Growing Herbs - What you need to know
The following questions and answers will help you learn about herbs and
their requirements for growing. Click the link below for our Herb
encyclopedia which gives more specific information for each culinary herb.
1. How long is this plant going to live? What is the normal lifespan of this plant?
Most herbs are perennial except for some that are annual. Perennial
means that they will either stay evergreen all winter or will go
dormant over the winter season and come back again in the spring.
Annual herbs will only live over one season and are expected to live
from only 1-4 months, depending upon the plant before they will stop
leaf production, make flowers, and go to seed. An exception to the rule
is Parsley which is biennial and lives for about 1 year before going to
seed. See the chart below for specific herb's life spans.
2. How large is this plant going to be when fully mature? How big will it get?
Many herbs can get very large, some as big as 6 feet across! In order to
know how and where to plant them it is a good idea to know the expected
size of the plant 3 months after you plant or 3 years after. See the
chart below for specific herb sizes.
3. How much water and sun does my herb plant need?
Most herbs need about 4 hours of sunlight per day and on average
watering should be done when the soil feels dry to the touch. Some
herbs can be kept more moist such as Basil, others need to have soil
dry completely between watering such as Lavender. If you plant them
together in a large container or planter, you can water when the soil
feels dry and keep them in a half day of sun. Check the chart below for "dry" herbs and "moist" herbs and allow more sunshine for dry, and
slightly less for moist.
4. How do I harvest this herb for cooking and what kind of pruning does it need?
Generally harvesting herbs is like giving them a hair cut. Cutting off
the tips, down to a intersection of leaves, makes them branch out and
regrow as a fuller plant. Cut them regularly so they do not grow leggy
and never cut off more than a third of their growth at any one time.
Perennial herbs should be pruned back every fall, about a third to keep
them from getting too woody over the winter months and to encourage new
growth in Spring.
Annual Herbs: |
Perennial Herbs: |
|
Basil Cilantro(1 month only) Dill Arugula |
Rosemary Oregano Marjoram Thyme Sage Chives Lavender Lemon Verbena Mints Tarragon |
|
Herb Plant Sizes: |
|
Small: under 1 foot in diameter
Parsley, Dill, Chives, Cilantro, Arugula
|
|
Medium: 1-2 feet in diameter
Thyme, Tarragon, Basils, Marjoram, Chocolate Mint and Peppermint |
|
Large: 3 feet or more in diameter or over 4 feet high
Rosemary, Oregano, Lemon Verbena, Sages, Spearmint, Orange mint |
|
Sun Requirements and Moisture |
"Dry" Herbs: (better suited to dry, sunny, Mediterranean conditions)
Rosemary, Oregano, Marjoram, Sages,
Lavender, Thyme and Tarragon
"Moist" Herbs: (better suited to moist, cooler, and afternoon shaded locations)
Basils, Mints, Cilantro, Dill, Arugula, and Chives |
For more information, click on each individual herb in our:Growing Encyclopedia for Herbs
|
