One of the most gratifying--not to mention fragrant--plant groups is the herb. Just what is an herb? There is no simple definition for the word, despite the fact that, for centuries, herbs have been grown and used for flavorings, fragrances, medicines and teas. An herb is any plant that's valued for its medicinal, savory or aromatic qualities.
Herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow. They're tolerant of less-than-ideal soil conditions; they're bothered by very few insect-and-disease problems; and they reward you with all kinds of sensual surprises, from intense scents to exotic flavors. The world of herbs goes far beyond parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme to include strange and beautiful plants such as artemesias, blue cohosh and black snakeroot. Gardening by the Yard host Paul James focuses on the commonly grown and readily available culinary herbs:
Most culinary herbs are easy to start from seed, although parsley may take a few weeks to germinate. If you lack the time or space to grow from seed, most nurseries or home-and-garden centers stock dozens of transplants, usually at less than $2 apiece. Herb festivals all over the country sell all kinds of neat herbs, sometimes at bargain prices. An interesting note: cilantro is actually two herbs in one. The leaves, which are a key ingredient in salsas, are called cilantro, whereas the seeds are called coriander.
Popular perennial herbs include chives and garlic chives, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, tarragon and thyme. Among the thyme you'll also find a variety of colors and flavors as well as the creeping thymes, which look great when grown between flagstones. In fact, herbs native to the Mediterranean--marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage and thyme--are accustomed to growing in rocky soils that contain very little organic matter. However, it's still a good idea to mix a little compost into whatever type of soil you've got.
A lot of folks like to dedicate a spot in their garden to herbs, but herbs do nicely interplanted among flowers and vegetables as well, and they perform beautifully in containers. James has taken to growing more and more of them in clay pots, which he places just outside his kitchen door.
When planting herbs in the garden, keep in mind their ultimate height and spread, because a number of them--say, a mature rosemary--can get pretty big. Still others, like tarragon and oregano, can cover a fair amount of ground. For that same reason, you may find that one or two plants of each herb are all you need to produce fresh herbs during the growing season and still have plenty left for drying. A few herbs, notably the mints, can spread like wildfire, thanks to their aggressive underground root system. That trait may be a plus if your intent is to use peppermint as a ground cover. When it comes time to harvest herbs, you can simply snip what you need during the growing season, ideally during the morning hours when flavors are at their peak, and use them fresh, or harvest the entire plant and dry it.
The most common means of drying herbs is to tie them in bundles and hang them in a dark, well-ventilated room. Some folks also like to wrap the bundles with paper sacks to keep them dust-free. You can also strip the leaves off the stems and dry them on an old window screen. Once completely dry, the leaves can be transferred to airtight jars and stored, preferably out of direct light, for months, even years. You can also dry herbs in a gas oven, using either the pilot light as a source of heat or by setting the temperature at just under 150 degrees, but this process can take days.
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