Use Fresh Herbs to Flavor Holiday Meals

by Melinda Myers

Grow, harvest and season your holiday meals with fresh herbs grown indoors in a windowsill garden.  Add to the experience by using potted herbs and a few holiday adornments to dress up the table. You and your family will enjoy snipping a few fresh herbal sprigs to season your meal to your own taste.

Include herbs your family likes, those that complement your menu and are easy to grow indoors like basil, oregano, parsley, chives, thyme, and sage. Purchase plants so they will be ready to harvest for the holidays. Many garden centers now carry herb plants year-round; some grocery stores sell them in their produce department.

Grow plants in individual containers or plant several in one larger decorative pot.  Select a container with drainage holes and one that complements your table setting. Use a quality, well-draining potting mix when transplanting herbs into another container.

Place a saucer or tray under pots with drainage holes to protect your furniture. Or double pot plants when using a decorative container that lacks drainage holes. Plant herbs in a smaller pot with drainage holes or set several pots in a larger container. Place pebbles in the bottom of the decorative pot. This elevates the inner pots above any excess water that collects in the bottom of the decorative pot, helping avoid root rot and the need to empty the water in the saucer.

Dress up any meal by creating an edible centerpiece with your herb plants. Set them on a decorative placemat to protect the tabletop and add a few seasonal items to complete your display.

Grow herbs in a sunny window such as an unobstructed south-, east-, or west-facing window when they are not decorating the table. Consider adding artificial lights if sunlight is limited and the plants have leggy stems and pale leaves. Keep the lights about 6 to 12" above the tops of the plants and leave them on for six to eight hours if supplementing the natural light. Leave them on for 14 hours a day, if this is the only light source. Set the plants on a reflective surface to help shine light back up into the bottom of the plants.

Avoid drafts of hot and cold air and water thoroughly as needed. Some herbs like basil, oregano, parsley, and marjoram like soil to be slightly moist but not soggy while chives, thyme, and sage like it a bit drier.

Grow basil to dress up a pizza, salad, or soup with a few leaves.  Add some oregano to season any tomato-based dishes such as pizza and pasta. Use fresh thyme to flavor cheese, eggs, tomatoes, and lentils.

Chives' mild onion flavor is great on potatoes, but consider adding it to soups, dips, seafood dishes, and omelets. Just snip a few leaves and cut them into smaller pieces before adding them to your dish.

Parsley is high in vitamin C and is often added to soups, pasta, salads, and dressings. Harvest a sprig at the end of the meal to freshen your breath.

Add several pairs of snips and let everyone add their favorite herbal seasonings to their meal. You may need to show your guests how to harvest and use the herbs to get them started. Let them know that harvesting the herbs encourages new growth for future use.

Make this year's holiday meals memorable. Invite your guest to enjoy the fresh flavor and fun of seasoning their meals right at the table.

Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books, including Midwest Gardener's Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses "How to Grow Anything" instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda's Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Myers' website is www.MelindaMyers.com.