5 unusual Indian herbs to grow
 (Read 250+ times)
By Emma Cooper
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If you’re into unusual herbs, or a fan of Indian cooking, there are several interesting herbs and spices that you can grow that are not generally found in Western gardens.
Nigella (Kalonji)
Nigella is known by many names, including black onion and black cumin, and is related to Nigella damascena, the well-known garden flower. Nigella seeds are sprinkled on naan breads and used in chutneys.
A delicate and pretty half-hardy annual, nigella seeds are best sown in a sunny, well-drained spot. Germination can be erratic, and take up to 4 weeks. The plants do not need feeding, and will grow feathery leaves and pale blue flowers that are followed by attractive seedpods.
The peppery black seeds are extracted from the ripe seedpods in late summer.
Saffron (Kesar)
Saffron is the dried styles of the Saffron crocus. Each flower produces just three red styles that must be harvested by hand – making saffron the most expensive spice. In Indian cookery it is used in sweets and special occasion favourites such as pilau and biryani.
Saffron flowers are sterile and the plants must be grown from corms. Make sure that you buy the Saffron crocus, as other species of crocus are poisonous.
Saffron thrives in a Mediterranean climate and is dormant in the hot, dry summer months. The plant will grow new leaves in fall and then flower, and needs to be protected from frost. For this reason saffron is often grown in deep pots; corms need to be planted 5 inches deep and 5 inches apart.
Corms should be dug up and divided every four years, but saffron is a very low maintenance plant with attractive flowers.
Cumin (Jeera)
The seeds of cumin are used both whole and ground in curry powders, particularly in northern India. Another annual plant, cumin is not hardy and seeds should be sown outdoors in spring when the soil has warmed up.
Cumin is a much more delicate plant than coriander (cilantro), and can be tricky to grow. Close planting will help the plants support each other, and they will grow to around 6 inches tall.
Harvest the whole plant when it turns brown, and dry the seeds indoors. The seed harvest is much lower than for coriander.
Fenugreek (Methi)
Dried fenugreek leaves are used as a herb (fresh leaves are used as a bitter vegetable) and fenugreek seeds as a spice, particularly in south Indian curry powders and chutneys.
Fenugreek is a legume, a member of the pea family, with the ability to fix nitrogen from that atmosphere into the soil. For this reason it is often used as a green manure (a crop sown to enhance the soil) and seeds are readily available.
For a herb or seed crop, sow seed in spring and thin plants to 3 inches apart when they are around a month old. Creamy flowers in midsummer will be followed by seedpods in late summer. When harvesting the plants you can leave the roots in the soil so that they nitrogen they contain is available to the next crop.
Holy basil (Tulsi)
Holy basil is a sacred plant in India, used in ceremonies. It is not eaten, but the leaves are used for herbal teas – or even combined with black tea leaves to make a spicy brew.
Holy basil and the other Eastern basils like a warmer climate than their Mediterranean and Mexican cousins and so can be harder to grow. The key is to water them in the morning, not the evening, to avoid encouraging rots.
An annual plant, Holy basil grows to around 30 inches tall and 8 inches wide. It is very pungent, with pink/ mauve flowers.
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Author Bio Box: Emma Cooper
Emma Cooper has a weekly gardening podcast, The Alternative Kitchen Garden, all about growing your own food in an environmentally friendly way. Check out her website for her gardening blog and more articles.
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