Herbs: Secret Stars of the Garden and Kitchen

Herbs are a great way to jump-start your home garden —they are forgiving to new gardeners and pack a big punch when you want to spice up a dish or show off your cocktail skills. Add herbs grown a few steps from your kitchen to your cooking and take a meal from drab to fab. 

When I started gardening, I thought I had to have a whole bed dedicated to herbs. I quickly realized I didn’t use that many herbs and giving up prime real estate to something I used a pinch of here or there wasn’t the best use of my limited space. So I started utilizing pots or intermixing them as companion plants with my vegetables and flowers. 

Growing Herbs in Pots

I love adding terra cotta pots throughout the vegetable garden to add interest and texture against our wood and metal raised beds. Using pots as my preferred planting method allows me to accomplish a few goals. 

• I can easily move my herbs around throughout the year to dodge or enhance their sun exposure, allowing me to grow certain herbs year-round. (If you live in a colder climate than my hometown San Diego, you can even bring them indoors.)
• Pots help keep things nice and tidy in the garden, allowing me to quickly find the herb I am looking for. 
• Unruly herbs, like mint or oregano, won’t spread beyond the pot as they would in a bed or the ground. 
• I can easily put pots right near my kitchen door. When you are sautéeing up your favorite dish and realize you forgot the basil, oregano, or whatever herb you need, and the thought of walking down 20 stairs to the backyard garden seems like descending Mount Everest, you will be happy they are right outside your front door — trust me!

10 Tips for Growing Hearty, Handy Herbs

1. Pick herbs you like and will eat. This might sound silly, but it’s easy to get distracted at the garden center and end up with a tray of herbs you have never heard of (and will never use).
2. Remember herbs have growing seasons just like our vegetable friends. Cilantro and parsley love the cool season, while basil and mint thrive in the warm season. Ask at your local nursery or search online about what and when to plant for your gardening zone. (For example, this is a helpful tool for zones 9 and 10, common in Southern California.)
3. Many herbs, like mint, oregano, and thyme, are perennials and will keep coming back season after season. When I start to see new growth, I simply add a few handfuls of compost over or around the new growth. Annual herbs, like basil, cilantro, and parsley, will need to be replanted each season. 
4. Use herbs as companion plants and intermix them in your beds at the border. Some herbs, like chives and garlic, are natural pest deterrents, making them multi-functional. Other herbs (basil and rosemary) will bring the pollinators or act as host plants (dill) for swallowtail butterflies.
5. Incorporate herbs that go beyond culinary uses and have medicinal purposes, like calendula or lavender. These can be dried and made into homemade salves, body oils, or scrubs. 
6. Plant close to your kitchen for quick and easy access.
7. If you have a small space, grow potted herbs on your balcony, porch, or deck.
8. Try growing herbs indoors right on your kitchen counter. Talk about proximity! Make sure to place your herbs in a sunny window or try an indoor grow system, such as the Aerogarden Planter or the Lettuce Grow Farmstand.
9. Harvest and keep harvesting! Many herbs do well when they are routinely harvested, promoting new growth. Utilize the “cut and come again” method, just taking what you need for your dish. If you are pruning back a perennial, you can trim back up to 50% of the plant without fear of killing it.
10.  Homegrown herbs don’t always have to be fresh. Try drying or freezing herbs to use throughout the year. You can freeze herbs in ice cube trays with an oil of your choice or water.