An herb is any plant whose leaves, stems, seeds or roots are useful as flavoring, as a scent or as medicine. Growing herbs is easy; they can be tucked into flowerbeds, vegetable gardens or pots, or they can have a garden area of their own – whatever suits you. Some common herbs are parsley, chives, dill, basil thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage, tarragon and mint. Herbs are easy to grow from seeds or starter plants. Herbs usually don’t have problems with insect pests or diseases. The most common problem with herbs, particularly when grown in pots indoors, is root rot caused by over-watering and poor light conditions. When cooking with herbs use your imagination and experiment to develop the interesting flavors they add to food. Use them in small quantities until you get to know their flavors; you can always add more. To get the fullest flavor from herbs, crush or chop them before using. Leaves should be finely chopped. A scissors works well for cutting fresh herbs. If you haven’t tried growing herbs – it is time to experiment.
