“A recipe has no soul. You as a cook must bring soul to the recipe.”
There’s something really satisfying about cooking a meal all by yourself. And, what’s even more fun is to produce the ingredients as well yourself, at your own place. But, a challenging part is to keep every dish unique and add an exquisite flavor to it. Luckily, there is a secret weapon for that – SPICES!
What are spices?
Spices are one of the most important parts of beautifully cooked food. The word spice refers to the dried part of a plant, except for the leaves, that are used for making a recipe flavorful. They are the aromatic seeds used for seasoning and enhancing the taste of a dish. Moreover, they are also used in dried form.
Though you may easily get produced spices from the market, you can also grow them at your home.
BENEFITS OF GROWING SPICES AT HOME
In addition to being amazing, and making our meals delicious, there are many benefits of growing spices at home.
- Always fresh spices at your step
- Save a lot of money
- No boring meals at all
- Easy processes
- Stress Relieving
- Exotic Variety
- Taste the difference, and more.
Now, that you know how wonderful spices are, and their various benefits of growing at your own place, let’s have a look at the list of spices that can be easily grown.
VARIOUS SPICES THAT CAN BE GROWN AT HOME
Having a mini garden in your home where you can grow microgreens, herbs, spices, etc. is one of the most awesome ideas. It keeps an area surrounded by greenery and colors and you also have fresh items available all the time.
Here are some ideas to get started.
TURMERIC
Turmeric is a superfood and is known for the bright golden yellow color that it brings to the food. Its botanical name is “Curcuma Longa”, and it can be grown indoors. If you’ve not been prompted enough to use it in your cooking till now, growing your own just might do it.
Growing Process:
- The main part that is used as the spice is roots and rhizomes.
- Best season to plant summer or spring when the temperature is above 54 F.
- Choose a large pot: at least 12 inches deep, and at least 12-18 inches wide.
- Get a rhizome and break it into small pieces.
- Fill the pot with rich, moist, and well-drained organic soil.
- With the buds facing up, place the rhizome about 2 inches below the soil surface.
- Make sure the pot is watered regularly.
- It takes around 8 to 10 months for a turmeric plant to mature.
Benefits of Turmeric:
- A natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
- It is used to reduce depression.
- Effective Alzheimer’s disease.
- It is used in a variety of curry recipes.
GINGER
Looking for a spice beneficial for the body as well as the brain? Ginger is one of them and is known for its rich nutrients and health benefits. Its botanical name is “Zingiber Officinale.”
How To Grow:
- Find or purchase fresh ginger rhizomes (roots), measuring almost 3 to 5 inches.
- Look for pieces with growth buds or eyes.
- Spring is the best time to grow ginger.
- Get a standard 12-inch deep pot.
- With buds facing upwards, plant the rhizome one inch deep in the potting soil.
- Put the pot in a sunny space, and water it regularly.
- The plant grows up to four to five feet.
- Once the leaves start getting yellow, the roots get ready for harvest in 8-10 months.
Benefits of ginger:
- Used in savory curries.
- Reduces the risk of diabetes.
- It helps to settle an upset stomach.
- Curbs morning sickness.
CORIANDER
A great spice, commonly used in Mexican, Indian, and Latin American cooking, either whole or powdered. Their spicy aroma is very rich and citrusy. Its botanical name is “Coriander Sativum”, and also known as cilantro.
Growing Process:
- Choose a pot at least 10-12 inches deep and eighteen inches wide.
- It can be grown successively from spring to fall.
- Coriander grows best in sun, but not too much heat. Make sure to put it under shade in a scorching afternoon.
- Sow the seeds directly in the pot in moist soil.
- Water it regularly.
- Harvesting can be done of young cilantro leaves, about three to four weeks after sowing.
- If you want to harvest the entire plant, wait for at least 50 to 70 days.
Benefits of Coriander:
- Rich in immune-boosting antioxidants.
- It helps lower blood sugar levels.
- Promotes digestion and gut health.
- May benefit heart health.
GARLIC
Garlic is known for many medicinal benefits and is adaptive to both outdoor as well as indoor conditions. Its botanical name is “Allium Sativum”, and garlic falls under the category of both spices and vegetables.
How to grow:
- Usually, the right planting season for planting garlic is fall.
- However, if you’re growing indoors, any season would be fine.
- Select a pot that is at least 8 to 10 inches deep.
- Make sure there are drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.
- For garlic greens – plant the cloves closely, and for garlic bulbs – maintain a 4-inch gap.
- Fill the pot with organic soil mixture and push the cloves down at least 2-3 inches deep.
- With the perfect placement, sunlight, right soil, and proper watering, fresh new garlic shoot will begin to come out in a week or so.
- Once the greens are around 4-6 inches tall, you can start picking them.
