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The best holiday herbs to grow, give or get

Gulf Coast Gardening

What’s a holiday feast without herbs to turbocharge your favorite dishes? Many herbs can be grown indoors during the cooler part of the year here on the Coast, and most can be moved into our gardens once the weather warms up.

Herbs not only add flavor to food, but they also make attractive house plants and great hostess gifts. Consider how herbs can be beneficial all year, not just during the holidays.

HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE HERBS THAT I LOVE TO GROW CLOSE TO MY KITCHEN:

Cinnamon:

Holiday desserts and other dishes wouldn’t be the same without this stand-out spice. It certainly enhances baked goods like cinnamon rolls and cinnamon bread, and it’s also an essential ingredient in sweet potato casserole — not to mention spiced tea and cider; the list goes on.

Lavender:

Adding lavender to your baked breads, desserts and hot beverages elevates the basic to a gourmet level. A plant that thrives in hot, dry Mediterranean regions, lavender struggles to grow outside in our humid weather. However, we can successfully grow lavender in a pot (with coarse sand added) indoors for use during the winter. Spanish lavender, the only lavender I’ve had any success with, is still lovely in my garden, but not ingredient worthy. Yes, it’s beautiful, and not harmful, but other lavenders are better suited for kitchen use.

Parsley:

This mainstay of our year-round kitchen can happily grow indoors. There are flat-leafed and curly-leafed parsley types to choose from. A cool-season plant, it bolts when temperatures get too warm. Grow it indoors until harsh weather subsides, then move it outside, either leaving it in a container or planting in your garden.

Mint:

Beautiful with its bright green leaves, mint comes in hundreds of varieties. Peppermint has been used in candies for decades; think peppermint sticks and penny candies. Used mostly in far-eastern savory dishes, we tend to use it for desserts and candies in the United States. Peppermint bark is especially popular during the holidays. Easy to grow, mint can become a nuisance if it’s not grown in a container. Grow some on your windowsill and enjoy its aroma and culinary benefits.

Rosemary:

This herb grows easily outdoors during our mild winters. It can be used in almost every savory dish and also can be a fabulous garnish or addition to aromatic decorations. Place a few springs in your greenery wreath or holiday swag and enjoy!

Sage:

Can you even make southern dressing without this herb? Sage enhances meat dishes, as well as gravies that are served throughout the holiday season. Easily grown in a pot in the kitchen, it can be snipped in a snap when the recipe calls for it. Silvery, fuzzy leaves lend an earthy taste to any dish and look fabulous all winter if trimmed frequently.

Thyme:

We all wish we could give or receive “time” during the busy holiday season, but “thyme” is pretty great, too. Buy a small plant in the fall and keep your herb close to your kitchen for frequent use.

Most herbs benefit from frequent trimming, as it encourages the plant to bush out instead of growing tall and lanky. They require good light, so growing them in a windowsill will encourage their success. Water your herbs about once a week, except for rosemary and lavender, which like it on the dry side.

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Written by Darlene Underwood

Darlene Underwood is a Mississippi master gardener, national
accredited flower show judge and Garden Clubs of Mississippi
third vice-president. Reach her at darlene.underwood@att.net.

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