My Orchid History

[Kevinator]

I grew up liking nature and the things around me.When I was six, I started raising fish. Now I am both a freshwater and saltwater aquarist. I started my intrest in plants in fourth grade. Now, I am an avid orchid collector and herb cultivator. I tried carnivorous plants once and it didn't work so well. Today, I live in southern California doing what I like to do the most.

[RosieC]

Welcome to Orchid Board

[Paul Mc]

Welcome!!!

[Leafmite]

Welcome to the forum! What herbs? I grow the common stuff for cooking and the fragrant ones, but also the 'medicinal' ones (not for use).

[cbuchman]

Would love advise for growing herbs for cooking. Currently, I have 3 kinds of thyme, 2 kinds each of oregano and mint, rosemary and basil. Sometimes, I simply chop them up and add to salad for additional flavor.

I'd love to expand my collection. What would you recommend?

[Leafmite]

Depends upon what you like to cook. I like French tarragon, parsely, chives, and cheveril for some dishes and carraway (very good with turkey or potatoes) or dill for others. Borage has a cucumber taste and is good shredded in salads, lemon verbena can be used to add a lemon flavor to dishes. Bay laurel is good for flavoring soups, roasts, and stews. I grow an herb that is probably 'celery' and the leaves are for flavoring soups. I also grow, as you do, mint, oregano, basil, Rosemary and thyme. One mint you probably should never use in dishes is pennyroyal. It is wonderful to grow for the fragrance but no longer recommended for flavoring. I hope this helps. I once grew anise, hyssop, sage, lemon grass, savory, and quite a few others but never used them so I no longer grow them. I recently have begun growing cinnamon, allspice and piper nigrum (pepper corns) for fun. The herbs are, sadly, an obsession.

[cbuchman]

Thanks! I forgot to mention that I have chives and parsley. I think I will try french tarragon next. I do love that flavor.

[GardenTheater]

Welcome to the site! Love tarragon on chicken.

[WhiteRabbit]

glad you found us!

[Kevinator]

Just to say, I grow both medicinal herbs and cullinary herbs. Message me if you want to know. I will be uploading photos of them soon.