Grow Your Own Herbs

A good overview of growing herbs, including a few recipes. The most helpful section had photos and descriptions of common growing problems such as fungus and how to treat it. I'm starting a container garden this spring and I can't wait to grow some herbs with some help from this book.

Home gardening is an art of it's own. How to best utilize the resources at hand and successfully amp up your family's diet is both hard work and immensely satisfying. One of the best ways to maximize your efforts and reduce your food budget is to add herbs to your gardens, both flower and vegetable. The herbs not only add to your bounty, they also help control pests and are beautiful plants themselves. While the book gives a wealth of information and pictures to inspire every gardener, the layout is user friendly, allowing you to skip back and forth to get ideas of what works for each individual. This book is a welcome addition to my gardening library.

While this is a fairly typical gardening book, there are a few aspects that set this apart from the rest.

The authors add a very detailed section for identifying health problems in your herb garden. This includes photographs of plants with a specific diagnosis to help a gardener recognize the symptoms asap and instructions on how to proceed to either treat, or solve any problems with future plants.

Additionally there was an area devoted to herbal syrups and vinegars that I very much enjoyed that is rare in books of this genre.

This book discusses growing one's own herbs. It discusses not only how to grow them but also how to use them fresh or to preserve them for later use. The illustrations are lovely. Some aspects of the narrative may be more detailed than the average lay person wants, but those with strong interest in herbal gardening will find it useful. I received an electronic review copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Grow Your Own Herbs
by Susan Belsinger, Arthur O. Tucker

Looking to begin growing your own fresh herbs for cooking, this book will guide you through the process of beginning your garden.

Herbs from A to Z with growing instructions, along with photos fill this book. When it’s time to harvest your herbs, you’ll find out how to do the harvesting and then how to dry the herbs. Included in the book is how to use the herbs in the kitchen and a few recipes for every day uses.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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I loved reading about the best ways to grow and preserve your own herbs! There were great tips for both novice and experienced gardeners alike.

Herbs have become a staple in our vegetable garden for the past few years, but I am always unsure of what to plant. I was really excited when I ran across this book and looked forward learning all about herbs.

This book does not miss a beat! It educates us on planting condition, provides harvesting tips, and teaches us how to maintain the health of your herbs. It also provides a few fun herb recipes such as syrups, vinegars, pastes, and butters.

I was particularly interested in the tasting notes and cooking tips for all 40 herbs. They are extremely detailed and very informative. They give tips on how to use them, what flavors to expect, and in some cases how to cut them.

While at the garden center over the weekend I picked up a few herbs – sweet basil, dill, cilantro and oregano. I saw a purple basil and was intrigued by its beautiful color but did not know how to use it, so I passed it up. According to this book, it looks beautiful among the green herbs in the garden, but is not particularly flavorful. We have limited space in our garden so while I would have enjoyed the purple color, I am now glad I decided to skip it.

I have no doubt that this book will be quite useful for anyone wanting a bit more education in growing herbs.

Easy to read, helpful photographs of many varieties of each herb, helpful info on not only growing and harvesting, but flavor profiles and culinary uses as well. I found a few new herbs to try out as well!

Grow Your Own Herbs is a new gardening guide specifically aimed at creating, maintaining, and getting the best performance growing culinary herbs in the home garden. Due out 25th June 2019 from Timber Press, it's 224 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

The book is laid out in a logical format with an introduction covering garden siting, some basic culture information, how to (and why to) grow herbs, and some region specific info. There's a sidebar with links to hardiness maps for the USA, Canada, and Europe.

The introduction is followed by chapters on growing, harvesting/preserving, and using herbs. There are some useful recipes included for infusions (syrups and vinegars), pestos, and herb butters. These are very basic suggestions and don't require any specialized equipment.

The bulk of the content is taken up by an herbal which includes 40 culinary herb entries. Each listing provides photographs, botanical names, culture and propagation information, and other uses.

This is a capably written, well photographed book which includes a standard grouping of the most common herbs. The descriptions and culture information are not overwhelmingly detailed, but in some cases, a word of warning to the inexperienced gardener could have been added. There isn't, for example, any mention of planning for containment when planting mint, which can be quite thuggish and invasive. The authors have, however, done a fair job of including some interesting varieties of several families (mint, thyme, parsley, etc etc).

This is a good basic book for the beginning gardener looking for some advice on planning and executing an herb garden to enhance their cooking or for pure sensory pleasure.

