Thinking of Starting an Herb Garden. Any Tips?

Cafe Society
1

With spring here, and the temperatures finally staying above freezing (most of the time), I’ve got gardening on my mind.

I’ve never gardened before. I have a cactus plant that doesn’t mind if I forget to water it for a month. That suits us both just fine.

However, I’ve been considering starting an herb garden. I think it would be great to have fresh herbs at my disposal for any meals I might want to spice up.

So, how do I start? What herbs do you suggest I start with? What kind of sunshine do I need? (I am moving in June, and our sights are currently set on a duplex with a backyard.) Providing I am able to plant in a backyard, should I do that? Or should I go with a potted garden?

I truly am oblivious as to anything regarding this. But I am interested in making it work. Any tips?

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Basil. Cilantro. Hot peppers. That’s what I go with each year - perfect spices for the summer.

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I have a potted herb garden (almost said pot garden, but that’s not right…). I have rosemary (great with roasted chicken), sage (ditto), parsley and mint (great for tea in the summer).

I plant what I will cook with, and I do try to remember to use it! Rosemary will grow like crazy- there are actual hedges of it in our neighborhood, and my MIL has several topiary animals made from rosemary bushes. Just keep it trimmed and you’ll be fine.

Mint can be a monster, whichever variety you plant. It is almost impossible to kill, and can take over whatever part of your yard it’s planted in. But it can also serve as a barrier that some pests won’t cross (ants, I think). And fresh mint tea in the summer is yummy. I think right now I have a “straight” mint, peppermint and a lemon mint.

If you have a dog, it’s best to go with pots rather than yard plantings- that way you know there are no “potty” issues.

Enjoy! It’s nice to “grow your own” and people will be so impressed when they visit! :smiley:

4

There was a recent thread from just a couple days ago on this subject where you’ll find some helpful tips, as well…

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=178106

Personally, I have a rosemary plant that I bought, and just started basil and parsley from seeds in pots on the window sill above my kitchen sink. The parsley and basil aren’t grown fully enough to use, but they’re doing great so far in their little pots. To me, I’d rather have them indoors, right where I’m cooking, than have to go outside in the middle of food preparation to take a few snips, then have to worry about what dirt or critters need to be washed off of them, but YMMV if your goal is to have an outdoor garden, not merely to have fresh herbs on hand.

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Well, sheesh. Of course there’s another thread about it. I never seem to have an original idea :wink:

Great ideas so far, thank you.
I think a lot of what I decide to do will depend on the apartment we end up renting. Oh, that and the cat. She likes windows, so indoor plants might be tricky.

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I had great luck with window boxes of parsley when I lived in Germany. Parsley is very forgiving, just water it when it looks wilted.

Last year’s garden had huge (4’ tall) basil plants. We bought the starters at the local garden center and they just take off. They are very forgiving also, water when they look wilty. Basil will really take off if planted where it is sunny.

Rhubarb grows very well with little care. You don’t get much to harvest until the second year though. It is also prone to rot and mildew diseases.

I have wonderful horsradish also. It grows like a week so plant it in a bottomless bucket so it does not take over the world. It will come back each year, whether you want it to or not.

Dill grows easily, I don’t grow it since I don’t cook with it.

Sage is beautiful and grows easily. Chives are a perrenial (like many herbs) and are hard to stop once they start growing.

To tell the truth, most of the common herbs will grow with very little care, this makes sense since they really are weeds, but useful weeds. I live in eastern South Dakota, we generally get enough rain that I don’t have to water much, usually the only concern I have is critters (bad bunny, naughty squirrel) and weeds.

If you can find a copy of Rhodale’s Herb Guide it is the standard reference for herbs, it gives all sorts of information; culinary, medicinal, horticultural and for dyes.

You can also visit your local Agricultural extension office for more information on gardening. The extension agents are a wealth of knowledge for help and identifying the lothesome creatures that will try to eat your bounty. The USDA website has information that will prove helpful.

Herb gardening is perhaps the easiest gardening, takes little space and the herbs make great gifts. By the way, your SO will probably roll his/her eyes when you use crushed mint leaves on your forhead to feel cooler on hot days. I can’t say I blame them but it does feel really good.

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I’m in the process of replacing all of the plants in my front yard with herbs (well, with the exceptions of the the grass and the oak tree). I’ve got Broadleaf Sage, Dwarf Russian Sage, two types of Rosemary, and… oh, something else. The Broadleaf Sage is something to behold- it’s getting HUGE, and is rapidly blooming all over. It smells great, too. I picked all of the plants on their ability to survive hot, dry Texas summers.

Oh, I also tossed some garlic bulbs in there as well.

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Thanks, Shayna for posting the link to the other thread… Now I won’t have to repeat myself.

Harli I’m trying to set myself up as the Dopers’ Resident Herb Gardening Expert (to use the term “expert” very very loosely), so feel free to check out the other thread, then e-mail me (in my profile) if you have very specific questions.

For any beginner just getting interested in herb gardening, here’s my advise: Chives are darn near impossible to kill. So is oregano. Choose no more than 3-4 plants you think you will use in cooking (maybe herbs where you’re already familiar with the flavor) then learn about those. Once you’ve mastered that, then you can gradually add a plant or two at a time to your expertise.

To learn more about those chosen few plants: there’s tons of web sites; just google “herb gardening” and you’ll find more than you ever wanted to know. Talk to people like us who grow and use those specific plants, remembering that where you live and the climate there will seriously help us advise you. Finally, you may also want to check with your County’s extension office, who can provide you with loads of advise, resources and direction.