I still remember a friend of mine telling me about a visit to Italy when she and a new Italian friend were cooking dinner. He went out on the fire escape to grab some fresh basil for the pasta, which she found awe-inspiring. Maybe it was only because she was a young, impressionable college student at the time or the aura surrounding Italians and food, but she thought to herself, “Now THAT is living!”

Enjoying an herb garden is indeed living at its best. Growing herbs is not very difficult and can truly transform your daily cooking experience (don’t miss our Pesto recipe from yesterday). Especially if you’re lacking space, an herb garden doesn’t take up much room and can work almost anywhere: straight in the backyard in and amongst flowers, in potted plants on your deck or fire escape or even right in your kitchen.

Not only is it profoundly satisfying picking a few herbs to accompany a favorite meal, I’ve found that I save money and no longer suffer the guilt of throwing away mounds of rotted cilantro because I only needed a few sprigs the day I bought it. I use what I need, as I need it and herbs are always more flavorful when freshly picked.

An herb garden is also a great entry into gardening because you don’t have to invest much into it. It’s not like waiting three months of patient nurturing for your beefeater tomatoes to finally start producing, only to have them get a disease and wither before you can taste a single one.

Herbs vary in how they grow. Rosemary and thyme tend to grow more like bushes and may take longer to establish, whereas basil, cilantro and parsley grow relatively quickly in large sprigs. Mint on the other hand, can grow like ground cover, spreading quickly. Herbs can be grown from seeds or if you’re impatient like me, I suggest buying small plants already started and transplant them. Here are a few details about what herbs to consider and what you might expect.

Basil

Basil is imperative during the summer months and especially at the end of the summer when tomatoes are in season. It is particularly virtuous freshly cut and scrumptious in bruschetta or pasta. It thrives in sun and warmth and does better with frequent trimming. When Basil starts to flower- be sure to remove the flowers quickly, as the plant will produce fewer leaves with less flavor if allowed to flower completely.

Italian Parsley

Parsley doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. I grew up with the kind of parsley that was only meant to be a garnish, a sprig on the side of chicken for decoration purposes only. Parsley is versatile herb that works well in all kinds of dishes, from pasta to Indian curries.

Of all the herbs I’ve grown, my greatest success has been growing Italian parsley, which I prefer over other varieties. It can grow into a large, strong plant that withstands frequent cutting. (Cut stems close to the base of the plant.) Parsley likes the sun or partial shade and bi-weekly watering. Eventually it will “bolt” or “go to seed” growing straight up into a flower, which like lettuce, means it’s reached the end of its usefulness. Best if grown in large pots or directly in the ground.

Cilantro

Cilantro, not to be confused with Italian parsley, has a distinct flavor that seems to elicit passionate responses of either love or hate. While it was an acquired taste for me, I fall firmly into the “love” camp, as this herb works well in so many recipes, including salsas, Asian stir-fries and with fish. Cilantro likes sun and can be tended much like parsley, cutting sprigs as needed. Trim flowers if they start to appear.

Rosemary

Rosemary grows well in many climates and is often used as an ornamental flowering bush in people’s yards. There is nothing quite like fresh rosemary with roasted chicken. Rosemary is a hardy plant that grows quickly and lasts a long time with little tending. Grow directly in the ground or in a large pot.

Thyme

Nobody should live without thyme. I may use thyme more than any other herb. It is particularly aromatic and goes well with everything, such as tomato sauces, bouquet garni’s for soup stocks or meats and vegetables. In fact, thyme makes an excellent alternative for basil in bruschetta. Thyme loves the sun and does well with little tending. It grows well in pots and can be trimmed frequently once established.

Mint

I have developed a new love for mint. I once had enough mint outside my back door that simple syrup and a muddler were always on hand. While most people recognize its crucial role in drinks like mint juleps or mojitos, it can be overlooked as a fabulous addition in concert with other herbs in frittatas, fish pistous, vegetable sauces or pasta dishes. Mint grows readily and quickly and may be best grown in pots unless you’re ready to live with it in abundance.

Sage

Sage is an excellent herb for flavoring stuffing. It’s also amazing toasted in butter and served as a garnish with butternut squash soup.  Sage is a shrub-like plant that grows well indoors or out and can get quite large if given the opportunity. It prefers lots of sunlight and loose, fertile soil.

Dill

I used to shy away from dill, but no more. Dill is a great herb for potatoes, fish or egg dishes. It grows well in containers and does best with ample sunlight, plenty of water and tall pots to accommodate its deep roots.

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The flu is already spreading like a Malibu wildfire in my Bay Area community with dozens of kids out the first few weeks of school and contaminated parents unable to play nurse.

It’s going to happen, no way of avoiding it all together, but there are some simple steps to build immunity and combat the spreading of germs at home.

