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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: KevB on March 30, 2007, 09:18:19

Title: Herbs?
Post by: KevB on March 30, 2007, 09:18:19: I have a small herb wheel, (six spokes) what are the most useful herbs to grow for an every day cook! much obliged for you answers!
Kevb
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Trixiebelle on March 30, 2007, 09:21:50: Parsley, thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary and marjoram :)
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Trixiebelle on March 30, 2007, 09:23:23: I'm thinking of even more now ... do you have the other 3 wheels?
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: tim on March 30, 2007, 10:11:50: Like Mint, Sage, Tarragon, Bay, (Chives), Savory. Dill, Chervil? Not for me!

Pity some are too tall??
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Squashmad on March 30, 2007, 10:34:29: What about Coriander ... I couldn't be without that.
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: markfield rover on March 30, 2007, 10:41:05: Garlic chives are very useful!
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Doris_Pinks on March 30, 2007, 14:54:50: All of the above! ;D
At our local Focus yesterday I bought very healthy looking Thymes (2 different varieties), mint and a lavender, they are doing 3 for a fiver on herbs at the mo, they also had 2 types of rosemary, (was tempted by the prostrate one), mint, curry plant, sage and some others I can't remember.
At that price they are certainly cheaper than our rip off garden center and in better looking condition too!
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Trixiebelle on March 30, 2007, 15:05:55: I discovered curry plant last year Doris! Lovely stuff isn't it :)

The thing about sage though, unless you use it medicinally (I use it to make antiseptic teas for sore throats and burn it in the house to cleanse the air) there's very little I can find to do with it otherwise? I made stuffing at Xmas from it but other than that it just sits there looking pretty ::)
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Biscombe on March 30, 2007, 15:08:50: Curry plant! That sounds good, is that the plant you get curry leaves from for cooking?? or am I barking up the wrong tree ;)
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Doris_Pinks on March 30, 2007, 15:17:46: Biscombe, tis this!

http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/heltalicum.htm (http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/heltalicum.htm)

Not the curry leaves you are probably thinking of.

trixie I have never actually used it for anything, :-[ but quite like the smell as I brush past it, brings back happy memories! ;D
What do you use yours for?

I use sage quite a bit, in fact raided my new plant just last night to push into the pork chops! I sometimes use it to flavour the hot oil before I cook stuff, (potatoes for example) and push it's leaves under the skin of a chicken breast.

Think we should start a new thread in recipes re: Herbs! ;D
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: greyhound on March 30, 2007, 15:24:14: Quote from: Trixiebelle on March 30, 2007, 15:05:55
I use it to make antiseptic teas for sore throats

Yes, it's really really good for that, with a spot of honey stirred in.
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: manicscousers on March 30, 2007, 15:38:05: home made sage and onion stuffing, lovely..I grew some tarragon last year, and some dill, quite large for a herb wheel, though..we got some golden thyme this year, useful abd lovely to look at :)
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: tim on March 30, 2007, 15:42:54: Never knew you could use Curry Plant.
And Trixiebelle - no methods for sage?? See recipes.
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: cleo on March 30, 2007, 16:01:35: Tim mentioned savory-well worth growing the summer sort-the winter is OK but a bit coarse for me
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: chlodonnay on March 30, 2007, 16:59:21: I grow mint, sage (very good with courgettes), oregano, basil, tarrogan and thyme. I have tried coriander a few times but it never lasts long.
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: KevB on March 30, 2007, 22:47:12: Quote from: Trixiebelle on March 30, 2007, 09:23:23
I'm thinking of even more now ... do you have the other 3 wheels?

Three wheels on my wagon! LOL trixie

just the MOST useful thanks
kev
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Marymary on March 30, 2007, 22:54:01: Quote from: manicscousers on March 30, 2007, 15:38:05
home made sage and onion stuffing, lovely..I grew some tarragon last year, and some dill, quite large for a herb wheel, though..we got some golden thyme this year, useful abd lovely to look at :)

Wish I could get tarragon to germinate - any tips?
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Jeannine on March 30, 2007, 22:59:00: Be careful with curry plant, there is some confusion over it, I believe the plant you can grow is not the same as the curry leaves you can buy and I do believe the one you can grow is toxic. That is much as I remember. I think it is called curry plant because of the smell only, Someone out there will know the deatils XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Jeannine on March 30, 2007, 23:01:32: I have just googled re curry plant, it is non-culinary. XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Biscombe on March 30, 2007, 23:07:23: Walking in the Spanish mountains I sometimes smell a curry smell! that must be the curry plant! I'd love to grow the plant that you harvest curry leaves from! anyone out there grow it??
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Biscombe on March 30, 2007, 23:08:16: Hey Doris, thanks for the link XXX
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Jeannine on March 30, 2007, 23:26:53: The Curry plant which there is some doubt about is a bit like a silvery lavender.

The Curry Leaf plant which is not grown in Europe is a bit more like pointed bay leaf.

If you find Curry Leaf plants in Asian stores they are from the second one.

The first one is often with the herbs but all herbs are not edible.

