Valentine's Herb Box

Handmade Valentine's gifts are always appreciated and here’s a great idea for that special gardener, a DIY herb garden kit. An herb garden kit is a practical gift to give and your local garden center will have all the components for the kit. Let’s get started. I’ve chosen this cute little crate to hold the herb kit components. I’ve selected a variety of herb seeds that are easy to grow indoors. Because herb seeds are small, many are pelletized for easier sowing. The seeds need growing mix and I love these peat pellets. Place a pellet into a peat pot, add water, add watch them expand. Drop in 2-3 seeds and place the pot in a windowsill. As for herbs, dill is a popular choice with its frilly fine-textured foliage. This is a forgiving herb that is a popular choice for fish dishes and the flower heads are used for homegrown dill pickles. Sage is a coarse leaved perennial herb. The common variety has aromatic grayish-green leaves. Basil is a fast-growing annual herb that’s a good choice. Sweet Italian is a great pick for Valentine's that love pesto. Thyme has aromatic gray-green leaves that are wonderful with poultry dishes and an essential part of herb bundles called bouquet garni. And rosemary, a Mississippi Medallion winner, has needle-like foliage and a warm and tangy flavor. Add a red-themed plant, and of course some candy, and it’s ready for your gardening Valentine. I’m horticulturist Gary Bachman and I’ll see you next time on Southern Gardening.