My love for gardening started with a small herb garden. After reading Rosalee de la Foret’s book Alchemy of Herbs. Her book opened my eyes to the amazing health benefits of so many “common” culinary herbs and I immediately wanted to start an herb garden. Of course, I didn’t really know how to start an herb garden but with a little help from my husband (the original gardener in the relationship), I soon had the herb garden that would start an obsession.
I feel like growing your own herbs is a must, honestly. Considering you can grow herbs in anything from a few small pots in a window to a dedicated plot in the garden, there’s no reason no to! Plus, fresh herbs are one of the best ways to really elevate your cooking, add loads of nutrients and antioxidants into your diet, and enjoy the many health benefits herbs have to offer. Right in the convenience of your own home!
Below are 10 herbs I wouldn’t want to be without in my own garden, including their health benefits, some culinary uses, and basic growing needs. I’ve also included some simple steps to start your own herb garden (which, if you couldn’t already tell, I highly recommend you do!).
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NOTE: The information in this post is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is always best to work with a qualified healthcare professional before incorporating herbs into your diet.
My 10 Must-have To Start An Herb Garden
Thyme
Perennial, zones 5-9
Health benefits – Thyme is a great herb to have on hand to support the immune system during cold and flu season. It is strongly antimicrobial and its hot, dry energetics are particularly helpful with cold, stagnant issues like a congested cough. It also has antitussive properties. No wonder it’s been used for coughs for thousands of years.
Culinary uses – Thyme is fantastic used liberally on roasted vegetables, chicken marinades, and in soup.
Basic needs – Prefers a hot, dry climate and soil that isn’t too rich. Full sun to partial shade in well-draining soil. Grows well with rosemary.
Harvesting – Harvest the aerial parts as needed with snips or scissors anytime during the growing season. Be sure to harvest no more than 30% of the herb at one time.
Parsley
Biennial, zones 5-8
Health benefits – Parsley supports our body’s detoxification systems and is a gentle diuretic that helps support kidney function without depleting the body of potassium. It can help stimulate the appetite, relieve symptoms of stagnant digestion, and is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Culinary uses – While most people use parsley as a garnish, it deserves to much more use than that. I love to use it liberally (I’m talking an entire bunch worth) in salads of all kinds—green salads, grain salads, pasta salads, potato salads. It’s also great in smoothies and salad dressiings. It’s one of the best, tastiest ways to add loads of nutrients and antioxidants to your diet.
Basic needs – Parsley will do best in a hot, dry climate. Prefers full sun to partial shade.
Harvesting – Harvest the aerial parts as needed with snips or scissors anytime during the growing season.
Basil
Annual
Health benefits – While basil doesn’t have quite as long a list of medicinal uses as the other herbs, it does support healthy digestion. And as with all herbs, it’s incredibly high in antioxidants and all the health benefits that come with that.
Culinary uses – Basil is THE herb of summer, as far as I’m concerned. Just the smell of it makes me a little weak in the knees. Add it to all your summer salads, marinades, dressings. Make pesto and freeze it for use all winter long.
Basic needs – Requires full sun and well-drained soil. Basil is one of the best herbs to grow indoors.
Harvesting – Harvest the aerial parts as needed with snips or scissors. To encourage bushier plants, snip stems just above the leaf axils.
Rosemary
Tender perennial, zones 8-11
Health benefits – Famously called the “herb of remembrance”, rosemary essential oil has been shown to significantly enhance memory. As for the fresh herb, a cup of rosemary tea can help relieve digestive problems like stagnant digestion and IBS, and is often used to relieve headaches.
Culinary uses – Rosemary is one of the best ways to elevate just about any roasted potato dish. It also pairs beautifully with chicken and is a great accent to baked bread. It can easily overwhelm a dish, though, so start with a small amount and adjust accordingly.
Basic needs – Prefers hot temperatures and dry climate. Needs full sun and well-draining soil.
Harvesting – Harvest the aerial parts as needed with snips or scissors anytime during the growing season. Be sure to harvest no more than 30% of the herb at one time.
Peppermint
Perennial, zones 5-9
Health benefits – A go-to herb for digestive complaints ranging from nausea and diarrhea to gas and bloating. It can also be helpful for soothing headaches and menstrual cramps. A cup of peppermint tea is a good way to help break a fever.
Culinary uses – Peppermint makes a delightful tea and lends itself well to plenty of dessert recipes. It’s also delicious to add to salads.
Basic needs – Peppermint is a vigorous spreader and it will take over your herb garden if you let it. To help prevent this, sink a pot, bucket, or planter with the bottom removed about 6-12 inches into the ground and plant the peppermint in the container. Peppermint prefers moderate to heavy watering but will tolerate drier conditions. Prefers full sun to partial shade. It will wilt a bit in the heat of the afternoon sun but will bounce back once temperatures cool in the evening.