If anyone has a good herb book it will be in there I am certain,I just can't remember the book I saw it in a couple of years ago and I am sure it said it was toxic. XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: jennym on March 31, 2007, 00:34:41: Curry leaf is what you want, the botanical name is Murraya koenigii

You can buy it at these places:
http://www.poyntzfieldherbs.co.uk/catalogue1.asp?sortby=engname&colhead=shrubs&req=yes&doctitle=Shrubs%20and%20small%20trees.

http://www.oldhallplants.co.uk/
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Biscombe on March 31, 2007, 08:51:16: jennym, what a star! I'm on it now ;D
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Biscombe on March 31, 2007, 09:04:21: What a great site, better get the credit card out! hope they ship to Spain :-\
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: emmy1978 on March 31, 2007, 13:01:02: Biscombe, i bought one this morning along with a chocolate peppermint, lemon sage, and oregano. 60p each! Smell is great but don't think you can cook with it. Looks like it would take from cuttings easily like mint if you can snaffle some as you're walking through the Spanish countryside, sniff, you lucky thing! 8)
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: manicscousers on March 31, 2007, 16:50:22: Quote from: Marymary on March 30, 2007, 22:54:01
]
Wish I could get tarragon to germinate - any tips?

put them in a pot, covered with vermiculite, very lightly, stuck a plastic bag over and left them to it, took a while but we got a few :)
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Biscombe on March 31, 2007, 16:57:35: Got loads of Russian tarragon growing, pops up every spring in my herb garden, grows like a weed, not too keen on the taste of Russian, French is supposed to be far better tasting.
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Trixiebelle on March 31, 2007, 17:42:41: Quote from: Jeannine on March 30, 2007, 23:26:53
The Curry plant which there is some doubt about is a bit like a silvery lavender.

If anyone has a good herb book it will be in there I am certain,I just can't remember the book I saw it in a couple of years ago and I am sure it said it was toxic. XX Jeannine

ERK!!!!! :-[ I've been eating it ... mind you, I have the constitution of an ox ::) They told me at the 'specialist' garden centre I bought it from that is was edible >:(

Thanks for the heads up Jeannine. Will do my research now X
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Trixiebelle on March 31, 2007, 17:47:55: Now I'm confused! Check out the 'ratings' at the bottom of the page?

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/54309/

And Tim: I stand corrected on sage ;D
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: cleo on March 31, 2007, 21:04:43: Quote from: Biscombe on March 31, 2007, 16:57:35
Got loads of Russian tarragon growing, pops up every spring in my herb garden, grows like a weed, not too keen on the taste of Russian, French is supposed to be far better tasting.

Russian tarragon is nasty-Frencn is superb-buy a plant and divide when it has grown a bit
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Biscombe on March 31, 2007, 21:51:37: Will do ;) Going to buy a curry leaf plant some tea and now french tarragon from the site Jennym reccomended ;D ;D how excited am I!!!!!
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Jeannine on March 31, 2007, 22:23:05: Trixie, I truly don't know much about the controversy, I jus remember it from a couple of years back. I would be interested to find out actually.
XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Biscombe on March 31, 2007, 23:18:18: Quote from: emmy1978 on March 31, 2007, 13:01:02
Biscombe, i bought one this morning along with a chocolate peppermint, lemon sage, and oregano. 60p each! Smell is great but don't think you can cook with it. Looks like it would take from cuttings easily like mint if you can snaffle some as you're walking through the Spanish countryside, sniff, you lucky thing! 8)

Bargin!!! will try and take cuttings when I next head for the hills!!!!!
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Biscombe on March 31, 2007, 23:20:42: Jeannine, what a huge dog!! tell us more!
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: jennym on March 31, 2007, 23:32:20: Quote from: Trixiebelle on March 31, 2007, 17:47:55
Now I'm confused! Check out the 'ratings' at the bottom of the page?
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/54309/
And Tim: I stand corrected on sage ;D

The one shown on the davesgarden link is commonly called curry plant but it isn't the plant known as curry leaf.
Here's some pics of the edible curry leaf Murraya koenigii
http://toptropicals.com/cgi-bin/garden_catalog/cat.cgi?uid=Murraya_koenigii
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Curryandchips on March 31, 2007, 23:48:11: Quote from: Biscombe on March 31, 2007, 23:20:42
Jeannine, what a huge dog!! tell us more!

A bobtail !!! My fave dog in all the world ! I go totally yampy when around bobtails ...
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Jeannine on April 01, 2007, 18:37:28: My dog...well in the seventies I used to show and breed them along with a smaller breed too, then I moved to Canada, I took this one with me.His name was Gumdrop. His name tag was made when we were going on a long trip across the Us and I was scared he would get lost. If I remember rightly it read. My name is Gumdrop and my Mummy will be very sad is I get lost so would you please contact..then the address details were there.

The picture is twenty years old.

He died quite young for a Bobtail and I never got another one, I still go all gooey when I see one but have never replaced him. I got a bit teary eyed when I was browsing and found the picture.

He was smashing.

XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Herbs?
Post by: Biscombe on April 01, 2007, 19:10:59: I'm more of a cat person but he is scrumptious!!