There are three generally accepted definitions of an herb. Botanically, herbs are non-woody annual, biennial, and perennial plants that die back each year after blossoming. Another definition describes them as any of the herbaceous plants valued for their flavour, fragrance, or medicinal properties. The third is actually not a definition but a distinction between the culinary herbs and spices.
The botanical definition includes many plants that we ordinarily think of as weeds (and even eliminate from the garden when they appear) and therefore never cultivate as we do marjoram or sage. Many vegetables and ornamental garden plants also fit this description, but they are not usually thought of as herbs. Excluded by the definition are a number of shrubby and woody plants such as laurel and rosemary, which for centuries have been two of the most distinguished herbs.
In cooking, a distinction is made between spices and herbs. Spices usually are considered to be derived from the roots, bark, fruit, or berries of perennial plants such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and pepper; herbs are the leaves only of low growing shrubs and herbaceous plants such as basil, rosemary, and thyme. There are several plants, however - such as some of the roses - which are included in herb listings even though their fruit (rose hips) is used.
The most important thing to remember when growing herbs is that they are the foundation of all modern medicine. They are not the gentle namby-pamby things some would like you to think. They are healers, therefore they should be treated with respect, and if you are considering them for specific medicinal use always consult a doctor or qualified herbalist. If you are growing herbs for use in the kitchen then you need to learn about their flavour and how they can aid digestion.
Herbs, in most cases, are tough wild plants which, when spoilt by the lush conditions of a garden, will thrive and romp away. It’s a myth that all herbs like full sun, even good old basil likes partial shade at midday. So when planning your garden, you can divide your plants into two sections, those like thyme, sage, rosemary, french tarragon and oregano that like full sun; and those that like partial shade, such as rocket, sorrel, mizuna, mustard, parsley and chervil.
You can get a great kitchen herb set from your local garden centre. If I had to choose some ‘must haves’ to put in a window box on the sunny side of the house I would include chives, oregano, lemon thyme and a creeping rosemary to drape over the edge. However, on the shady side of the house I would have a salad herb window box which would include wild rocket, chervil, French parsley and red mustard.
Light – herbs require as much light as possible and some (such as coriander and basil) require some direct sunlight. It’s important to avoid extremes, however, and a fair amount of shade is necessary. Try to opt for a happy medium of light, such as full sun in the morning and partial shade in the afternoon when temperatures increase (if the herbs get too hot they can wither and run to seed).
Water – don’t over-water your herbs but don’t under-water them either. Wait until the top of the soil feels dry before adding more. If you grow your herbs in the garden they will need watering less often. If you grow them in containers you may need to water them every day in the height of summer. Always ensure good drainage. Line the base of containers with stones or grit. Add organic matter (such as well-rotted animal manure or homemade compost) and grit to heavy soil in herb beds to allow excess water to drain away.
Soil – the ideal soil should be fertile and free draining. If you have a sandy soil, add plenty of organic matter such as well-rotted animal manure or homemade compost. This will help bind the large soil particles and retain water. Conversely, adding organic matter will help break apart fine soil particles in heavy clay soils and will help water drain away. Organic matter is rich in nutrients and will help boost the fertility of the soil, helping your herbs to grow better.
When growing herbs in containers, I have two important tips. The first is to use a soil-based compost, either organic or something like John Innes potting compost. This is because there are very few herbs that grow in peat, and a soil-based compost retains moisture which is a must to stop containers drying out. I also advise watering in the morning rather than the evening because this gives the plants a chance if the temperatures are hot during the day, especially for containers grown in full sun. The second tip is to feed container plants weekly from March until September. This keeps the plants healthy, helps them produce leaves, especially on cut and come again salads. I use a seaweed-based feed, however you can use any proprietary feeds that boost leaf production.
Ideal herbs to grow in containers include:
Basil
Chives
Coriander
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Invasive herbs such as mint and lemon balm should not be planted in pots with other herbs. They are likely to swamp the other herbs and take over. Grow them separately instead. If growing herbs in containers it’s important not to over-fill it, or plant herbs that will out-grow the pot, or swamp the other plants. All perennial plants (such as rosemary, sage and thyme) will keep growing and will need dividing at the end of each year. Simply remove them from the pot and take a section of the plant and root ball from the main plant and place the smaller section back in the pot with fresh compost.
Annual herbs (such as basil and coriander) will need re-sowing every year in fresh compost. You can either buy fresh seed or try saving seed from your old plants in autumn.
Remember to save the seeds. Annual plants are genetically programmed to produce seed at the end of the growing season. This is their way of ensuring future generations of the plant. To save seed, simply wait for the seed heads to develop. This occurs after the plants have flowered. When the flowers wither and turn brown the seeds should be ready. Cut the stems off and place them (heads first) in a paper bag so they stick out. Then tie the bag around the stems with string and hang upside down in a dry place such as an airing cupboard. After a few weeks you will simply be able to shake the bag. The seeds will have come loose from the dried flowers and will be ready in the bag for you to sow the following spring.
