GoFrugal.ca

For anyone who cooks, fresh herbs are in constant demand. But buying fresh herbs can be expensive. At the grocery store, herbs go for a couple dollars a bunch, and usually don’t store very well… sometimes not even long enough to use in another recipe.

The solution? Growing your own herbs. Many herbs, like basil, oregano and thyme are very easy to grow from seed. Parsley is also easy to grow, but needs a deeper pot and is prone to aphid attacks. Packets of seeds cost a couple dollars each, and will last your for years.

To stretch your growing season, start the seeds indoors in the early spring. They can be moved outdoors once the risk of frost is over (think Victoria day to be safe), of if you have a sunny windowsill, that will work too.

If you don’t have a green thumb, an easier solution is to buy plants from a garden centre. Not quite a cheap as growing from seed, but arguably easier. But for slower-growing herbs (like rosemary and sage), this is definitely the way to go.

By growing a variety of your own herbs, you ensure that you always have fresh herbs on hand… fresher than anything you could buy at a store, and nothing goes to waste.