Herb Garden Plants
When selecting herb garden plants to grow for the first time, keep in my mind that they can be annuals, perennials or biennials. There are so many different types of herbs and each one possessing different qualities and seasonal characteristics. This article will give you a basic understanding of the more common and general types of herb plants and what they are used for.
Please refer the seasonal descriptions below for each of the 3 types of herb garden plants.
• Annuals will bloom once a year; examples are anise, basil, chervil, cilantro, dill, coriander summer savory. These herb garden plants will not survive a frost so protect them as seedlings. They are best planted from a seed or purchased and planted as a small plant every year.
• Biennials will live for two seasons, blooming only in the second season; examples are caraway, parsley and angelica. Biennial herb plants grow leaves in their first season and flowers and seed in the second season, and then these herb plants die. These herbs should be sown directly into the garden in late spring.
• Perennials once established will bloom each and every season; examples are chives, fennel, lovage, marjoram, mint, sage, tarragon, thyme, winter savory. Perennials unlike annuals can survive colder temperatures and will blossom year after year.
Herbs are grouped into four main categories for which they are used, as follows:
• Culinary Herbs – for obvious reasons they are probably the most useful to herb gardeners as they have a wide range of different uses in cooking and culinary delights. Herbs such as chives, thyme, sage, basil, marjoram and savory have strong flavors and are generally added in small quantities to flavor different types of foods. Parsley is one of the most popular culinary herbs, mostly used as a garnish.
• Aromatic Herbs - have pleasant smelling flowers or foliage. Oils from aromatic herbs like mint, lovage and rosemary can be used to make different types of perfumes or a variety of scents. Parts of aromatic herb garden plants when left intact can also be used to scent clothing, linen or specific areas of your home. Aromatic herbs like lavender and lemon verbena can also be dried and made into potpourri allowing the sweet and gentle aroma to be retained over a long period of time.
• Medicinal Herbs - for centuries herbs have been thought by civilizations to have the ability to fight and cure illnesses. Some herbs are recognized by today’s medical world as being beneficial to one’s health. Oil from rosemary leaves and from thyme are examples of herb garden plants used in medicine today. Herbs used for medicinal purposes should however be used with caution as some herbs can be dangerous if eaten or ingested.
• Ornamental Herbs – some herb garden plants are not only used to flavor, heal or fragrance, they are also used for their beauty as ornamental herbs. These herbs typically have brightly colored flowers and foliage with others having whitish or various light colored flowers like Valerian, which has crimson blossoms and chicory and borage which have beautiful blue flowers. Herbs such as thyme, mint, lavender, and chives produce variegated foliage.
While herb garden plants can be categorized for different uses, many herbs like mint may be used for multiple purposes such as in cooking, as a tea, and for pest control.
Important Factors When Choosing Your Herb Plot
When choosing your location for growing your chosen herbs don’t overlook 2 very important factors, drainage and soil fertility. Herbs will generally not grow in wet soils so if your plot isn’t well drained you will have to improve drainage first if you are to successfully grow herbs.
The soil does not have to be terribly fertile for herbs to grow and thrive, so little fertilizer should be used. If you tend to over fertilize you may produce herb garden plants with plenty of foliage but may result in poor flavors when harvested. Plants, such as fennel, chervil, summer savory and lovage on the other hand do require reasonable amounts of fertilizer. Adding some compost or peat to your herb garden plot will help improve soil condition and retain much needed moisture.
 |
 Big Ideas VeggieTales Garden Pail Growing Kit Growing Pail Potting Medium Seeds $14.99 Time Remaining: 1h 31m Buy It Now for only: $14.99 Add to watch list |
 Flax Seeds Blue Bulk Perennial Herb Garden theseedhouse 500+ Seeds $8.99 Time Remaining: 2h 15m Buy It Now for only: $8.99 Add to watch list |
 Essential Medicinal Culinary Garden Survival Herb Seed Cache Ready For 2013 $12.89 Time Remaining: 2h 27m Add to watch list |
 GARDEN HERB SEEDS 10 Packs 1150 seeds thyme rosemaryoreganosagedill more $8.88 Time Remaining: 3h 19m Add to watch list |
 Organic Chinese Herbalist Garden Collection $12.99 Time Remaining: 7h 17m Buy It Now for only: $12.99 Add to watch list |
 SACRED HEALING GARDEN Seed Collection great beneficial herbs with chamomile $5.95 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 19h 50m Add to watch list |
 ADIRONDACK HEALING GARDEN Seed Collection healing herbs from the mountains $6.50 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 19h 52m Add to watch list |
 Grow your own HERB TEA seeds GARDEN 9 types mint hyssop lemongrass chamomile $8.44 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 22h 24m Add to watch list |
 Medicinal HERB SEEDS Garden COLLECTION 9 types StJohns Wort Valarian and more $8.90 Time Remaining: 1d 15m Add to watch list |
 Ferry Morse Indoor Outdoor Garden Gardening Potted Plant Herb Garden 10 Packets $25.61 Time Remaining: 1d 4h 34m Buy It Now for only: $25.61 Add to watch list |
 NEW Chia SHREK Garden Handmade Deocorative Planter $24.99 Time Remaining: 1d 19h 20m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 Add to watch list |
 WHITCHAPPELS HERBAL Magazine 4 Back Issues Herbs Gardening Rare $7.99 Time Remaining: 2d 54m Add to watch list |
