The benefits of spice and herb gardening are numerous. They grow like weeds, can be dried and used all year long; they smell great and add color to foods. Oh, and they’re the core flavors of every delicious recipe that’s ever been made!
Need other reasons to grow spices and herbs? They can be grown in containers indoors and outdoors. They thrive in the ground, in raised beds, and even along the perimeter of a yard. Many herbs will deflect bugs that are hazardous to your vegetables, like basil planted with tomatoes. They’re ideal companion plants that way, and they don’t require very much from you as a gardener.
They don’t usually even need mulch, with some exceptions. Some early-season spices and herbs, like garlic or chives, may start coming in during a warm spell. A layer of mulch can help insulate them against temperature drops. And some mulches, like shredded leaves or compost, will add nutrients to the soil as they decompose.
When it comes to harvesting spices and herbs, that’s the easy part of spice and herb gardening. Trim them as needed for all of your recipes, and when the winter turns colder, you can cut them down to the roots to dry them or crush seeds into powders. Woody plants like thyme, sage, and rosemary dry well, while softer plants like basil and parsley are better frozen. Cumin seeds can be crushed into powder, while fennel can be used whole. For spices like ginger and turmeric, you simply unearth the root to enjoy it.
In the articles below, we share everything you need to know about spice and herb gardening. And you can learn even more in our How to Grow a Vegetable Garden: 10 Things Every Gardener Needs to Know Before Starting a Food Garden freebie. Enjoy!
It starts innocently enough. A seed-starter tray sitting in a sunny spot on your counter. Until you realize that you forgot to label them and now have to wait until the seedlings sprout to play Guess That Herb. I’ve been there, my friend. I’ve also been in my garden, mid-season, pacing around in circles looking for the chives that I know I planted earlier that spring.
I love fresh and dried herbs. They can turn any recipe into a treat for the senses. I especially love that I can grow herbs in my garden and enjoy them fresh most of the year, then dry them to flavor meals in the winter. I also love planning my garden and thinking about which […]
Basil is one of those wonderful herbs that makes life better. Pick a few basil leaves off the plant or chop them in your kitchen, and your nose is happy right away. Basil is also relatively easy to grow. But I’ll admit, I’ve had my share of issues with the plant, too. Rabbits have decimated my basil, some unknown pest has chewed holes in the leaves, and I’ve watched my verdant green basil leaves turning yellow.
How much water does basil need? I feel like I ask myself this every darn time I grow it (which is as much as possible, in case you’re wondering). I’ve had more than a few happy-looking basil plants turn wilty and depressed in just an hour or so. Basil has the ultimate “sad puppy look” down pat.
I love cooking with fresh herbs. There’s nothing like the smell of chopped basil or the aroma of crushed thyme to get me in the zone to cook. That’s easy enough to do in the summer when my herbs are growing faster than Jack’s magical beanstalk, but since I live in New England, the herb garden is pretty much done by mid-autumn. What’s a cook to do? Bring the garden indoors and grow herbs in Mason jars.
If you planted basil this year, it probably seemed like it took a month to establish, then all of a sudden you’re in pesto heaven. But how much pesto can one person really make, right?
There’s nothing like the fragrance of fresh herbs in the kitchen. I love the way they flavor a meal and add color to sauces. And I love how easy they are to grow. You can grow herbs like basil in a sunny windowsill, rosemary will stay fresh outdoors well into the colder months of the year, and I’m pretty sure mint would even grow on the moon. But can you help your herbs grow even better and stronger? Should you use mulch for an herb garden?
Taramasalata, Tzatziki, Moussaka, Avgolemono…if you know these dishes and don’t think I just swore at you in another language, then prepare to be inspired. Having an herb garden makes it easy to spice and dress up your dishes all season long, and that’s why the savviest of gardeners plan theirs according to the types of dishes they love to make at home. If you’re Greek or love Greek recipes, then creating a Mediterranean herb box garden is just natural!
Herbs and spices. Spices and herbs. Anyone else grow up thinking these two words were interchangeable? ::sheepishly raises hand:: For some of you, I’m about to blow your mind. Herbs and spices are different things. In simplest terms, herbs are strictly the leaves of the plant and the spices come from the seeds, roots, and bark. This should settle the big debate on cilantro (leaves) and coriander (seeds) once and for all! Now that you’ve recovered from that bombshell, let’s talk about growing spices. Specifically, how to grow an indoor spice garden.
No matter the weather, my daughter wants to be outside all day long, running, jumping, and usually getting quite dirty. As a toddler, she is a total sponge and loves to watch what I do in the yard and then practice it herself. When it comes to gardening tasks, it’s definitely a “monkey see, monkey do” situation. Choosing to plant a kids’ herb garden was a no-brainer for me, especially after I saw these adorable kid gardening gloves.
