Herb Time

A few weeks back I took some herbs/veggies from momma’s garden.  She has a rockin’ garden every year.  I have never been a big herb/veggie fan, however recently I have been trying to cook different meals and use different spices/herbs that I am not familiar with.  After getting the plants from momma, I decided that I wanted some inside and some outside.  I wanted to put three of the most common herbs inside on my bar.  I found some mason jars, also at my momma’s, and thought they would make cute pots.

 

I have been trying to get the plants to look good before taking my pictures, however my inside plants are still pitiful!

This is my basil, garlic chives, and thyme.  They have doubled in size since bringing them home.

I also spray painted an old pot, also from mom’s, yellow.  Here we have my tomatoes, more garlic chives, and peppers. 

The inside plants, bless their hearts, still look terrible.  I am not sure what is going on with them.  I water them, move the from the bar to the window for sunlight, and even talk to them…yet the still are not doing well…I’m thinking the mason jar, as cute as they are, do not make good pots.

Another plant project I have been working on is my chives.  Did you know that you can put chives in water and they will grow?  I bought these chives almost four weeks ago and they are still growing and green and I have used them almost every meal since I bought them.  I LOVE chives and am so excited to find that they will continue to grow in water without soil…and they grow FAST!!!  I have found a few tips on growing chives that I wanted to share…

First thing, less water the better.  I found that the chives will start to rot if you put them in too much water.  I keep just enough water in the jar to cover the white part of the chives.

It seems to me that the more I cut and use, the faster they grow. 

CLEAN.  I have found that if you take the time to keep you chives clean the better.  I wash the jar and the chives, every couple of days.

As I wash the chives off in the sink, I pull the outer layer off and wash out the slime.  The chives start to get a slime build up on the outside and in the roots, so I have found a fast rinse really helps.

Look how pretty and shinny they look after a quick wash. 

The roots have to be trimmed as well, they will start to get so long that you will need to trim them back. 

I am so excited to have fresh herbs to cook with.  I love seasons and spices, but what I never realized is how much better they are fresh.  They seem to be easy, for the most part, to grow and they bring a nice green to your kitchen. 

 

I will continue to nurse my baby herbs and hopefully they will soon make a turn for the better!