Four stars.

I received this arc from Netgalley for an honest review. Living in a large city townhome I miss the opportunity for a garden and growing my own food. This book has taught me that I can grow herbs where I live and have some of my own fresh food to consume. Great information and pictures too.

I appreciated the focused approach of this book--dealing solely with herbs. The authors share their expertise in easy-to-follow steps, guiding you through planting, growing, harvesting, preserving, and cooking. Bright, clear photos illustrate the text throughout, and the book wraps up with in-depth info on a selection of 40 culinary herbs.

This book will make you feel more confident about growing, harvesting, and preserving your own herb garden. Includes descriptions and photos for 40 varieties of herbs, with hints for care and use. Sections include selecting the right space and container for different types of herbs, troubleshooting problems (with helpful photos), and more. I'm inspired to get more herb plants and start experimenting!

Grow Your Own Herbs - The 40 Best Culinary Varieties for Home Gardens by Susan Belsinger and Arthur O. Tucker is a wonderful reference to have for those who grow or wish to grow herbs. It is extremely organized and readable. Even if I did not grow plants, I would find the book interesting.

One of the best features is the clear illustrations. The photographs are close up making the plant easy to identify. While it is not an all-encompassing book on herbs, the ones selected to showcase have clear detailed information. Topics include finding the best culminating conditions for the chosen herbs, pests, harvesting, drying, and freezing. I particularly liked the huge section on individual herbs along with the flavor and tasting notes.

Without a doubt, this would be a welcome addition to a novice or seasoned garderner’s library. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

The publisher through Net Galley provided an ARC. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts.

Book Description
Nothing tastes better than herbs harvested fresh from the garden. In Grow Your Own Herbs, garden experts Susan Belsinger and Arthur O. Tucker share everything a new gardener or home cook needs to know to grow the forty most important culinary herbs. Grow Your Own Herbs starts with basic gardening information with details on soil, watering, and potting. Profiles of 40 herbs—including popular varieties like basil, bay laurel, lemon verbena, tarragon, savory, thyme, and more—feature tasting notes, cultivation information, and harvesting tips. Additional information includes instructions for preserving and storing, along with techniques for making delicious pastes, syrups, vinegar, and butters. Grow Your Own Herbs is perfect for those new to gardening, gardeners with limited space, and anyone looking to add fresh herbs to their daily meals.

My Thoughts
There are 2 things that I have learned over the past 5 years(ok, a lot more than 2). Any part of my yard that can be reworked to add raised beds is a good thing, and I don’t need to grow 40 hot pepper plants since none of my family/friends eat them(just me, yum). This has freed up some space and allows me to try to grow new things every year. Last year, I focused on adding flowers for the pollinators, and this year, I am growing a lot more herbs.
Grow Your Own Herbs has 4 main chapters: Growing Herbs at Home, Harvesting and Preserving Your Herbs, Using Herbs in the Kitchen, and 40 of the Best Homegrown Culinary Herbs. Each herb example starts with a picture, whether it is an annual or perennial, how tall it will get, and what zone(s) it will grow in. There is information regarding cultivation and propagation, harvesting and preserving, as well as tasting notes.
I am not a beginning gardener, but if I was, I think that there is more than enough detail for you to successfully grow herbs, and for me, there are varieties I plan to sow this year. We have had a cool and damp spring in NY( zone 7), but, I have started my herbs indoors and they will be moving outside very soon. I am growing sweet marjoram, stevia, and rosemary based on the guidance provided, and I am confident that with the information provided, I will have a great harvest( weather permitting).
A great resource and I haven’t tried any of the recipes yet, but plan to make herb vinegar and herb butter.

I received a DRC from Timber Press through NetGalley.

So good. So, so good.

My love of gardening started with herbs. I love the possibilities and versatility that herbs give: they can be used topically or as culinary tools or medicinally, and I try to use them in every way possible. Belsinger and Tucker have compiled the many uses of forty herbs in this wonderful book, making me love herbs even more, something I didn't think was possible.

I'll start with the photography, which is lovely. There are photos of herb gardens that give me ideas on new ways to grow herbs at home. Growing conditions are discussed, as are tips for successful growing and harvesting. I particularly enjoyed the section on propagation, something that I don't currently do much of but have wanted to try, particularly with my perennial herbs. Layering and cutting are the methods for these herbs, and Belsinger and Tucker give, in detail, the instructions for doing so. There is also a large section on health problems herbs encounter and methods for preventing and healing those problems. Harvesting and preserving are discussed, and as anyone who lives in a region with four seasons can attest, preservation of herbs is crucial for enjoying them year-round. After all, why go to all that work to only use herbs for a handful of months?

