Spice up your drinks and support pollinators by starting a mocktail garden. Learn easy tips for growing, harvesting, and mixing garden-fresh mocktails.
Herbal mocktails have become popular not only as an alcohol-free option but for their robust flavor and healthy benefits. Combining aromatic herbs with other garden-grown fruits, flowers, and vegetables creates refreshing family-friendly drinks perfect for any occasion.
By choosing perennial herbs that return each year, your garden will become a beacon for butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators, providing a small ecological boost to the planet. Even if you don’t have a lot of space, these gardens will thrive in pots on a patio or inside on an airy and sunny windowsill.
Once your garden is established, you’ll have a constant supply of fresh herbs and edibles ready to sip anytime.
Mocktail Gardening: Getting Started
When growing for edible use, I always recommend raised beds or pots. It makes for easier access and better soil augmentation.
Herbs, for example, do really well when planted in pots with good drainage. When planting, a good ratio to keep in mind is to add 1 part compost to 2-3 parts soil. Mix the compost into the top 6-8 inches of the pot. This improves drainage, moisture retention, and soil structure.
To keep things growing in your mocktail garden, make sure to harvest regularly. This encourages new growth all season long. And while many herbs can be started from seed indoors before the last frost, if you are late getting going (as I am), garden centers also carry a variety of herbs year-round.
Most herbs can survive being outdoors in the winter as long as they are protected under eaves or covered with plant wrap. It is always a good rule to check the herb’s hardiness against the climate zone in your area. Some, such as basil, need to be brought indoors during the colder months. Put it on a windowsill or kitchen counter and keep harvesting for meals and mocktails alike!
Fantastic fresh herbs perfect for a mocktail garden:
1.Basil
Basil thrives in full sun and needs regular watering. The two basil varieties to keep an eye out for are Genovese basil and Tulsi basil. Genovese basil adds a sweet, peppery flavor that is great with tonic water. Tulsi basil has a lemon taste. Both varieties love heat and need consistent moisture.
2. Rosemary
Rosemary needs to be kept watered and grows best in full sun. Rosemary is ideal for gin, tequila, or citrus drinks for a smoother finish.
3. Thyme
Thyme grows best in full sun to part shade and doesn’t need much water. Its earthy flavor profile pairs well with darker spirits such as rum or whiskey.
4. Lemon Verbena or Lemon Balm
These herbs prefer part shade and only need watering weekly. They add a fresh, citrusy lift to drinks and have mild calming properties, which make them great for non-alcoholic options.
5. Coriander
Cilantro is a great addition to any herb garden and is easy to grow. Growing in full sun to part shade, it will be ready for harvest in as little as 30 days. Its earthy, slightly spicy flavor pairs well with tropical fruits such as pineapple or mango in a mocktails.
6. Mint
Of course, mojito lovers will have mint growing in their gardens. Mint likes full sun to part shade and fertile, moist soil. This perennial herb is an aggressive spreader; plant in an area where you are okay with it taking over. A container is a good idea!
Fun Mocktails to Try
One of the best parts of a mocktail, if you ask me, is their names: Sweet Pepper Spritzerfor instance, uses red bell peppers and basil to create a savory, lightly sweet, sparkling drink. Cucumber Splash is another refreshing drink worth trying, using basil to quench thirst.
Cheers!
