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Herb Gardens

Gardening Video: Growing and Using Culinary Herbs

February 12, 2022

Gardening in the Mountains presents:
Growing and Using Culinary Herbs

Presenter: Phil Roudebush, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer

Herbs are commonly grown in gardens and containers for a variety of uses. This presentation will provide general information about growing and using herbs with a focus on those used for culinary purposes. You’ll get Ideas about how to process and use culinary herbs year-round. Recipes for making various types of herb pesto, vinegar, butter, rubs, and oils will be discussed and provided in a handout.

Video access:
To access this video on the Buncombe County Master Gardener website, click on the link below:

Growing and Using Culinary Herbs

Or go to www.buncombemastergardener.org , click on the ‘Gardening Videos’ tab at the top of the page and select the video from the list provided.

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Categories Gardening Videos, General Gardening, Herb Gardens

Fresh Herbs at Your Doorstep

December 12, 2017

I love having fresh herbs right outside my kitchen door to snip when I’m cooking. It is surprisingly easy to grow a large variety of culinary and tea herbs in a small space. Here’s how.

Herb Garden Near Door for Easy Snipping_by DWood
Herb garden near kitchen door for easy snipping

Which herbs to grow?
Perennials. Choose from many culinary herbs such as oregano, thyme, sage, chives, rosemary (‘Arp’ variety does best in WNC), lavender, and mint. A word of caution: to avoid mint invading your entire garden, plant it in a container.

Biennials. Parsley is a biennial herb that many gardeners replant every year. The first year you will have the delicious leaves and the second year it goes to seed.

Annuals. The most common annual herbs are basil, dill, chamomile, and cilantro.

Plants or seeds?
In general, perennial herb transplants are readily available. Most annual herbs start readily from seed.

Herb Garden in Container_by Frances Carter_CC_Flickr
Herb garden planted in container

Grow herbs in a container or in the ground?
Either! If you are limited on space or sun, consider containers. I have good success with metal tubs that you can find at most hardware and big box stores. You can pack lots of herb plants into a large tub. Just remember to punch holes in the bottom for drainage—a hammer and nail work great. You can also plant several herbs in a 14-16-inch round or square planter with drainage holes. Use 3 parts potting mix (NO fertilizer or moisture beads) and 1 part organic matter—such as compost or leaf mold—mixed into the top half of the container.

For in-ground growing, choose a space that drains well. A 3-foot by 3-foot area can easily accommodate 8 to 10 perennial herbs. Work organic matter into the top 4-6 inches of the soil and you’re ready to plant.

Herb Garden in Raised Beds_by Kyla Kae_CC_Flickr
Herb garden planted in raised bed

Growing conditions
Group herbs that have like growing needs together. Most herbs require 6 or more hours of sun a day, but dill and cilantro can tolerate partial shade. Perennial herbs prefer hot dry conditions. Biennial and annual herbs require more water and organic matter.

Fortunately, herbs have few pests or insects. 

Harvesting herbs
You can harvest up to 75% of a season’s growth at one time. Clip herbs in the early morning for best flavor. Cut perennial herbs for use until one month before the first projected frost date to avoid stimulating new growth that may not harden before winter. Harvest annual herbs right up until frost.

Harvest flowers, such as chamomile and lavender, before they are in full bloom. This maximizes flavor and shelf life. To encourage a second fall flowering of lavender, harvest the flowers in early summer, then cut back young plants by half their height and older plants by one-third. Do not cut into the woody, brown stem of lavender or it may not generate new growth.

Use fresh-cut herbs and flowers in cooking or diffused in water for teas. Use 2-3 times the amount you would use of dried herbs.

Preserving
Drying is the traditional way to preserve herbs. Use a food dehydrator, or tie a small bunch of stems together with string and hang upside down in a warm, dry spot, with good air circulation, out of direct sunlight. When the herbs are completely dry and brittle, store them in glass jars for up to one year.

Freezing chopped fresh herbs or flowers in water in ice cube trays is another great way to preserve the herbs. When you need herbs, just drop the cubes in soups, stews, sauces, or water for tea. 

Winterizing
Perennial herbs should survive the winter without additional protection, if planted out of direct winds and lightly mulched.

Learn more
Horticulture Information Leaflet, “Growing Herbs for the Home Garden”, NC State Extension Horticulture Publication.
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/static/publication/js/pdf_js/web/viewer.html?slug=growing-herbs-for-the-home-gardener

Horticulture Information Leaflet, “Harvesting and Preserving Herbs for the Home Gardener”, NC State Extension Horticulture Publication.
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/harvesting-and-preserving-herbs-for-the-home-gardener

Horticulture Information Leaflet, “Winterizing the Herb Garden”, NC State Extension Horticulture Publication.
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/winterizing-the-herb-garden

Cornell Book of Herbs and Edible Flowers by Jeanne Mackin, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Ithaca, New York, 1963.

Article written by Debbie Wood, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer.

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Categories Herb Gardens Tags herbs

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