Garden hacks | Make a self-watering herb garden

Gotta lotta bottle(s)? Put them to good use with this windowsill wonder

YOU WILL NEED:
Used bottle (glass* or plastic)
Mesh
Thick string
Herbs for planting
1 Cut a bottle in two, with the base longer than the top bit.
2 Turn neck part upside down into base. Cut a length of string to reach through the neck to the bottle’s base. Add water to the bottom part. 3 Cut a piece of mesh, just big enough to rest securely over the top of the bottle’s neck.

4 Make a small hole in the centre of the mesh. Thread the string through the hole, securing with a knot, then bring string through neck of bottle, so the mesh sits in place.
5 Plant up herbs into the top part and put water in the bottom. With your string dangling in the liquid, it’ll bring the water up to the herbs.
* Buy glass-cutting kits at craft stores – there are tutorials online, or if you know people with the right tools and skills, they can help you.

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Growing | Hydroponics

No longer the preserve of commercial growers, hydroponics - a soil-less method of growing leafy veg - is made for urban edible-gardeners. 

Growing veg can be tricky if you don't have a garden to cultivate or a sunny balcony to fill with tubs. Redemption for would-be urban gardeners, however, could lie with hydroponics, a controlled method of growing plants in water rather than soil

But what to grow?

Stick to leafy salad veg and herbs for the best results. Which varieties you choose to grow will depend on the size of your growing system: the lights of the Ikea Indoor Gardening System, for example, are 30cm above the growing tray, so any plants that grow taller than that won't fit. Plant 1-3 seeds per plug, depending on the plant, and remember that different seeds germinate at different rates. You should see plants with leaves big enough to eat after 5-7 weeks. 

Cherry tomatoes

Small tomatoes often planted in containers will also suit hydroponic systems. 'Balconi Red', 'Bajaja' and 'Sweet 'n' Neat Cherry Red' are all nice and compact.

Chillies

Smaller varieties such as 'Krakatoa' and 'Basket of Fire' will fit hydroponic systems best, but taller plants can be pinched out to encourage width rather than height. 

Lettuce

Most varieties will flourish in a hydroponic system. Ones with looser leaves such as Lollo Rossa, Cos (red and green) and Butterhead varieties suit hydroponic cropping better than tightly packed ones like Iceberg.

Other leaves

Pick the leaves of spinach, rocket, pak choi, oriental mustard and garden cress when they are young for best flavour. They are often found together in salad leaves seed mixes. 

Herbs 

A handful of fresh herbs in snipping distance is a boon to any cook. Most thrive in hydroponic conditions: try basil, chives, coriander, mint, parsley or lemon balm. 

Turn to page 106 of February's The Simple Things for more of our feature on Hydroponics, including what you need to start out. 

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More from the February issue:

The Herbery: A grower's guide

In a new series, Lia Leendertz picks herbs from her garden to cook in her kitchen. Could it be simpler? To begin, try these unusual ways with herbs:

• Plucking the leaves and chopping them into food is not the only way you can use herbs: when you grow your own, other possibilities open up.
• Many herbs have edible flowers that taste like a slightly honeyed version of the leaf. Basil, oregano and thyme flowers are all ambiguous enough to use as garnishes for sweet or savoury food, and chive, dill and sage flowers are beautiful scattered over savoury dishes and salads.
• Make use of seeds, particularly in their young and green stages, when they are like nothing you will ever be able to buy. Green coriander seeds in particular are pungent little flavour bombs and green fennel seeds are sweet, crunchy and aniseedy.
• Buy a packet of seeds (or, even better, collect your own) and you can sow them thickly and harvest within a week or so as micro leaves, to provide little punchy and flavourful garnishes. Basil, dill, chervil, fennel and chive all make excellent micro greens.

Turn to page 33 of March’s The Simple Things for more advice on what to grow and where.

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Jekka's Herbetum Open Days

Don’t miss the chance to sneak a peak behind the scenes of Jamie Oliver’s favourite herb grower, with open days at Jekka McVicar’s new Herbetum in South Gloucestershire.

Over the last 3 years Jekka has slowly transformed her working nursery into a beautiful display garden that showcases over 300 different culinary herbs in rather stylish (and practical) wooden raised beds. It’s said to be the biggest display of its kind in the UK so you’ll find plenty of inspiration about which herbs you can try in your garden, balcony or window sill.

Jekka takes two mini-tours of her Herbetum during the day, so you have plenty of opportunity to ask her advice and pick up tips about growing herbs as well as taste some of the varieties used in a delicious selection of homemade cakes as well as herbal teas on offer in their tearoom.

Look out for the August issue of The Simple Things, featuring Jekka's herb garden planting plans.

Jekka McVicar’s Herbetum Open Days:

13, 25 & 26 July, 10am - 4pm

(13 July opens for the NGS and a £5 entry fee goes to the charity)

Find out more.

Words: Cinead McTernan

Photograph of Jekka McVicar: Jason Ingram

Herbal remedy

Use fragrant winter herbs to liven up your soups and salads

In this month's Seed To Stove Lia Leendertz is making mouthwatering meals with her favourite trio of winter herbs, chervil, parsley and coriander. Try this Middle Eastern-style salad packed with punchy flavours - the perfect weekend lunch. Serve with fluffy homemade pitta (super easy and once you've made your own you'll never go back!)

Winter herb salad

Serves 4

1 large bunch flat-leaved parsley

1 large bunch coriander

5 cauliflower florets

A handful of radishes

5 spring onions

For the dressing:

Zest and juice of half a lemon

30ml extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

1. Roughly chop the herbs and radishes and slice the spring onions, and put them together in a large bowl. Take the central stems out of the cauliflowers to break them up into tiny florets. Add to the salad.

2. Put all of the dressing ingredients into a jar and shake them together, then pour over the salad and mix well.

From Issue 21 of The Simple Things, on sale Friday 28th February. See the magazine for the perfect accompaniments including a deliciously creamy Chervil soup with Ricotta & Herb Dumplings and easy-peasy Homemade Pitta.

For a special offer on Otter Farm chervil, coriander and parsley seeds click here.