Newalla resident Tom Bergey spoke to the Multi-County Master Gardeners and members of the public at the monthly master gardeners meeting Aug. 19 at the OSU Extension Center in Shawnee. The emphasis of his presentation focused on selecting, growing, and the culinary use of herbs.
“People grow and use herbs for culinary, landscaping, aromatic and medicinal purposes,” Bergey said.
Bergey grew herbs commercially for a number of years, although he now spends his time managing Spencer’s Smokehouse in Midwest City.
There are about 400 varieties of herbs, but most folks concentrate of growing a few that they enjoy using and tend to branch out with other varieties as they have more experience.
Herbs will grow in poor soil, but they do best in well-drained soil. Some, such as Rosemary, lavender and sage, will not tolerate having “wet feet.”
Fall is a good time to plant perennial herbs so that they will develop a good root system during the fall and winter. They can be planted in flower beds, vegetable gardens or in a space dedicated to herbs. Herbs grown from seed seem to do best if started indoors during the early spring under a florescent light placed very close to the planting medium. After danger of frost has passed, the plants can be transplanted outside. Most herbs need about six hours of sun to do well.
Herbs tend to draw insects that are desirable, ones that help pollinate plants and fend off undesirable pests. The aroma of herbs tends to repel many insect pests.
Early morning is the best time to harvest herbs. The best practice in harvesting herbs is to take a bowl of water to the garden and place cuttings into the water immediately. When taken inside, the herbs should be drained and either used immediately or stored in the refrigerator in plastic bags with paper towels to absorb remaining moisture.
When using fresh herbs instead of dried ones, triple the amount to compensate for the extra space that the fresh herbs take in the measuring spoon or cup. Bergey pointed out that when cooking with fresh herbs, it is best to place them into the dish for a minute or two before the food is ready to be served. He also recommended smelling the leaves when choosing an herb. If it doesn’t smell good to you, don’t use it because it will probably not enhance the flavor of the dish.
He recommends experimenting with different kinds of herbs to determine what you like.
The experience could make meal preparation more interesting.
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Newalla resident Tom Bergey spoke to the Multi-County Master Gardeners and members of the public at the monthly master gardeners meeting Aug. 19 at the OSU Extension Center in Shawnee. The emphasis of his presentation focused on selecting, growing, and the culinary use of herbs.
“People grow and use herbs for culinary, landscaping, aromatic and medicinal purposes,” Bergey said.
Bergey grew herbs commercially for a number of years, although he now spends his time managing Spencer’s Smokehouse in Midwest City.
There are about 400 varieties of herbs, but most folks concentrate of growing a few that they enjoy using and tend to branch out with other varieties as they have more experience.
Herbs will grow in poor soil, but they do best in well-drained soil. Some, such as Rosemary, lavender and sage, will not tolerate having “wet feet.”
Fall is a good time to plant perennial herbs so that they will develop a good root system during the fall and winter. They can be planted in flower beds, vegetable gardens or in a space dedicated to herbs. Herbs grown from seed seem to do best if started indoors during the early spring under a florescent light placed very close to the planting medium. After danger of frost has passed, the plants can be transplanted outside. Most herbs need about six hours of sun to do well.
Herbs tend to draw insects that are desirable, ones that help pollinate plants and fend off undesirable pests. The aroma of herbs tends to repel many insect pests.
Early morning is the best time to harvest herbs. The best practice in harvesting herbs is to take a bowl of water to the garden and place cuttings into the water immediately. When taken inside, the herbs should be drained and either used immediately or stored in the refrigerator in plastic bags with paper towels to absorb remaining moisture.
When using fresh herbs instead of dried ones, triple the amount to compensate for the extra space that the fresh herbs take in the measuring spoon or cup. Bergey pointed out that when cooking with fresh herbs, it is best to place them into the dish for a minute or two before the food is ready to be served. He also recommended smelling the leaves when choosing an herb. If it doesn’t smell good to you, don’t use it because it will probably not enhance the flavor of the dish.
He recommends experimenting with different kinds of herbs to determine what you like.
The experience could make meal preparation more interesting.
