Читать книгу Your Herb Garden - Barbara Segall - Страница 14

Now you are ready to make the most important decision of all: which herbs to grow. If your space is limited, grow only the basic herbs that you enjoy and know you will use often.

Chives, parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary, mint, tarragon and bay are eight favourites that provide year-round flavour in fresh, frozen or dried form. Chives, a perennial plant that dies down in winter, can be potted up in autumn to grow indoors. Parsley normally survives outdoors but for convenience can be grown indoors in winter. Sage, thyme and rosemary are evergreen perennials that will survive most winters unprotected in mild climates. Bay plants in containers and those in cold areas need protection from wintry winds in exposed sites. Mint and tarragon, also perennials, die back in winter, but you can persuade them to keep growing by providing a little gentle heat, or ‘forcing’ them. Pot up rooted pieces of mint, grow them on a warm windowsill or in a greenhouse and keep them well watered. Tarragon can be treated similarly, but if you leave it growing outdoors in winter, protect its roots with a straw cover or mulch.