Benefits of Garlic:
- Highly nutritious.
- Combat sickness such as a common cold.
- Improves cholesterol level
- It can reduce blood pressure.
CUMIN
Cumin belongs to the parsley family and is commonly used in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and South Asian cooking. Its botanical name is “Cuminum Cyminum.”
Growing Process:
- It is mostly preferred to grow in a frost-free climate.
- The part used as the spice is the seeds.
- Choose at least 8 to 10 inches deep pot.
- Fill the pot with loam soil
- Place the seeds properly in the soil, and put the plant in the direct sunlight for most of the day.
- Water regularly, and cut the cumin plants at their stem after around four months of growth.
Benefits of Cumin:
- Promotes fat reduction in the body.
- Rich source of iron.
- May help with diabetes.
- Prevents food-borne illnesses.
PAPRIKA
A ground spice true to its nature, paprika is used for spicing up the recipes. An easy to grow pepper in a pot, and you even grow several varieties for a blend. Its botanical name is “Capsicum Annuum.”
How to grow:
- Growing of paprika is similar to that of bell paper.
- Buy the plant from a nursery or propagate it from seeds.
- Take a pot that is at least 10-12 inches deep and wide, which has sufficient drainage holes.
- You can grow up to 2-3 plants in such a pot.
- Purchase great quality seeds from a nearby garden store or you can look for them online.
- Water the plant regularly.
- Depending on the weather conditions, the seeds will germinate in 1 to 3 weeks.
- After transplanting, peppers will be ready for harvesting in 60-90 days.
Benefits of Paprika:
- Anti-inflammatory properties.
- Reduces the risk of a heart attack.
- Supports healthy digestion.
- Induces sleep.
Cayenne Pepper
It is most commonly called the cayenne pepper, also sometimes referred to as guinea spice and as red pepper once it is dried. It is a member of the nightshade family.
Growing process:
- A significant amount of heat is required to grow cayenne pepper.
- Use a standard sized pot with drainage.
- Fill the pot with light soil and put the seeds in it.
- The seeds take around 16-20 days to sprout.
- Transplant the cayenne pepper plant six to eight weeks after the seeds are sown.
- Tip: When transplanting or sowing directly, plant your pepper plants 18-24 inches apart in rows.
Benefits of Cayenne Pepper:
- It helps to reduce cancer risk.
- It can be easily used in your diet.
- May help to reduce blood pressure.
- Aids digestive health.
MUSTARD
Mustard seeds can be easily harvested and be used in a variety of ways like mustard sauce, curries, snacks, plus more. Either fresh or dried, the seeds can be used both ways.
How to grow:
- Put the seeds in a shallow tray and transplant them into pots when the plants develop two sets of true leaves.
- Use composed-amened soil.
- Keep the pots in a sunny location.
- Don’t forget to water the plant on a regular basis.
- Before they burst open, they should be harvested.
Benefits of Mustard:
- Manages symptoms of asthma.
- Mustard leaves can be added to a salad, soup, etc.
- It’s a rich source of nutrients.
- Helps to relieve migraine.
CARAWAY
Caraway is flavorful and aromatic and the seed is the most used part of the plant. It can be used in soups, stews, baking, and other various foods as well. Its botanical name is “Carum Carvi.”
Growing Process:
- It is preferred to be planted in cool temperate zones and is not a good plant for hot and humid climates.
- Take a small pot and fill it with soil.
- Sow the seeds half-inch deep.
- Adequate moisture is an important plant for the growing caraway.
- It requires very little cultivation.
- Harvest the leaves in the first or second year to add flavors to the salads.
- The growing caraway will be your ultimate and fresh source of spice.
Benefits of Caraway:
- Used for digestive problems, such as bloating, loss of appetite, etc.
- Used in a variety of dishes
- May aid weight loss.
- It’s loaded with fiber and various important minerals.
FENNEL
Sweet, aromatic, and good in taste, fennel seeds belong to the carrot family. They’re widely used in Italian, India, and Middle Eastern cooking. Its botanical name is “Foeniculum Vulgare.”
How to grow:
- Take a container or a pot that is at least twelve to fourteen inches deep.
- Press 2-3 seeds into the rich, well-draining potting mix in the pot.
- In about 6 weeks, flowers appear and are quickly followed by ripening fruits.
- Cover the plant and cut off the stems.
- Dry the spice by putting it in the shade and store in air-tight containers for long-lasting use.
Benefits of Fennel:
- Fennel can be chewed as a mouth freshener.
- It helps to soothe an upset stomach.
- It helps in blood purification.
- Great for acne.
Instead of paying lots of money and buying from the grocery stores, grow your own spices. Enjoy their unique flavors, freshness, and endless benefits. The most important part is to store the spices in airtight containers to use them for a longer duration and preserving the aromas.