If I had to pick a favorite section, I'd have to list two: the section on using herbs in the kitchen, and the section which includes forty different herbs and their uses. The section on herbs in the kitchen is brief, but I love that it gives me new ideas on how to preserve and use my herbs. For example, when I plant basil, my first thought is of pesto, but why not make a basil vinegar or even a basil syrup? This book shows me how.

As for the forty herbs, all are accompanied with specific information on growing, harvesting, preserving, and using. The aforementioned basil is here, with several of its cultivars and their specific flavors and uses. The authors recommend basil types by their Latin and common names, which is fantastic, and as with the rest of the book the photography is enticing.

In all, this is one book that would be welcome in any herb enthusiast's library. Thanks to NetGalley, the authors and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC.

I loved this book! There are so many beautiful pictures and tons of great details on how to grow your own herbs and the condition and upkeep that each requires. There are also tips on cooking these herbs and some recipes for them as well. This is a perfect edition for any gardener or aspiring gardener. There is even a section on growing plants in containers, so you do not have to have acres of land in order to utilize this knowledge and become a gardener yourself! I will be planting my own herbs and can't wait to use the knowledge I have learned in this book and make our meals even more delicious with fresh herbs!

For less than the price of one packet of fresh herbs or small jar of dried, you can have an entire year of them if you Grow Your Own Herbs.

A one-stop shop for all aspects of growing, storing, and using herbs. The book includes basic gardening skills, preserving methods, basic recipes such as butters and pastes, and herb-specific information. Some of the herbs described here can be grown on a sunny window while others grow into fifty foot trees.

The forty plus herbs included will be plenty for most households. All the common herbs like basil, oregano and cilantro are included. Here is the complete list.

Anise hyssop Mexican oregano
Basil Mexican tarragon
Bay laurel Mint
Black cumin Monarda
Calendula Nasturtium
Chervil Oregano
Chives Parsley
Cilantro Roman chamomile
Dill Rosemary
Fennel Saffron
French tarragon Sage
Garlic Salad burnet
German chamomile Scented geranium
Horseradish Sorrel
Lavender Stevia
Leaf celery Summer savory
Lemon balm Sweet marjoram
Lemongrass Thyme
Lemon verbena Viola
Lovage Winter savory

Each herb’s section includes at least one photo; growth zones; fully grown size; soil and watering requirements; planting, cultivation, harvesting and preserving methods; differences between variants; and tasting and cooking tips.

If you like herbs and want the freshest possible or to save money off store bought herbs, Grow Your Own Herbs is a great choice. 4 stars!

Thanks to Timber Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Having an herb garden is on my list of New Year’s resolutions for 2019, so I have read my fair share of books in this category. I would recommend this particular one to others - especially those growing herbs for culinary purposes. It has a “getting started” area - which includes topics such as soil, water, weather, containers, nutrients, seeds, cuttings, and pests. Next is a section on “harvesting and preserving,” - which includes ways of actually using herbs in the kitchen. Simple recipes for syrup, vinegar, paste, and butter are all good resources to have at your fingertips.

The final section of the book is the 40 herbs in greater detail. It provides a nice color picture of each herb, with a key that includes basic information such as annual/perennial, planting zone, sun, water, and soil needs. The accompanying commentary for each herb features (1) cultivation and propagation, (2) harvesting and preserving, and (3) tasting notes and cooking tips.

This book has a ton of good information but - as with other books I’ve read - lacks any real guidance regarding how much of each herb to plant, and if you are using containers - what size container to use.

Although I haven’t blogged about this book yet, it will be part of an upcoming blog regarding my own herb garden, which you will be able to find at www.Patch405.com.

This is a pretty good book for explaining both the basic and intricate pieces of growing/using herbs. It's written in an easy to understand way and I enjoyed the addition of recipes for syrups and butters. I will definitely be using the herb butter recipe in my cooking from now on. I can't wait to try it on a warm, crusty baguette!

