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Herbs easy to grow T
here’s nothing like a few fresh herbs to give extra flavour to summer salads or other dishes and the good news is, you don’t have to be an expert gardener to grow them. The most popular herbs are common sage, parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, mint, dill, lavender, basil, tarragon and garlic. Parlsey is one of the most versatile and is full of vitamin C, iodine, iron and magnesium and can be used in most savoury dishes like soup, casseroles, salads and with fish. It aids digestion, relieves gas and is a diuretic. Sage came from the Middle East and was traded in the olden days. It is rich in vitamins K and A and helps digestion, but can also be used for cleaning teeth! There are around 700 varieties of sage and it’s best used fresh. Rosemary is another versatile herb to have in the garden. It is a native of the Mediterranean and good for memory. Bees love rosemary so you’ll be doing your thing to help halt the declining bee population if you plant a few seedlings. Rosemary is a stimulant and rosemary oil is valued for boosting hair growth and mental activity, and reducing pain. Thyme, native to most parts of Europe, likes a dry, welldrained position. It makes good ground cover and can be used in seasoning, especially for poultry. Pam Whiteford, of the Ashburton Herb Group, says herbs don’t need a garden bed, just sun and free-draining soil to get established. They are easy to grow in pots or any container as long as they don’t dry out, or you don’t over-water them. She says if you choose to use containers, then use a good quality potting mix and add water crystals.
When harvesting, snip leaves back to healthy buds, to promote growth. Pick parsley from around the outside of the plants. Pam says mint should be planted in a container, as it spreads rapidly, and basil should be planted after the frosts are finished or in a glasshouse or on window sills. “Most herbs will grow in Mid Canterbury, and they grow best in a sheltered sunny spot.” The Ashburton Herb Group meets on the first Wednesday of the month at Grace Presbyterian Church, 63 Princes Street, at 1.45pm. Come along if you want to have an abundant harvest at your back door over the warmer months.
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