A gardener’s taste buds and the amount of space available in the garden will dictate what herbs to grow or simply pass by. Often it may be more advantageous to simply buy less-used herbs from the greengrocer. The popular ones are easy to grow in the spring garden or in a container during the winter.
Basil or sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a classic example. In season, this versatile tangy herb is well known in the preparation of culinary delights, including pesto.
There are many varieties of basil. The majority are annuals, but perennials are grown in year-round warmer climates.
The beauty of growing herbs is that many give off an intriguing fragrance, have exquisite foliage and flowers, while being edible. Garden herbs can be annuals, perennials, shrubs, bushes or even climbers. They can be pruned for small gardens, grown in containers or simply incorporated into the flower garden.
At a recent monthly meeting of the Fergus Horticultural Society, Heather Harper of Mildmay, reviewed the benefits of growing herbs.
“Herbs can be eaten fresh, dried, frozen or simply added at the time of cooking. The most commonly used plant parts are the leaves and seeds. They contain the flavouring oils,” said Harper.
She selected a collection of herbs for the audience to identify. Some were recognizable, while others had a unique appearance, captivating aroma or bewildering taste.
Cinnamon basil, minette basil, purple ruffles basil, spicy globe basil, summer savory, salad burnet, cilantro, stevia, silver leaf thyme, flat leaf and curly parsley, sweet cicely, rosemary, fennel and tarragon were all identified. Herbs can still be planted and harvested all winter long. Using a south windowsill garden would be optimum. Herbs thrive best with lots of light. Five hours of sunlight or 14 hours of artificial light is required. If fluorescent grow lights are used, they need to be placed 45cm (18”) from the plant for about 10 hours/day. Many herbs grow well in containers with minimal care. But to have enough of the herb for cooking, larger potted plants will be required.
Herbs that don’t grow too tall or wide are best. Basil, chervil, sage, dill, fennel, chives, lavender, rosemary, thyme, mint and parsley will grow well indoors. Always keep plants well trimmed. New growth has the freshest flavour.
Rosemary is a tender perennial, which will not survive the winter outside. It must be potted and placed in a well lit area where the temperature stays cool to warm.
One of the simplest ways to acquire plants is to dig and pot up a portion of perennial herb that was growing in the garden. Cut existing stems back to reserve two sets of leaves at the base, so the plant will continue to grow. Water well and place in a sunny location for the winter. Purchasing small nursery plants will also do the trick.
Planting seeds is less expensive, but they will require more care and will take several months before they can be used. Place three to five seeds on top of the soil. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of potting soil. Water gently and place in a plastic bag to retain humidity. Once seeds sprout, remove the bag. Seedlings should be always watered sparingly. Feed plants once a month using a fertilizer for use on edibles. Always allow any plant the time to become acclimatized.
With any new growth, clipping the top five – eight centimetres (2 to 3”) will allow branching. Bushy plants can be thinned by removing front stems from the outside of the plants. New growth will fill in.
Ron Stevenson is a member of the Fergus Horticultural Society.
