When it comes to creating new recipes, throwing a quick dinner together, or even hosting an elaborate party, having herbs at home, dried or fresh, can go a long way. It can instantly transform any ordinary dish into a crowd’s favourite or even turn you into a master bartender by adding herbs into basic cocktails.
As part of the 2016 Scotts® Gro Grew, one of my missions was to create my own potted herb garden! I’m so pleased to share that with the help of a couple premium Miracle-Gro products I’ve successfully grew fresh basil, chives, rosemary, oregano (to name a few) and they’re ready to be used in my daily culinary adventures.
However, for those of you who have grown herbs before, you already know that an immense amount of herbs can be harvested in a very short period of time. I’ve come to realize that at times, I’ve got more herbs than I can use. Therefore, I went on a quest to find ways to save the large quantities of herbs on hand, and so pleased that I discovered a simple and practical way to freeze and preserve my precious herbs with olive oil, to be used at a later time.
Read more to find out how to grow and freeze your fresh herbs for future use!
FOR HERB GARDEN
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
- Already grown herb plants
- Miracle-Gro Shake ‘n Feed All Purpose Continuous Release Plant Food
- Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix
- Assorted pots
STEPS:
Select a pot (or pots) with a drainage hole / Fill pot about 1/3 full / Loosen root ball, place plant in pot / Add potting mix, press lightly / Water, let drain. OPTIONAL: sprinkle release plant food following directions on package.
Pro Tip:
Instead of using separate pots for each herb, I decided to plant 5 herbs into a large terracotta pot. Not only does it look beautiful on my front steps, but it also makes watering more convenient. Be sure to plant herbs that generally require the same amount of water.
The Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix is best suited for container use, and it helped me grow twice as much compared to my previous year’s attempt. In addition, I also used Miracle-Gro Shake ‘n Feed All Purpose Continuous Release Plant Food on my potted herb. The use of this product resulted in bigger and fuller herbs – I mean just have a look, my herbs are luscious!
FREEZING HERBS IN OLIVE OIL
While you can simply preserve herbs by placing them as is in the freezer, however freezing herbs in ice-cube trays submerged in olive oil prevents browning, and they are readily available to be added to any dish (it also smell delicious when used to sautée garlic and onions!). I’ve been told the harder herbs such as rosemary or sage is best suitable for this technique as softer herbs may not hold up it’s taste too long in the freezer, I’ll have to let you know as I use mine!
WHAT YOU NEED:
- Assorted herbs, washed & chopped, from herb garden
- Ice-cube tray
- Olive oil (but you can also use any other type of oil or even melted butter
STEPS:
Place chopped herbs into each ice cube cavity, about two thirds full / add olive oil / freeze overnight / remove cube and separate into Ziploc bags to keep fresh for use when ready.
Mix and match your herbs to create your own herb medley!
There are so many other ways to preserve and use herbs from the garden. I also love making fresh pesto with basil. Last week, I made an avocado pesto by blending basil, avocado, walnuts, garlic, and olive oil. It was so delicious.
Having a fresh herb garden is such a plus. You don’t need a large yard to make it happen. Tons of herbs are great to plant on the terrace or even indoors by the window sill. If you’re tackling a gardening project, be sure to share your #IGREWIT journey and also follow along with mine!
Happy Growing!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Scotts Miracle-Gro, however all opinions are my own.
