53°F
weather icon Mostly Clear

Make use of an herb garden for now and later

Spring has sprung! For your culinary enjoyment you don’t get more bang for the buck than planting an herb garden. Have you seen how expensive a little bundle of fresh basil or dill is at the grocery store? It’s crazy!

For the same price you can buy a live plant and enjoy a continuous harvest throughout the growing season and dried or frozen herbs all winter.

Even more economical than buying plants is starting your herb garden from seed. Lots of herbs happily grow from seed; basil, chives, dill and parsley to mention a few. I start mine in egg cartons.

Find some gardening buddies and share seed packets or seedlings to increase the variety of plants in your garden. Seed packets have a “best by” date on them but seeds will last for years beyond that date.

The germination rate will decrease slightly as time goes by but you can just sow a few extra seeds to make up for the difference. Many herbs are so happy to grow from seed they will self sow saving you time and money in the future. I personally had parsley self seed with such enthusiasm it was quite literally in every bed in my garden. Luckily, I like parsley. If you find yourself with an enthusiastic plant just snip off the flower heads before they set seed. Or better yet, share your abundance with friends.

What to do with all those fresh herbs, you ask? Make chimichurri. This classic Argentinean green sauce is used to accompany grilled steak but it’s also great with chicken, pork, on vegetables or as a marinade for meat. It’s so simple to make; take 3-6 cloves of garlic and a couple of tablespoons of onion and place in a food processor or blender and pulse until finely chopped. Add 2 cups of fresh parsley and/or cilantro, 1/2 cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar and whir it all up. Finish with salt and a dash of hot sauce to taste. Beautiful!

Got basil? Make pesto! Take 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup pine nuts or substitute other ground nuts like pecans, walnuts or almonds, 1/2 cup olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and whir it up in a blender. Perfect over pasta.

Need more reasons to plant herbs? Just imagine a soothing herbal tea or relaxing in a warm bath infused with rosemary or mint. Of course the best reason to plant an herb garden is just for the fun of it. Spring planting will reward you all year long. Now, let’s go play in the dirt.

Frugal Family Fun contributed by Patti Diamond from Divas On A Dime™ – Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! www.divasonadime.com Join us on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
How an injured and abandoned dog in Pahrump overcame the odds

A stray dog that was homeless, hospitalized and facing euthanasia earlier this month is now on the mend thanks to several in the community who helped raise thousands for its life-saving care.

End of an era: 50-year-old Beatty business closing

Owner Jane Cottonwood, who made ribbons, trophies and awards for organizations all over the country, plans to retire and close her shop at the end of February.

PHOTOS: How Pahrump helped dozens facing homelessness

Every three months, the Community Crisis Intervention Committee puts together the Homeless Wraparound, quarterly happenings geared specifically toward serving those experiencing homelessness in Pahrump.

PHOTOS: Wild horses come home for the holidays

The wild horse herds that were removed from the Pahrump Valley earlier this year are finally home, and just in time for Christmas. Here’s how the community came together and made it happen.

Community Christmas Dinner set for Dec. 23

Christmas is just around the corner and it’s all hands on deck for the Pahrump Holiday Task Force as the nonprofit prepares to celebrate the season with the entire community.

A night of cookies with Santa

This past Saturday, the valley was invited to enjoy some cookies with Santa and dozens of families turned out for an evening filled with festive fun.

Like Santa? Like Cookies? This PDOP event is for you

Pahrump Disability Outreach Program will be helping families get into the holiday spirit with an all-new, free community event: Cookies with Santa.