Bolting can alter the flavor of some herbs. Just be careful that you never prune woody herbs back into the bare wood at the bases of their stems, since eliminating all of their foliage could kill them. You also can harvest herbs for cooking as you need them throughout the growing season, cutting softer varieties back by as much as a half and woody types-such as rosemary-by one-third. Simply remove the tip of each shoot with your fingers or pruning shears. That will help them branch out into bushiness rather than grow tall and spindly. Pinch back gangly herbs like basil once they grow approximately 4 inches tall. RELATED: Edible Flowers: 15 Beautiful Blooms That Are Also Delicious 5. If you see any aphids, spider mites, or other problem insects, try spraying them off with a strong stream of water before you revert to other organic options like insecticidal soap. Fortunately, herbs don’t usually suffer much from pests and are, in fact, often used in vegetable gardens to repel insects from other plants. (You might want to make an exception for basil, dill, and parsley, since those herbs reportedly grow best when fertilized every 3 weeks or so.)īecause you will eat your herbs eventually, avoid spraying them with toxic pesticides. If you feel the need to feed your plants, just add a little compost to their soil. When considering how to grow herbs, keep in mind that overly fertile soil can be bad for them, since it dilutes their flavor. Organic fertilizers and natural pest-control methods are essential. Just make sure those containers have drainage holes to prevent sogginess, which can cause root rot in Mediterranean types, though mints tolerate excess moisture better than other herbs do. However, plants encased in containers, such as outdoor herb garden planters, could require watering as often as once per day during hot, dry weather. Otherwise, watering once a week and making sure that the moisture penetrates to a depth of 6 inches is generally preferable to lighter daily waterings. If your climate receives at least 1 inch of rainfall per week, you probably won’t need to water herbs growing in the ground. Outdoor herbs may require more frequent watering than those grown indoors. Although it can cause them to grow quite large, it also will weaken their flavor and scent. Soil pH should be between 6 and 7.5, but avoid planting herbs in extremely fertile soil. If your climate is extremely soggy, it’s a good idea to place Mediterranean types in an herb garden planter, herb box, or herb spiral rather than in the ground to provide them with better drainage. However, you’ll probably want to confine extremely vigorous herbs, such as mints, in containers to keep them from running rampant in your garden. Some Mediterranean types prefer all-day rays along with sandy and very well-draining soil, while parsleys and mints usually thrive with partial shade and wetter ground. Your herb garden ideas should take into account that most of these plants need at least 6 hours of sun per day-more if they can get it. Other perennial herbs to grow include chives, lemon balm, oregano, thyme, and Roman chamomile. For example, Mediterranean types like lavender, rosemary, and tarragon may not last long in wet climates, but they might thrive in dry ones. Perennials are plants that continue year after year if conditions are right for them, though some live longer than others. Biennial herbs include angelica, caraway, chervil, parsley, and Florence fennel. Since they tend to self-sow freely, however, they often can seem perennial. They flower and seed during their second summer before expiring. Annual herbs include basil, borage, cilantro, dill, and German chamomile.īiennials have 2 years to live, generally producing only rosettes of foliage during their first growing season. Annual plants complete their entire life cycle, from sprouting to flowering and making their own seed, in one growing season before succumbing to frost. When considering which herbs to grow in your herb garden, keep in mind that their lifespans vary. Herbs can be annual, biennial, or perennial. RELATED: 12 Perennial Vegetables to Plant for Years of Fresh Produce 1. Read on to learn seven other important things you should know about growing herbs outdoors. Mint and parsley reportedly don’t like each other either, and word has it that you should keep basil away from rue-and both basil and rue away from sage-if you want to preserve harmony in your herb family. However, fennel shouldn’t be placed near any other herb but dill, since fennel can inhibit the growth of neighboring plants. As for what herbs can be planted together, any that require similar conditions usually do well in proximity to one another.
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