European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 27, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Growing your own herbs by Angela Walsh Cox news service people with limited space a such As me a find Container gardening highly satisfactory. Containers Are particularly compatible to the growing of herbs. Herbs like spices Are tied to folklore and  new England Pepper Trade once paid 5 percent of the . Governments expenses. Herbs also played a part in greek mythology. According to legend poor mortals Philemon and Laucis were one Day visited by two strangers in need of food. Though they could hardly feed themselves Philemon and Laucis shared their meager supplies with the visitors. In fact so Happy were they to have guests that they rubbed the table with mint leaves to make the occasion a special one. At that Point the strangers revealed their True identities zeus the supreme deity of the ancient greeks and Hermes the messenger god. Philemon and Bau Cist problems were Over from that Day Onward. Throughout time the use of herbs has been medicinal As Well As culinary. In everyday life the terms a a Herb Quot and Quot spice sometimes overlap. Generally herbs Are leaves of non Woody plants that grow in temperate zones. Spices Are harvested from Trees or roots that grow in the tropics. Herbs Are easy to grow in fact they grow like weeds. Some even incorporate that term into their name such As in Quot Dill  with a few simple rules most anyone can grow herbs. First off they need four to six hours of Sun daily. An Eastern or Southern exposure is Best. They also need Good drainage. A water soluble fertilizer once a week is important to the Container Herb Garden. Outside plots need practically no fertilizing because they do not need frequent watering. Over watering is a major detriment to herbs. The Best time to Plant a both indoors and out a is the fall. Basil is particularly sensitive to Frost. Herbs i regularly grow Are Caraway chives coriander Dill Marjoram mint oregano several kinds of Parsley Chervil Rosemary Sage summer Savory Bay tarragon and thyme. Most of these Are Sun Loving although mint Parsley and Chervil like partial Shade. Herbs do Best in alkaline soil. Containers however must be Well drained. For heavy Clay soils coarse Sand or peat Moss must be added. Pests Are not usually a big problem because the oils that make herbs flavorful and aromatic seem to repel insects. There Are some sucking and chewing pests that Are attracted to herbs but in most cases a Good Spray of soapy water will deter them. If the water and soap treatment does not work there Are insecticides that Are toxic to insects but not humans. Pesticides Are not recommended on herbs because they Are used in cooking. Half barrels Are my favorite containers because they hold a substantial amount of soil and several varieties of herbs As Well As Flowers. Sometimes i Plant the entire barrel with seeds which is less expensive than buying plants. More often i buy starter plants and fill in with seed for successive plantings. Barrels need to have drainage holes drilled and rollers placed on the Bottom so they can be moved around to accommodate Sun and Shade. Place plastic packing pellets in the Bottom up to within a foot of the top. The top 12-plus inches Are filled with Good potting soil. Then place Flowers and herbs that have the same water and exposure requirements. One of my favorite barrel plans has trailing nasturtium seeds around the outside perimeter and is filled in with fennel Dill several kinds of Basil and coriander. In addition to the flavor the herbs will give the Green buds of the nasturtiums can be pickled in brine and used As a substitute for Capers. The blossoms also Are edible and can be used in salads and soups. President Eisenhower a famous vegetable soup contained nasturtium blossoms. Large Bolike Wood containers should be kept 1 to 2 inches off the ground or Patio and be filled with Good potting soil. A new acquisition to my Herb Garden is a Redwood tub. Planted there Are two herbs. One is Lemon grass a a tall Reed like Plant originally used in thai cooking i use it for anything in which Lemon Flavouring is needed. The other is Epa sote an Herb used in mexican dishes to combat flatulence. A sprig of Epa sote to a pot of Beans during the last half hour of cooking is recommended. Strawberry jars with sizable openings must have a perforated 1-Inch pipe Down the Center so the opening can be watered without losing soil. Any assortment of Small herbs can be placed in jars including chives sages and basils. Hanging baskets can be lined with wet Sphagnum Moss and filled with Good potting soil. In one of my hanging baskets i have chives oregano Sweet Marjoram and two kinds of Basil. The circumference is 12 inches across the top. Another Basket is 10 inches in circumference and contains three kinds of Parsley Sweet Marjoram and Burnet. Herbs do very Well in these baskets. Window boxes if they Are 8 to 10 inches deep and wide enough to hold a fair amount of soil also Are popular choices. Do not hesitate to Cut herbs for use in recipes on a daily basis. Cutting strengthens and expands the growth. But do not Over pick. To dry herbs pick Early in the morning just after the Dew is off the oils Are Best then. Herbs should be harvested immediately before flowering. Wash the herbs and discard the bad ones. Tie them in Bunches and hang them upside Down in Brown paper bags. Put them in a warm place with Good circulation a but no direct sunlight it destroys the oils. Seeds berries herbs and spices All Call for the same storage techniques. Glass containers Are preferable. Date the containers As you fill them. Put them in a Cool place away from the stove or other heat. Whole spices last longer than ground. The shelf life of ground herbs and spices is normally one year. Whole spices keep their Potency longer and can be ground As needed. Herbs Are not just Good tasting they re Good for you. Watercress and Parsley in particular Are High in Vitamin Content. Parsley contains vitamins a b1, b2, c and a in addition to the Trace minerals Iron iodine manganese and Copper herbs also can be useful in Low sodium Low fat and Low cholesterol diets. Most herbs should be added to foods the last hour of cooking to prevent their becoming bitter. One of the More common exceptions is the Bay Leaf which can be used throughout the entire cooking period. The most potent herbs include Bay Leaf Basil oregano thyme Sage and tarragon. Because their flavor is so Strong moderation should be stressed. Remember the amount to use depends on the freshness of your herbs. When they Are fresh be sure to finely chop the Herb. The More the surface is Cut the greater the flavor. Because dried herbs Are More potent than fresh Cooks need to increase the amount of a fresh Herb by half or More. A Good generality is 1a Teaspoon dried or 1 Teaspoon fresh for four Servings. Remember to crush the dried Herb to release the flavor fresh herbs Are the Best in All cases. But dried herbs if not kept longer than a year work adequately. My experience has been that Parsley Chervil and Cilantro Are tasteless when dried. Overcome the urge to use too much of any one seasoning. Also feel free to Experiment but do not use too Many different herbs in one dish. Become familiar with the flavor of different herbs and add to your collection As your taste buds dictate. Aside from your own cooking there Are other special culinary uses for herbs such As teas vinegars Butters Mustard Rice blends jellies seasoned oils and Saniao dressings. Angela Walsh is an instructor at Scottsdale Ariz comm Mummy College she teaches an adult education class twice a year on herbs Ana spa Page 16 a a a the stars and stripes Friday april 27,1990