Growing herbs in the flower garden
Growing herbs for cooking is another gardening project that yields plenty of satisfaction.
Herbs thrive with just a small amount of care, and they do well in small spaces and growing in pots.
Many herbs mix well with other annuals and perennials, so you can tuck them into your flower garden.
Most herb plants come from Mediterranean regions and they thrive in summer's heat and sun. They can take a bit of dryness in stride, which makes them a good choice for containers.
Even better, most herb plants have few insect and disease problems, and most types grow best in average garden soil, rarely needing added fertilizer.
Getting started growing herbs
Give herbs well-drained soil and full sun (6 hours daily).
Water your plant well to get them established. Although most herbs don't need much watering through the season, don't neglect them in times of drought.
Most herb plants thrive in dry soil, but some types, mint, for example, prefer moist soil.
Once herbs are established, regular pruning promotes lush new growth - which has the best flavour - but avoid removing too many leaves or stems at one time. The plants need leaves to grow and thrive, so keep about 6 inches (15 cm) of growth intact.
The best way to harvest herbs is to snip a portion with sharp scissors or pruners. Avoid tearing or pulling branches and stems off. Pulling can injure or even dislodge roots.
Growing herbs: annual and perennial types
Annual herbs:
Annuals such as dill, chervil and cilantro are easy to grow from seed. They are ready for harvesting several weeks to a couple of months after sowing.
You can buy them as transplants, but you will get stronger, bushier annual herbs if you grow them from seed.
Annual herbs flower and go to seed quickly, and that's when their leaves tend to lose flavour. For a fresh supply, replant every 3 weeks into early or mid August. To harvest, snip off leaves, or pull entire plant.
Perennial herbs:
If you want to grow herbs such as French tarragon, chives, sage or thyme, buy small plants. Allow a couple of months of growth before harvesting.
While you can grow some perennial herbs from seed, it's generally not worth it if you only need a few plants because it takes more than one season to get a good harvest.
For more information:
Tips for growing herbs in containers
Herbs from Richters, shipping to Canada and the United States
