7
Important Things to Know
Outdoors
About Growing Herbs
When considering which herbs to grow in your herb garden, keep in mind that their lifespans vary.
2. Where your herbs grow matters.
Most of these plants need at least 6 hours of sun per day—more if they can get it.
If your climate receives at least 1 inch of rainfall per week, you probably won’t need to water herbs growing in the ground. However, plants in containers may require watering as often as once per day during hot, dry weather.
Overly fertile soil can be bad for some herbs, since it dilutes their flavor. If you feel the need to feed your plants, just add a little compost to their soil.
5. Strategic pruning can increase yields.
You can harvest herbs for cooking as you need them throughout the growing season, cutting softer varieties back by as much as a half and woody types—such as rosemary—by one-third.
Most sources recommend harvesting herbs to be dried just before they flower, when their flavor should be at its most intense.
7. Most herbs can be dried and used throughout the year.
Hang them to dry for a week or two. Then, strip the foliage from the stems and discard the stems. Store the dried herbs in air-tight containers in a cool and dim place.