Growing herbs in container gardening

Having your own supply of fresh herbs is great. To step outside, snip a few leaves and toss them into your flavorful soup is very satisfying, as well as delicious. A container garden, is useful, compact, beautiful, and can encompass an assortment of herbs. Even a small container can hold a variety of small herb plants: thyme, oregano, rosemary, basil. Just the drifting scent as you walk past your garden will make you feel like you are basking in the Mediterranean sun.

Herbs are tough little plants. They are hardy, easy to grow, and are often perennial—plants that come back year after year. Herbs are often drought tolerant, but be sure to keep them well-watered until they are established. They are readily available at grocery, home, as well as, garden stores. They are incredibly cost effective to grow. An entire plant costs the same price as a single bundle of fresh-picked herbs! Look for plants that are compact and full, with good color.

Herbs can also be grown from seed and usually sprout very quickly. Since you are generally using the leaves, the herbs become useful soon after planting as opposed to vegetables. Just follow the planting directions on the back of the packet and the general instructions in this book. This is a very economical way to grow herbs and gives you the widest selection.

Favourite Herbs:

Names	Annual, Biennial, Perennial	Culinary Uses	Sun, Part Shade, Shade	Indoor/ Outdoor seed date	Days from seed to harvest	Seed / Trans-plant
BASIL Ocimum basilicum	Annual	Pungent flavor for tomato sauces; 6 varieties including Sweet, Purple and Lemon types		May 15-30 n/a	80-85	Seed, Trans
BAY/LAUREL Laurus officinalis	Tree	Bay leaves flavour soup and stew; also available as indoor tropical plant		n/a n/a		Trans
CHAMOMILE, German Matricaria recutita	Annual	Relaxing, soothing tea;white daisies readily re-seed		May 10-20 n/a	20-30	Seed
OREGANO origanum vulgare	Perennial	Sharp flavor to Italian pizza & pasta sauce or Mexican dishes; Greek & common types		April 1-20 n/a	60-80	Seed, Trans
MINT/Peppermint Metha piperita	Perennial	Strong, hot flavored tummy tea, lamb, jelly & dessert; plant has square stems		April 1-10 May 1-10	80-85	Seed
ROSEMARY Rosemarinus officinalis	Perennial	Mediterranean herb in meat & veggie dishes; blue flowers and evergreen, linear leaves		n/a May 10-20	75-85	Seed, Trans
SAGE Salvia officinalis	Perennial	Strong flavor in stuffing, sausage & poultry; 4 varieties with purple flower spikes		April 10-20 n/a	80-85	Seed, Trans
GARLIC Allium sativum	Annual	Popular sulphur flavoring to meat & veg. dishes allegedly wards off evil vampires!		May 1-15 n/a	100-120	Bulb Cloves

Herbs:

Names	Annual, Biennial, Perennial	Culinary Cuisine Uses	Sun, Part Shade, Shade	Indoor/ Outdoor Seed date	Days from seed to harvest	Seed / Trans-plant
ANISE Pimpinella anisum	annual	Licorice flavored seeds for Anisette liqueur, baking and white meat		May 15-30 n/a	70-75	seed, trans
BASIL Ocimum basilicum	annual	Pungent flavor for tomato sauces; 6 varieties including Sweet, Purple and Lemon types		May 15-30 n/a	80-85	seed, trans
BAY/LAUREL Laurus officinalis	Tree	Bay leaves flavour soup and stew; also available as indoor tropical plant		n/a n/a		trans
BORAGE Borago officinalis	biennial	Leaves are used in salads; edible blue flowers self seed		May 15-30 n/a	80-85	seed
CARAWAY Carum carvi	biennial	Seeds flavor bread and cheese; resembles carrot or dill		n/a May 15-30	2nd year	seed
CAT GRASS OATS	perennial	Cat treat; plant indoors in pot or outdoors		n/a May 10-20	15-20	seed
CATMINT/CATNIP Nepeta cataria	perennial	Cat treat or soothing tea; I mint family with square stems		May 10-20 n/a	75-80	seed trans
CHAMOMILE, German Matricaria recutita	annual	Relaxing, soothing tea;white daisies readily re-seed		May 10-20 n/a	20-30	seed
CHERVIL Anthriscus cerefolium	annual	Gourmet parsley for salad garnish; one of the four fine French herbs		May 15-30 n/a	70-80	seed
CHIVES Allium schoenoprasum	perennial	Mild, onion-like flavor to salad, sauce & soup; attractive purple flowers		May 15-30 n/a	80-85	seed trans
CHIVES, GARLIC Allium turberosum	perennial	Mild garlic flavor to salad, sauce & soup; attractive white flowers		May 15-30 n/a	85-90	seed trans
CILANTRO/Coriander Coriandrum sativum	annual	Leaves are also called Chinese parsley; seed is called coriander		May 10-20 n/a	20-30	seed trans
COMFREY Symphytum officinale	perennial	Once used as a poultice on cuts, bruises and broken bones		n/a May 10-30	60-90	trans
DILL, Fernleaf Anethum graveolens	annual	Tangy tasting pickles, salad, sauce & stew;a dilly of an herb that self seeds!		May 15-30 n/a	60-70	seed trans
ECHINACEA Echinacea angustifolia	perennial	Also called coneflower, strengthens immune system		April 1-15 n/a	120	seed trans
FENNEL Foeniculum	annual	Mild anise/licorice flavor to salad, sauce & fish		May 10-20 n/a	80-90	seed
FEVERFEW Foeniculum vulgare	perennial	Put in salad or soup to prevent migraine headaches		May 10-30 n/a	80-90	seed trans
GARLIC Allium sativum	annual	Popular sulphur flavoring to meat & veg. dishes allegedly wards off evil vampires!		May 1-15 n/a	100-120	bulb cloves
GARLIC, Elephant Allium ampeloprasum	annual	Nutty, milder garlic flavor; good grilled or roasted veggie		May 1-15 n/a	100-120	bulb
HORSE RADISH Armoracia rusticana	perennial	Hot condiment on beef and pork; tuberous roots		May 1-15 n/a	100-120	bulb
HYSSOP Hyssopus officinalis	perennial	Bitter taste to salad, soup or stew;blue flower spikes		May 10-30 n/a	30-60	seed