Harvesting – You can harvest the aerial parts as needed with snips or scissors anytime during the growing season. Alternatively, once the plant has flowered you can cut it back to just a few inches off the ground and it will grow back ready for a second round.
Lemon Balm
Perennial, zones 4-9
Health benefits – Lemon balm is another great calming nervine herb that is perfect for a number of nervous system issues. It is a gentle sedative that can be helpful to promote sleep. It can also help strengthen the brain, relieve pain due to muscle tension, soothe stress, and relieve digestive upset, especially digestive problems caused by stress.
Culinary uses – Lemon balm isn’t a common culinary herb but it absolutely should be. It makes a delightful herbal tea. It’s also amazing tossed with fruit salads or added as a garnish to cakes and cookies.
Basic needs – Prefers a warm climate with full sun to part shade in well-draining soil that’s not too wet.
Harvesting – You can harvest the aerial parts as needed with snips or scissors anytime during the growing season. Alternatively, once the plant has flowered you can cut it back to just a few inches off the ground and it will grow back ready for a second round.
Tulsi/Holy Basil
Perennial, zones 10b-11. Grown as an annual in colder climates like my 7b garden.
Health benefits – Tulsi is an adaptogen, which means it helps the body adapt to and build resiliency against stress. It’s also a nervine and can positively affect anxiety and depression. It helps strengthen cognitive function and is often recommended for people dealing with brain fog. Plus, it improves stagnant or stuck digestive function and can help lower blood glucose and total cholesterol levels. It is one of India’s most sacred, powerful plants and is used to support longevity.
Culinary uses – Tulsi also isn’t used much culinarily but it is one of my very favorite herbal teas. It’s also often added to Thai dishes and I love adding loads of it to pad thai.
Basic needs – Prefers moist soil with good drainage and full sun.
Harvesting – Harvest the aerial parts as needed with snips or scissors anytime during the growing season. Be sure to harvest no more than 30% of the herb at one time.
Chamomile
Perennial, zones 4-9
Health benefits – Don’t be fooled by the gentle nature of this herb. It may be gentle but it is also powerful. Chamomile helps soothe nerves, relieve stress and anxiety, and promote sleep. It modulates inflammation and relieves muscle tension, headaches, and menstrual cramps. It’s also a wonderful herb for digestion, especially when your nerves and anxiety go right for your stomach.
Culinary uses – Tea, obviously! Loose-leaf chamomile tea is so much better (and more powerful) than the chamomile found in tea bags. Chamomile lemonade is also delicious. And the fresh flowers can be added to desserts and other dishes as a garnish.
Basic needs – Grows best in full sun or partial shade with well-draining soil.
Harvesting – Harvest flowers by hand using small snips just as they are beginning to open. Pollinators LOVE this plant, though, so be sure to leave some blossoms for them, too.
Sage
Perennial, zones 4-8
Health benefits – As with most culinary herbs, sage is a great carminative, supporting optimal digestion. It’s often used as a gargle to soothe a sore throat.
Culinary uses – Sage is the quintessential Thanksgiving herb most used in stuffings. It’s also delicious as an herb butter. And if you’ve never tried brown butter and sage on pasta you should stop what you’re doing and make it right now.
Basic needs – Thrives well in hot or cool, dry climates. Prefers full sun and well-draining soil.
Harvesting – Harvest the aerial parts as needed with snips or scissors anytime during the growing season. Be sure to harvest no more than 30% of the herb at one time.
Lavender
Perennial, zones 5-8
Health benefits – Lavender is a must-have herb for anything stress related. It is a powerful remedy for soothing anxiety, decreasing stress, lifting spirits, and supporting sleep. It’s also wondering for the skin and can be used in skincare preparations and to help with wound healing. Try making a floor wash with lavender-infused water and just feel the vibes of your entire home elevate.
Culinary uses – Lavender isn’t used in everyday culinary uses but I think it should be. It lends a lovely aroma and is downright pretty. Try making a lavender lemonade or in place of the rose in these shortbread cookies.
Basic needs – Prefers a hot environment with full sun or afternoon shade and dry, well-drained soil.
Harvesting – Harvest the aerial parts as needed with snips or scissors anytime during the growing season. Cut stems to about 3 inches above the ground.
How To Start An Herb Garden
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about herbs it’s that many are more resilient than you’d expect—especially the perennial ones. So long as you pick herbs that are right for your growing zone, you’re well on your way to successfully growing your own herbs.
If you’ve never started a garden before, here are a few basic tips to get you started. But whatever you do, don’t let intimidation get the best of you. Worst case scenario is you learn what to do differently next time.
