Hey there everyone! A couple weeks ago I had a meal at a restaurant that included some teeny little cilantro leaves that packed a bigggg flavor punch. That really impressed me since I like to cook with herbs, so I did some research and have since learned about growing micro-herbs. I have found a seeds source, and am going to give it a try. Wondered if anyone here has grown micros -- any kind of micros... What do you grow and where do you grow them? I have some large empty pots that I think I'll start with because I can control the sun more easily. I grow regular herbs in large pots already. If it goes well, I've also got an empty raised bed that I could make into a cold frame for the cooler weather... I'm looking forward to getting started after I get back from my little trip to the beach -- micro-herbs after my micro-vaca!
I tried micro greens last year.....I would have had to grow a boatload to accumulate any kind of quantity. I grew a variety of cilantro this year called Delfino cilantro. It was a finely cut leaf, looked very similar to dill, just greener, shorter and had white flowers when it bolted. Not nearly as much chopping to use this variety. If you would like some to try, let me know, I have a fairly lg packet of it left.
Thanks for the feedback Carolyn and the tip about the cilantro you're growing. I think I'll givethe micro herbs a whirl to see what it's all about. I don't need much! I hardly cook, really! LOL. But I like the flavor of fresh herbs when I do. I was looking at a local farm site that grows micros. Their commercial set up was kind of clever, I thought. Growing in greenhouses, on tables, in long rows of what look like rain gutter! Easy to sow, easy to harvest, I would imagine. Getting a pretty penny for small quantities of various fresh micro herbs too, I might add. They also grow edible flowers and regular herbs.
Maryann, I throw or let reseed, my cilantro seeds in the flower bed and have a continual supply of the herb OR flowers for the beneficial insects. they are not nearly as big a s dill so they fit fairly nicely into the flower bed. You can then harvest the seeds as coriander for the winter and they have a distinctly cilantro flavor, also. the gutter info was a good idea, maybe I will fill a few and put them in the greenhouse for the winter.
Here is the link to the farm in Maryland. You can get a glimpse of how they use the gutters in their greenhouse. Sorry I couldn't find a still picture of it... pretty simple, clever idea for shallow rooted things. I think keeping them watered outside of a greenhouse would be a challenge for me. http://www.davoncrest.com/
Watering is an issue no matter where you grow your plants, if you are using such a small amount of growing media, most likely there is a drip irrigation system on a timer that waters daily. This sounds like a very easy to do project, also. Especially if one already has the space to do it. :-D
