Caring for an Italian Herb Garden
There is an unlimited amount of potentials when you start your own Italian herb garden. Italy is the source of some of the most popular and most delicious herbs in the world. Some of the best cuisines come from Italy and are famous in part for their herbs.
Many Italian recipes use basil, one of the most popular Italian herbs in the world. Basil will not only add flavor to many Italian cuisines, it is also useful in the garden to other plants. Planting basil next to your peppers and tomatoes will actually improve their flavor. Basil is also an insect repellent that will help your Italian herb garden.
Parsley is a relatively hard herb to grow in an Italian herb garden but it is very useful in both Italian and other types of cuisines. Many generations ago before there were breath mints, it was found that eating fresh, raw parsley after a meal eradicated the bad breath left over from enjoying a flavorful cuisine. It became a common tradition to serve parsley on a small dish after every meal. This practice of using parsley as a garnish on a variety of meals lives on to this day.
Besides being flavorful, oregano is also ornamental. When it fully matures, it produces pretty little purple flowers. Oregano should be harvested after it blooms because this is when the plant is at its best.
Fennel seeds are popular for spicing up the aroma of Italian sausages. The interesting thing about fennel is that the plant loses its flavor as it matures. It is a perennial plant that should be divided and replanted in an Italian herb garden every few years to savor its flavor.
Like basil, rosemary is an Italian herb that is beneficial to the garden. It grows into a big shrub that sprouts pretty little blue flowers. It attracts bees, which in turn helps the Italian herb garden. Although known for being a tough evergreen, it is quite sensitive to frost.
Garlic is probably the most widely-used herb in Italian cuisine. An Italian herb garden is not complete without this very useful herb. Garlic cloves will thrive in any type of soil even with very little attention. They can be preserved by freezing or by making them into pickles.
Sage is used in a variety of Italian dishes from meats to salads. New shoots of the plant contain the most flavor so it is recommended not to let sage plants to get to woody by keeping them trim. New shoots will be encouraged to grow. The best time to harvest sage is after it has fully bloomed.
There are different kinds of herbs you can include in an Italian herb garden but you have to carefully choose what you will actually use. You need to determine whether or not you can provide the conditions necessary to grow these plants.
Italian herbs should be considered as more than something that just improves the flavor of food. They also make amazing additions to landscape designs. They are widely used for their color and aroma. By planting Italian herbs amongst other plants, you will be graced with the sweet aromas straight from Italy. Having an Italian herb garden will be like taking a stroll on a Italian hill side.
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