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Spice & Herb Gardening

3 Ideas for a Whimsical Kids Herb Garden

No matter the weather, my daughter wants to be outside all day long, running, jumping, and usually getting quite dirty. As a toddler, she is a total sponge and loves to watch what I do in the yard and then practice it herself. When it comes to gardening tasks, it’s definitely a “monkey see, monkey do” situation. Choosing to plant a kids’ herb garden was a no-brainer for me, especially after I saw these adorable kid gardening gloves.

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Spice & Herb Gardening

How to Store Fresh-Cut Basil Leaves

If you planted basil this year, it probably seemed like it took a month to establish, then all of a sudden you’re in pesto heaven. But how much pesto can one person really make, right?

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Spice & Herb Gardening

How Much Water Does Basil Need?

How much water does basil need? I feel like I ask myself this every darn time I grow it (which is as much as possible, in case you’re wondering). I’ve had more than a few happy-looking basil plants turn wilty and depressed in just an hour or so. Basil has the ultimate “sad puppy look” down pat. 

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Spice & Herb Gardening

What to Do About Basil Leaves Turning Yellow

Basil is one of those wonderful herbs that makes life better. Pick a few basil leaves off the plant or chop them in your kitchen, and your nose is happy right away. Basil is also relatively easy to grow. But I’ll admit, I’ve had my share of issues with the plant, too. Rabbits have decimated my basil, some unknown pest has chewed holes in the leaves, and I’ve watched my verdant green basil leaves turning yellow.

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Spice & Herb Gardening

Spices vs. Herbs: An Introduction to Growing Your Own

Let’s talk about spices and herbs. Or spices vs. herbs if you prefer, because there can be some serious debate around what’s what. Admittedly, it gets a bit confusing, especially since the two terms get used interchangeably so often. Then you get into things like curry or garam masala, which are not, in fact, spices. They are spice blends. 

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Spice & Herb Gardening

How to Grow Herbs in Mason Jars

I love cooking with fresh herbs. There’s nothing like the smell of chopped basil or the aroma of crushed thyme to get me in the zone to cook. That’s easy enough to do in the summer when my herbs are growing faster than Jack’s magical beanstalk, but since I live in New England, the herb garden is pretty much done by mid-autumn. What’s a cook to do? Bring the garden indoors and grow herbs in Mason jars. 

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Spice & Herb Gardening

How to Stop Invasive Herbs from Spreading

Invasive herbs? I know that’s not how I usually think of invasive species. When I think of invasive species, it’s usually things like boa constrictors in the Everglades, carp in the Great Lakes, or perhaps kudzu in the southeastern U.S. Or murder hornets. Murder hornets are definitely invasive.  As it turns out, though, some herbs […]

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Spice & Herb Gardening

9 Heat-Tolerant Herbs That Grow Well in Hot Climates

I’m not gonna lie; it’s darn hot as I’m writing this. The heat index is over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and my parsley is looking at me like, “C’mon, woman! Where’s that AC?” My heat-tolerant herbs, however, are having a party. They’ve got the beach ball out, there’s some Stevie Wonder on the hi-fi, and I’m pretty sure the sunflowers are dancing.

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Spice & Herb Gardening

How to Save an Overwatered Basil Plant

It may not look like an overwatered basil plant. It’s wilty and drab. The leaves look yellow or brown. It certainly looks like it could use a tall drink of water. As a good plant parent, you grab the watering canister and drench the soil. That should do the trick, right? Give it an hour […]

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Spice & Herb Gardening

Self-Seeding Vegetables and Herbs

Have you ever gotten so overwhelmed with a cherry tomato plant that you let it go, and then the next spring you had a million little cherry tomato plants trying to sprout? People will tell you that tomato plants don’t grow that way, but I had a field of tomato seedlings in late June one year that says otherwise. I mean, I wouldn’t put it on a list of self-seeding vegetables because you probably can’t depend on it to work, but it can happen!

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