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Growing Herbs

Learn about the benefits of growing herbs, including health benefits and culinary uses. Discover tips for successful herb gardening, including soil testing and choosing the right herbs for your climate. Whether you're a beginner or experienced gardener, this guide will help you create a thriving herb garden.

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Growing Herbs

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  1. Growing Herbs Kent Phillips mailto:kent.a.phillips@gmail.com

  2. College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

  3. What is an herb? • Botanists: a small, seed bearing plant with fleshy, rather than woody, parts - "herbaceous“. • Trees, shrubs, annuals, vines, and more primitive plants, such as ferns, mosses, algae, lichens, and fungi valued for their flavor, fragrance, medicinal and healthful qualities, economic and industrial uses, pesticidal properties, and coloring materials (dyes). Bown, Deni. The Herb Society of America New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2001. p. 18

  4. Our Definition of Herb • A plant or part of a plant valued for its medicinal, savory or aromatic qualities. • When discussing herbs, the topic of spices naturally arises and the differences between the two are often questioned. For simplicity, we will use the definition that herbs are leaves, fresh or dried, while spices are generally made from seeds, roots, flowers, or bark.  • Our discussion will mostly be limited common herbs and to leaves, fresh or dried.

  5. Why Grow Herbs • Health benefits • Culinary uses • Enhance the flavor of food • Reduce salt use • Aroma therapy • Attractive plants in a mixed bed • Some are fantastic for attracting pollinators • Most are deer resistant because of essential oils in leaves

  6. Growing Herbs is Easy • Full / part sun • Tolerant of average soil • Wide variety of cultivars available • Can start from seed, cuttings or divisions • When starting seed follow instruction on back of packet • Grow well in containers & the garden • Great mixed in landscapes as ornamentals • Some attract pollinators (good bugs)

  7. Soil Test • Do a soil test • $15 is cheap compared to the money spent on seed and transplants • Soil pH from 6.2 to 6.8 is fine for herbs • Some herbs, specifically those from the Mediterranean like well drained soil • Don’t over fertilize • Can cause excessive growth, dilute essential oils leading to less intense flavor • Compost added to soil is sufficient

  8. Herb Bed Soil Test

  9. USDA Plant Hardiness Zones

  10. Last Frost Dates

  11. My Herb Garden

  12. Annual Herbs • Basil • Chamomile • Chervil • Cilantro/Coriander • Dill • Summer Savory

  13. Basil • Many varieties • Genovese (sweet), lemon, Thai, dark Opal • Heat loving plant • Transplant after all danger of frost is past (June 1) • Starting from seed • Start 6 to 8 weeks in advance of plant out date (mid April) • Provide bottom heat • Pruning • Pinch frequently above leaf nodes to keep plant bushy • Remove all flowers

  14. Coriander and Dill • Direct sow in garden • Both leaves and seed have culinary uses • Cool weather plants • Go to seed rapidly in hot weather • Continuously sow seed throughout season • Self sows readily • Attracts pollinators • Dill is a host plant for swallowtail

  15. Summer Savory • Start seeds indoors • 6 to 8 weeks prior to last frost • Seeds need light to germinate • Provide bottom heat • Move to separate pots after second set of true leaves • Plant transplants outdoors after last frost • Prefers higher pH soils

  16. Biennial or Perennial Herbs • Chives • Fennel • Lavender • Mint • Oregano • Parsley • Rosemary • Sage • Sorrel • Tarragon • Thyme

  17. Biennial or Perennial Herbs • When grown from seed, varieties, if not specified will be common varieties • If, like French tarragon, a specific variety is desired, transplants must be purchased • Many specific types of rosemary, thyme, mint and oregano can be purchased as transplants • I taste a purchased transplant to insure it’s labeled correctly • Plant after last frost

  18. Chives • Onion and garlic • Cool weather plant blooming late spring • Blossoms can be eaten, used as garnish or used to make chive (vinegar)

  19. Fennel • Cool weather plant if grown for bulb • Anise flavor • Frons and stems used in soups • Host to swallowtail caterpillar • Attracts pollinators if allowed to flower • Can self seed

  20. Lavender • Mostly grown for aroma • Harvest deep purple buds (stems) prior to bloom, strip leaves and hang to dry • Munstead and Hidcote are culinary varieties whose blossoms are used to add a subtly sweet citrus flavor to dishes

  21. Mint and Oregano • Both of these herbs can be invasive in the herb garden • May want to grow them in pots • If they bloom, can self seed and pop up in other parts of the garden • Oregano • Greek, Italian, Mexican • Mint • Peppermint, orange, chocolate, spearmint, etc.

  22. Parsley • Curly leaf and Italian • Start from seed indoors or out • Cool weather plant • Host for swallowtail caterpillar

  23. Rosemary • Half hardy perennial in our area • Many different varieties • Arp, Hardy, etc. • All noted for piney sent • Prefer well drained soil • Stems and leaves can be dried • If container grown, bring indoors in winter and water sparingly • See GIEI website and search for rosemary

  24. Sage • Prune out dead wood in spring • Some varieties have variegated leaves • Benefits from well drained soil • Can be mulched over the winter to improve survival

  25. Sorrel

  26. Tarragon (French) • Anise flavored leaves • Needs a cold dormant period • Prefers well drained soil • S/B purchased, seed is normally Russian variety • Use a good champagne vinegar to make tarragon vinegar

  27. Thyme • Thrives in well drained soil • Many varieties • English, lemon, caraway, orange balsam, etc. • Variegated • Prostrate or upright forms

  28. Insects and Disease • Less susceptible possibly because of their fragrance and flavors • Major insects: Aphids Whiteflies Mites Slugs

  29. Control of Diseases and Insects • Healthy plants resist insect predation, stressed plants invite insect predation • Mechanical control – preferred for light insect infestation • Chemical control of insects: • Home Remedies - insecticidal soap, Neem oil, lemon or vinegar spray • Registered pesticides - Safer’s Insecticidal Soap and EcoBlend Organic Insecticidal Soap

  30. References • https://www.herbsociety.org/herbs/documents/BeginnersHerbGarden_pdf.pdf • http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/AFSIC_pubs/srb9606.htm • http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/hortcult/herbs/ne208hrb.htm • http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/boulder/horticulture/pdf/Year-Round%20herb%20Garden.pdf

  31. References • http://www.caes.uga.edu/publications/pubDetail.cfm?pk_id=7751 • http://clark.wsu.edu/volunteer/mg/gm_tips/Herbs.html • Herb gardening from ground up , 2012 by Sal Gilbert and Larry Sheehan • Homegrown herbs, 2011 by Tammi Hartung Call no. 635.7 H • Beautiful easy herbs, 1997 by Laurence Sombke Call no. 635.7 S

  32. Resources Grow It! Eat It! http://www.extension.umd.edu/growit We have all types of practical food gardening tips and information. Check out our popular blog! Home and Garden Information Center http://www.extension.umd.edu/hgic Here you will find factsheets, photos, and videos. You can also subscribe to the free monthly e-newsletter. We answer gardening questions 24/7…just click “Ask Maryland’s Garden Experts” Maryland Master Gardener Program http://www.extension.umd.edu/mg Consider becoming a trained MG volunteer!

  33. This program was brought to you by the Maryland Master Gardener Program ______ County University of Maryland Extension

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