I’m a professional chef and here are 2 hearty herbs that are easy to grow – even for first-time gardeners with no space

IF you’re ready to start your own garden, you’ll want to avoid common mistakes that many people make when developing their green thumb.

Gardening, while oftentimes a fun hobby, can become quite expensive if you aren’t sure what you’re doing, and you may end up wasting money in the process.

WCVB

Chef Jason Jernigan says the two easiest herbs for first-time gardeners to grow are basil and mint[/caption]

“I talk to people all the time who say, ‘If it’s a plant, if it is possible to live, I will find a way to kill it,” said Boston chef Jason Jernigan.

Jernigan has his own rooftop garden, where he grows multiple herbs and vegetables. He named the two easiest herbs for first-time gardeners to grow.

“The first thing I started growing was basil. It’s just such a versatile herb, and it is easy to grow,” he told local ABC affiliate WCVB.

Another easy herb for fire-time growers, according to Jernigan, is mint.

“Mint is one of the things that you can definitely start off with. It is very hearty. It is forgiving, so if you forget to water it, just like anything else, it is going to let you know. It smells great.”

When it comes to actually potting the crops, Jernigan said it’s better to keep them in smaller pots as you’ll be less likely to accidentally overwater them.

“Which tends to be a big problem with people starting off with plants,” he said.

Also, when harvesting herbs, it’s important to break them from the base and not just tear off the leaves, he added.

“We want to generate new growth. We want these herbs to be giving back to us all season. Learning exactly the best way to prune them is also beneficial,” Jernigan said.

Fresh herbs can be frozen at the end of the season, said Jernigan. 

However, if you want to use the herbs for months, it’s best to dry them out instead.

When growing accustomed to new skills, Jernigan reminded gardeners not to stress about their progress, and to remember to have fun.

“Experiment with basil in ice cream,” he said.

“I’ll take a good bottle of red wine, toss that into my ice cream maker, spin that around, throw some fresh herbs in there, a little bit of simple syrup and some seltzer water, and that turns into the most magical drink for summertime that you can ever imagine.

“I encourage people to step outside your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, because mistakes are only what you make them.”

WCVB

Jernigan advises that people use smaller pots for their plants so they don’t overwater them – a common mistake for gardening newbies[/caption]