The botanical definition includes many plants that we ordinarily think of as weeds (and even eliminate from the garden when they appear) and therefore never cultivate as we do marjoram or sage. Many vegetables and ornamental garden plants also fit this description, but they are not usually thought of as herbs. Excluded by the definition are a number of shrubby and woody plants such as laurel and rosemary, which for centuries have been two of the most distinguished herbs.
In cooking, a distinction is made between spices and herbs. Spices usually are considered to be derived from the roots, bark, fruit, or berries of perennial plants such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and pepper; herbs are the leaves only of low growing shrubs and herbaceous plants such as basil, rosemary, and thyme. There are several plants, however - such as some of the roses - which are included in herb listings even though their fruit (rose hips) is used.
The most important thing to remember when growing herbs is that they are the foundation of all modern medicine. They are not the gentle namby-pamby things some would like you to think. They are healers, therefore they should be treated with respect, and if you are considering them for specific medicinal use always consult a doctor or qualified herbalist. If you are growing herbs for use in the kitchen then you need to learn about their flavour and how they can aid digestion.
Herbs, in most cases, are tough wild plants which, when spoilt by the lush conditions of a garden, will thrive and romp away. It’s a myth that all herbs like full sun, even good old basil likes partial shade at midday. So when planning your garden, you can divide your plants into two sections, those like thyme, sage, rosemary, french tarragon and oregano that like full sun; and those that like partial shade, such as rocket, sorrel, mizuna, mustard, parsley and chervil.
You can get a great kitchen herb set from your local garden centre. If I had to choose some ‘must haves’ to put in a window box on the sunny side of the house I would include chives, oregano, lemon thyme and a creeping rosemary to drape over the edge. However, on the shady side of the house I would have a salad herb window box which would include wild rocket, chervil, French parsley and red mustard.
Light – herbs require as much light as possible and some (such as coriander and basil) require some direct sunlight. It’s important to avoid extremes, however, and a fair amount of shade is necessary. Try to opt for a happy medium of light, such as full sun in the morning and partial shade in the afternoon when temperatures increase (if the herbs get too hot they can wither and run to seed).
Water – don’t over-water your herbs but don’t under-water them either. Wait until the top of the soil feels dry before adding more. If you grow your herbs in the garden they will need watering less often. If you grow them in containers you may need to water them every day in the height of summer. Always ensure good drainage. Line the base of containers with stones or grit. Add organic matter (such as well-rotted animal manure or homemade compost) and grit to heavy soil in herb beds to allow excess water to drain away.
Soil – the ideal soil should be fertile and free draining. If you have a sandy soil, add plenty of organic matter such as well-rotted animal manure or homemade compost. This will help bind the large soil particles and retain water. Conversely, adding organic matter will help break apart fine soil particles in heavy clay soils and will help water drain away. Organic matter is rich in nutrients and will help boost the fertility of the soil, helping your herbs to grow better.
When growing herbs in containers, I have two important tips. The first is to use a soil-based compost, either organic or something like John Innes potting compost. This is because there are very few herbs that grow in peat, and a soil-based compost retains moisture which is a must to stop containers drying out. I also advise watering in the morning rather than the evening because this gives the plants a chance if the temperatures are hot during the day, especially for containers grown in full sun. The second tip is to feed container plants weekly from March until September. This keeps the plants healthy, helps them produce leaves, especially on cut and come again salads. I use a seaweed-based feed, however you can use any proprietary feeds that boost leaf production.
Ideal herbs to grow in containers include:
Basil
Chives
Coriander
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Invasive herbs such as mint and lemon balm should not be planted in pots with other herbs. They are likely to swamp the other herbs and take over. Grow them separately instead. If growing herbs in containers it’s important not to over-fill it, or plant herbs that will out-grow the pot, or swamp the other plants. All perennial plants (such as rosemary, sage and thyme) will keep growing and will need dividing at the end of each year. Simply remove them from the pot and take a section of the plant and root ball from the main plant and place the smaller section back in the pot with fresh compost.
Annual herbs (such as basil and coriander) will need re-sowing every year in fresh compost. You can either buy fresh seed or try saving seed from your old plants in autumn.
Remember to save the seeds. Annual plants are genetically programmed to produce seed at the end of the growing season. This is their way of ensuring future generations of the plant. To save seed, simply wait for the seed heads to develop. This occurs after the plants have flowered. When the flowers wither and turn brown the seeds should be ready. Cut the stems off and place them (heads first) in a paper bag so they stick out. Then tie the bag around the stems with string and hang upside down in a dry place such as an airing cupboard. After a few weeks you will simply be able to shake the bag. The seeds will have come loose from the dried flowers and will be ready in the bag for you to sow the following spring.
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