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For centuries people all over the world have been cultivating herb gardens. Herbs are a huge part of cooking throughout the world. Herbs cross cultural barriers and connect us through our love of culture, cuisine, and beauty. Cilantro tastes just as amazing in an authentic street taco as it does in a steaming bowl of pad thai. Parsley can pull all of the flavors together in a simmering pot of spaghetti, and also pack a flavorful punch in a middle eastern tabbouleh salad. There’s an endless amount of ways to enjoy herbs!
Herbs are not only used for cooking, they are also known for their medicinal purposes, garnishing, and some are known for their scent and beauty in bouquets. You may not know that herbs are great at attracting bees and other pollinators to your garden. Herbs are fairly easy to grow, which makes them a great starting place for beginning gardeners.
The first step to take when starting an herb garden is to make a plan. Scope out the space that you have available to grow your garden. Whether you have a large yard or a small patio, planting an herb garden is possible! Some things to consider are what you will be using to plant your herbs, what areas get the most sun, and what herbs will do best in your specific space.
There are a few options for how to plant your herb garden. Container gardens, raised beds, and a traditional garden are all good options for herbs. You can even grow your herb garden indoors. When you are looking for a space, it’s a good idea to make the garden as accessible as possible because there will be watering, pruning, and harvesting involved.
When looking for a space to grow your herbs, one of the most important things to consider is which spot gets the most sunlight. Herbs love sun! Areas with at least 6 hours of full sun are ideal for herb gardening. Planting your herbs in containers allows you to move the herbs to get as much sunlight as possible. Just remember that if you choose to do a container garden, you’ll need to water more often. Drainage is another important thing to keep in mind when deciding where to grow your herb garden. Find a spot that will allow for excellent drainage.
Once you have your herb garden location decided, fill your garden bed or containers with soil that’s rich in organic matter. This gives your herbs the best chance of thriving and keeping diseases at bay. Good soil will also promote drainage.
Most gardening is learned by trial and error. Don’t be afraid to start something that’s new and unknown. You’ll learn so much about your herbs as they sprout and grow. Follow the advice of garden coach Janet Kilburn Phillips, “There are no gardening mistakes, just experiments.”
Category: Annual/biennial
Start indoors: Early February
Start/transfer outdoors: Plant or transfer indoor starts in Mid-May.
Parsley prefers full sun and medium-rich, well drained soil.
Planting depth: ¼ inch
Days to germination: 3-5 weeks
Thinning: Thin to 4 plants per squre foot.
Harvest: Parsley can be harvested at any time throughout the growing season.
Category: Annual
Start indoors: Mid-April. Thin to 1 plant per square foot.
Start/transfer outdoors: Early June.
Basil prefers full sun and well-drained soil.
Planting depth: ¼ inch
Days to germination: 8-14 days
Thinning: When plant is 2 inches tall, thin to 1 plant every 12 inches.
Harvest: Harvest leaves before the plant flowers. If you wait until flowering occurs, the leaves might taste bitter.
Category: Perennial
Start indoors: 10 weeks before last frost date. Sage prefers warm soil for germination.
Start/transfer Outdoors: Sow outside 1-2 weeks after last frost. When seedlings have 6-8 full grown leaves, you can transfer plants to the ground.
Prefers full sun and well-drained soil.
Planting depth: ¼ inch
Days to germination: 17-21 days
Thinning: When plant is at least 2 inches tall, thin to 1 plant every 2 feet.
Harvest: Let the plant become established before first harvest. When harvesting, don’t take more than half the plant.
Category: Perennial
Start indoors: 6-8 weeks before last average frost date.
Start/transfer outdoors: Transfer outdoors 1-2 weeks after your average last frost date.
Planting depth: ¼ inch
Days to germination: 10-15 days
Thinning: When plant is 1 inch tall, thin to 1 plant per square foot.
Harvest: Thyme can be harvested at any time during the growing season. If your plant looks slim, cut back to 4 inches. Your plant should be fuller after pruning.
Category: Annual
Start indoors: It is not recommended to start cilantro indoors due to premature flowering.
Start/transfer outdoors: Direct sow 1-2 weeks after last frost date (late spring).
Planting depth: ¼ inch – ½ inch
Days to germination: 14-21
Thinning: Thin to 4 plants per square foot.
Harvest: Can be harvested any time after the plant reaches 6-8 inches tall. Cut leaves back often to promote better, fuller growth. Sow seeds throughout growing season to ensure the best crop.
Cilantro grows best between 50-85 degrees. This herb is popular in Mexican, Thai, Chinese, and many other cuisines around the world.
Category: Perennial
Start indoors: March
Start/transfer outdoors: Late May
Prefers full sun and well-drained soil.
Planting depth: 1/8 inch to ¼ inch.
Days to germination: 14 days.
Thinning: When 2-3 inches tall, thin to 1 plant per square foot.
Harvest: You can harvest Oregano at any time during the growing season. However, if your plan is to dry the leaves to use at a later time, it’s best to harvest just before flowering takes place.
Category: Annual
Start indoors: 8-10 weeks before last frost date (indoor start is not recommended).
Start/transfer outdoors: Best if direct sown after last frost. Transferring outside can cause dill to suffer. Dill is recommended to be direct sown.
Prefers full sun and well drained soil.
Planting depth: ¼ inch
Days to germination: 10-21 days
Thinning: When 2 inches tall, thin to 16 plants per square foot.
Harvest: Start harvesting as soon as your plant has 4-5 leaves on it. Second planting in mid-summer will ensure a fall harvest.
Category: Perennial
Start indoors: 10-12 weeks before last frost date.
Start/transfer outdoors: 1-2 weeks after last frost.
Prefers full sun and dry soil.
Planting depth: Surface
Days to germination: 21 days with low germination (often only 50% of seeds germinate).
Thinning: When 1 inch tall, thin to 1 plant ever 12 inches. 1 plant per 2 square feet.
Harvest: Harvest stems any time during the growing season. Consistent pruning encourages more growth.
Category: Perennial in warmer climates.
Start indoors: 4-6 weeks before last frost date.
Start/transfer outdoors: After last frost.
Prefers full sun and semi-dry, well-drained soil.
Planting depth: Surface – 1/8 inch
Days to germination: 14-30 days. 2nd year Maturity.
Thinning: When sprouts reach 1 inch tall, thin to 1 plant every 25 inches. 1 plant per 2 square feet.
Harvest: Snip off stems just before flowers open.
Category: Perennial
Start indoors: Recommended direct sow. Can be started indoor 6-8 weeks before last frost.
Start/transfer outdoors: Sow chives outside in early spring. Soil temperature should be at least 45 degrees.
Full or partial sun. Likes rich and moist soil.
Planting depth: ¼ inch – ½ inch
Days to germination: 14 days
Thinning: Once sprouted, thin to 6 inches apart. 4 plants per square foot.
Harvest: Can be harvested at any time. Chives will continue to grow after you harvest. Chives create a purple flower that is also edible.
