Update on Our Balcony Herb Garden

Look at this beautiful herb garden.  I'm such a proud mama.  The truth is that they haven't even grown to their full potential.  Some of them are just babies right now and I can't pluck their leaves to garnish my dishes just yet.  The mint on the upper left of the picture is a plant that we purchased last year and grew brown over the winter but has bloomed again. "Bourby" is struggling just a bit but produced enough leaves to garnish several Mint Juleps for the Cinco de Mayo/Kentucky Derby party we had.  Some new herbs that have been added to the mix are dill, purple basil and greek oregano.

This is the perfect time to head out to the farmers markets and pick up some herbs.  You can find organic herbs for under $3 and if planted well and cared for, will be great garnishes for summer dishes.  I picked up at few at the Clarendon outdoor market a couple of weeks ago and the cilantro is doing well. I am keeping my fingers crossed because my cilantro plant died in mid June last summer.  You can also find good deals at garden shops.  Home Depot had a crazy sale a few weeks back and I picked up a few plants for $1.77 each.  The true test of my gardening skills is if I can successfully grow cherry tomatoes from the TopsyTurvy contraption my parents gave me.

For a list of local farmers markets in the DC area, check FreshFarm Markets or Markets&More.