Growing Culinary Herbs

For untold centuries people have been growing culinary herbs in kitchen herb gardens and even mixed into flower borders. Kitchen herb gardening is intimately woven into the life, times, and customs of all generations.



Culinary herb garden in Colonial Williamsburg, VA.

This is a kitchen herb garden on display in Colonial Williamsburg, VA.

Books on herbs are sometimes too technical about the soil and moisture requirements for growing herbs. This needlessly intimidates many would-be herb gardeners.Most common kitchen herbs will grow very easily from seed or cuttings as long as they are planted in soil that drains well. Most culinary herbs prefer bright light and dryish soil. The two notable exceptions to this are mint and parsley which prefer shade and constant moisture.

Growing cooking herbs requires very little space. If you have a balcony, a terrace, or even just a wide window with a deep sill; you can grow enough herbs to flavor your family's meals.

A row of pots lined up along a sunny walkway will suffice as will a single large pot placed on a bright patio. If you have no other space, try planting herbs for the kitchen at the front of a sunny flower border.

Wherever you decide to plant your culinary herb garden, make sure it's close to the kitchen door. You won't want to make a long trek to fetch a few leaves at dinner time.

Herb Pots

Herbs Growing in a Group of Containers, Parsley, Mint, Lettuce, Thyme, Sea Thrift Beeches Cottage
Herbs Growing in a Group of Containers, Parsley, Mint, Lettuce, Thyme, Sea Thrift Beeches Cottage

Photographic Print
Harte, Sunniva
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Tender herbs used in cooking are often planted in herb pots. Either a large strawberry pot or any large container can be pressed into service.

Start with small plants and good potting soil. In a strawberry pot, place a plant into each hole. Place the smallest plants at the bottom. Add any trailers to the top holes. Put the tallest growing herb in the top.

In a pot which is only open at the top, place the tallest plant (basil or rosemary) in the center. Surround this with the small shrubby ones (thymes)and plant any trailers (chives, oregano)around the edge.

When growing culinary herbs in this fashion, extra attention will need to be paid to watering and feeding.

Herbs for Cooking

Herb Collection

Order an Herb Collection

Get your culinary herb garden off to a quick start with this collection of seeds for 18 popular kitchen herbs. Grow an entirevaried and delicious herb garden from seed for the cost of just 2 or 3 plants.

The following links will take you to pages of growing information about these types of herbs:

  • Growing Basil

  • Lemon Balm

  • Growing Rosemary

  • Provence Lavender

  • Texas Tarragon

  • Russian Tarragon
  • Summer Savory

  • Winter Savory

  • Scented Geraniums

  • Cayenne Peppers

  • Rose Hips

    • Annual Herbs
    Growing annual herbs for the kitchen and the natural healing medicine chest. Growing culinary herbs. A list of herbs for cooking and healing. Easy to make herbal tea remedies.

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    Herbs the Natural Alternative ebook cover.

    If, like me, you are sensitive to pharmaceuticals and tend to have adverse reactions to over-the-counter or prescription drugs, this comprehensive guide to using herbal alternatives may be just what you need to manage your health naturally.

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    The drugs made me feel sleepy all the time.

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    For the last 30some years, I have been managing my asthma naturally.

    I sprinkle ground black pepper on my food daily (it cuts mucus) and avoid my triggers. I also use thyme and cloves often in cooking as these 2 herbal anti-spasmodics relieve the bronchial spasms which happen during an asthma attack.

    I have not had a full-blown attack in years!

    Over the years, I have discovered many other safe, cheap alternatives to pharmaceuticals. They work if you know how to use them correctly.

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