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Growing Herbs

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GROWING HERBS

Herbs are grown for culinary, medicinal as well as aromatic purposes. For those who enjoy the culinary arts, growing your own herbs is a must in order to maintain a steady fresh supply.
Some of the reasons for growing your own herbs are: convenience, money saver-cheaper than store bought and fresh flavor.
Growing herbs is relatively easy. The hardest part is deciding which ones to grow! Surprisingly, many herbs grow with minimal care and in infertile soil. Annuals and biennials such as basil, cilantro, chamomile, chervil, dill, fennel, mustard and parsley can be started from seed. They can either be sown directly into the garden or grown indoors in pots and then transplanted. Seed planting can also be done with easy perennials like chives, feverfew, lemon balm, mint. With more difficult perennials such as lavender, marjoram, rosemary, oregano, sage, tarragon and thyme; it is easier and faster to buy already growing plants.
Be sure to plant each herb in its optimal growing environment to get the best results.
Some of the things to keep in mind when planting herbs:
1. Plant in full sun with minimum of 4-6 hrs. a few will grow in partial shade
2. Well-drained soil (very important) if you have poor drainage add organic material to amend the soil or try a raised bed. They will thrive in infertile soil but not soggy soil.
3. Fertilize less-herbs like low-medium fertility. Heavy applications can decrease the flavor, cut down on the concentration of essential oils. Use compost, fish emulsion or 5-10-10 fertilizer in the early spring when planting and/or when new growth starts.

Herbs can be grown in a container, flower bed or any spot in the garden. Grow your favorite culinary herbs in a container and keep it close to the kitchen door for easy harvesting. When winter arives bring a pot of herbs indoors, place in a sunny area and enjoy.

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7 Comments on Growing Herbs»

  1. I have recently, a month ago planted a flower border of lavender plants, Munsted and Hidcote. I made every attempt to give adequate but not to much water. The plants started well but now they are turning black from the base upward. I can find no information on what this may be. We have had fine weather since they were planted. Please help me save my plants!

    Watering seems to be a very important factor when growing lavender.Established lavender tends to prefer dry conditions over wet. Overwatering along with poor drainage and high humidity can lead to bacterial and fungal disease and root rot. On the other hand, dry winds, and hot weather can desicate the young lavender plant. Lavender needs gritty/sandy soil with a ph around 6-8. If you have a wet, poorly-drained soil find a different spot to grow it in. You might be keeping your lavender too wet. Let it dry out between waterings.

    Comment by Susie — 3/29/2006 @ 2:44 am

  2. Planted a lavender plant this summer -
    I live in Louisville Ky. area - what do I do to protect the plant during the winter?
    thank you in advance for your reply - mg hailey

    Some lavenders are hardier than others. In general, they need a well-drained soil to winter over-too much standing water will lead to root rot. After a hard freeze cover the crown of the plant with a light loose mulch for the winter.

    Comment by Marty — 3/29/2006 @ 2:47 am

  3. > Hi.
    > I have a question about my lavender plant. (Outdoors). It is really huge. Do I cut this down at the end of the summer? Also,I would like to pick some of it to make my house smell pretty. Will this hurt the ;plant? I want to have it bloom every year that is why I hesitate to trim it down.
    > Thanks Diana

    You don’t need to cut down your lavender plant. Depending on where you live and variety, lavender is marginal in zone 5 and up, so if there is a harsh winter some of it may die back otherwise it will grow next year. Cut the plant back in the spring if you want to shape it & eliminate dead stems. Pick the lavender flowers when the flowers are opening and put them in a vase as a cut flower or hang upside down to dry. It will not hurt the plant, in fact deadheading will encourage it to produce more flowers. Once dry the fragrance is released every time you rub or bruise the flower.
    Have a great summer
    Kris

    Comment by Kris — 8/29/2006 @ 11:36 am

  4. I live in central Calif., zone #9. I am attempting to grow lavender on approx. 5 acers of land. Many of my plants are doing well. However many plants have foilage that is turning brown. I think this is a watering problem. What should I do??

    I do not know what the growing situation is, but lavender does not like humidity and steamy heat. The roots will die and the plant turn brown if it is kept too wet. It does best in dry well-drained soil and full sun.

    Comment by Joe F — 12/4/2006 @ 3:03 pm

  5. Can I plant snap dragons and other flowers in the same garden as my herbs?

    You sure can, herbs make great companion plantings as long as the growing requirements are the same. They can attract beneficial insects as well as deter unwanted pests

    .

    Comment by Crystal — 4/11/2007 @ 1:05 pm

  6. I live in NE Ohio and have successfully grown lavender here for the past 10years. Last year was an especially cold winter and I lost some hidcote, mumstead. The grasso has survived every winter. I find when we have a nice layer of snow on the plants it helps insulate them. Rosemary is a different story. No luck surviving the winters outside but was successful last year keeping a very large plant 3-4ft tuscan blue alive. I put the pot on some syrofoam and wrapped the pot in insulation. When it was very cold, below 20 F, I put a plastic cover over the leaves which let in light but shielded the cold air. So far this winter rosemary and curry is alive in my unheated garage. I just hate to lose the Rosemary when it gets so large. My sister kept one of my plants which reached about 5ft alive in her unheated sunroom which never gets below 20 F. In the spring it goes back outside. We did this for 4 years with success. It was the mother plant for all the new babies we grow. I love to cook any type of roast with these two herbs. Gives the meat a nice flavor and fills my house with a great scent while cooking. Parsley does great here in the winter. I harvest it all winter. Just brush off the snow and I have fresh parsley whenever I want.

    Thanks for your comment! Rosemary propagates so easily in the spring. Funny you should mention parsley-I just picked some after the snow melt.I also pick it in the fall break it up and freeze it. I use it in soups, stews and any other dish that calls for parsley. I just read that 9 inches of snow will keep the soil temperature at 28F when the air temperatures is -14F. Can’t underestimate the value of snow cover.

    Comment by Susie — 1/6/2008 @ 2:45 pm

  7. Hi, I have a very nice spread of lemon thyme on my flower bed which I like to upkeep. This past winter has made the plant very leggy and dry in parts. If I want to make it lush and green again, can I prune it hard and clean up the dry parts. Not sure how to go about cleaning the mess…don’t want to hurt the plant. I live in zone 8A. Thanks, Pam

    Prune it hard before it starts to leaf out. It will come back nice and green.

    Comment by Pam Kamath — 3/5/2008 @ 2:41 pm

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