Spring has come, the weather is changing, the sun is shining longer, and you’re beginning to think about planting a garden. Herb gardens are a great way to start off spring. Even if it is still a bit too cold outside for a garden, you can start an herb garden indoors. There are over 70 different herbs and the use of certain herbs dates back to ancient time. Herbs can be used for a range of different uses; medicinal herbs for healing properties, aromatic herbs for perfumes and oils, ornamental herbs for foliage and display, and of course culinary herbs for cooking. (1) This article will give you a few helpful tips for starting your own culinary herb garden.
Not only do herbs add a unique and delicious flavour and aroma to your meals, they can help you reduce or even replace the salt you add to your food when cooking. This is especially important as excess sodium consumption has been shown to be associated with hypertension and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. (2)
Here are a few helpful tips to get you started:
Tip 1: Make sure you have a spot in your house that receives full sunlight for at least half of the day, a south or west facing window would be best. If your growing space does not accommodate this, think about using a fluorescent lamp to supplement your herbs growing needs.
Tip 2: Choose your herbs. Make a list of the herbs you know you love and use frequently. Explore other herbs that you think you may like to have. If you’re not sure, check your supermarket shelf to give you an idea.
Tip 3: Separate your herbs based on their required growing conditions. Look at the seed packets for specific growing conditions.
Tip 4: Separate your herbs in different potting containers. These can all be added together in one decorative planter if you like. Make sure your pots provide good drainage as this is probably the most important factor for a successful herb garden. Mixing your soil with crushed stone or gravel can help improve drainage. Separating your herbs also allows you to adjust the amount of water you give each plant depending on their needs.
Once the warm weather is upon us, and there is no chance of a frost, you can place your herbs outdoors. Perennial herbs like chives, mint, thyme and tarragon will actually do better outdoors. Annuals like basil, anise, dill and coriander can be kept indoors and grown all year round assuming the right conditions are met.
What herbs should I plant?
If you are unsure, here is a quick review of some of the more popular herbs recommended for beginner planters.
Dill – is most popular for flavouring pickles, but can also be added to Mediterranean and Eastern European inspired dishes and is recommended to enhance the flavour in pork. Dill can grow 2 to 3 feet high and is a perennial, so you will get growth year after year. Picking dill just after the flowers open gives you the best results. Dill has been shown to have antibacterial properties and contains calcium and low levels of other minerals. (3)
Mint – there is a variety of mint that you could plant. Peppermint is great for teas and spearmint is also popular as a tea and for use in Persian cooking including mint sauces. Mint has been traditionally used after meals to reduce indigestion. (4)
Rosemary – is a popular flavouring for meats and is great when cooked on roasts and gives a spicy fragrance. It is a perennial evergreen shrub and can be grown from the seed or by cuttings. In Europe, rosemary leaf is used for the treatment of dyspepsia; stomach pain caused by ulcers and reflux. (5)
Sage – is a slightly bitter and very aromatic herb used best in poultry, fish, sausage and stuffing. It is a woody perennial that grows 2 to 3 feet and has a tendency to sprawl, so give this plant lots of room to grow. Traditionally, sage has been used to treat dyspepsia; however, recent evidence shows that sage can help improve mood, cognition and memory. (6)
Sweet Basil –whether you want to make your own basil pesto or add it to an Asian-inspired dish, sweet basil is one of the most popular herbs used in cooking and is recommended for use in tomato dishes. You can use it both in fresh and dried form. Basil grows easily from the seed and is ready for picking around 6 weeks after planting. The basil plant has small, white, spiked flowers, and it is best to cut the basil leaves before the flowers open. Overgrowth or lush growth of basil will reduce its flavour, so try and keep it under control. Basil contains high amounts of Vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting and has been shown to have antibacterial properties. (7)
Thyme – is used to flavour soups, stews and a variety of meat dishes. The oil can also be used in perfumes and medicines. It is a perennial with small oval leaves and bloom lilac flowers, which makes it an attractive herb to plant as well as delicious. Thyme has been traditionally been used to treat respiratory congestion like bronchitis and coughs (8) and has been shown to have antimicrobial effects. (9)
References:
1. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Handbook on Herbs, 1965.
2. Heart and Stroke Foundation website, 2009.
3. Singh G, Kapoor IP, Pandey SK et al. Studies on essential oils: part 10; antibacterial activity of volatile oils of some spices. Phytother Res 2002 Nov;16(7):680-2 2002.
4. Kligler, B. and Chaudhary, S. Peppermint oil. Am Fam.Physician 4-1-2007;75(7):1027-1030
5. Bisset, N. G. Max Wichtl Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals: A Handbook for Practice on a Scientific Basis. 1994
6. Tildesley, N. T., Kennedy, D. O., Perry, E. K., Ballard, C. G., Savelev, S., Wesnes, K. A., and Scholey, A. B. Salvia lavandulaefolia (Spanish sage) enhances memory in healthy young volunteers. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2003;75(3):669-674
7. Wannissorn, B., Jarikasem, S., Siriwangchai, T., and Thubthimthed, S. Antibacterial properties of essential oils from Thai medicinal plants. Fitoterapia 2005;76(2):233-236
8. Knols G, Stal PC, Van Ree JW. Productive coughing complaints: Sirupus Thymi or Bromhexine? A double-blind randomized study. Huisarts en Wetenschap 1994;37:392-394.
9. Manou I, Bouillard L, Devleeschouwer MJ, et al. Evaluation of the preservative properties of Thymus vulgaris essential oil in topically applied formulations under a challenge test. J Appl Microbiol 1998;84(3):368-376
