Kitchen Herbs

Confession: I'm a house plant serial killer.

My mother and my grandmother both have amazing green thumbs, but that gene must have skipped a generation because I'm pretty sure I have never successfully kept a plant alive.  The unfortunate part of such a gifted mother (and lacking all those talents yourself) is that I was absolutely spoiled growing up with an enormous vegetable garden.  Nothing compares to a tomato picked fresh moments before you eat it, or filling your morning cereal with blueberries and strawberries just because you can.  I cringe every time I see a tiny package of lackluster raspberries selling $6, but what really kills me in the grocery store are the fresh herbs.

 Living in the city there's no way I could ever have my own raspberry bush, but most herbs are incredibly easy to grow and would be perfectly happy in a small pot in your kitchen.  After I saw 5 pathetic sprigs of basil for $4 the other day, I decided that THIS summer will be the summer that I grow herbs without killing them.

Never being one to do things half way, I went all out at a local gardening store and bought 3" starter plants (much easier to keep alive than growing from seeds) of mint, basil, oregano, cilantro, parsley, chives, and lavender. The whole shebang, including potting soil, ceramic pots, and a little watering can, came to only $25!  If I manage to keep the plants alive, I will be saving money if I make two caprese salads and two batches of pasta sauce! Completely aside from the financial gain, the pots of happily growing organic herbs lining my windowsills make my kitchen feel like a garden oasis from the stress of the city. Cue the Mozart, these babies are gonna LIVE!!!!!