Spices and seasonings
Spices are that little extra that enhances the flavour of most dishes. You don’t need a garden to become self-sufficient in organic spices. A balcony or patio or even a windowsill can go a long way. Fresh spices in a pot not only add flavour to your dishes. They also become a beautiful and vibrant part of your home environment. Common spices have been cultivated for thousands of years. They have left their mark on trade and food culture where they occur naturally. Today, we can create environments where spices from around the world can thrive. But there are also many spices that have a long, indigenous tradition.
Growing fresh spices
Buying fresh spices on a regular basis can cost a lot. The price per kilo of herbs is often relatively high compared to other vegetables. Instead of buying spices grown for maximum harvest rather than maximum flavour, you can produce your own. Here are seven common spice plants that you can grow yourself:
- Basil – a spice with a mild, sweet flavour that goes well with pasta, pizza and tomato dishes.
- Parsley – has a fresh flavour that enhances many different dishes, both hot and cold.
- Thyme – a spice with a strong, spicy flavour that goes well with meat, vegetables and soups.
- Rosemary – is aromatic and goes well with grilled meat, lamb and vegetables.
- Chives – a mild spice with a slightly grassy flavour, suitable for salads, soups and fish.
- Dill – has a mild and fresh flavour that goes well with fish, eggs and crayfish.
- Tarragon – a classic in béarnaise sauce and an important spice in French cuisine in particular.
- Lovage – very aromatic and therefore suitable for broths and stews.
Most spices can be used both dried and fresh. Drying them tends to concentrate the flavour, so you can use more fresh spices in your food. You can also use freshly harvested leaves in delicious salads. To dry home-grown spices, hang them in bouquets in a dry and draughty place. This takes about two weeks. You can also quick-dry spices in the oven at 50 degrees, but it won’t be quite as good.
How to grow organic spices
Different spices have different requirements. It’s important to read up on a variety so that you can provide it with good conditions. At Florea, you can read about a wide range of spices. Here are some general growing tips that are almost always good to follow:
- Choose a spot in the garden or on the balcony that gets a lot of sun.
- Use well-drained soil.
- Water regularly, but don’t let the soil get too wet.
- Fertilise regularly with a weak organic fertiliser solution or compost.
- Harvest leaves and flowers as needed.
The tips apply whether you are growing fresh spices in pot or in the garden. Many common spices are perennial and yield a harvest year after year. Some can overwinter if you bring them inside in autumn. There are also spices that are annuals but can go to seed, so they come back every year. The flavour of spices deteriorates as they flower and form seed.
Spices have been used as medicine
Several common spices have not only been cultivated for their flavour. They have also been considered to have medicinal properties. Cinnamon and ginger are examples of spices with proven anti-inflammatory properties. Organo is an example of a nutrient-dense spice.
Author: Johanna Damm
Fact-checked by Erik Hoekstra
Last updated 2022-12-28