Page 26 2024 Spring Home and Garden LINCOLN DAILY NEWS April 2024 Favorite Perennial Herbs Chives- One of the earliest plants to emerge from winter hibernation, chives come in onion and garlic varieties and feature an edible spring flower that pollinators love. Plant once and keep harvesting for almost the whole year round. Chives are delicious with potatoes, fish, salads, soups, eggs, and dips. Mint- A very hardy herb, try mint in fruit salads, added to ice cream and cold drinks, or make your own refreshing mint tea. There are a variety of flavors of mint, all of which have an aggressive rhizome growth habit, so should be grown in a manner to be contained. Lemon balm- A member of the mint family, lemon balm is a hardy plant with a lemonscented leaf. The leaves can be used for tea or iced drinks and may be added to fruit and lettuce salads for a hint of lemon flavor. Lemon balm has an aggressive growth habit similar to mint, so growers should plan for containment. Rosemary- A tender perennial which grows like an evergreen shrub, rosemary survives best grown in containers that are brought indoors for the winter in Illinois. It is most easily grown from cuttings. This fragrant herb may be added to soups, fish, lamb, and game, and the stems may be used as skewers. English lavender- Aromatic with a lovely flower, English lavender is the most fragrant and dependable of the garden lavenders. Lavenders prefer well-drained soil in a sunny location. Harvest and dry flowers just as they are opening for use in potpourri and sachets. Lavender of the Lavandula augustifolia cultivar may also be used in jellies, lemonades, and baked goods. Favorite Culinary Biennial Herbs Parsley- Popular parsley, both curly and flatleaf varieties, completes its growing cycles over two seasons. Curly parsley is often used as a garnish and makes a nice garden edging. Flat-leaf or Italian parsley has a stronger flavor and enhances other herbs as well as meat, vegetable, and salad dishes. Parsley is traditionally also consumed for its mild diuretic properties. Using Fresh and Dried Herbs Whether preserved or used fresh, herbs are best harvested in the morning before they set flower for the most abundant oils for fragrance and flavor. Fresh herbs are best added to dishes after cooking is completed or sprinkled over top. Try a generous handful of basil over pasta, parsley in soup, and chives mixed with mashed potatoes or potato salad. Dried herbs work well added in the beginning or during cooking. Use your homegrown dried herbs to make your own dried herb blend for soups, roasted vegetables, meat and eggs, or even create your own salt replacer by adding dried garlic and onion to favorite dried herbs. Make your own tea and tea blends from fresh or dried herbs, such as lemon balm, chamomile, or anise hyssop. Reduce chemical exposure from synthetic air fresheners by making fragrant sachets and potpourri with dried lavender and lemon balm mixed with flower petals. Use favorite herbs such as lavender, mint, or rosemary to make soothing foot soaks or bath salts by mixing these fragrant dried herbs with epsom salts. Add herbs to dried or fresh arrangements for home decor. Continued --
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