My new Aerogarden has arrived! My first impression out of the box, is that it is a really simple and yet, ingenious idea. I assembled it with the simple picture instructions, not needing to delve too deeply into what went where. I had it completely assembled and running within 15 minutes of opening the package.

The size is just perfect for my workdesk(although I would love a large 7 plug size-note to any gift buying family members out there), and when I plugged it in, it makes even less noise than the 1 gallon fishtank also  housed on my workdesk realestate.

The only bad thing is that they sent me flowers instead of the herbs that I ordered. Before complaining, I went back to the site and it does say(in wee letters at the bottom of the page), that they reserve the right to choose either flowers or herbs. I still feel slightly cheated that they bother to ask which I wanted if they were just going to choose for me.

Being the HERB Garden Guide, the herbs were what I needed for my testdrive. Oh well, now anyone ordering the  mini will know that it might be either herbs or flowers.

Overall, I am still thrilled to finally own one of these gems and plan on growing in it for many years to come. When things sprout, I will update you all!

I just received news that Fiskars is offering community gardening groups from the U.S and Canada, $1000 in gardening tools and $1,000 in garden related materials. This is the perfect opportunity to get your local herb garden club off the ground! The deadline to apply is February 19, 2010. Go to the website for all of the information you need, and apply online.

What a great idea! Thanks, Fiskars.

If you wanted to get a predesigned indoor herb garden, but the price put you off, I found out that Aerogarden is having a sale on their micro(three pod) gardens! I am not affiliated with this company in any way, just have coveted a cute little desktop garden for quite a while. I just ordered a black one, with Mediterranean herbs, and will now stalk the mailman until it arrives.

The sale says quantities are limited, but no mention of how limited or how long the promotion will last.  They are normally $59.00 for this little one, now on sale for $29.00 plus shipping(seed pods included).  My total was $37 dollars and change. If you want to grab a nice little tabletop garden, get on over to Aerogarden and pick one up!

Hope this helps somone with either their own gift list, or for themselves.

Now is the time to start organizing your holiday grocery list. Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and these herbs are must haves for a fabulous meal. Try to find them fresh if possible. Often, you can still find small pots of herbs available in nurseries. These make wonderful hostess gifts, and a row of them on the windowsill, will make a cheery decoration for celebrating our bounty.

• Rosemary and Sage - Your turkey can be deliciously flavored using rosemary and sage. Remember the hand rubbed sage powder that you made this summer? Now is the time to use it! Rosemary can be used fresh or dried. Mix these herbs with softened butter. Separate the skin from the turkey gently. Using your fingertips, push the seasoned butter in between the skin and breast of the turkey. Smooth the skin back down over the bird and work the butter around as much as you can. I also like to add some additional rosemary to my potatoes. It ties them in to the flavors of the turkey very nicely. Use your sage in the stuffing mixture. Because I also add it to my turkey preparation, I use a light hand in the stuffing recipe. Sage is fantastic, but can overwhelm a meal if used in too high proportions.

  
  

• Garlic -My potatoes also get a healthy dose of garlic added to them. Try cooking the garlic along with the potatoes for a rich, garlic flavor without the bitterness that can sometimes result. While you are cooking up the garlic in your potatoes, try placing some an unpeeled garlic bulb onto foil and drizzle with olive oil. Close up the foil around the garlic and bake in the oven, along with your other sides. I try to roast it for about 30 minutes, but test it for doneness depending on the temperature of your oven. The garlic is finished roasting when the cloves feel soft in their skins. Now use these sweet, roasted cloves in any of your Thanksgiving cooking that calls for it.
• Chives - Cut your chives back and use them in all your holiday dips. They also taste great in your green bean casserole and sprinkled on the mashed potatoes, just before serving.

These are just a few of the tasty ways you can use some of your herbs this Thanksgiving. There are many other dishes that will benefit from the sparkle of fresh or freshly dried herbs. Make use of what you grew this year and pull out those recipe books! Here are some links for more ways to use herbs in your holiday cooking.

Thanksgiving Stuffing

Vegetarian Gravy With Fresh Herbs

Herbal Centerpiece

My stevia is long dried and stored for the winter. Since it is so easy to make my own simple sweetener, I don't buy the prepackaged varieties. I did however, try one brand and then blogged about my experience with it.

I am admittedly, a diehard fan of just growing and making my own, but for those who do like to use the little packages, here is another sweetener that looks promising:

Sun Crystals - What looks attractive to me is that it is made from simply blending stevia with sugar, so that you get the sweetness, without added chemicals. From the website, I pulled these points:

Made of sugar and stevia

Safe for Diabetics(up to 3 packets is still considered a Free Food)

Safe for Pregnant and Nursing moms

Can be used in baking and cooking

I have ordered their granulated blend(to try for cooking) and a box of packets. Let's see how it tastes!

If you have experience with this product, please post in the comments section. I have been unable to find it in any grocery store around here, and have to wait for my online order to arrive, before testing. Thanks!

They are the perfect addition to your home medicine chest; coughdrops. Making cough drops is a nice way to offer support and TLC for someone you love, while they are feeling under the weather. This cough drop recipe is easy to make and works very well. Play around with some of your favorite herbs, to create just the right combination. I prefer using elderberry juice to make mine. The kids love the taste, and they are getting the benefits of elderberry in each piece.

Tinctures can also be used to add more potency, but are not necessary. If you are feeling especially industrious, try wrapping each cough drop in individual pieces of wax paper after dusting with slippery elm powder.

Photo ©A. Jeanroy

Not all indoor gardens have to be fancy. Here is a shot of my herb gardens that sit on my desk. They are growing under my gooseneck reading lamp, lit up with a simple growlight bulb that I bought on a whim at the hardware store.

Share what you are growing indoors this winter. I would like to create a gallery of gardens for everyone who is looking for ideas.

Photo ©2008, A. Jeanroy

Just when I thought I had gone to heaven with my new ipod, I found three new apps that relate directly to us herbies!

The first one is called Herb Garden. It is available under Reference apps. This little gem is great for finding growing info, medicinal and historical uses for many herbs. A fun and useful thing that takes up little room on your ipod. It does require wifi to run though.

The next app is called Culinary Herbs and Spices(Reference). Although it may look a bit confusing at first, this app is packed with a LOT of herbs that you may have never even heard of. There are plenty of of the regulars; Sage, Anise, Mint, etc. included. This one is nice, because you can download it and go. No need to be near wifi for it to run.

The third and final app(so far) is called Medicinal Plants(Reference).It contains a lot of really interesting information about dozens of herbs and their medicinal qualities. It requires wifi to delve very deeply, but makes a thorough app for reference, even when not online.

I am still looking for more herb related apps for my new ipod. With so many available, it won't be long before I have a full screen of gardening apps to share with you. Do you have any favorite herb or gardening related apps to share with us? Please do!

Often, when a gardener thinks of the garden season, they only think in their own zone. I am guilty of this. Since I have always lived in zone 5 or less, my knowledge and training is strongest for this area. One thoughtful reader reminded me that there are many more zone to consider for a well balanced herb site.

I would like to offer just as many tips and tricks for southern gardeners, so I am asking for your help.

What are the topics that you would like to see here? If you would give me some ideas to focus on, I believe this site could be useful for every gardener in every zone. Do you suffer from drought? Particular diseases or insect problems that are specific to your zone?

Send your thoughts directly to me, or post a comment. Thanks so much!