- NEWS
Unions opposed to cuts are subject to law, says KennyTeacher unions and others that remain opposed to €300m public sector pay cut proposals will be subjected to laws cutting higher salaries and other work changes, Enda Kenny said yesterday.
UCC plan will save taxpayers millions University College Cork intends to be largely self-funding within five years, saving the Irish taxpayer millions of euro a year.
- WORLD
Woolwich terror killing: Security services face probeThe British parliament is to investigate if security services could have done more to prevent the murder of a soldier hacked to death in a London street after it emerged that his suspected killers were known to intelligence officers.
Woolwich killing: Further arrests as spotlight turns on security servicesBritish police arrested two more people yesterday in a hunt for accomplices of two British men of Nigerian descent accused of hacking a soldier to death on a London street in revenge for wars in Muslim countries.
- BUSINESS
Noonan examining ways to capitalise banks It is believed the Minister for Finance Michael Noonan told the IMF that he will look to Contingent Convertible Capital (CoCo) Notes if the banks need additional capital buffers following the stress tests.
- SPORT
The magic is in the anticipationULSTER SFC QUARTER-FINAL:Donegal v Tyrone For too long, we've been decrying the anti-climactic starts to thevarious provincial championships. Now we have a genuine no-holds barred contest in Ballybofey.
O’Brien out for final as Schmidt takes issue with Gatland Joe Schmidt has opted against speculating whether Sean O'Brien will miss the opening weeks of the British and Irish Lions tour after omitting the injured flanker from his squad of 23 for today's RaboDirect Pro12 decider.
- LIFESTYLE
A woman of mettle: how Iron Lady rose to powerFirst volume of Margaret Thatcher's authorised biography is predictably flattering, but not a hagiography, says Shaun Connolly
Best of the Week's TV (Saturday, May 25 - Friday 31)Highlights include Colin Stafford Johnson's new series on the Shannon, and highly-rated new spy drama The Americans.
Live Blogs
- We have no upcoming events at the moment. Please check 'Recent Events' tab for past events
Latest ShowBiz
Hankering for healthy herbs
A handful of fresh herbs magically transforms an average meal into an aromatic gourmet feast and if you share my hankerings, you will concur that those freshly picked supersede anything you will find dried on a supermarket shelf.
By Kitty Scully
Besides being easy to grow, herbs provide a plethora of perks from a single planting: they look great, smell sublime, taste terrific and are full of fantastic health properties. !If all that wasn’t enough, herbs happen to be some of the most productive, trouble-free, plants around. By picking leaves regularly, you actually encourage further growth and better-established plants. Herbs are not hungry feeders and are more likely to repel pests than attract them, thus making them an excellent choice for companion planting. Herbs are ideal for softening any part of the garden and will make your outdoor space more fragrant and colorful, attracting you and beneficial insects. Whether you have acres of land or just a sunny windowsill, growing your own herbs is possible.
All herbs can be grown from seed but seeing that you may only need one or two plants of each, it can be just as easy to buy some sturdy transplants at your local farmers’ markets or a good garden centre. I am wary of imported potted herbs and my advice is to buy local and Irish as they tend to be healthier and hardy enough to thrive in our climate.
There is a myriad of magnificent herbs to choose from and they are all easy to grow once you understand a few basics. Annual herbs, such as basil, dill and coriander will live for only one growing season. Biennials will produce leaves in the first year and in the second year they will produce flowers, seeds and then die (eg. parsley, chervil). Herbaceous perennials will die back in winter but reappear in the spring, year after year (eg. chives, fennel, lovage).
Evergreen perennials will retain their foliage all year (eg oregano) and evergreen shrubs retain their foliage throughout the year (eg rosemary, sage, lavender).
The best herbs to grow are those that you most like to use. Top of my list is basil, which coincidentally is the herb that a lot of people struggle to grow. The golden rule for great basil is to avoid growing it outdoors as it hates our climate. Being a tender sun-loving plant, it will only grow during our summer and it will do much better in a sunny window or greenhouse. Be warned, do not over-water your basil, as it detests sitting in wet soil.
Other stalwarts include sage, rosemary, and thyme. All three are evergreen perennial herbs and are of Mediterranean origin. They will need well-drained soil and preferably a sunny spot in the garden. The trick to keeping them content is to lightly cut back stems after they flower each summer, but never cut into old wood and never over-pick the leaves.
Chives herald the start of spring as they are one of the first of the herbaceous perennial herbs to appear. Being a member of the allium family, they make a great companion plant and not only are the slender leaves delectable, but their distinctive, decorative purple pom-pom flowers make a delightful addition to salads. Remember to cut back chives after they have flowered so as to enjoy a second summer flush.
There are a few unruly herbs that if planted in your garden, they could risk being invasive. Mint and lemon balm are two of these so my advice is to keep them contained or to try planting them into a bottomless container into the ground. If you buy a small mint plant, transplant it into a pot about five times its size, dig a hole and then place it in your prepared container in the ground, with the edge of the pot just a couple of cms above ground level. This allows the mint to grow happily, access water and nutrients, but stops it from spreading like wildfire.
You’ll need to lift your pot every couple of years to divide your plant to ensure continued healthy fresh growth. Early spring is the ideal time for this and you can increase your popularity by sharing divides with friends.
Lucky for patio owners, grass and weeds are not the only plants that can withstand foot traffic. A few small, creeping perennials such as varieties of mints, marjoram and camomile will thrive underfoot as well. These delicious herbs are perfect for planting into patio cracks as they will soften and offset stone while releasing delicious fragrant smells when trodden.
© Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved