5 Herbs for Sharing

There are many herbs for sharing.  Today we will focus on the top five.

Herbs are one of the easiest plants to grow and the most used plant in the kitchen.  But they are also the best plant to share.  Why, because they produce an abundance and when they are regularly harvested, they give more.

If you want the biggest bang for your buck, then herbs win hands down.  They can be grown in various climate conditions and in pots if you have limited space.  Our resident gardening guru shared her knowledge on how to grow herbs in a recent post.  Check it out here.

So what herbs should we be growing that are easy and abundant and perfect for sharing?

Here are our top 5 herbs for sharing.

Rosemary Rosemary is a perennial herb and is one of the oldest known to mankind. Once established you will have this plant for life. Not only is rosemary great in cooking, infusing with oils but it has some great medicinal properties too like boosting your memory, immunity and reliving stress. A great all-rounder for every home whether in the garden or a pot.
	Bay Leaf Bay Leaf although not technically a herb, the leaves of the tree are used liked herbs.  Every single leaf on the tree can be used making it an abundant herb that should be shared.  Fresh or dried leaves are used in cooking due to their flavour and fragrance.  Bay leaves are all about complementing rather than being attention-grabbing herb like cinnamon.  In most retail outlets you will only find dried bay leaves, but fresh is best and possible if everyone shared their bay leaves.
Lemongrass Lemongrass is a shrub and another great all-rounder.  Used in cooking, perfumes, insect sprays and drinks, it has medicinal properties and is a great source of Vitamin A.  Once again the whole plant can be used reducing waste.  The leaves and oil are used to make medicine and teas, with the root being used in many Asian and Indian dishes.  It is also a great plant to share as it is easily propagated by dividing at the roots.
	Kaffir Lime Kaffir Lime produces both a fruit and a leaf that is used as a herb.  The fruit has very little juice, but the zest of the skin is strong and is used in desserts and curry pastes.  Every single leaf on the kaffir lime tree can be used, making it a great plant to share.  Essential to south-east Asian cooking, they are best used fresh by removing the middle vein and finely chopping the rest of the leaf.  The fresh leaves can be frozen and used for up to a year later.
Mint Mint is a perennial herb and must be grown in a container as it will take over your garden.  It has a gorgeous smell and if kept moist, not dry or waterlogged, mint will provide all year around.  It also comes in many varieties – common, spear, pepper, chocolate – so there is much potential for spicing and sweetening.  Brew into teas, add to cold drinks or sprinkle fresh leaves over lamb before cooking.  There are many uses for mint.

Rather than head to the supermarket for herbs, connect with your community on Spare Harvest to see who has some herbs for sharing.  If we all shared our herbs, we all could find fresh herbs right at our doorstep.

Not only will you have a permanent supply of herbs, but you get to meet your neighbours.  If you are not a member of Spare Harvest, signup.  If you are growing herbs, then create a listing and start sharing them.  If you need herbs, head to Spare Harvest and search our member listings first.

The more we share, the more we receive.