Planting an herb garden provides fresh access to your favorite culinary ingredients right outside your door or kitchen window. Even better, they can deliver that freshness all year long when preserved. Most herbs are easy to grow, require minimal care, and do not take up a lot of space. In fact, many herb varieties such as basil and cilantro grow well in pots on a sunny windowsill inside, even during cold winter months.
Herbs are a delicious additive to many favorite recipes, and picking fresh sprigs is the ultimate for taste and smell sensations. In addition, many herbs have beneficial medicinal properties that help combat and soothe many health disorders. Want to learn more about growing herbs?
This article looks at what you’ll need to plan your herb garden and ideas on best planting practices. It also covers some information on harvesting and preserving these delectable plants.
Perennial and Annual Herbs
For outdoor gardens, perennial herbs like lavender and oregano come back year after year, producing aromatic fragrances and vivid colors. These hardy plant species usually weather frigid temperatures in their dormancy but might suffer if a deep freeze zaps them in the early fall or late spring. Tiny green shoots emerging in the springtime from perennial herbs are nature’s cue that the soil is warming for other crop plantings.
On the other hand, annual herb varieties like cilantro and dill won’t survive the cold and need replanting each year. You can start seeds at home 4-6 weeks before the last frost to get a jump-start on growth. Or just wait until the temperatures warm up and plant seeds directly in containers or outdoor garden beds.
However, depending on your Hardiness Zone, seeds scattered from bolting plants the previous year often pop up in random places the following spring.
Perennial Herbs Annual Herbs
Creeping Thyme Basil
Oregano Cilantro
Lemon Balm Dill
Sage Chervil
Mint German Chamomile
Lavender Summer Savory
Chives Parsley
Best Planting Practices for Herbs
When planted in the right soil, herbs are easy to grow, especially perennials. Depending on whether you plan to put them in an outdoor garden bed or plant them in containers, the soil composition will dictate how well they will grow.
Outdoor beds with good garden soil are beneficial for herbs as the microbial life underground helps sustain plant growth. Soils rich in organic matter create a symbiotic environment with worms, tiny beneficial microbes, and other creatures that help balance the life underneath the ground.
On the other hand, container gardening limits microbial activity’s expanse because of the pot’s confinement. When planting herbs in containers, it’s best to use a potting mix containing peat, coco, perlite, and other natural additives to reduce compaction problems with potting soils.
In addition, woody herb varieties such as sage and lavender have a thick branching system that retains moisture longer than plants with thin green stalks. These types of herbs prefer a sandy-loam soil base for optimal growth and generally don’t require as much water.
Herbs Need Good Drainage
Undoubtedly, the most important aspect when planting an herb garden is using the right type of soil to provide good drainage. Herb root systems need to breathe, so well-drained soil is paramount to their success. The roots can expand easier in outdoor garden beds because they have plenty of growing room. Container planting, on the other hand, limits plant root growth to the size of the pot.
Herbal root systems enjoy a deep watering, but they also need to dry out some to stimulate growth. An over-saturated root ball will wither and die as they suffocate without good oxygen flow. Make sure the pot is draining well, and if necessary, reduce water frequency to let them dry out a bit.
Bring on the Sunshine
Most herbs require abundant sunshine to flourish. The light source provides energy through photosynthesis for optimal plant growth. Many varieties require an average of six hours of sunlight a day, especially annuals such as basil and dill. On the other hand, cilantro tends to bolt when temperatures get too hot and begin producing coriander seeds.
Many perennial herb varieties such as lavender and oregano also prefer abundant light to produce terpenes, responsible for flavor and aroma. A garden bed with full sun during the day is best for these hardy plants. When planting an herb garden indoors in containers, a bright sunny windowsill provides abundant light for their growth needs.
Other herbal plants do not require as much light to grow well. For instance, mint, lemon balm, and catnip don’t mind a little shade during the day. Usually, four to six hours is sufficient for their growth. In fact, if you let these vigorous plants flower out, mother nature will spread their seeds all over the garden in places where you’ll wonder how they could possibly grow.
Harvesting Techniques
As most herbs grow prolifically, it’s best to harvest them frequently throughout the season. Cutting back stems also encourages the plants to multiply branching. As an example, if you pinch a basil floret at the base of the stem, where two leaves sit on each side of the branch, the plant will shoot out two new limbs. This type of harvesting promotes growth all summer long.
Leafy perennials such as thyme, sage, and tarragon, can be cut back to within 3-4 inches from the base of the plant. Constant pruning throughout the summer months encourages the plant to keep producing. However, as temperatures begin to cool off in the fall, quit pruning to allow them to build up reserves for dormancy during the winter.
Timing is of the essence when harvesting flowering herbs. Some plants, such as echinacea and calendula, grow single flowers on a stem. Cut these beautiful flowers when the bloom opens fully. Other varieties like lavender and sage have multiple bud sites, seen as clusters along the branch. Snip the stem below the flowers as they begin to bulge before they open entirely. The oil concentrations are the highest in these blooming beauties right after the flower buds emerge.
If you’re looking to harvest for herb seed production, it’s best to wait until the flowers have dried on the plant and the pods begin to open. Place a bucket or piece of cloth or plastic under the branch before cutting to catch the seeds before they scatter.
Preserving Herbs to Enjoy Throughout the Year
You can enjoy the flavors and aromas of fresh herbs all year long with a bit of work. The easiest way to preserve many herbs is by drying newly cut branches. To do this, simply bunch several stems together with string or a rubber band. Hang the clusters upside down on a line or hangers in a cool, dry area for several days until the leaves become brittle.
The next step is to strip the leaves from the branches. Lay a large sheet or piece of plastic down on the work area to collect the material. Holding the bottom of the branch with one hand, cup your other hand and pull the stem through to remove the leaves. Depending on the size of the limbs, another trick is to pull the branch through the large hole on a cheese grater or other similar apparatus.
Place the dried leaves in a food processor to grind them to your desired coarseness. Another option is to use an old-fashioned mortar and pestle to crush the leaves. The best way to store the dried leaves is by placing them in glass mason jars in a cool, dry pantry. This method preserves the delectable smells and tastes of the herbs to add to your favorite dishes all winter long.
For pesto lovers, an excellent method for preserving fresh basil is by dicing the leaves into small pieces and freezing them in ice cube trays or small containers. When you’re ready to make a fresh batch of the delicious Italian recipe, just pop the frozen cubes out of the freezer.
