Herbs are one of the easiest plants to grow. All you need is sunlight, water, and well-drained, neutral pH soil.
You don't even need a garden. Many herbs such as rosemary, basil, cilantro, lemon balm, oregano, and mint grow well in containers. In fact, mint should only be grown in containers if you don't mind occupying your garden.
Test your soil first. Buy a pH test kit online or at your local garden center and follow the directions. A score of 7.0 is ideal, but anything between 6.0 and 7.5 is usually acceptable for growing herbs. If there is little dough in the soil, add garden lime to increase it. If the level is too high, reduce it by adding elemental sulfur. Follow package directions for dosage and instructions.
When growing herbs in containers, use soil designed for edible plants. The label on the package must contain information about the pH.
Choose a location that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. If your garden has sandy or heavy clay soil, add a moderate amount of compost to the top 6-8 inches to stabilize drainage. When the soil is consistently wet, remove the top 12-15 inches of soil, then add a 3-inch layer of crushed stone to the bottom of the hole. Mix some compost with the removed soil and fill the hole with compost, creating a mound on top (which will settle over time).
If you are using seedlings grown indoors or bought from a nursery, plant according to the spacing recommendations on the plant label or seed bag. Some herbs are well suited for direct seeding in the garden; Check the seed packet for instructions.
Herbs don't do well in wet conditions, so let the soil dry out a bit between waterings.
In addition, they taste better when grown without fertilizers. For this reason, too much compost should not be used when changing soil to improve drainage. Exceptions are green onions, green onions, fennel and dill, as they benefit from moderate fertilization.
Annual grasses complete their life cycle, from seed to senescence or death, within a single growing season. These include basil, coriander, fennel, chamomile, and marjoram.
Perennial herbs that return for several growing seasons include rosemary, thyme, sage, tarragon, and oregano.
Biennials such as cumin and parsley survive two growing seasons, producing leaves only the first year and flowers and seeds the second.
However, if they are not hardy enough to survive the winter, you may need to treat some of the perennials listed as annuals. In my New York garden, this is usually rosemary, although I've been lucky after a few warm winters. Your results may vary.
For the strongest scent, harvest the herb after the morning dew has dried but before sunrise.
Use fragrant basil as an ingredient in tomato dishes. Add rosemary to poultry, pork, and lamb dishes. Brew tea with small chamomile flowers that look like daisies. Add green onions to salads and dishes that call for onions. Dill shines in Greek recipes, sour cream sauces and pickles. Sage cleans poultry, sausages and minced meat. Thyme goes well with meat and fish dishes. And parsley freshens the breath when chewed.
There are several interesting varieties that are worth paying attention to. Pineapple sage smells like the fruit of the same name, cinnamon and lemon basil, as well as strawberries and apple mint. There's even chocolate mint, which is great for adding to milkshakes or smoothies.
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Have questions about spring gardening? Please send them to Jessica Damiano at jessica@jessicadamiano.com with "Gardening Questions" in the subject line. He will answer selected questions in an upcoming AP Gardening column. Damiano is a regular gardening columnist for The AP. It publishes the award-winning weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up for weekly gardening tips and tricks here.
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