Names	Annual, Biennial, Perennial	Culinary Cuisine Uses	Sun, Part Shade, Shade	Indoor/ Outdoor Seed date	Days from seed to harvest	Seed / Trans-plant
LAVENDER, ENGLISH Lavendula angustifolia	hardy perennial	Fragrant flowers for bouquets,baths, potpourris and sachets		March 1-10 n/a	100-120	seed trans
LAVENDER,FRENCH Lavendula dentata	tender perennial	Fragrant flowers for bouquets, baths, potpourris and sachets		March 1-10 n/a	100-120	trans
LEMON BALM Melissa Officinalis	perennial	Balmy lemon flavored tea, salad garnish		April 1-20 n/a	90-100	seed trans
LEMON VERBENA Aloysia triphylla	tender perennial	Zesty lemon flavor to hot or cold desserts, dishes or drinks		n/a n/a	–	trans
MARJORAM, Sweet Origanum majorana	annual	Strong flavor to meat and veggie dishes; closely related to oregano		April 1-20 n/a	80-85	seed
MINT/Peppermint Metha piperita	perennial	Strong, hot flavored tummy tea, lamb, jelly & dessert; plant has square stems		April 1-10 May 1-10	80-85	seed
MINT/Spearmint Metha spicata	perennial	Cool, mild flavoured Mint Julep and lamb; square stems with pebbled, pointed leaves		April 1-10 May 1-10	80-85	seed
ORAGENO origanum vulgare	tender perennia	Sharp flavor to Italian pizza & pasta sauce or Mexican dishes; Greek & common types		April 1-20 n/a	60-80	seed trans
PARSLEY, Curled Petroselinum crispum	biennial	Curled leaf garnish type; replant every year		April 1-15 May 15-30	70-90	seed trans
PARSLEY, Iralian Petroselinum neopolitanum	biennial	Plain leaf cooking type; replant every year		April 1-15 May 15-30	70-90	seed trans
ROSEMARY Rosemarinus officinalis	tender perennial	Mediterranean herb in meat & veggie dishes; blue flowers and evergreen, linear leaves		n/a May 10-20	75-85	seed trans
RUE Ruta graveolens	tender perennial	Bitter tasting herb to reputedly repel cats; toxic to pregnant women		April 15-30 n/a	70-90	trans
SAGE Salvia officinalis	perennial	Strong flavor in stuffing, sausage & poultry; 4 varieties with purple flower spikes		April 10-20 n/a	80-85	seed trans
SAVORY, Summer Saturega hortensis	annual	Strong, peppery flavor to beans and meat; use fresh or dry leaves		n/a May 10-20	60-65	seed trans
SAVORY, Winter Saturega montana	perennial	Strong, peppery flavor to beans and meat; evergreen creeping plant		n/a May 10-20	60-65	trans
SORREL, FRENCH Rumex acetosa	perennial	Sour lemon flavor to soup or salad; also known as sour grass in Europe		May 1-15 May 15-30	80-90	seed
SWEET WOODRUFF Galium odoratum	perennial	Sweet scented tea or wine; great ground cover with white flowers		n/a n/a	–	trans
TARRAGON, FRENCH Artemesia dracunculus	perennial	Anise/licorice flavor to salad or fish; another one of the four fine French herbs		n/a n/a	–	trans
TARRAGON, RUSSIAN Artemesia dracunculus	perennial	Mildly bitter anise flavor to salad or fish; less versatile variety lacks aromatic oils		May 1-30 n/a	60-90	seed
THYME, COMMOM Thymus vulgaris	perennial	Flavors soup, meat and veggie dishes; good ground cover		April 1-10 n/a	85-90	seed trans
THYME, LEMON Thymus citriodorus	perennial	Lemon fragrance to white meat dishes; attractive green and gold variegated leaves		April 1-10 n/a	85-90	trans