It’s all go for the indoor herb garden. Three new arrivals from the Chelmsford horticultural happenings have even been welcomed, in the shape of two tomato plants and one baby lavender sprig. I can’t see much change in those since they arrived just over two weeks ago, but for the rest of the herbs, it’s certainly a case of onwards and upwards.
The basil has undoubtedly been the biggest success. Now at least 12 inches tall, the plants still try to escape through the kitchen window, straining to get to the sun. The chives are equally as tall, with their wispy and withery fingers still reaching for the sky. A few of the lower leaves have died, most likely due to lack of water or overcrowding, but otherwise, they are very green and seem to be enjoying life on the window sill.
Even the coriander has perked up, although I should have planted more. There is enough to make a handful of meals, but then the pots will be empty. They will need harvesting soon though, as the edges of the leaves are turning a deep red or brown. I’ve been told that coriander is one of the hardest herbs to keep, so I’ve done quite well. Once it’s been cut, it will be interesting to see if it regrows.
Harvest time will come soon, for the basil and chives, too, and I’ve been looking at ways to store all the crops I have. I’m not going to be able to use all of the cut plants at once, so I need to find ways of keeping them fresh to cook with in the future. They can be dried, which involves hanging the cut stems in pierced paper bags in a dark place for quite a few weeks, while others can be placed in ice cube trays or other trays placed in the freezer, once water has been poured onto them, to encase them in ice.
We’re going away next week, so I’ve got to find another keen grower to water and look after them for me, which could be easier said than done. I hope they’ll be okay – I’ll be keeping my green fingers crossed.