An Indoor Visual Feast
Select a basket and your favorite herbs for a fresh look — and flavor — all winter long.
December/January 2003
By Rosemary McCreary
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By William Holt
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Bouquets of herbal textures and tantalizing scents make themselves at home in any kitchen. Spicy aromas of thyme, rosemary, sage and oregano perfume the air, while their subtle flavors please the palate. You can grow herbs strictly for culinary use or turn them into a lush visual feast to re-create the spirit of the garden indoors. Small pots suffice, but a bountiful herb basket yields larger rewards and a more frequent handful of your favorite spices when you want to perk up a salad or sauce.
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Nearly any kind of basket is suitable for an indoor herb garden. A natural fibrous material, such as wicker, combines perfectly in a casual and earthy way, yet is versatile enough for any décor. Metal and wire baskets offer unique shapes, are longer lasting and can be planted with only a moss liner.
The tiered basket that holds this garden is large enough to warrant its own private window and counter space in a large and airy kitchen. The basket not only holds the herbs up to eye level, but it also allows them to drape gracefully over the rims. When a branch of rosemary grows too long, toss it on the grill for a flavor enhancer or crush the leaves for a marinade. Pick off sprigs of thyme and oregano for the pot on the stove or as a garnish for the table. As you assemble your garden, pay some attention to color and texture; variegated and crinkly foliage add visual pizzazz, as well as flavor.
Choose a basket to suit your decorating style and the number of herbs in your garden. It should be large enough to allow 3/4 to 1 inch between rootballs and 1 inch underneath after the plants are set in place.
You will need:
- Vigorously growing herbs in 2- to 4-inch pots
- Sphagnum moss or moss substitute
- Bucket or bowl
- Spray bottle of water
- Heavy plastic basket, about 4 inches deep
- Peat-based potting mix, moistened
- Scissors
- Small trowel
- Slow-release fertilizer