Culinary Herbs 101:
Growing Culinary Herbs

by Louise Roback
Co-op member

Whatever your skills as a cook, there is nothing like fresh herbs to enliven the taste of your dishes. They add a fresh dimension to almost all food, and are healthy to boot. 

Confused about how to grow them? Here’s an herb growing primer. All culinary herbs do best in a sunny location with well-drained soil. The best location is near your kitchen door so you can run out and snip some herbs while cooking dinner. If you’re an apartment dweller and have a porch or other outdoor area, many herbs can be planted in medium to large pots if you can place them in sunlight, and remember to water daily because they’ll dry out more quickly than in the ground.

Some herbs, such as oregano and parsley, will produce throughout the season. And, sage is another longliver — it can be harvested even past the frost! Others, are best at particular times of the year. Chives, for example, are best in the spring. 

While you may purchase some herbs as starter plants, some , such as dill and cilantro can be started from seed. They come up very quickly, but to enjoy through the summer, you will need to re-seed every 3 weeks or so.

Perennials, like sage, tarragon and chives, will last for at least several years. Parsley is a biennial, meaning it completes its growing cycle in two years. I generally supplement last year’s plants with some new ones. You can start parsley indoors early from seed, but their germination rate is low (about 50%) so I opt for plants. 

Flat leaf, also called Italian, parsley is best for culinary use. Curly parsley in my view, is a garnish, though my mother for one loved to eat her garnishes. Here’s a chart to help you start your herb garden. Happy planting!

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