Forum Thermomix
Welcoming Center, Management and General Chat => Chit Chat => Topic started by: dede on January 09, 2011, 03:22:25 am
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Hi everyone, I was just wondering what would be the most common Herbs people use with there TM? I am starting a Herb garden and wondering which herbs people use the most. I have Parsley, Thyme, Oregano, Sage and Chives so far. What else would people recommend?
Thanks heaps in advance.
Mandi
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In addition to these I have basil, coriander and lemon grass in mine. I can't get sage, rosemary or chives to grow which is a shame as I love these.
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We have oregano, curly parsley, flat leaf parsley, basil, Rosemary, coriander and mint ( in a pot cos it will take over your garden). I'd like to put in some chillies, garlic, spring onions and chives too.
There is nothing more satisfying than getting fresh herbs from your own herb garden.
Good luck and enjoy it. ;D ;D ;D
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I find spring onions, oregano, marjoram, parsley, chives, coriander (if you can get one that doesn't want to bolt to seed), basil, rosemary & sage really useful herbs. Sue, I have chives coming up everywhere, can't stop it, the sage bush is years old and is a really beautiful shrub when the purple flowers are out and I pulled out all the rosemary bushes when I remodelled the garden because I can always find a shrub in someone's garden to pick off what I need as I don't use it all that often. Years ago I also bought a bay tree which is in a pot and can supply everyone I know with bay leaves. I hate it when one of my herbs has gone to seed and I have to buy the packets from the supermarkets - they are so expensive and don't weigh much. I had so much oregano this year that I dried heaps of it and put it in my Christmas hamper for DD2. A herb garden is such a wonderful thing to have, nothing more satisfying than picking only what you need and having it on tap. However, you must remember to water it ;)
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JD. I'm soo jealous. I'm not sure if the humidity, heat, our soil or what. The mint loves it. Some things grow great, and others just don't survive. I'm also one to plant and water and not fuss too much with soil chemistry. I have friends in the next suburb and their rosemary is great. My bay tree survived for several years and the we had a very dry, hot year and it didn't make it. Do you do anything special to tend to your herbs.
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I've put Dill in for the first time this year - I've never really used it much before but it has such a lovely fragrance and I've started experimenting a bit with it - so far I've put (small amounts) of it on just about everything! I've got oregano growing all over the place as well; once again, it's one I love crushing and smelling and use heaps in cooking. My bay tree is about 3 metres tall and I think I have driven everyone I know mad - literally giving away branches at a time!! All the usual suspects are there as well - thyme, rosemary, chives, garlic ... the earwigs have done serious damage to my parsley but I think it will win the battle as there a few plants that look as though they are fighting off the earwig invasion. I lost my mint in the winter, but one of my neighbours keeps me supplied and I'll plant up more next spring.
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Nothing special, everything has to be hardy to survive around here :-)) I water and fertilize regularly and it is essential to pick regularly too to ensure some herbs keep producing. I set up 2 herb gardens in different houses for DD - she was the one who didn't water them so naturally they fizzled out. I have more trouble growing mint than anything, some of it (all in a pot) has such a tiny leaf but the other lot this year is looking a bit healthier but just not a lot of it - maybe it needs to come out and be started again with a fresh lot, it is very old.
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I love having fresh herbs to just pick when you need them. At the moment I have parsley, greek oregano, mint, marjoram, chives, coriander (slow bolt - I get the seeds from www.greenharvest.com.au), basil (both the tree and soft leaf), rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon thyme, baytree and a curry leaf tree. I try and plant a few coriander seeds every three weeks to get a constant supply and the curry leaf tree, bay leaft, mint are in pots so that they don't take over the garden. Good luck!!!
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I can go to the local park and pick rosemary. I have parsley, basil, chilli, oregano and thyme growing. I want to get some sage too. They are the ones I use mainly. I don't like coriander so buy it if I have to use it.
DH has kindly built me a little vegie/herb garden raised above the ground. The beans and tomatoes are looking wonderful and we have heaps of zucchinni and apple cucumbers.
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i have had more success growing herbs directly in the ground than pots. i know you are not suppose to plant mint direct, but everytime i tried it in a pot i never had enough to use ever! so i have committed a crime and mint in the ground is doing great. ;)
same with the chives, they are doing really well.
i am lucky that i have them in a spot with retic, although sometimes a bit too much sun, so i have neglected them and they still survive.
i find it really satisfying when i think what shall i cook today and find i have all the ingredients as i can go to the herb garden and vege patch
good luck with your herb gardens, nicky :)
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I have rosemary, parsley, chives (my kids love eating chives straight from the garden), oregano (still going mad, need to dry some more), coriander, bay tree, basil. Think that's it at the moment in the herb garden. Heaps of chili's just coming through in vegie garden (yah as had to buy some the other week as had gone through last years freezer stash) and currently inundated with tomatoes, think I will have to do some sauce.
