11 Herbs You Need For Your Kitchen Garden

The Herbs Needed For Any Kitchen Garden

The 11 Culinary Herbs that are needed for any kitchen garden are the aromatic herbs: Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Chives, Rosemary, Dill, Thyme, Sage, Tarragon, Mint, and Cilantro. These herbs are used in every type of cooking: From Asia to the Americas and everywhere else.

Growing your own kitchen herbs is very rewarding. You get the freshest herbs possible and you save money by not having to purchase them. You also get the peace and relaxation that tending a garden brings.

What Is The Best Way To Grow Your Own Herbs?

How you grow your herbs depends on how much growing room you have, how much sun you get, as well as how long your growing season is.

I live in Georgia and my growing season is from April to October. I usually start herbs in a sunny window as seeds and put them in pots when I move them out doors. (To find your season for growing plants and herbs, go to the USDA Zones and enter your zip code or click on your state.)

You may have a shorter growing season and therefore you might choose herbs that you can just pop into a pot or in the garden. Or, you may have a sunny counter in your kitchen and just keep them inside.

However you grow them, in a bed, in the ground, (and with pots as well), the soil must be rich in nutrients and have good drainage.

What Are The Best Conditions For Growing Herbs?

Whichever method you choose to grow your herbs, some things about growing herbs are universal:

You must have well drained soil.
Where you put or plant your herbs should get at least 6 hours of sun a day, (for most herbs.) Preferably planted or in a window facing south or west. ‘Cool herbs’, such as cilantro and parsley are ok with less sunlight
You should have moderately rich, but not over fertilized soil.
(This is why I added compost to my soil mix) I found over fertilizing lowers the flavor of the herb. With compost added to the mix, you have to fertilize rarely. (I usually fertilize twice a summer.)
Soil with a pH of between 6 and 7 is needed.
The soil around the herb should be kept moist, but on wet.

The makeup of the soil is really important. As I plant my herbs in pots, I used to rely on organic potting soil, but I have since found a mix of compost, potting soil, and sand, really works the best.

If you are planting your herbs in pots as I do, use a pot with a hole in the bottom for drainage. In addition, put a few pieces of broken pot or crockery in the bottom to keep the soil off the hole. I usually put one plant in one pot. Never plant a herb in a pot without a whole in the bottom.

This is especially important if you are keeping your herbs in the house, again, drainage is all important.

What Is The Best Layout For An Inside or Outside Herb Garden?

The layout for your first culinary or kitchen herb garden is not complicated.

Follow the directions on the plant container or seed packet as to:

The height and width the herb grows to. Some herbs grow very fast, very quickly, They need airflow around them to avoid mold. Put the ones that will grow the fastest and the tallest in the back, but rotate them weekly.
Whether it needs full sun, or prefers moderate sunlight.
Space them according to the directions.
Water. If outside, place your garden near a source of water.
If inside, rotate the herb so each side of the plant gets light. And rotate the pots too.
If you have to use a grow light, arrange the light so your herbs get 10 – 12 hours of light.

Which Herbs Should Not Be Placed Together?

Mint is an herb you never put in with any other herb or plant. It is very invasive. If you plant it in the ground or in a garden bed, it will take over the whole bed, and you will start to see it growing in your grass. If you put it in a pot with another herb, it will kill the other herb because it will take all the nutrients and water. Always put mint in a pot first, even if you are going to put it in the ground. Then, when it is contained you can plant it in the ground if you wish.

Dill should never be planted next to parsley or sage, They won’t thrive if they are close to dill.

Sage and Chives don’t do well together.

Sage and Basil don’t go together. (You may begin to see why I put mine in separate pots.)

(My first herb garden)

Herbs Used Western Europe And The USA

1.) Basil– I always put basil in a big pot. It grows fast and large. It must be cut back every week. In addition, if you allow basil to flower, it will change the taste: it might become bitter. I plant a sweet basil and a Thai basil. There are many kinds of basil. (Thai basil is the only basil I have ever come across that you can let flower.) You can use basil fresh, as on a salad, or dried in tomato sauce. Basil does not like to go in the refrigerator. You can chop it up and put it in an ice cube tray with a little oil in each section, and freeze it. Then you take out however many cubes you need at a time.

2.) Oregano– used in Italian or Mediterranean cooking, with Basil and Garlic it becomes the Trifecta of flavor. Oregano has a hearty flavor that adds to pasta and roasted vegetables.

3.) Rosemary- has a ‘piney’ slightly bitter note which goes well with meats and roasted potatoes. Sometimes I strip the stem of its small leaves to add to a beer bread. When I roast or grill a chicken I might put a whole stem of Rosemary on the top of the bird. Rosemary does not like to be wet. It is the only herb that I mix a handful of orchid bark in with the potting soil in its pot before planting. Rosemary needs to drain well. Like Basil, it needs cutting back frequently.

4.)Thyme- There are so many varieties of Thyme, you must choose the one you like the best. I usually have a French or English Thyme for cooking and a Lemon Thyme for fish. The most often used herb, thyme goes well with soups and stews, meats and bread. It is often combined with Sage and Rosemary in many western European dishes. Thyme also needs trimming on occasion.

5.)Parsley– You see the flat leaf or curly leaf version of Parsley, but I prefer the flat leaf. It’s just a personal choice. Parsley is most often used as a garnish but you can cook with it too. It is usually seen in salads as it has a light peppery taste, or put in a dish as the last step in cooking.

6.) Tarragon- This herb is famous for its use in French cooking. It is most often seen with chicken and vegetables.

Herbs We Use Found In Other Cuisines

7.)Sage is commonly used in stuffing, with chicken or meat. The dried version has a much stronger, earthier taste then the fresh sage, which is much lighter in taste.

8.) Dill– has an anise like flavor and is frequently used with pickles, fish and potatoes. It is great with yogurt sauces.

9.) Chives– This herb is wonderful with garlic mashed potatoes or anywhere you want a mild onion flavor. Like basil and thymes, it does need to be trimmed every week or so.

10.) Cilantro– It’s seeds are known as Coriander. This herb is at the center of a controversy. It has been suggested that the way one feels about Cilantro may run in families. In other words, it’s genetic. Whole families hate it and other whole families love it. Cilantro is considered essential to Spanish or Latin cooking and gives a kick to guacamole, salsa, and marinades.

11.) Mint- Like thyme, there are many variations and flavors to mint. It is a matter of personal choice. I like peppermint and I use it in remedies and also in teas, and with lamb. But you have to be careful when adding mint to a dish, too much and the food will taste like toothpaste. So go slowly.

So there is a basic plan for planting the Culinary Herbs and a little about each herb. To see some recipes using these herbs, go to the Recipe page.

If you want more information about herbs, please see my first book on herbs, Harvesting Wellness: Herbs For Cooking & For Symptom Relief, With Recipes.

If you would like to know more about Cilantro- get my freebee- A Guide To Cilantro