July is the height of BBQ season. This summer, don’t go without these easy, fresh edible plants that you can grow from the comfort of your kitchen. You’ll impress all your friends and coworkers at your cookout by including your homegrown, delicious flavors. Best of all, these plants do well in a pot, so all you need is a somewhat sunny window. East, West or South facing are great, but unfortunately North-facing windows just don’t give these plants enough energy to be happy.
Enjoy these summer greens and the yummy recipes that they’ll brighten!
1. Basil
Excellent on salad, sandwiches, and pizza, this easy-to-grow edible plant adds just the right among of freshness. Make sure to give your basil plant lots of light and a lot of water. You can even grow cuttings in water, although the flavor may be milder than their soil-grown counterparts. In case you can’t use it all, keep the top pinched so it doesn’t flower. When basil flowers, the stems turn woody and the leaves turn a bit bitter as the plant starts to decline. But don’t be sad if your basil doesn’t make it through the summer – this is a naturally short-lived plant, so get the most out of it while you can!
2. Mint
Can we just say ‘Mojito’? Or for the well-traveled: Moroccan Mint Tea. The recipes are super simple. You can make your own with high quality loose leaf green tea (avoid anything with additional fragrance like Jasmine because that will mess with the clear mint flavor), spearmint, and a LOT of sugar ;). The locals drink it hot, but you can also serve it chilled with a slice of watermelon. Yum! Mint is also nearly indestructible to the point of ‘don’t let it run wild in your garden because it will take over.’ Seriously… if you want to put mint in the garden, keep it in a pot or it will spread with abandon.
3. Chives
Not only are these edible plants super cute when they flower (pink pom poms at the tip of the leaves), they’re tasty when mixed into potato or egg salads, and they look great as garnishes. The easiest way to harvest them is to use a pair of scissors to make clean cuts that don’t bruise the leaves. For the over-the-top dish, harvest the flowers and use them as a garnish! They taste similar to the leaves. To grow, simply provide sunlight and water. Unlike basil, chives can handle being a bit dry and develop a stronger taste as a result.
try growing and eating these edible plants!
Check out these fun recipes that use our three summer greens!
Spicy Basil Lemon Gazpacho
Watermelon Mint Margarita
Chive Pesto
Like this edible plants post? Want to spread the knowledge on the benefits of plants?
Tell your family, friends and co-workers about us! We thank you very much in advance! You can also contact us with any plant care questions you have.
GardenStreets provides interior plantscapes, plant care and consultation services to commercial and residential clients. We also provide many virtual team building events, many of which are inspired by nature. Our mission is to bring nature closer to people through the philosophy of ‘Right Plant, Right Place’.