Also, please keep in mind that this is by no means an exhausting “how to”. Gardening is one of those hobbies where there’s always more to learn. This is just meant to outline the basics and (hopefully!) inspire you to get some herbs in the ground and see what happens!
Ready? Ok, let’s go!
Step 1 – Pick Your Plants
If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to plant ALL THE HERBS because there are just too many good ones to choose from! And, listen, I’m not going to tell you not to because that would be hypocritical of me. What I will say is that starting with a few herbs (think 3-5) is a much more manageable way to get a feel for what herbs need to thrive without being completely overwhelmed by sometimes-competing needs. And you’ll be more likely to be successful.
So pick a few herbs you think you’re most likely to use regularly (ideally ones that have similar light and water requirements) and start with those.
Step 2 – Select Your Garden Location
Picking the right location to start your herb garden is critical. Most herbs need full sun and some (like the mint family) do best with a bit of afternoon shade when the sun is at its harshest. If you’re planting in pots or smaller containers, it’s easy to move these around if needed. But if you’re planning on planting into the ground, take some time to get to know how the sunlight hits different parts of your yard before committing to your location. You also want to make sure whatever spot you choose doesn’t get too waterlogged since most herbs (and plants in general) won’t do well in waterlogged soils. This is a great opportunity to spend some intentional, mindful time in your yard really getting to know how the sun, weather, and seasons affect and change the space you’re stewarding.
And if you’re opting to grow some herbs in pots indoors, a south-facing window is your best bet since these plants generally like all the sun they can get!
Step 3 – Prepare The Soil
If you’re planting your herbs in your yard somewhere, you’ll need to make sure and clear out the space by removing weeds and cutting out sod, if necessary. Then you’ll want to amend the soil by adding some compost. If this is the first time planting in the space, you’ll want to add 2-3 inches of compost to the bed and lightly dig it in to incorporate it. If the space has been used for growing a garden before, add just 1 inch of compost to the top of the bed. You don’t need to work it in.
If you really want to geek out on soil, you can send in a sample to your local extension office to get specific recommendations on what needs to be added. But when you’re just starting out, adding quality compost is good enough.
If you’re using containers or pots, select a good quality organic potting soil meant for growing edible plants. Make sure the containers have adequate drainage holes before filling them with soil.
Step 4 – Start Planting
Now’s the fun part! While you can definitely start your herbs from seed, if you’re just starting out it’s probably easier to purchase your herb plants from a local nursery. They’ll have the herbs that are right for your growing zone and will be able to answer any questions you have. Select the healthiest-looking plants available so they’re more likely to survive and thrive after transplanting.
Generally speaking, the best time to put plants in the ground is after the danger of frost in your area. Tender herbs like basil will be killed by a frost, so putting them into the ground too early is risky.
The plant tags often have specifics on how to plant your new herbs in your garden but generally you want to plant the herb starts at the same depth as they were in the container. Be gentle with them as you remove them from the pot and get them into the ground. If you damage the roots in the process it could damage the plant. Fill the whole in with soil and give it a gentle firming. You don’t want to press the dirt around it too hard or it will stop water from getting to the roots. Then give it a good drink. Even if the ground is already moist and even if there’s rain in the forecast, give your new plant a good soak to help it get established in its new home.
Step 5 – Water Correctly
Plenty of herbs are quite drought tolerant once established (I’m looking at you, lavender and thyme) but new transplants will need to be watered every other day or so for the first couple of weeks in order for the roots to get established. After that, it depends on your soil type and how much rain you get. General best practice is about once a week but keep an eye on things to get a feel for what your herbs need. If the ground is moist, don’t water it just because it’s been a week since you last watered. And if you’re dealing with a particularly hot stretch and the ground is drying out faster than usual, you may need to do supplemental watering. Either way, it’s best to water in the morning to avoid too much evaporation.
Adding mulch around your plants is a great way to keep the weeds out and the moisture in. A couple inches of untreated bark chips or straw around your plants is all it takes.
Step 6 – Visit Your Herbs Regularly
There’s a saying that goes “a gardener’s best tool is their shadow.” Basically it means that the best thing you can do for the success of your garden is to tend it regularly. Pull weeds before they take over the space. Keep an eye out for pests before they devour your plant. Watch for signs of disease while there’s still time to intervene. Watch how your plants are doing week by week and soon you’ll get a feel for what they need. Though, like I said before, many herbs are incredibly resilient and won’t need much assistance from you beyond the basics.
And, of course, harvest regularly! Most herbs benefit from being harvested regularly and will create more bushy growth in response. So get out there and snip some fresh basil for your salad or some fresh mint for your tea. It’s the best way to connect with these plants and build a relationship with each of them.
Resources:
- Alchemy of Herbs by Rosalee de la Foret
- Homegrown Herbs by Tammi Hartung