Herbs are easy to grow and can transform the way you cook. Raised beds and containers are popular choices, while many thrive even better in garden beds.
Most herbs require full sunlight and well-draining soil, although some varieties, like parsley and chives, thrive under partial shade conditions. Many species can be harvested for their leaves, flowers, seeds or all three!
Planting
No matter if your garden is located in the ground, raised beds, or containers; most herbs require rich, well-draining soil. Referring to your plant tag for specific information on growing, however as a general guideline plant them six to 8 inches apart to allow sufficient growth space while also creating good air circulation between them.
If planting in the ground, choose an area that receives at least six hours of full sun every day. Herbs can usually tolerate some shade; however, most will not thrive under constant shade conditions. If your outdoor space has limited sun coverage, try growing herbs like cilantro and parsley in containers or indoor window boxes instead.
Most herbs are annuals, meaning that they only live for one season before flowering and producing seeds. While this is suitable for many chefs, if you wish to continue using herbs for cooking and garnishes you must start them again from seeds each year or purchase herb transplants from local nurseries.
If your yard boasts sunny and open space with good soil that drains well, consider starting an in-ground herb garden for herbs and other edibles. Alternatively, raised garden beds filled with Miracle-Gro(r) Raised Bed Soil may provide ideal growing conditions.
Herbs can be easily grown from seeds, but you can also purchase herb plants at garden centers and big box stores. When selecting mature herb plants for purchase, ensure that they are free from disease with healthy roots that have good drainage. As potted herbs tend to dry out quickly when planted in pots, make sure that adequate irrigation is provided by filling containers to within 1″ of their rim with potting soil mixed with compost or worm castings and some horticultural sand for drainage; create wells for each herb plant then gently patting down so there are no air pockets.
Watering
Herbs are easy to grow in most climates, both as perennials or annuals – many can even be grown indoors – making harvesting your herbs regularly for cooking or herbal tea production easy and efficient. Once established, harvesting them becomes part of the harvesting schedule or can serve to provide medicinal benefits as a nutritional supplement.
Herbs can be planted anywhere, but for optimal results it’s best to choose an area with plenty of sun. While sunlight requirements will differ between herbs, most will thrive more if their soil stays moist rather than constantly damp. If your soil tends to remain wet for extended periods, amend it with compost, peat moss or coarse sand to make drainage easier. Furthermore, remember to water regularly without overwatering – overdoing it can rob the plant of nutrients essential for its health and may saturate its roots of its necessary nourishment needed by its roots!
Some culinary herbs such as cilantro are short-lived, so for best results it may be best to purchase seedlings or young transplants from a nursery if they need to survive beyond one season. On the other hand, more resilient and long-lasting varieties like basil, oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme make good candidates for spring sowing or as starter plants from local nurseries.
For optimal culinary results, it’s best to harvest leafy greens before they bloom and change flavor, or after blooms have formed and then dissipated, which could result in them dying off or becoming less potency than desired.
Some herbs, like chamomile, calendula, echinacea, feverfew and tarragon should be harvested for their flowers and seeds – such as chamomile, calendula, echinacea, feverfew and tarragon. When harvesting these plants in the morning when their scent and brightness is at their highest, harvest them early and pick before their flowers go to seed – full bloom plants work best before going to seed while seeds should swell before being ready to pick before being dry before being collected for harvesting.
Pruning
Herbs benefit greatly from regular trimming. This prevents them from becoming leggy, as well as blooming which depletes energy reserves and diminishes flavor. Unlike woody plants, herbous varieties don’t need extensive pruning; just occasional light trimming with clean shears or kitchen scissors is enough to keep them looking neat and tidy.
Herbs should be pruned annually in fall or early spring after their flowers have faded and before they produce seeds for next year’s garden. Pruning will promote new growth rather than seed production and will ensure an ample supply of herbs for use next season. It’s also an opportunity to remove diseased or insect-infested leaves and stems as well as any plants which have begun bolting and producing seeds for seed production.
Regular pruning will encourage plants to produce more leaves that can be used fresh, frozen, or dried for use in salads or for making herb vinegar. Furthermore, it can prolong the time before they flower so more of them are available for salads or making herb vinegar – for instance cilantro plants which tend to bolt may benefit from being pruned down and stored in dry containers until their flowers bloom and turn brown, giving you plenty of options even after they’ve flowered and gone brown!
When trimming herbs, always use clean shears or kitchen scissors in order to minimize the chance of spreading diseases and infections later in the growing season. After each cut, take a step back and check on your work; ensure it’s even and symmetrical to maintain an attractive appearance for the plant.
If your herb plant is becoming overcrowded in its pot, this indicates the need for reponting as soon as possible. Repotting is easy when grown in large containers: just dig out old compost and tease apart roots before transplanting the entire thing into a larger one with fresh, loose, well-draining soil such as organic potting mix or compost mixed with slow release fertiliser.
Harvesting
Herbs thrive in full sun and nutritious soil. If your herb plants grow in poor or sandy soil, amend it with plenty of compost to lighten and improve drainage. Unlike most vegetable crops, herbs don’t require highly fertile soil – in fact too much fertilizer may lead to lush foliage without satisfying flavor! For container herb gardens use an all-purpose potting mix that drains well.
Herbal plants can be harvested for their leaves, flowers or seeds. Most culinary herbs are harvested solely for their leaves while some varieties such as cilantro (coriander) and chives may be utilized both leafily and florally. While leaves can be collected at any time from a mature plant’s foliage at once – leaving 33% intact so as to allow the herb to recover while producing more leaves later – when harvesting from young plants harvest only part of it at one time and allow time for healing between harvesting sessions; otherwise more leaves may produce.
Herb leaves can be dried for later use, with minimal loss in essential oils and flavor. To preserve them for use at another time, gently shake off excess moisture before air-drying in an airtight jar; once stored this way they should keep for one year or longer.
Some herbs produce seeds with special qualities that can be harvested and used to propagate new plants; this process is known as seed starting. For optimal results, seed-starting herbs should be planted separately from other herb plants, usually using an approach involving less fertile planting mixes than standard potting soil – these mix are available at most garden centers or online vendors.
Most herbs can be grown easily from seeds and can be planted throughout the year to extend their growing season. You can even root clippings directly, making these an excellent choice for indoor herb gardens. Even without ample sunlight on their windowsill, most will thrive under high-intensity grow lights; aim for 12-16 hours of light per day under one that uses full spectrum lighting with an automatic timer setting for consistent, even lighting conditions.