*Book received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This book has a lot of great tips for herb gardening. It’s a thorough guide to growing your own herbs with all the information you need in one place. The pictures are beautiful too. I highly recommend this book to beginning and experienced herb gardeners. I received an arc copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book, I felt it was something I need to study and not only read.
I am a big fan of herbs and got plenty of them so I assume I know something about them but this book was so good and comprehensive that I learnt a lot.
I loved the advice, the ideas and will surely try some of the recipes.
The picture were gorgeous.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

If you enjoy growing herbs to cook with, this book will be a great addition to your reference library. Full of nice photos for reference, it covers 40 herbs that you might like to add in your recipes. This book includes instructions on how to get started with advice on soil, containers, pests, watering and other helpful advice.

Then the section on herbs is full of basic information that you need to know, and can refer to throughout the growing season. You learn if each herb is an annual or perennial, how much sun they need, how it should be watered, and how much sun they prefer. As the season moves on, you will be able to refer to cultivation and propagation information then harvesting and preserving. There are even cooking tips to assist you.

If you are looking for a basic reference book for cooking with fresh herbs, Gown Your Own Herbs is a good book to add to your gardening library.

What an amazing reference book for herbs. First I loved how the author categorizes all the different plants with how to grow and take care of them, as well as clear images on how to identify each individual herb and then she also includes recipes and other useful things you can use each herb for. It is like an herbal encyclopedia and cookbook all in one. This is now one of my top favorite for herbal reference books.
#Growyourownherbs
#Netgalley
#Herbs
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This has helpful information that I hope to utilize for my own herb garden. The layout was nice and the pictures used were beautiful.

For the beginner and also the experienced gardener, this book provides basic information about growing herbs, including some lesser known herbal plants such as bee balm. In particular, there is an excellent discussion of rationale for not growing certain herbs from seed and the basics of growing conditions for herbs. The section on diagnosing diseases/pests is a bit too general and I would suggest expansion with additional photos. The chapter on harvesting, drying and preserving herbs, was particularly nicely done. As a botanist and long-time gardener, I even learned some new hints for success. The final portion of the book highlights 40 different herbal plants, including photos, tips for growing, harvest/preservation, and tasting notes. Reading this section, I found myself wanting to try some of the herbs I'm not used to growing, such as black cumin and saffron.

In general, this is an excellent reference for all levels of expertise. It would have been nice to see some additional incorporation of sustainable horticulture methods in this book. For example, the authors appear to promote the use of sphagnum peat moss in their soil mixtures, even though harvesting of peat contributes significantly to the CO2 levels in the atmosphere and the bogs from which it is harvested take centuries to regenerate. I would hope this could be updated for future editions.

Very well-done reference book, field guide and cookery aid all in one.
Loved how bright and welcoming the photos were and how organized the book was. Suitable for the backyard gardener or urban container grower, growing tips, preserving information and field identification photos are all useful information, easy to digest.
Excellent resource!

I loved this book !
It explained everything I needed to know in an easy to understand way! I loved how it described everything from the growing process to different ways to use the fresh herbs in different ways. I loved it so much that I bought a copy for my self. I can't wait to try out some of theses ideas.
I volunteered to read this book from Timber Press in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.

A great book for beginners and more experienced gardeners alike, covering forty herbs to grow in your garden. Each herb is described thoroughly, including culinary uses, how to harvest and propagate, and how to dry to use year round. The instruction for growing are comprehensive and clear, with lots of photos. Definitely recommended!

#GrowYourOwnHerbs #NetGalley

Susan Belsinger and Arthur O. Tucker's Grow Your Own Herbs showcases 40 culinary herb varieties that can be easily grown at home to enhance your cooking. In addition to cultivation, growing, and harvesting tips, there are also recipes for making syrups, vinegars, butters, and pastes. If you're new to gardening or like the brightness of fresh herbs, this book is for you.

A one-stop shop for all aspects of growing, storing, and using herbs. The book includes basic gardening skills, preserving methods, recipes such as butters and pastes, and various herb-specific information. Some of the herbs described can be grown indoors on a windowsill while others grow into large trees.

What a great resource!  From soil type and propagation to trouble shooting pests and disease to harvesting, preserving and cooking with your bounty, this is a comprehensive book on the most common varieties of herbs for a home gardener.  In addition, there is a comprehensive guide to each herb - listing its growing requirements, ways to harvest and preserve and it uses.  The book is punctuated with gorgeous photos.

Very detailed and wonderful illustrations this book "Grow Your Own Herbs" is a great addition to anyone wanting to grow their own herbs at home.