This is a seedling, companion planting, and maintenance instructions tutorial to help you grow the best herb garden (indoor or outdoor) possible!
Herb Planting and Care
I purchased a variety of herbs this year for my garden. I had considered herb gardening since last year, and made it fact with earth turning, seedling purchasing and planting this year. This is seedling, companion planting and maintenance instructions.
Since we are away most of the winter, growing my own herbs from seed or cuttings is not an option. However, that really isn’t a bad thing for me because when I went to my local nursery, I needed to purchase what they had – and they had things that would grow well locally. While I could still fail, at least now I am growing plants that are appropriate for my area. This is something I don’t always do – at my old house, I had a beautiful butterfly bush that wasn’t supposed to be grown north of the Mason-Dixon line. Not only did it grow, but I also transplanted it three different times and it flourished each time!
I don’t always play by the rules. 😉
But, since I was going to be writing about this herb-adventure, I didn’t want to lead anyone too astray, and so am glad I bought herbs that are able to grow in my US hardiness zone 6 area.
Before I planted, I decided to investigate what my herbs needed by way of soil, plant food, and spacing. I fully recognized that I might not plant exactly as I should, but I did want the knowledge that comes from correct planting, seeding, and spacing of these herbs.
Here are the 7 herbs I purchased and planted, and this is how I cared for them:
Basil
Large leaves with sweet, spicy fragrance and flavor. Flowers are attractive in the herb garden, but are usually pinched off as buds form to promote high-quality leaves for cooking.
Annual – full sun, water weekly during dry spells, feed using all-purpose plant food. Maintenance includes weeding and pinching back for a fuller appearance.
How to harvest and dry basil
Chamomile, Roman
Deliciously fragrant flowers and leaves have a sweet apple flavor. Dried flowers are great in potpourri and make a flavorful and relaxing tea. Ideal for a fragrant herb lawn which can tolerate foot traffic.
Perennial – sun, water weekly during dry spells, feed in spring. Maintenance: trim every 6 weeks.
Chives
Also known as onion chives, the beautiful flowers and foliage of this plant have a distinctive mild onion flavor. Fresh leaves to cook, or whole blossoms for herb vinegar. Good companion plant for roses.
Perennial – sun, water weekly during dry spells, feed in spring. Maintenance: divide every 3-5 years.
Cilantro
Aromatic, flavorful leaves (cilantro) and seeds (coriander). Reseeds.
Annual – full sun, water 2-3 times per week, feed using all-purpose plant food. Maintenance: mulch to keep down weeds.
English Thyme
Outstanding for seasoning poultry, fish and pork, in sauces, soups and herbal vinegar. Good companion plant for tomatoes. Dry or freeze leaves for winter use, or grow in a pot indoors.
Perennial – sun, water weekly during dry spells, feed regularly. Maintenance: keep weed-free.
Note: It is now 6 years later and the thyme is still producing like crazy!
Fennel
Aromatic, feathery foliage is an attractive filler in the herb or flower garden. Leaves, seeds and the stem are all edible.
Annual – sun, well-drained soil, fertilize sparingly. Maintenance: keep weed-free.
Parsley, Fine Curled
Attractive fragrant leaves are excellent for seasoning and as a garnish. A biennial that is grown as an annual; replant each year for best flavor.
Biennial – full sun, water daily, feed using all-purpose plant food. Maintenance includes weeding and pinching back for a fuller appearance.
How to harvest and dry parsley
Over the years since I first wrote this post, I have grown many different types of herbs. My favorites are basil (since we use so much in my cucumber Caprese salad recipe), the thyme that is still in the ground and requires no effort to take care, and chamomile as it smells terrific and makes great tea!
Whatever herbs you decide to grow, tend to them as required and they will reward you with some terrific tasting plants!
Note: Bloom IQ was an excellent source for writing this article.
Since I wrote this post many years ago, I have gone on to grow at least a few herbs yearly. Some herbs are grown for fresh and dried consumption such as basil and parsley. Some of the herbs I grow, such as thyme and oregano are for fresh consumption and to make the bees happy. They seem to love them to pollinate!
I now have this terrific garden tower (the image pictured is a photo I took shortly after I planted this past May) that I grow most, but not all of my herbs in. This year it was parsley, sage, thyme, and several types of oregano. I always have a LARGE container of basil. I harvest that several times during the season, dry it, and then keep it in the freezer. It is terrific for adding to Italian foods through the winter months.
