Create a Garden of Herbs
Now is a good time to start your herb garden, so turn the current restrictions because of the pandemic into an advantage, as you may have extra time available or you may want to be outside the house, or get your children involved. Even without a garden you can create a herb garden in pots and containers on the window sill, the balcony or at your front or back door.
I always say I have two gardens – one is my cultivated garden and the other is my wild patch near hedgerows designed by nature. And I always use herbs from both gardens for cooking, in pesto, salads, drinks and I also use them for medicine to make herbal teas, tinctures and oils. The diversity of herbs is what amazes me most.
Growing Herbs is Easy and Great Fun
Creating your own herb garden is an adventure and a wonderful pleasure. You can decide whether you want it formal or informal, totally culinary or medicinal. As herbs are basically ‘wild plants’ it makes sense to grow them in conditions comparable to their natural habitat. In general herbs like a neutral to alkaline soil. Most culinary herbs originate from the Mediterranean and like a dry sunny place and prefer free draining soil with the exception of mint which likes damp ground and grows well in semi-shade.
Important tip: Place your herb plants as near to the kitchen as possible, otherwise you don’t use them.
How to grow?
Herbs can be grown from seed indoors in a seed tray using a good seed compost. You can also sow outdoors once the soil has warmed up in late spring. Buying herb transplants is an easier but more expensive start or you can try softwood cuttings in spring or summer to propagate Rosemary, Sage and Thyme. Cut a shoot (10cm/3 inches long) from a non-flowering tip of the plant, remove the leaves from the bottom third of the cutting, fill a pot with compost, make a hole in the compost and insert the cutting up to the leaves and water. Label and date and place in a propagator or sheltered area and spray everday in the beginning until you see signs of growth, then start feeding the plant and when warm enough leave the pot outside.
Herbs to start with
Basic is good! My suggestions for a basic culinary herb garden is: Coriander, Chives, Parsley, Mint, Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, Oregano or Marjoram. Basil under cover or in a polytunnel. And thinking about the recipes I cook I wouldn’t like to miss out on Lemon balm, Dill and Sorrel. But that’s for another time. And for beauty I always grow some edible flowers as well.
Coriander: An annual herb which is easily grown from seed. It gives a kick to any salad or soup, a must-have ingredient for curries, but also used in chutneys and pickles. Just pick a few leaves as and when required. It goes to seed quickly but then you can harvest the seeds when they start to turn brown and use freshly ground in curries etc.
Chives: Can be grown from seed but it is easier to divide clumps of already established plants. When we started gardening we got our first clump of chives from friends. Chives has a mild onion flavour. Use sprinkled on soups, salads, in egg dishes or blend with sour cream, as a topping for baked potatoes or in my famous green sauce, a recipe from the area where I’m grown up . It is always good to have a few chive plants, so you could let one plant produce flowers, which are excellent in salads.
Parsley: A must in the garden and not just for using as a garnish. It comes in two forms the dark-green plain leaved parsley and the paler, milder curled parsley. It is high in Iron and Vitamin C. It is best cultivated in modules inside. Sow in cell trays and cover lightly with compost, and propagate at 15-18C. Once large enough transplant in small pots and later outside. Keep well watered. Usually keeps producing until Easter the following year befire it will run into seed.
Dill: The trick with dill is you need to sow regularly, every three weeks, a row of about 30cm or else sow in three to five modules. Dill needs good fertile soil. If you have dill in the polytunnel it will also self seed and everywhere, so beware!
Mint: Various varieties are available. The one found growing in most gardens is spearmint which is often used on roast lamb. Peppermint is stronger and makes a good tea. Applemint is nice with desserts like chocolate mousse. In summertime ou can mix water with a few slices of lemon and add a few sprigs of mint – very refreshing.
Note: Mint can be very invasive and should be grown in a pot to avoid taking over the herb garden.
Thyme: Common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is the best known of all thymes, its fragrant leaves are essential in bouquet garni. Lemon thyme is another lovely thyme which attracts bees and is good in fish and mushroom recipes. Sow in spirng into seed trays, barely cover the seed. Water sparingly and propagate at 15-20C. Later transplant into pots before strong enough to plant them out. For cooking remove the leaves from the woodier stems by running your fingers backwards down the stem. Thyme as a tea is also good for the digestion.
Rosemary: A hardy perennial shrub which needs a well-drained soil and sheltered position. As it is evergreen you can pick sprigs all year round. Try it with meat dishes, particularly lamb and to flavour roast potatoes. It’s also good for memory, sitting my exams as a herbalist I had sprigs behind my ears.
Sage: A perennial evergreen shrub which has a strong distinct flavour. The beautiful mauve flowers are very attractive in the herb garden and can be grown from cuttings – see above. Used in Italian dishes or make a herbal tea and use as a gargle for sore throats.
Oregano & Marjoram: Perennial bushy plants that attract bees in the garden. Oregano is more aromatic and stronger than Marjoram and is traditionally used in pizzas and pasta dishes. You can sow in pots or trays, barely cover the seed with compost and water sparingly. Propagate at 15-20C.
Basil: The most common is Sweet Basil. Basil needs heat and protection. Sow in small pots, cover lightly and water. Propagate at 15-20C. As soon as the seedlings emerge place on a warm bright windowsill.Transplant into a bigger pot to increase the size of the clump. As soon as the plants are big enough, pluck the leaves as you need them. It is important to snip off the growing tips to ancourage growth. Keep the plant moist but avoid water on the leaves it there is hot sun. Can be made into Pesto or eaten fresh with homegrown tomatoes and homemade cheese!
Edible flowers: are easily grown from seed and can be either grown in a pot and planted in the garden. I like Calendula, borage, nasturtiums, violas, pansies.
Last tip – Keep a garden diary to monitor your progress. You will have sucess and failure, but you always learn.
A good reference book is Jekka McVicars “New book of herbs. One of my favourite pocket books is Collins “Herbs and Healing Plants”.