Kitchen Garden: Summer Herbs

Plenty of summer herbs need the heat of the sun to intensify their flavour.

Here Linda Ross lists her pick of the bunch.

 

Though they might start off small, most herbs develop quite large root balls and if they aren’t given room to grow.

 

Hard herbs, such as rosemary, oregano, marjoram, thyme, curry, sage and lemongrass, are perennial plants with woody stems. These herbs need the heat of the sun to intensify their fragrant oils and flavour builds when they lead a hard life, with not too much water or fertiliser to make things easy. A fortnightly application of seaweed extract and a sprinkling of controlled release fertiliser at the end of summer will help them grow strong and ensure that the plants are getting all the nutrients that they need. When growing in pots, choose large containers, and allow only one herb per pot. Though they might start off small, most develop quite large root balls and if they aren’t given room to grow, become stunted and disappointing.

 

Rosemary

Groundcover, prostrate or upright forms all enjoy hot, dry conditions and excellent drainage. Trim annually in autumn. Strip the needles from the woody stems before chopping and adding to recipes.

 

Bay

This forms a large shrub-tree if left unpruned so is best grown in a pot. Roots will go in search of water so check drainage holes regularly.

Oregano

This sun-hardy groundcover produces copious leaves. Choose Mexican oregano, with a citrusy note, or the sweet, peppery Mediterranean variety. Try oregano, salt, garlic, lemon juice and oil ‘pesto’ dolloped on steamed green beans.

 

Thyme

Regularly trim this sun-loving, low-profile groundcover to keep it healthy - and provide flavouring for grilled mushrooms, roast chicken, or the carrot salad on the next page.

 

Curry leaf

The curry leaf tree, Murraya koenigii, is closely related to the murraya we know as a hedge or tall shrub and is a good grower in Mediterranean and temperate climates.It’s best grown in a pot to prevent seedling and suckering. Add the aromatic leaves to curries.

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