Some people opt for the influenza vaccine, which the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says protects against the three main flu strains causing the most illness during the season. This year’s vaccine contains three new virus strains: A/Brisbane/59/2007(H1N1)-like virus, A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like virus and B/Brisbane 60/2008-like antigens.

The government says it is believed the 2009-10 influenza vaccine can protect you from getting sick from these three viruses, or it can make your illness milder if you get a related but different influenza virus strain.

For those choosing not to get the shot, most methods of fighting and containing the enemy involve keeping your hands and surroundings clean and lying low when you know you’re not well and can infect others. The good news for the planet is that none of the hygiene practices require harmful chemicals to kill the enemy.

1. Hand Washing

Discovered only 150 years ago, frequent hand washing is the most effective way to keep germs from making you sick and spreading to your pals. According to Every Day Health, it doesn’t matter what kind of soap is used as long as the water is warm and the soap lathers and spreads over the hands sufficiently to trap the germs. Soap and water works best (meaning you don’t have to use a chemical-doused sanitizer that can actually lead to worse viruses). Here are the steps recommended by the CDC:

- Wet your hands with clean water – warm, if available – and apply soap.
- Lather by rubbing hands together; be sure to cover all surfaces.
- Continue rubbing hands together for 15 to 20 seconds – sing “Happy Birthday” twice in your head.
- Thoroughly rinse hands under running water to ensure removal of residual germs.
- Use paper towels or an air dryer to dry hands and then, if possible, use a paper towel to turn off the faucet.

2. Sponge Duty

Sponges used to wash dishes and wipe down counters harbor massive amounts of bacteria, at times even salmonella.  While we are urged to replace them often to keep our kitchens clean, many sponges are made from plastics which means even more petroleum waste in our environment.

According to Living Green, the added environmental danger with many synthetic sponges is that they often contain Triclosan, an antibacterial and antifungal agent banned by Canada in household products this past August. Even though it’s registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as being a pesticide, it is frequently used in many antibacterial soaps, deodorants, toothpastes and cosmetics. The chemical is linked to health problems and harms fragile aquatic ecosystems and waterways.

While replacing sponges regularly is a good hygienic practice, stick to buying ones made from cellulose fiber (cellulose is sourced from plantation forests or recycled). Read the label carefully as some cellulose sponges are impregnated with polyester, a form of plastic. Keep your green cellulose sponge as dry as possible between uses, to avoid bacteria.  Sterilize them by soaking for a few minutes in boiled water, or try a dilute bleach/hydrogen peroxide solution.

The U.S. Dept of Agriculture also recommends killing bacteria and mold by microwaving a damp sponge or dishwashing a sponge with a drying cycle (the method my family uses).

3. Stay Home When you are Sick

Take cover when you are sick (just like covering your cough) by keeping away from other students, workers and friends. State health departments urge employees to stay home when they are infected for good reason. It’s the right thing to do for you and your community. Ask a friend or a loved one to make a nice pot of organic chicken soup, crank up the vitamins and heal thyself. Work can added undue stress that undermines a quick recovery. Work can wait.

4. Resist Sharing Personal Items

You don’t share brushes to avoid lice. And you don’t share eating utensils, drinking glasses, towels or other personal items if you want to avoid flu and colds. While sharing is a good gesture, there is a big exception when it comes to hygiene.

5. Love Yourself More

An excellent reference guide by Our Home Remedies follows the non-nonsense Farmer’s Almanac approach of boosting your immune system with rest, healthy foods like fresh leafy veggies and organic fruit, Vitamin C, garlic and thyme, and beneficial teas. We know when we are not loving ourselves because we don’t sleep and become run down, dehydrated and tend to reach for high sugar foods to revive us, rather than what we really need.

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Mint. Rosemary. Thyme. Clove. They are all well-known spices used in the kitchen. But for organic farmers,  they are also becoming known as key weapons to help combat insect pests attracted to fruit and vegetables.

Studies by scientists in Canada have established the potential for these spices to be used as environmentally-friendly pesticides. Posing less risk to human and animal health, the “killer spices”, when mixed together and diluted with water, become natural insecticides that either kill insects outright or simple repel them.

Some spice-based commercial products exist already, used primarily to protect organic strawberries, spinach and tomato crops from aphids and mites, but they only make up a very small percentage of the insecticide market.

In the next few years, however, it is likely that there will be a growth in natural pesticide production as more and more people become concerned about the damaging effects of more conventional pesticides.

But before that happens, scientists will have to find a way to make them longer-lasting. Currently, these spice-based insecticides have a short life span and require more frequent applications.

These killer spices are also showing potential as eco-friendly repellants against such home invaders are mosquitos, flies and roaches.

Image: Kalle Svensson