tough and bitter. Pinch off flower buds as soon as they appear. This will also force the plant to grow fuller. 

Throughout the growing season, harvest basil as needed by pinching off the newest tips. In the fall, be sure to harvest all edible stems before the first frost. Basil can be air-dried by hanging bundles of 3 to 5 stems in a warm, dark place for 2 to 4 weeks. If it takes to long to dry, mold can occur. Basil can also be dried in the oven on the lowest temperature. Place leaves in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake until basil is completely dry. Store dried basil in an airtight container. 

Basil can also be finely chopped, mixed with a bit of water and frozen into ice cubes for use in soups and sauces. Whole basil leaves can be frozen by washing leaves, spinning them dry, placing them between layers of paper towels and packing them in plastic storage bags to store in the freezer. The leaves will turn black but the flavor will remain. 

An easy way to preserve basil is to pack basil leaves into a sterile jar to within 1 inch of the top. Fill the jar with olive oil, cover the jar and store in the refrigerator. Leaves will remain green and can be used whole or chopped. 

 Uses for Basil

The easiest use for basil is with fresh tomatoes. Simply slice tomatoes, add a dash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, chopped fresh basil and salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer, add sliced fresh mozzarella for a true caprese salad.

Basil also makes great pesto which can be used for pasta, sandwich spreads and breads. Pesto is easy to make in a blender and can be stored in the freezer until needed. 

Tomatoes and basil complement each other very well. Use basil in any dish that features tomatoes such as marinara, pizza or chili. Basil is often used in dressings and vinegars. It also goes well with butter, cheese and breads as well as chicken, pork and many other foods. 

One of the most surprising ways to use basil is in ice cream. Remember basil is part of the mint family and yes, it does go well with ice cream. I don't say this lightly, I love my ice cream! Soften one pint of vanilla just enough to stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil (it shouldn't be soupy, more like soft-serve). Cover and freeze until firm. Delicious!

Another easy recipe is to take Italian bread spread with garlic butter and place whole basil leaves on the bread (African Blue is awesome here) and top with mozzarella cheese. Cook under broiler until cheese melts. Yum! We were fighting over this bread at work and if you were late to lunch? You missed out. Also check allrecipes.com for some great basil specific recipes. I'm particularly intrigued by the butter!

Next week, in time for Thanksgiving: Rosemary.

Container Gardening with Herbs

Herbs are incredibly easy to grow which makes them ideal for container gardens. They can be grown in individual pots or used in combo with other herbs or even flowers. They are especially nice when used in combination with flowers because of the great fragrance they bring to container gardens. In addition to their great fragrance and flavors, many herbs have insecticidal properties which make them ideal for companion planting either in containers or in the garden. 

Regardless of how gardeners choose to grow herbs, either in containers or in the ground, either outside or in, the question I get asked the most is: What do I do with them? 

It's possible that our short growing season in the Midwest has something to do with it. I also think the readily available dried herbs in the grocery store plays a part as well. Either way, we've lost touch with how to use and cook with fresh herbs. And fresh herbs are nothing like the dried stuff you buy in the store! Fresh herbs can take a dish from so-so to fantastic in a way that all the sauces and dried herbs in the world can't do. Many people think that cooking with fresh herbs is complicated but nothing could be further from the truth. Once you try a few recipes with fresh herbs you'll know how to add them to the dishes you already make. 

Starting tomorrow, I'll be running a weekly series on growing your own herbs, how to harvest them and how to preserve them. I'll even throw in a few recipes. Just in time for Thanksgiving! I'll also talk about some flowering plants that you may already grow in your garden that you can add to salads and other dishes for both presentation and flavor. 

Check back tomorrow to learn all about my favorite herb: Basil!