Everything you want to know about herbs, but afraid to ask
Q: Are herbs difficult to grow?
A: Nope! Herb are one of the easiest, most prolific plants to grow in the kitchen garden. Most herbs, like oregano, thyme, rosemary and sage, will grow year round in Houston.
A few herbs are temperature sensitive. For example, basil loves warm weather and cilantro likes cool temperatures. Plant basil in Spring and Summer and cilantro in Fall and Winter.
Q: Can I grow mint in my kitchen garden?
A: Mint loves to be the center of attention and really needs to be planted in its own container. This is because it contains horizontal runners, which grow intensively and rapidly under the soil’s surface. It can become very invasive for a raised garden bed.
Q: How much sun do my herbs need?
A: At least 4-6 hours per day. 6-8 is great, but you definitely need at least 4-6.
Q: What’s the difference between tender and hardy herbs?
A: Think about the stems. Tender herbs include leafy varieties like parsley, cilantro, basil and dill. What do these have in common? Soft stems. Hardy herbs include rosemary, thyme and oregano, all of which have woodier stems. Hardier herbs require less water because they’re.. well.. hardier.
Q: How do I care for my herb garden?
A: Be mindful of the soil moisture. Use the knuckle test ~ stick your finger down 2-3” into the soil. If it feels moist, the water is adequate. Rosemary and lavender are fine drying out, as they are used to Mediterranean climates! Check the leaves of your herbs. If they turn yellow, you are overwatering. If they turn brown and crispy, you are under watering. Fertilize regularly. We like to use fish emulsion or liquid sea kelp fertilizer spray once a week. Dilute according to directions, then drench foliage. Do this in the morning, on a day when you know it isn’t going to rain!
Q: How and when should I harvest my herbs?
A: You can begin harvesting even from small plants! A sprig or two from a small herb plant is a-ok, just be mindful to never cut more than 1/3 of ANY plant at a time, or you’ll send it into plant stress. If you need to remove more than 1/3 due to pests (which is unlikely with herbs), you should just pull the entire plant. You will want to harvest regularly from your herbs once they really start growing. This will help prevent the plant from bolting too quickly.
Q. Wait. What is bolting?!
A: Bolting is actually incredibly cool. It is when the plant forms a thick center stalk that grows tall and begins to flower. The plant is trying to complete its life cycle by flowering and then going to seed. Dill is absolutely beautiful when it bolts. If you want to harvest your dill, you need to actively snip here and there to slow the bolting process. But if you don’t mind, let your dill bolt and see what happens. The bees and butterflies will thank you for it. Chives also form a beautiful white flower when it bolts. *Once a plant bolts, the flavor of the herb will lower in intensity, as the plant says, “Thank you very much, I’m done for the season.”
Have we answered most of your herb questions? Let us know on IG! We would love to hear what your favorite herb is. Genovese basil in the summer and rosemary in the winter are the Garden Girls’ winners. Please don’t tell our parsley. We know it thinks that it’s our favorite.
