How Does Your Herb Garden Grow?

Recently planted herb garden Full-grown herb garden

You can tell that spring has sprung. The signs are all around us - milder weather, longer evenings, the science fair - ugh, did I say science fair? For those of you with children who have not yet reached the golden age where his or her entire class grade is based on a project that includes a report, three sided-poster board and something resembling an exploding volcano - just suffice it to say - that science projects strike terror in many a mom's heart. It's tough enough to fit in daily quality time with your babies - but during the science fair, that quality time is spent manufacturing a working steam engine - or creating natural dye from beets, or growing long roots from the eye on a potato. It could get worse. Your child could be the one that has a topic that the teacher has assigned to him with little or no input from you or your child.

It can't be that bad - can it?
Several years ago, during Science Fair Week, I found myself banging on a grocery store door at 7:00 a.m. begging them to open. I crashed through the door and flew to the deli department. "Cheese," I gasped. "I need cheese."

"Relax, Lady," the counter clerk soothed. "We got all kinds of cheese."

"No, I cried. You don't understand - I need cheese with mold on it. And, I need it now."

You see my son had been assigned the topic of exploring and documenting the various conditions for growing mold. We valiantly tried hiding bread in dark places. Dampening bread with water. Letting cheese hide out with old veggies. You name it - we tried it. And guess what - NO MOLD! When I explained my plight to the grocery store manager, he took me to the back of the store. Together we sifted through some really gross stuff until we found a moldy loaf of bread, a wheel of cheese with beautiful bright green mold on the top, and three aged zucchini. He shooed me out of the store - through the side door - so none of his other customers would get a glimpse of my bounty. In my heart, I know that my son owes our "A" to that manager.

What's a mother to do?
I would like you to consider a solution to the science fair dilemma that combines science with great, good food - herbs. Recently, the gardening bug has bitten me. I bought dainty little work gloves printed with cute daisies. I have terrific overalls with funky pockets and one of those oversized straw hats. I can say with confidence that I look the part of a gardener. Once my tomato plants began to flourish - I felt the part of a gardener. This year, when science fair season rolled around, I was ready to combine a fun school science project with a fun herb garden.

It's Easy
First, we cleared a small area in a corner of our backyard. Because we are planting herbs, we want the garden to get a lot of sun. Since we live in South Florida's very hot and dry climate, we want some shade to balance out the warmth. We built a raised area around the garden to set it off, and to give us a place to spread some good topsoil. I decided to start with small plants rather than to plant seeds. The result with plants is much faster, and each little plant cost less $2.

After the dirt was set, we arranged each plant to make sure that we were happy with the way the garden would grow. We planted each herb variety in groups rather than in rows so that we would end up with herb clusters. Each plant received a dose of plant food. Just for fun, we add three new tomato plants and a great little cone gadget that will spiral the vines up and over the edge of the garden. To try something new, we planted one yellow and one green bell pepper.

Fun Gardening
The whole planting took less than three hours - with the science fair student digging the holes and measuring each plant. Now, we water every day, take pictures for the science chart, and spend great time together outdoors pulling out a stray weed or two. There is no down side to this project - for either of us!

Herbs are a great plant to begin your garden. In most cases, they are hearty, grow quickly and produce immediate results that you can then incorporate into your everyday cooking. Purchasing fresh herbs from the market can be expensive - so your garden will save you a penny or two in the long run. Use fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary for marinating meats and poultry. Snips of fresh dill are perfect in a light sauce for sautéed fish. Try a sprig of mint with yogurt or iced tea. Slice thin strips of rolled basil leaves for a garnish on top of your garden fresh tomatoes. Spice up everyday favorites like Egg Salad with your favorite fresh herb. Flavor soups, salsa and homemade breads with any one of the abundant fresh herbs straight from your backyard garden.

No back yard? Not a problem. You can also plant a great herb garden in a large pot. Or you might try a shallow plastic container that you hang from an outdoor rafter. It's not the number of plants that is important, it's the time and care that you choose to give them. The byproduct of this fun activity is a little less stress in your day, a readily available savory meal enhancer and a couple of huge smiles from your baby - when he gets that "A" in science.

Also see:
• Dinner in 15 minutes or less
• Making the most of your food dollar

Jorj Morgan is the Lifestyle Director of BlueSuitMom.com and the author of At Home In The Kitchen, a cookbook due in April.