A Quick Guide To Growing Your Own Herb Garden

It's so easy to grow your own herbs at home, so you can have fresh herbs on hand for your kitchen.

Emma
30 June 2015

To grow your own herbs you don’t need a large space, you can grow your herbs in pots on a balcony, a sunny windowsill or even a raised veggie patch. Mine live in recycled tin cans on my windowsill above the sink in the kitchen. Easy to water and easy to cut when I am cooking.

• Herbs love sunshine 6 hours per day and they don’t even require sun cream. There are some exceptions though – mint, parsley, chervil and coriander will grow in part shade.
• They don’t like having a wet bottom, let’s face it who does? Plant your herbs in free-draining soil. If your herbs are in pots make sure they have plenty of drainage holes.
• Before planting in a raised veggie patch, condition the soil with good organic matter, compost and manure.
• Don’t over fertilise. Most herbs grow well without additional fertilisers.
• Water young plants when first planted, keeping the soil moist until established. Once the plants are established water 1-2 times per week or as needed.
• If your herbs are in pots, you will need to water them more regularly as the soil dries out much quicker.

HERE IS A GUIDE TO SOME POPULAR HERBS YOU CAN EASILY GROW YOURSELF

Image credit: epicurious.com

1.CORIANDER - bright and citrusy flavour, used most commonly in Indian, Mexican and Vietnamese cuisines.
2.MINT – grows well in moist areas, even shade. Makes a great tea, that’s good for your tummy. Chop lightly and add to fruit salad, cocktails or yoghurt sauce
3.PARSLEY – the most widely grown herb. Chop finely and add at the last minute to seafood and meat sauces.
4.DILL – feathery fern like leaves. Goes great with fish & pickles.
5.BASIL – a super popular herb, always add to sauces at the last minute. To preserve bulk crops, put it in the food processor with olive oil and freeze for later.
6.OREGANO – a hint of sweetness combined with some spiciness adds warmth to any dish. Great on pizzas!
7.ROSEMARY – a woody shrub that loves full sun and dry conditions. Perfect with lamb.
8.CHIVES – a perennial herb, which adds onion flavour. Cut chives by grouping them tightly together & slice finely.
9.SAGE – can use the leave whole. Excellent with pork, soups and in stuffing mixes.
10.SAVORY – a peppery flavour, and commonly added into European beans, meat and poultry dishes.
11.THYME – a versatile herb that is great in sauces, or for flavouring eggs and cheese dishes.
12.TARRAGON has a licorice flavour that goes well with chicken.
13.MAJORAM– makes a great ground cover plant, closely related to Oregano. Great with lamb.

For a more indepth look at herbs visit our Grow Your Own Herbs blog.

Happy Growing!

 

N.B. This article has been written for Australian gardens. If you're reading this from around the world, we do hope you've found it a useful stepping stone for your own further research.

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