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Stephanie B says
We purchased our plants from the farmer’s market about 10 days ago. They have been enjoying the sun on our porch and will get planted sometime before the weekend. We purchased red, green, orange and yellow peppers, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, broccoli and onions. Last year we only did peppers and tomatoes so I am most nervous about the onion. Since I can’t see them I wonder about how they are actually growing under there. I also have a feeling we have far too many plants and my husband will get his wish to put in a second garden bed. lol
Ann says
LOL Stephanie. I too picked up too many plants, and a set of tomatoes had to be planted in a space not intended for vegetables. My herb-island got leftover peppers too. Next year I will plan better, and less. Hubby refuses to do any gardening up on his hunting land (really wish he’d let me grow rhubarb up there…), otherwise we could literally have a farm full of plantings!
Ann
Stephanie says
The market was selling the plants in 6 packs and since I wanted a variety of peppers I now have 24 pepper plants…when I need at best 8. But since they were only $2 per 6 pack I figured I can always give them away to someone else who wants to start a garden if I don’t feel like planting that many. My biggest challenge with gardening is keeping my little one’s hands off the veggies until they are big enough to pick! Last year I was working in another part of the yard when he came up to me with an arm full of teeny little peppers….some with bites he took out of them.
Ann says
Stephanie you probably don’t think so, but wow is that story about your son cute! You have the makings of a great helper there!
Ann
Jennifer says
I love planting time!
In my kitchen garden I have put in Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Chives, Italian basil, globe basil, flat parsley, curly leaf parsley, and 4 blueberry plants. I still need to put mint and spearmint in pots, I pulled those out last year after they tried to take over my yard :-p and transplant salad mix I started from seeds, but I am holding off on that. I am debating on trying that in a city picker box, it is almost the same thing as your Earth Box, so I am interested in seeing what you think of the Earth Box 🙂
Ann says
I will try and get those pictures up Wednesday, Jennifer. My computer was DOA this morning, so I am hoping Hubby can get it fixed this weekend, and I can use my camera software.
Ann
KimH says
Good luck with your herbs this year.. some grow like weeds… others ARE weeds. 😉
You should put some rhubarb plants in your flower beds… they’re a beautiful plant.. and they dont LOOK like food.. I’ve got all sorts of edibles planted around my house.. matter of fact, almost everything is, one way or another.. except the woodland garden in my back yard.. and even there I have a few things that are edible that grow there.. mainly poke sallet & ramps. A few roots of a few other plants are edible but I wont be eating them.. Im growing them for their beauty.
My poor little lavender plant that was probably 8 years old died in this brutal winter we had.. so I’ve bought a couple to replace it.. I had an old thyme plant that bit the dust this year as well… but I have 2 nice big stands of thyme in my front flower bed and they’re doing wonderfully so I wont be buying more.. maybe I’ll take a few cuttings and spread it around…
I’ve got 2 rosemary cuttings I took last year from another one that bit the dust thanks to Old Man Winter this year.. one is in water & I need to get it into soil.. the other is in a pot & I need to get it in a much larger pot. They both look healthy at this stage.
I bought a big pot of globe basil (tulsi I think) that had quite a few plants in it… I plan to split them up in my community garden & let them grow up there.. I rarely use it but I just love to smell it..
Lemon Balm is taking over the world… I pull it up by the handfulls… roots & all… I dry it to make a nice calming tea… and just toss the roots into my compost bin… they’ll probably take root. 😉
I think thats all the new herbs I have this year… I’ve got all sorts of things tucked here & there around my house.. most smell good but there are a couple that arent so yummy smelling but I like them anyways.. Sage & Tansy.. I think. I like to walk around with the little kids and have them smell all the wonderful smelling herbs in my yard… then I lead them over the to the Stinky Two.. . its always funny to surprise them with them.. 😛 Guess I’ve got a bit of a devil inside. 😉
Ann says
I would love rhubarb plants, but we really don’t have room, Kim. Maybe up front when the new landscape is installed? My ex-SIL grows rhubarb, and always had very nice plants.
WOW! You had lavender die!?!!? At my old house I left the new owners a “present” that was taking over all the backyard gardens. It was originally under a tree, thrived (yeah, I know), and spread. Like a weed.
My basil looks DOA. I think 3-4 plants might survive. The rest of the herbs are thriving! You can never tell…
Ann
Marie says
My birthday and Mother’s Day are a month apart and my son gave me a gift card for the local nursery as a combination present. I spent most on flowers but I did get cucumbers, bell peppers, curly parsley, cat mint and oregano. The oregano is new for me. Is cat mint the same thing as catnip?
Ann says
No, Marie. Here’s a great explanation of the difference between cat mint and catnip Catmint
But don’t cats just love all sorts of mint?
Ann