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Thanks Guys. I will be getting some more herbs this week. I have more of an idea what to look for now. I am expecting a very special delivery this week of my TM. I'm getting pretty excited. I have found some great recipes on this Forum and am ready and rearing to go.
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I have my herbs growing in self watering pots. Currently, growing a wall of lettuce, spinach, basil, dill, oregano, tarragon, thyme, coriander, parsley, bay leaves, sage, rosemary and cherry tomatoes. You have to rotate the hers according to the season you're in as some will go to seed at times. Sure saves me a heap rather than buying them from the fruit shop/supermarket!
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oooh yes spinach and lettuce are great ones. Last years spinach in the vegie garden lasted us the whole season (this years sadly got attacked before it got anywhere and dh (who is in charge of the garden) didn't replace it (he prefers to grow things we don't eat, lol). Lettuce is great - we've mostly been using the next door neighbours this year.
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Zan, I froze our tomatoes last year when we had a glut and have been using them all year to make BBQ sauce. DS (who is known as the fussy one!!) won't eat unless he has BBQ sauce to
drown dip it in. They aren't any good for eating but great in any sauces or cooked dishes. I just froze them whole in click seal bags. When I use them in the sauce recipe and chop them up, it comes out like tomato sorbet ;D ;D
Off the top of my head, I have growing - 4 different types of mint, rosemary, kale, flat and curly parsley, sage, lemon thyme, oregano,3 different types of basil, thyme, marjoram, chives, garlic chives, coriander, curry leaf, mushroom herb, celery herb, dill...
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oooh Kathryn what a great idea. I'll be freezing some I'm sure. Great for pasta sauces I imagine.
LOL don't tell my kids you have garlic chives growing, we don't have any this year and it's their favourite (once again back to dh not planting what we eat, lol, but there are always lots of chili's growing).
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I just hacked my chilli bush right back about 3 months ago (so much so I thought I might have killed it lol) BUT it has now gone mad and is just full of big red chilli's ;D ;D ;D
If you need to skin your tomatoes, the skins just slide straight off them when they are frozen. I take them off as the fussy one reacts somewhat to salicalytes (?sp) and really shouldn't be having the sauce at all - but one battle at a time :-)) :-))
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I totally forgot to add my chillies, garlic chives and spring onions, not to mention my lemon and lime trees- yes, even in Melbourne, we can grow limes! I cant remember the last time I had to buy herbs or lemons etc.
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lol I didn't add my fruit tree's thought I had added enough!
We have limes, figs, lemons, mandarin, oranges, peaches, granny smith and pink lady apples growing - would love to have more but are running out of room :o
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I am growing in self watering pots tomatoes, basil, coriander (haven't had much luck with will buy more and hope for the best) green and red chillies which I found out you could freeze these, how long do you think they will last frozen? I also have a lemon and seedless orange tree which I am still waiting for fruit.
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Yvette with the coriander just move it to a cooler spot for the summer or throw a bit of shade cloth over it. I grow mine in a pot and move it around the yard through out the year. In the summer I have it in a spot where it gets a little morning sun and then shade for the rest of the day. This slows the growth and stops it bolting so quickly.
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Yvette, I freeze my chili's and they are fine through until the next summer's crop.
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Yvette, I also dry my chillies. I just place them whole onto a cake rack and place in a warm spot. When they are dry I place in an airtight jar. They last for ages and are so much nicer than the ones you buy at the asian shops.
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I also dry them (same as Trudy) and they also last ages.
(Can you tell we have a lot of chili's here, lol!!
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Thanks everyone I don't dry my chillies I just freeze as they are. Faffa thanks for the coriander tips I will buy some more and start again.
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And Yvette I just pull one out (in zip lock bag), run under water for a minute to defrost and ready to go - as fresh as when it was picked.
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Thanks Zan good to know I had just been throwing them in frozen
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Yvette, I found it didn't chop it so well when it was frozen. I also tend to mostly deseed the hot ones when the kids are eating.
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I will be deeseeding the little ones now, I made the red curry risotto without deseeding my little red chilli very hot everyone loved it though haha
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Hi. Does anyone know if you can dry roast herbs in the Thermo.
I have purchased some from the shops and hate always having to throw them out because they just don't last.
Any suggestions.
Thanks
:o
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perhaps chop them up, and freeze them in 1tbspn measures in an ice cube tray?
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I often dry them between paper towel in the microwave
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Hi dede.
Did you plant any basil? If so, check our Basil Lemon Sorbet recipe here - looks sooo good.
http://www.superkitchenmachine.com/2011/13689/basil-sorbet-thermomix-recipe.html (http://www.superkitchenmachine.com/2011/13689/basil-sorbet-thermomix-recipe.html)
cecilia
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I did plant the basil but unfortunately it carked it. ( not unusual for me as I often kill pot plants).
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Try again when it is a bit warmer Mandi. A half decent frost will kill it. I plant it in with my tomatoes and it grows well. :)
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I will do Chelsea. The weather is slowly improving