Herbs

Herbs are easy to grow and fun to enjoy. Knowing where to plant and each herb’s requirement will bring strong healthy plants. Historically herbs have been used for medicine, cooking, and fragrances. Most herbs are very versatile and grow well in the ground or in containers. Herbs, make a great addition to a traditional flower garden, or great accents to window boxes or containers. 

How much room do you need? Here are some guidelines for plant sizes: 

• Rosemary, Sage Mints, Oregano, Marjoram - 3-4 feet 
• Basils, Thyme, Tarragon, Savory – 2 feet 
• Cilantro, Chives, Dill, Parsley – 1 foot

Where to Plant? 
Most herbs thrive in typical garden soil, if it has good drainage. However, some herbs such as rosemary, lavender, and bay are woody plants and prefer gritty, well-drained soil. Most herbs thrive in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight). If you have a garden that receives less sun, select herbs that don’t need as much. Here are some herbs that grow in less sun.  

• Mint 
• Chives 
• Cilantro 
• Parsley 
• Tarragon

Plants can become stressed in windy or exposed sites. Growing herbs near the house or next buildings or walls provides warmth, shelter, and increases the chances of success. 

Where do we get Herb Plants?
Some herbs are easy to start from seed, but other take longer to germinate, while others are from plant cuttings. Before sowing any herb, whether in seed-starting trays or directly in garden, read the seed packet for information about depth of planting, danger of frost, recommended spacing, sun needed, and watering.  

Propagation is dividing existing plants: 

• Divide in spring 
• Divide the roots 
• Compost when re-planting 
• Keep soil moist

Cuttings from plant such as French Tarragon will be easier to root in water. New growth is the softwood which will be lighter in color and have a flexible stem. After you have made the cuttings, you can root them out in a glass of water or plant them in a growing medium. For both methods, you will need to cover the cuttings with plastic to help them retain moisture. 
 https://youtu.be/YllaxS_FOhE

General Care
Herbs are the hardiest of all garden plants. They have a few problems with insects, disease, and many have naturally repelled pests. 
Pest and disease to watch out for: 

Herb	Pest	Disease
Basil, Chives, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Thyme	Aphids
Cilantro, Tarragon		Powdery Mildew
Dill	Tomato Hornworm
Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme	Spider Mites
Min	cabbage loopers
Min	flea beetles
Oregano	Leaf Miners
Parsley	larvae (caterpillar) black swallowtail butterfly
Rosemary	Whitefly
Sage	Slugs
Tarragon		Rhizoctonia (root rot)

Cold temperatures may damage or kill some herbs. Mulching at least 4 inches deep at the base of the plant can increase soil temperatures enough to prevent cold damage to the herb roots. Good sources of mulch include bark chips, straw, and leaves. For herbs that may not survive the winter move to a container and store indoors and then in the spring return to the outdoors. Remove mulch only after you see new growth in the spring.

Harvest and Preserve Fresh Herbs

Culinary herbs are the cut-and-come-again crop, so if you’ve got them in the garden, don’t be afraid to get snipping and picking. The plants really will benefit from it, and you’ll have wonderful flavors to add to dishes. Most herbs and leafy plants naturally want to create seeds, and once they get to that stage, it means the end of an herb like parsley, chives, or basil. So, pick leaves early and often to encourage the plant to put out more foliage and prevent it from running to seed.

More than one way to preserve fresh herbs

Drying herbs is a common way to preserve them. Snip herbs and tie them into a small bundle with twine. Hang the bundle upside down, once entirely dried, remove leaves and store in an airtight container. Herbs will keep for about year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Haf-_tqlpX0

Freeze herbs by chopping fresh herb, fill ice cube trays, add water, and freeze. Once they are completely frozen, pop out of the tray and store in plastic bags in the freezer. You can also substitute olive oil for water.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBikfBCyeZI

Herb infused vinegar helps to preserve their flavor. Pack a mason jar with fresh herbs and pour white vinegar over the herbs until jar is full. Let the herb mixture sit for about two weeks, strain the liquid, and discard the herbs. The herb-Infused vinegar can be made into home salad dressing, or gifts. https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/infused-vinegar-96749

Compound herb butter is a great way to preserve herbs. Chop your fresh herbs, mix with ½ cup of softened butter, place mixture on plastic wrap and form into a log shape.  Refrigerate herb butter for two hours and will keep in the fridge for one week. http://thepioneerwoman.com/food-and-friends/how-to-make-compound-butter-6-recipes/

Resources:

Herb Gardening 101 https://www.planetnatural.com/herb-gardening/

Growing Herbs Outdoors https://extension.psu.edu/growing-herbs-outdoors

Overwinter Garden Herbs Indoors https://www.thespruce.com/growing-garden-herbs-indoors-during-winter-2540050

Herb Gardening http://extension.illinois.edu/herbs/intro.cfm

Harvest and Preserving Herbs https://extension.psu.edu/harvesting-and-preserving-herbs-and-spices-for-use-in-cooking

Best Way to Store Fresh Herbs  https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/04/the-best-way-to-store-fresh-herbs-parsley-cilantro-dill-basil.html