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 A
couple months ago I wrote an article on planting your herb
garden. I have had many emails thanking us for the information
and inspiration to start their own herb gardens this spring/summer.
Now that your herbs have been in the ground or pot for about
a month or so (depending on where you live), it is time to
start reaping the rewards! Here are some helpful tips on how
to keep your herbs healthy, how to make them grow their best
(now and in future years), and how to harvest these full-flavored
herbs for your kitchen.
- Know the herb’s background:
Many common herbs, such as thyme, rosemary,
sage and oregano come from the Mediterranean, where the
temperatures are mild and the soils are well-drained. Other
herbs like mint prefer wetter soils. Mimicking these conditions
will help these herbs develop the best flavor.
- Keep your herbs strong:
Soak the soil when it’s dry to 4 inches
deep. Over-fertilizing herbs will cause them to be less
flavorful and can encourage pests. Apply a little fertilizer
only if the leaves turn yellow. Some herbs, such as basil,
tarragon, and chives require more fertilization. Fertilize
these herbs once a month starting in the spring with a soluble
low-nitrogen fertilizer such as fish emulsion. Soft herbs,
like basil, rot easily in cool, wet soil. Keep these herbs
in raised beds or containers with good drainage.
- Weeding & thinning:
Carefully remove annual weeds as they germinate,
hand pull perennial weeds when found and avoid letting any
weeds go to seed. Be careful around perennial herbs such
as oregano & lavender for they have more extensive and
widespread root systems. Care should be taken not to disturb
the roots when weeding. Other perennial herbs such as chives,
mint, oregano, rosemary, thyme, tarragon and lavender need
periodic pruning and winter protection in cold climates.
In the spring, trim the woody growth off the lavender, sage,
thyme, and rosemary to shape and rejuvenate. Chives, sage,
mint, and tarragon are hardy and are able to withstand harsh
winters. However, rosemary should be grown in pots and brought
indoors during the winter months.
- Controlling Pests
Control aphids, whiteflies, and mealybugs
with insecticidal soap to control them. Some caterpillars
will eat parsley and dill. Hand-pick individual caterpillars.
Beetles, including Japanese beetles love basil. Trap or
hand-pick beetles in the morning hours to control.
- Harvesting Herbs
When and how you harvest your herbs
will make a difference in their potency. Most herbs
taste best when harvested mid-morning, when the weather
has been clear and dry for a few days.
Chives — Harvest six weeks after
planting or as established plants sprout in the spring.
Snip as needed. The flowers are edible but be sure to
remove them before they seed.
Cilantro — Harvest when the leaves
are 4-6 inches tall. The whole plant is edible.
 Basil
— Harvest just as the plant starts to bud. Snip
off the branches instead of individual leaves to stimulate
more growth. Remove the flowers to encourage more leafy
growth.
Dill — Harvest 8 weeks after planting.
Mint — Harvest as needed, cutting
back the plants occasionally to rejuvenate. The highest
oil content in the leaves occurs at full flower in mid-summer.
Oregano — Harvest leaves as needed.
Trim back plants before flowering to promote more growth.
Parsley — Harvest as needed. Cut
entire stalks from the outer portion of the plant. Transfer
to pots (if in beds) and bring indoors in the fall for
indoor use during the winter.
Sage — Harvest as needed. Wait
until the second year after planting to harvest leaves
heavily.
Thyme — Harvest as needed. Use
the leaves and young stems with leaves attached. Trim
plants in the spring to encourage growth.
Rosemary — Harvest sprigs before
flowering. Shape plants in early spring.
Tarragon — Harvest in early summer
for the best flavor. Prune back plants in early spring
to reduce height by a third.
Marjoram — Harvest when flowers
appear in early summer. Cut back plants to the soil
line in early summer. Repeat a second time
in mid-summer.
Fresh herbs are truly essential to fine
cooking. They are really easy to grow (trust me — I am
not known for my green thumb and even I can do it!). All that
is needed is a few feet of soil near the kitchen or a few
pots around your porch or deck.
-Written by Jessica Hale, Editor &
Chef
- Glutenfreeda
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