Plant all the herb seeds you can get your hands on along with flowers, veggies and trees! The fall in central texas is the best time to plant EVERYTHING! Contact me for southern climate adapted seeds of chervil, cilantro, fennel and salad burnet.
Some great herbs to plant now:
CHERVIL- a beautiful french herb that deserves more recognition in texas herb gardens. It grows in nice round clumps and lends a sweet flavor to dressings, fish, eggs, poultry, breads, and desserts! (pictured at bottom)
CILANTRO- a wonderful self-seeding and delicious herb that can go on just about everything. Plant one and you'll have a carpet of it next fall in the area around it's last life! Cilantro has become like a groundcover in my backyard. When you step or mow over it, the smell is incredible. Definately let it go to seed and turn brown. Collect the coriander seeds and make delicious curries, chutneys, soups, and marinades with the fresh ground seed. Don't forget tacos, enchiladas verdes, guacamole, pico de gallo...all mexican food is oh so good with fresh cilantro. Always eat cilantro with fish that come from the sea..the constituents in cilantro aid the removal of heavy metals from the body. Ocean fish tend to have high levels of mercury. (pictured with seeds)
DILL- This herb is so pretty growing amongst its lettuce partners in the garden.Plant LOTS , so that you and the swallowtail caterpillars have plenty to nibble. Dill pairs well with fish , my favorite being salmon. But it also makes a great addition to salads, marinades , dressings, and biscuits! Yes, biscuits ! With a little dill and capers mixed in the dough, it turns out so yummy! (pictured at top)
PARSLEY- I like to plant the italian kind because it's taste is more subdued than curly. Curley makes a pretty garnish to your dish, though. Parsley is another herb I like to include in breads, dressings, eggs, pesto, pasta, soups, parslied potatoes! fish and poultry. Parsley is a good companion to winter veggies . This year I planted it in all my beds..brassicas are their most beloved companions. ( pictured with carterpillars)
SALAD BURNET: Another forgotten herb. This herb has a flavor similar to cucumber and goes very nicely with cucumber / tomato salads along with fresh fruit salads. I planted salad burnet around my collard greens this year, as they are good companions. ( pictured with round pinkish flowers)
FENNEL: I planted bronze and the giant bulb fennel. Bronze is a small variety with "bronze fern-like foliage." Use the foliage in salads and for garnishing soups and other dishes. The giant bulb fennel makes a delicious meal when roasted in the oven with winter root veggies , onions and topped with parmesean cheese. It also adds a great taste to southern potato salad. Plant a lot for caterpillars that turn into beautiful butterflies. (" bronze" pictured below dill)
