Homegrown Herbs

Many of you know that I am in love with cooking real food and if it can come fresh from the soil that is even better! Cooking can be creative and fun but when you can pick produce from your garden from your own work… well… It is just magic! It even tastes better which makes it even more rewarding.

Even if you are not ready to go full gardener mode yet you can get a ton of reward and flavor from simply cultivating a beautiful herb garden. I go through fresh herbs like crazy and I was constantly buying bunches for recipes like my Caprese Salad. Truth be told… Buying herbs is very expensive. But growing them is not. It is actually cost effective. If you compare the cost of one bunch of fresh herbs to one packet of seeds, there is no contest or even if you choose the way easier route of buying plants instead of seeds it is still very inexpensive in comparison to the herbs at the local market and they taste so much better too.

So how do you start?! Easy! Most seed packets have all the information you need about that particular plant right on the back! That makes it super simple but let’s address some of the necessary highlights. 

These are the things you need to consider:

What is your planting zone? This will determine what time of year you plant. This is super easy to figure out. Just ask google. “What planting zone is Timbuktu, Ca?” Once you have this information you want to reference it often to make sure you are trying to grow plants that work in your zone. This is actually pretty important so don’t miss this step.
Do you have a mostly shady or sunny yard? Some plants love the sun, while others can get scorched quickly from too much sun like cilantro. This will also be listed on plants and seed packets to reference or again if you are curious about a specific plant you can google it.
What type of soil do you have? Some places are blessed with naturally rich soil and need very few amendments while others might be better off doing raised beds and bringing in soil. Raised beds add an initial investment but they are so much easier to manage than planting in the ground; however, if you have great soil than definitely take advantage of that gift.
How much space do you have? If you have a huge yard – GREAT! If not – you can still garden too! Herbs grow great in containers and make excellent houseplants. I’ve seen some BEAUTIFUL herb gardens on apartment balconies! You can also do raised beds on balconies and porches. Get creative on this one. I promise you have room. You just have to use the room you have in creative ways if you are limited on space.
What are you going to plant? This is my FAVORITE part because honestly I would plant them all and I did my first year and learned some valuable lessons. You also want to consider companion gardening. I will add some information on companion gardening for my list below. Companion gardening allows plants that work well together for various reasons to help each other strive. Think about it as building plant communities. The benefits can be seen in various ways for example one plant may help another keep pests away. I love to consider companion gardening because we want our plants to strive and it is super easy to work into your plan.

Let’s look at an easy list to get started:

• Parsley: Parsely is likely one of the most frequently used culinary herbs. Most people see parsley as a garnish for clearing your pallet, but it is so much more than that! I love making salads with tons of parsley in it. You can use it for soups or really any dish to add depth. It pairs well with so many dishes, but the ones that automatically come to mind are dishes with fish, tomato, or lemon! YUM! I grow lots of parsley every year! This baby grows easy too and it will come back for you year after year typically. “
  • Companions: Chives, carrots, corn, chili and sweet peppers, onions, peas, roses and tomatoes plants. Asparagus is believed to be particularly benefited when companion planted with parsley.
  • Do NOT Companion:  Mint or lettuce.
•  Basil: Pesto anyone!? Basil can sometimes be a bit trickier to grow and even chop or cut as it is very delicate but if you are successful it will give you an abundance of its tasty leaves. I tend to buy seedlings or even larger plants rather than seeds when it comes to basil because it’s just easier, and I have a higher success rate. Basil is well known in MANY Italian recipes. I love using it in salad as well and with fruit to give a little extra wow factor. YUMMY!
  • Companions: Tomatoes, sweet peppers.
•  Dill: Whenever I smell dill I think of summer picnics! AH! I love dill chopped finely and mixed in with a light summer salad of cucumber and tomato! It is delicious with soups too. This is such a fun herb and easy to grow.
  • Companions: Cabbage, Corn, Cucumbers, Dill, Fennel, Lettuce, Onions.
•  Rosemary: Whenever I cook chicken or beef I almost always use rosemary. It is such a ROBUST herb and really brings food a new level of yumminess. If you bake bread you can finely chop rosemary and add it to your favorite loaf.
  • Companions: Cabbage, beans, carrots, and sage.
•  Oregano: This is another one of those Italian favorites! This is a MUST when making homemade marinara sauce! I use this a lot in my sauces, my pizzas of course, with lamb, or anything with cream or mushrooms.
  • Companion: Oregano is a friend to all vegetables in the garden.
•  Cilantro: Fresh homemade salsa with cilantro is like heaven! I have an incredible avocado and cucumber soup recipe that uses cilantro that is so yummy. It is just one of those herbs that most people love even to chop because it brings such vibrancy to the kitchen. Cilantro likes cooler temperatures that you will find mostly in the fall and spring. It also easily scorches from the sun.
  • Companions: Basil and mint.
•  Sage: Chopping up fresh sage and mixing it with ground lamb to make lamb patties are to die for! So good! But really sage compliments just about any meat. It’s also great in omelets! I use it in my thanksgiving stuffing too. I am sure you have a favorite use for sage as well.
  • Companions: Carrots cabbages, strawberries.
  • Do NOT companion: Basil.
•  Chives: These have a very strong onion taste. So really anything that you use onions with you can use chives too! I love them in my salads.
  • Companions: Parsley, apples, carrots, and tomatoes.
•  Mint: Please note: This stuff grows like CRAZY! I didn’t know this and planted it in my herb garden. The next thing I knew I had a mint garden. Heed my warning. Someone warned me and I brushed it off. Next time I will listen. I still have mint in my lawn on the other side of my 2-acre parcel. The best way to grow mint is either growing it in a container or in a place that you don’t mind it becoming overgrown. I planted it along my property line and it grows and can go into the woods beautifully there. Mint is awesome infused in water. This always helps me drink more water! I love mint as it is a staple in meditteranean cuisine so I use a TON of it. I love love love love love love love love mint with fruit. Oh my goodness… This is for sure what they ate in the garden of eden. It is just THAT good. 
  • Companion: Cabbages, chamomile.
  • Do NOT companion: Parsley.
•  Thyme: Another Italian staple. I love Thyme in my homemade marinara sauce! It is also great with anything with a mushroom or cream presence.
  • Companion: Anything from the cabbage family.

I think that will help you get started on an incredible herb garden. If you decide to do an herb garden I would be richly blessed if you shared your progress with me. Tag me on facebook or send me your pictures to my email.

Gardening has become a true love of mine. Herbs are like a gateway drug to the amazing adventure of growing your own food. I want to get you hooked on gardening too! It is one of the most rewarding home projects, PROMISE! If you have any questions feel free to always reach out and ask. I am here to help and I would love to help you move forward with your gardening project.

​​​​​​​HAPPY GARDENING!