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How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden

Picture
by Chiot's Run / Flickr
Growing a culinary herb garden provides an abundance of fresh herbs ready for use in your favorite recipes. These easy-to-grow plants thrive in a sunny location and require little care other than pruning and harvesting. Most herbs thrive in poor soil and are drought tolerant, eliminating the need for supplemental fertilizer or water.

Choose herbs that you prefer and use on a regular basis. Although some herbs, like sweet basil are annuals and must be planted each year, most are perennials. Once established these hardy plants return each year with renewed vigor. Perennial herbs for beginners include oregano, thyme, chives, lemon balm, sage and mint. Annuals like basil and summer savory are easy-to-grow annuals that provide robust flavor.

Starting your herb garden with a selection of perennials establishes a good bed that you can rely on for years. Unless you have a greenhouse or intend to use grow lights in your home, seed starting can be difficult. Many herbs require up to a month to germinate and require a lot of  light to grow. Those who live in northern climates are better served to simply buy seedlings from the nursery, as light is insufficient to grow herbs on the windowsill in early spring.
  • Prepare a site in a sunny location that receives at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day. Full sun all day is preferred as herbs develop the oils responsible for their flavor and scent best in full sun.
​
  • Amend the soil lightly with an inch or two of compost or well-rotted manure to improve drainage and aeration. Fertilizer is not needed for most herbs and may cause lush foliage that lacks flavor and fragrance.
​
  • Plant individual herbs to the original planting depth and follow the spacing requirements of the specific herb. You can find this information on the plant identification tag that accompanies the plant.

Most herbs do not require supplemental water, but if you choose to establish a regular watering schedule, water deeply once a week. Always monitor plants for signs of wilting.
  • Harvest leaves as soon as the plant is 4 to 6 inches high to use to flavor your favorite recipes. Harvest herbs for drying or freezing before the plants bloom for the best flavor.
​
  • Chop fresh herbs and freeze in a bit of water in ice cube trays. Once frozen, place the cubes in freezer bags and store in the freezer. Use one or two cubes to season soups or sauces.

I've been growing herbs for over 20 years. When visitors admire the beauty of delicate creeping lemon thyme or marvel over the fragrance of fresh basil, I brace for the question that allows follows. "But, how do you use them?" They are often perplexed when I explain there is no right and wrong way to use herbs. Using herbs depends on individual taste. Although there are some basic rules like using oregano, chives and basil for tomato or Italian dishes and sage to provide flavor to meats and poultry; I have discovered that combining herbs creates new and exciting flavors I simply didn't expect. So, go ahead. Experiment. You'll be surprised with what you discover.

Copyright © 2014 Nannette Richford



  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • About Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • How to Grow a Pomato Plant
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
        • Turnips vs Rutabagas
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
  • Garden Pests
    • How to Control Japanese Beetles
    • How to Control Blister Beetles
    • How to Get Rid of Colorado Potato Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables