Herb your enthusiasm

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How to successfully grow an herb garden

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Herbs that will root in water

Herbs that will root in water

1. Basil

2. Sage

3. Thyme 

4. Parsley

5. Mint

6. Green onion

7. Tomato. 

These plants do well in water, but you must change their water very often.

Herbs Herbal Medicines

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How to grow your own indoor herb garden

If you plan to grow your herbs indoors, read through this infographic for some helpful hints.

Growing Organic Herbs

Herbs can be the easiest produce to grow organically. Like all organic gardens, an herb garden starts with good soil. Once you have achieved that, raising most herbs will be a piece of cake. Herbs can be planted outdoors in smaller spaces than a vegetable garden would take. Many herbs can also be grown in containers that can be brought inside at the end of regular growing season for a year-round harvest.

Preparing for an herb garden is basically the same as preparing for any other type of organic garden.

1. Enrich the soil by adding compost or other organic materials.

2. Choose strong seedlings or if planting by seed, thin the young plants to allow for optimum growth.

3. Use mulch to control weeds.

4. Use only organic pesticides and companion planting to deter the insect population.

Ten Popular Herbs You Can Grow

Basil –  This annual plant grows to a height of about 2 feet. It prefers full sun and rich soil. Basil should be planted where it has some protection from strong winds. Basil can be harvested when the plant has first reached full growth. Clip leaves and stems from the top 3 or 4 inches of the plant. Using this method will allow for several harvests over the growing season.

Chives – This perennial is best grown in clumps and at maturity will reach a height of approximately 18 inches. Chives thrive in full sun and heavily nurtured soil, so extra compost and mulch is necessary. Chives should be divided every year, so plan on extra space. Chives can be harvested at any time during the season, as the tender leaves are what are most often used in cooking.

Dill –  Another annual that is also best grown in clumps. Reaching a height of around 3 feet, dill should be planted where it does not shade other plants. The leaves of the dill plant can be harvested during the growing season as needed, while the fruiting umbels are harvested when the fruit is fully formed but not yet brown.

Marjoram – Marjoram is a perennial that must be grown as an annual in areas where freezing is common during the winter months. Marjoram should be started from seed in peat pots or other growing medium in late winter and transplanted as early in the spring as possible to a permanent location outside. Marjoram grows to a height of between 1 and 2 feet. Harvest when the plants begin to bloom by cutting back several inches from the flower heads. Several cuttings can be made before season’s end.

Parsley – Parsley is a biennial, but the leaves of the plant can be harvested anytime during the first season once the plant has neared maturity. Parsley is slow to germinate, and the seed should be soaked overnight before planting in a partially shaded area.

Rosemary – A perennial plant that after a few years will become an ever producing-shrub, with rosemary, you must take care to choose a location where it will have plenty of room to grow. Rosemary will grow in poor soil provided it is fertilized with ample lime and full sun. Harvest after the plant has reached full growth of approximately 3 feet tall.

Sage – Another perennial that should be started indoors in late winter and transplanted when 2 to 3 inches tall, sage is a great choice for your organic herb garden. Outdoors sage prefers full sun and sandy soil. Harvest the leaves before the plant blooms and again at the end of the growing season. Sage should be replanted every 3 or 4 years, as older plants tend to become woody.

Savory – An annual herb that prefers full sun and rich, mostly dry, soil. Savory can be harvested at any time during the season for immediate use. For drying, savory should be harvested by cutting the top 6 inches of the plant after it has flowered.

Thyme –  A perennial that should be started indoors and transplanted when the plants reach 2 to 3 inches. Thyme does best in full sun and sandy, sweet soil and grows to around 18 inches in height. Harvest by cutting the top 6 inches from the plant when it is in bloom.

Oregano – Oregano is a perennial plant that grows to around 20 inches tall. Oregano is simple to grow provided it has full sun and fairly dry soil. Harvest a few leaves for immediate use once the plant has reached near maturity. For drying, harvest at the end of the season.

Tips For Growing A Culinary Herb Garden

An edible herb garden, or culinary herb garden, is made up of herbs that are used mostly for adding flavor to your cooking and salads, or for making teas. The edible herb garden is by far the most popular type of herb garden for the home gardener.

When choosing herbs for your culinary herb garden, be careful to check the flavor of the herbs before purchasing the plants. There are many varieties of different herbs and some have stronger flavors than others. To be sure you are getting the flavor you desire, pinch off a leaf and taste it.

It is best to keep a culinary herb garden in close range of your kitchen, just outside your back door for example, or even in a few pots on the kitchen windowsill. In either case, the closer, the better, because no one wants to have to go clear across the yard to get a few fresh herbs while in the middle of preparing a favorite dish.

Choosing Edible Herbs

Your own perfect edible herb garden will consist of all the different herbs that you use in your family’s cooking every day. Different cultures and different types of cuisine use different herbs. By choosing to grow the herbs you use most often, you will save yourself a lot of money and a lot of time by not having to run out to the grocery store every time your recipe requires the use of fresh herbs.

If your family enjoys eating Italian foods, you might choose to get your Italian herb garden started with:

• Basil
• Oregano
• Rosemary
• Parsley

For French cuisine you might choose to grow French herbs:

• Tarragon
• Chervil
• Thyme
• Marjoram
• Fennel

For Asian dishes you may want to grow Asian herb garden plants like:

• Cilantro, also known as coriander
• Lemongrass

Herbs used in Mexican cooking would include herbs such as:

• Sweet basil
• Spearmint
• Laurel (bay)
• Lemon verbena

Popular edible herbs that can be used for making tea gardens are:

• Chamomile
• Peppermint
• Spearmint

Other popular herbs for the culinary herb garden might include:

• Chives
• Sage
• Dill

The Fragrant Herb Garden

A fragrant herb garden is made up of herbal plants that are valued for their aromatic qualities. It is a place where you might like to go at the end of a stressful workday to unwind. It can consist of a few pleasantly scented herbs planted in containers kept in the corner of your porch, a large garden with a sitting area, or just several fragrant herbs planted along a favorite walkway in your yard.

Fragrant Herb Garden

Most herbs will release their aromas better when they are brushed against or touched. A nice breeze also will carry the herb’s aromatic scent across the yard to you. Keep this in mind when you are deciding where to place your fragrant herb garden. Keeping it close by would definitely be a good idea.

When it comes to scented herbs, you have a huge assortment from which to choose. Keep in mind that just because an herb is scented doesn’t mean that you will personally enjoy its scent. Before choosing and planting your fragrant herb garden, take a good whiff of each plant to be sure that its fragrance is one that you find pleasing.

The following is a list of several herbs that are generally thought of by most people to have pleasing scents; in no way should this be considered a complete list as there are far too many wonderfully-scented herbs to be able to list here. As mentioned previously, test each herb before purchasing by rubbing a leaf and sniffing it for yourself to be sure that it emits a scent that you find enjoyable. Not everyone likes the same scents. That’s what makes the world go round! :)

Basil 

– Basil is mostly thought of as a culinary herb, but its undeniable fragrance is both pleasant and relaxing.

Catnip 

– Catnip has a nice scent but be aware that the neighborhood kitties will also enjoy it and might create a bit of a mess getting to it in your garden.

Chamomile 

– Chamomile, though mostly thought of for its wonderful tea, is also a beautiful plant. Its flowers and foliage both smell terrific in the garden.

Feverfew 

– Feverfew also produces attractive flowers, but most of its scent is emitted through its foliage and makes a nice addition to the fragrant herb garden.

Lavender

 – Lavender is an all-time favorite of the fragrant herbal gardener. Both the leaves and the flowers of this plant emit a powerful, yet relaxing, scent.

Lemon Balm 

– Lemon balm gets its name from its lemony-scented leaves. Many herbal gardeners adore its fresh scent. Be aware that lemon balm reproduces at a rapid rate and can quickly take over your garden if not kept after.

Mint 

– Mint is another fragrant herb that can be quite invasive but much loved for its fresh scent. You might like to try peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint or orange mint in your own fragrant herb garden. By keeping them confined and in different areas of the garden, each will be able to keep its distinctive scent and fragrance.

Scented Geraniums 

– Scented geraniums don’t flower as often or as beautifully as their cousins, known simply as geraniums, but their extraordinary scents make them one of the best plants for the fragrant herbal garden. There are a huge variety of scented geraniums to choose from, with different scents that include apple, apricot, cinnamon, ginger, lemon, nutmeg, orange, strawberry, rose, and peppermint to name a few. Their leaves need to be touched in order to release their rich aroma so be sure to put these aromatic beauties near the edge of your garden. Scented geraniums are delicate herbs and will need to be moved indoors in the winter, in most climates.

How To Grow Basil From Cuttings

Taking cuttings from plants and rooting them is a fantastic way to speed up the process of growing a new plant. Here’s how to grow basil from cuttings…

First, snip off the top of a stem of basil.

Make sure you cut it below a leaf node (where a new little leaf is growing out of the elbow of a larger leaf).

Pinch off or cut the bottom two largest leaves.

It’ll look like this after you’ve removed the lower leaves.

Then place the cutting in a jar of water for about two weeks. That’s it!

Keep the water fresh, and you’ll have a nice set of roots growing in no time!

How To Grow Herbs In Containers

Types of Pots or Containers for Herbs

Most herbs can be grown in virtually any kind of pot or container. The key element to choosing a vessel to grow your herbs in is drainage. You will have far greater success with a container that has adequate drainage versus a closed container, although a non-draining container can be adapted to successfully grow plants... a topic I will deal with in a separate article.

Pots and containers are made from many different materials, including plastic, clay, ceramic, wood fiber, peat, and more. The best materials for your containers are porous, such as clay, fiber or peat... however, they are not always readily available. Plastic and ceramic pots will do in a pinch though, and are probably more widely used than any others.

The next key element of choosing a container is size. Be sure to choose a pot that is appropriately sized for the plant you plan to transplant or grow in the pot. If the container is of insufficient size, the plants may quickly become rootbound, resulting in less than satisfactory results. Also pay attention to the depth of the pot, as some herbs send out a long tap root that must be accommodated.

Soil or Growing Medium for Potted Herbs

Herbs grown in pots or containers require a well draining potting mix or preferably, an organic enriched peat or coco coir based soilless mix. Just digging up some dirt from your outdoor garden and throwing it into a pot is the surest way to fail when growing herbs in containers.

There are many new "soilless" growing mediums available today that are suitable for growing herbs in containers, provided a regular feeding regimen with a complete mineral plant nutrient is provided. These include Grodan rockwool, coco coir peat, Growstones (a recycled glass growing medium), and others.

Feeding Your Herbs

Like humans, plants must be fed as well. In fact, since human life relies almost completely on plant life, it is most important that your food and herbs are fed a complete and balanced diet of nutrients as well, since you are ultimately the final recipient of this nutrition.

Given a growing media rich in organics, most herbs don't require much in the way of supplemental plant food. Some herbs can grow in just about any type of soil, although providing an optimum growing environment for any herb will increase its health, vigor, and productivity. That being said, many herbs literally thrive when provided with supplemental nutrients.

The absolute best method for providing these nutrients in containers is by planting in a rich organic growing medium and watering with an organic based compost tea. Compost and teas assure a complete feeding by all of the elements found in nature that nurture healthy plant growth. The key is providing a complete nutrient regimen, so many mineral plant nutrients manufactured for hydroponic gardening are ideally suited for containers as well.

Proper Watering of Herbs in Pots

The key to correctly watering most any potted plant is thoroughness. The reason we desire a well draining growing medium is so the roots get the proper amount of air and oxygen relative to the amount of water they receive. Too much water with too little drainage can cause root rot and stunted root systems.

As such, it is important to completely water the growing medium so that there is significant runoff from the drainage holes at the bottom of your pot... at least 25 percent by volume of what you put in should be allowed to drain from the bottom of your pot. Then let the pot go almost bone dry, so that the top two inches of the soil is completely dry, prior to soaking the pot again. This assures that all areas of the root ball are completely and regularty irrigated with water and nutrients, while assuring that the roots receive adequate oxygen for healthy plant growth.

Culinary Herbs

The Best Herbs For Your Fall Garden

Fall is in the air and your garden is ready for some cool-loving plants to call their home. Herbs love to be planted in a fall garden before any chance of frost is present. It allows their roots to take hold and reach out for the rich nutrients in the soil.

Depending on your climate, you may choose to grow your fall garden as an herb container garden. Start it outside and allow it to get good and strong before you bring it inside for the winter. With the proper care for your indoor plants, you could have fresh herbs growing all winter long!

The majority of herbs are perennials will grow year round and bloom throughout the year. Depending on your zone though, some herbs act like annuals and will grow, put on a beautiful show of flowers, and then die in one season. The best herbs for a fall garden depend a lot on what you like to eat, but here are the star favorites perfect for any garden.

Cilantro

Cilantro is a must have for most Mexican dishes and salsas and grows quite well in cool weather. Grab some coriander seeds – yep, this is a bonus plant that you get the tasty seeds and leaves when you harvest it – and head out to your garden. Plant the seeds about half an inch down in evenly moist soil and water them in well. They can tolerate partial shade and even frost. Cilantro grows 18” tall and you can harvest the leaves as it grows. Once it starts to flower, the seedpods will set shortly after. You can prick off the flowers if you want it to grow a little bit longer.

Thyme

Every fall garden should be growing a thyme variety. Whether you love English or Lemon Thyme, or both, they grow perfectly in your cool season garden. Thyme likes to trail and doesn’t grow very tall so plant it in the front of your herb garden or even in a hanging basket or on the edge of a container. Thyme’s roots are shallow so don’t make the hole larger then the root ball and gently pack the soil around the roots and water it in well. Thyme produces little flowers throughout its growing season and can be harvested at any time. Make sure to harvest a little bit each month which signals to the plant to keep growing.

Parsley

No fall garden is complete without Italian or Curly Parsley planted in it. This plant gets to be about two feet wide, so make sure to give it space. Parsley likes well-drained nutrient-rich soil (a great way to use some of your compost!). Harvest weekly to keep it coming back over and over again.

Sage

There are hundreds of varieties of Sage, so make sure to pick up a culinary variety that grows well for your area. They are hardy, drought-tolerated plants that put on a show of flowers in pinks, purples, blues, reds, and oranges.

Mint

Unless you want your garden to be completely filled with mint, always plant it in a container or in something that can contain its roots. It is very prolific and can take over an entire area in one growing season. Mint in your fall garden is a must, just be careful with it!

What Herbs Should I Plant in My Garden?

In some parts of the country at least, the soil is warming up, and it's getting to be time to plant outdoor herb gardens! Whether you plant one in a container or in the ground, here are the herbs you'll want to grow — because they're the ones you'll actually use.

Basil — Great cooked or fresh, even prolific amounts of basil can get used. Make caprese salads, toss it in pasta dishes and sauces, and whip up some fresh-from-the-garden pesto that you can use now or freeze for later. Basil likes light, but too much direct sun can scorch the leaves. Pinching it back (automatic if you use it often) promotes growth.

Rosemary — This hardy plant is good-looking and versatile. Use it in sauces, roasts, cocktails, and more, and watch it survive even through cold weather.

Thyme — I especially love thyme in potatoes (mashed or roasted) and in a lemon butter rub on roast chicken. This small-leafed herb packs a lot of flavor and is called for in many common recipes, and some lesson common ones, like the lemon-thyme bruschetta above.

Oregano — A kitchen staple, oregano from your herb garden will definitely get used in sauces, roasts, dressings, and more.

Chives — Chives are nice in eggs, breakfast casseroles, in mashed potatoes with sour cream, and more. I'm intrigued by these radishes with cream cheese and chives. Chives' pom-pom-like purple flowers give your herb garden a nice touch of interest as well.

Parsley — Throw it in sauces and salads, like the tabbouleh above. Parsley may well be one of the most ubiquitous herbs. It's a little more delicate than some of the others, but worth it to grow, for sure.

Cilantro — Cilantro is a cooler weather herb, so some zones may not be able to grow it in the thick of summer. But fresh cilantro from the garden is so fragrant and flavorful, you'll wish you could grow it all year round! Check out the Miso-Maple Sweet Potato Tacos pictured above.

Mint — Mint is an aggressive spreader, so be sure to contain it in its own pot. Use it in Mediterranean food, as a garnish for lemonade or iced tea, even in your coffee! As anyone fortunate enough to be familiar with Philz will tell you, it really nuances that morning (or anytime) pick-me-up.

The Dos & Don'ts of Growing Mint

It's fragrant, fast-growing, green, and compliments fruits, vegetables and meats. It's also its own ice cream flavor. So what's not to love about mint? If you've ever grown the herb, you know where I'm going with this, but if you haven't and are interested: read on for the dos and don'ts of successfully growing mint in your home garden.

Mint is really the perfect place to begin as you build your herb garden. It's easy to grow and is really fun to add to many recipes, whether breakfast, dinner or desert. And don't forget to add a sprig to a glass of iced tea on a hot summer afternoon.

Although mint is easy to grow, its roots, which are called "runners," are also incredibly invasive: they quickly grow, sprouting new leaves and new plants as they go. Mint will overtake a flower bed or garden in no time if you're not careful. So, read on for the Dos and Don'ts of Growing Mint:

DO

• When choosing a location for your mint, find one where the plant will receive morning sun and partial afternoon shade.
• Plant on a patio, in a container.
• When planting the herb in a flower bed, first submerge a container (either a pot, a mesh bag or edging to at least 5 inches deep), leaving the rim above ground level when potted, so the mint's fast-growing root system will be contained. Otherwise, the herb will take over your garden and lawn in an annoying weed-like fashion.
• Harvest mint sprigs before the plant flowers.
• To extend the harvesting season, pinch off the flowering buds as they appear.
• If planting your mint in a garden bed, apply mulch to help keep it from spreading.
• Locate mint plants fifteen inches apart, and thin them regularly.
• If planting your mint indoors, locate your container where it will receive good morning light but where it will also be away from drying heating elements.

DON'T

• Plant mint in an open bed without first submerging a vessel that will contain the herb's wild-growing roots.
• If planting mint in a bed using a submerged pot, be sure it's not cracked. The "runners" will find their way out and continue to spread.
• Plant the herb in super moist conditions where it won't dry out.

Top 10 Best & Easiest Herbs to Grow in Your Garden (And How to Use Them)

So long as there is no snow on the ground, you can harvest herbs in your garden. There is nothing more satisfying and simple than snipping off just what you need and enjoying the garden fresh flavor without having to fork out a few bucks per bunch at the market.

Herbs are among the easiest plants to grow. If you have a piece of land to plant them, great, but many actually do better in a container because their prolific nature can be contained. You can also place them right near your kitchen for quick cooking access.

Here is my list of my top ten "can't live without" garden herbs.

1. Rosemary

Use it fresh or dried — the flavor is fantastic either way. If you grow it in a pot, it will happily move inside when the weather gets too cold. Also, since it likes to dry out between waterings, it likes its own space, as there aren't too many other plants that prefer the same treatment.

Favorite uses: Holiday Gifts (the piney smell is perfect for the season) and chopped and sprinkled atop store bought pizza dough, baked and drizzled with olive oil and Parmesan cheese.

2. Thyme

I use this for two main types of cooking: wintery stews and summery meat grilling marinades. Thyme is a low growing plant and my favorite, lemon thyme, is really a ground cover. It is perfect for edging beds or placing in the front of a mixed container planting. The plant is very hardy; if you can see it (for lack of snow cover), you can harvest it.

Favorite Uses: Ina Garten's recipe for beef bourguignon is my favorite, but when I make it, I substitute lemon thyme and I triple the amount the recipe calls for.

3. Sage 

At nearly 5 years old, my sage plant is quite expansive (about 3 feet in diameter) and woody. Planting it in a container and cutting it back more regularly would control this. 

Favorite uses: Infuse white beans with sage by adding leaves to the cooking water then douse bean in olive oil infused with even more sage. Also — this list of 45 things to do with sage has some other great recipes and ideas.

4. Lemon Balm

I had grown lemon balm for a few reasons. It's easy, has a nice shape and fresh green leaf color (and sometimes that's all I want in a garden plant), and my whole family enjoys walking by it and pinching off a leaf and giving it a good sniff and so relaxing. 

Favorite uses: Trim leaves, and use either fresh or dried, (dry leaves in a paper bag and store in a dark place) steep in hot water. Strain with a tea strainer and serve the best cuppa afternoon tea. 

5. Parsley 

I happily discovered last year that parsley, which is normally grown as an annual, can overwinter. This spring, the seeds I put in the ground are once again growing.

Favorite uses: Parsley is ones of those super foods that do more good things for a body than seems possible for such a little leafy green plant. Among other things, it contains more vitamin C than than bascially anything else you can eat. You can make lots of things with it.

6. Chives 

Another perennial favorite. I have two plants, timed differently. One stays outside planted in the ground and its natural calendar supplies me with snips this time of year. The other is at the base of a potted orange tree that I haul in and out of the house seasonally. It shoots up tasty green stems in the dead of winter. It's worth having both so that my harvesting season is longer. 

Favorite uses: I add it to salads (along with other other leafy herbs like basil) to give what would appear to be a boring lettuce mix a hidden kick.

7. Mint 

I strongly recommend growing this in a container; it will fill whatever space you give it. It's a lovely plant to have around.

Favorite uses: Mint Juleps, mojitos, lemonade (add fresh sprigs to your favorite recipe), tea (dried and used just like the lemon balm) and it is one of the key secret ingredients in my favorite involtini (recipe by Nigella Lawson).

8. Oregano

This plant also acts like a ground cover but it is generally polite and doesn't spread too aggressively. 

Favorite uses: Sprinkle liberally (fresh or dried) over fresh homemade pizza, add to the pot when making sauce from abundant garden fresh tomatoes.

9. Tarragon

I now have two of these plants (which provides way more of this pungent herb than I know how to use). 

Favorite uses: I LOVE Chicken Tarragon served over rice. 

10. Cilantro

I usually give the plant a good sniff to make sure I have cilantro and not its very similar looking friend, parsley. Cilantro is easy to grow from seed and I start planting it around May every spring. I find that it bolts easily so it's handy to plant a few seeds now and then a few more every few weeks for the next month. This way, you will have a ready supply through out the summer.

Favorite uses: While there are many other ingredients you could add to make a great guacamole, I think that can get away with only two: cilantro and avocado.

And how can I not include Basil? It is the plus one, #11 herb that you must grow. I have considered planting it in multiple places around my garden just for the smell of it when I walk by (heaven). I generally buy starts of this annual and then harvest leaves all season. Make sure you keep pinching off the flower heads so that the plant will keep throwing out new leaves all season. I've tried planting from seed (straight in the ground) and while I have had some success, I've had better luck transplanting baby plants.

Favorite uses: Everything - Salads, pesto, pizza, sauces, and with summer's treat, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.