How To Create A Year-Round Bartender’s Garden: 5 Seasonal Growing Tips
When one is interested in curating a home bar, an interesting alternative to bring in newly blossomed herbs and fruits into this in-house bartending hobby is to grow a small kitchen garden.
A backyard or a place outdoors on the balcony or terrace can be dedicated to the cultivation of such a space where it is possible to plant herbs like mint, basil, thyme and lemongrass as well as fruits like oranges and lemons which can be incorporated into one’s mixology game.
And while some plants and shrubs can grow only in spring or summer, there are others which can be nurtured throughout the year in this garden.
There are certain handy hacks involved in tending to this bartender’s garden all through the year. Some of the more obvious tips include avoiding watering the plants in monsoon, getting rid of weeds regularly and keeping greens in a spot where they get good sunlight. And then there are those plants which can be sowed exclusively for a particular season so that one can pluck fruits from them to make seasonal drinks.
One of the latest mixology trends does involve choosing seasonal produce while making cocktails. A year-round, well-maintained garden will ensure that such fruits and herbs are available for a mixologist in rotation to prepare cocktails and mocktails suited to the climes outdoors.
Read on below for tips to grow a small garden exclusively for preparing cocktails and mocktails across different seasons:
Choose Versatile Plants
Among the shrubs required for bartending, there are varieties like mint and thyme which are available through most of the year. Go for versatile plants which can bloom for months and provide diverse blossoms that can be used to garnish or build flavour into a variety of drinks.
If one is a beginner at gardening, choose plants like rosemary, sage and lemon balm which are easy to grow. Limes, oranges and strawberries can also be planted at different times of the year for more diversity in cocktail making and crafting flavourful infusions and syrups for building different tasting notes into drinks.
Opt For Perennial Herbs
Another, rather obvious tip involved in growing shrubs and plants in one’s kitchen garden exclusively for bartending is to opt for those greens which are available through the year.
Some of these include mint, lemongrass, basil and even cilantro that can be harvested across all seasons. These herbs can be used in the preparation of cocktails like the margarita blend or a mojito which are generally made as batch cocktails throughout the year.
Perennial herbs will also ensure that the garden stays in bloom always and there is something fresh ready to be harvested and incorporated into drinks at cocktail hour.
Grow Citruses In Containers
Make the process of shifting and rearranging plants easier by growing citruses in containers. Go for dwarf citrus varieties of lemons, limes and oranges which can be cultivated in pots.
Come winter, these can be moved indoors to avoid the harsh dropped temperatures. In summers, they can be so arranged that they receive adequate sunlight without the potent rays harming the leaves and stems.
Harvesting and putting such miniatures to use is also easier and hassle-free. Citrus peels can be employed as garnishes and the fruits can be turned into juices or muddled into cocktails so they release their pulpy textures.
Compost And Fertilise Regularly
This one is a no brainer. While cultivating a garden that is meant to last throughout the year, make sure the soil is fertilised regularly to promote growth. Composting can go a long way in producing ripe, organic produce that is filled with robust flavours.
Along with weeding and pruning, composting and fertilising is a prominent part of the gardening process. Create space in the garden for an organic compost and use this to boost soil health.
Make Space For Seasonal Plants
Reserve a corner in the kitchen garden exclusively for those plants which are cultivated in a particular season. Some shrubs like strawberries and carrots tend to grow when the weather is a bit cooler. Others like ginger grow healthily amidst the spring and summer breezes.
Such seasonal plants can be allotted their own corner where each of these shrubs is cultivated according to the changing seasons.
Drink responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
