12 Easy Herbs To Grow In Your Garden

Basil

• Botanical Name: Ocimum basilicum
• Sun Exposure: Full to Partial Sun
• Soil Type: Well-draining, Rich
• Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral (6.0-7.5)
  
  If you try growing just one herb, make it basil. This heat-loving herb is among the easiest to grow and the most widely used in the kitchen—from Italian to Thai dishes and everything in between. Basil can be started from transplants or direct seeded after the threat of frost has passed. Harvest foliage regularly to prevent plants from blooming. Flowering leads to woody growth and more bitter flavors. Several newer basil varieties are listed as non-flowering or slow to flower.

Dill

• Botanical Name: Anethum graveolens
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Soil Type: Well-draining, Low Fertility
• Soil pH: Slightly Acidic (5.5 to 6.7)

Dill is grown for both its edible foliage, which is often referred to as dill weed, and for its seeds. When using dill to pickle vegetables, all the above-ground plant parts—stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds—can be utilized. Dill plants do not like to be transplanted, so it is best to start plants from seed. Unlike many herbs, the flavor of dill foliage is best once the plant begins to flower. For hot dishes, add dill at the end of cooking, after dishes have been removed from heat, as dill loses its flavor when cooked.

Chives

• Botanical Name: Allium schoenoprasum
• Sun Exposure: Full to Partial Sun
• Soil Type: Well-draining, Rich
• Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral (6.0-7.5)
  

Chives are a perennial herb, growing as a dense clump of slender bulbs. Plants can be grown from seeds, transplants, or divisions. Chives are cold-tolerant and may remain evergreen in mild climates. In colder areas, the foliage dies back over winter and should be cut back before growth resumes in spring. Harvest foliage as needed by cutting within 1 to 2 inches of the soil with sharp scissors or shears. Older leaves will be tougher than the new ones. Flavor becomes more pungent in hot weather.

Thyme

• Botanical Name: Thymus vulgaris
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Soil Type: Dry, Well-draining
• Soil pH: Neutral to Alkaline (7.0-8.0)

Thyme is a perennial herb adapted to dry, rocky soils. Plants require excellent drainage and are drought tolerant once established. Seed germination is uneven, so it is best to start thyme from transplants. Once established, thyme is low maintenance, but benefits from being cut back to 5 to 6 inches when it becomes leggy. Also cut back overwintered plants to about 6 inches in early spring to reduce woody growth. The flavor of thyme is best just before plants begin to flower.

Oregano

• Botanical Name: Origanum vulgare
• Sun Exposure: Full to Partial Sun
• Soil Type: Dry, Well-draining
• Soil pH: Neutral to Alkaline (7.0-8.0)

Oregano is a perennial herb with a distinctive, recognizable flavor widely used to season tomato sauces (think pizza). Several closely related species, subspecies, and hybrids are grown for their unique flavor profiles, including sweet marjoram and Greek oregano. Oregano retains its flavor very well when dried. For the best flavor, harvest in spring and early summer, just as the flower buds form. However, oregano can be harvested anytime for fresh use.

Cilantro

• Botanical Name: Coriandrum sativum
• Sun Exposure: Full to Partial Sun
• Soil Type: Well-draining, Rich
• Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral (6.5-7.0)

Cilantro gives you two herbs in one easy-to-grow package. The tender leaves are used fresh in Asian and Latin American cooking, including salsas. The seeds, called coriander, are a staple in Indian cooking. Cilantro is a cool-season annual, best grown for its foliage in spring and fall. Hot temperatures cause plants to flower, which diminishes the flavor of the foliage, but leads to seed production for coriander harvest. While cilantro is easy to grow from seed, you do need to pay attention to temperatures and plan your crop for the cooler parts of the year, especially in hot climates. 

Mint

• Botanical Name: Mentha species
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
• Soil Type: Well-draining
• Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral (6.0-7.0)

Mint is a perennial plant that spreads readily by rhizome (underground stem). The only real challenge of growing mint is containing it–this plant wants to grow and spread. While it makes an excellent groundcover, most gardeners plant mint in containers to keep it contained or plant it in an isolated area of the garden. Look for a place where you don’t mind it spreading. Peppermint, spearmint, and lemon mint are the most aggressive growers. Apple mint and pineapple mint tend to be better behaved. Each has a distinct flavor.

Sage

• Botanical Name: Salvia officinalis
• Sun Exposure: Full to Partial Sun
• Soil Type: Dry, Well-draining, Low Fertility
• Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral (5.6-7.8)

Sage is a perennial herb that looks beautiful planted among flowering perennials and shrubs. Several varieties are available, with foliage color varying from silver to purple to multi-hued. Plants benefit from pruning early in the growing season to limit woody growth and encourage continued production of young, tender shoots with strong flavor. Cut 6 to 8 inches (or up to half the total height) from the shoot tips at least twice during spring and summer. You can harvest leaves as needed throughout the growing season. Flavor is best before plants flower.

Lemon Balm

• Botanical Name: Melissa officinalis
• Sun Exposure: Full to Partial Sun
• Soil Type: Well-draining, Poor to Average
• Soil pH: Acidic to Neutral (5.0-7.5)

A member of the mint family, lemon balm is a perennial herb grown for its lemon-scented foliage. The leaves are used to flavor teas or as a garnish. Plants can self-sow and spread by rhizome, so be sure to plant it in a location where you don’t mind some spreading. You can also keep lemon balm contained by growing it in pots. The flavor of lemon balm is best when plants are grown in average to poor soils. Young foliage is more flavorful than older leaves.

Fennel

• Botanical Name: Foeniculum vulgare
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun
• Soil Type: Well-draining, Rich
• Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral (6.0-7.5)

Fennel is a short-lived perennial herb with an anise-like flavor used in a variety of cuisines. The foliage is used to flavor fish, salads, and egg dishes, while the seed is used in Italian sausage, Chinese five-spice powder, and Indian garam masala. Fennel is also grown for its ornamental traits. Plants grow 4 to 6 feet tall, producing fine, feathery foliage. The biennial variety Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum is grown for its enlarged, bulb-like stems which are eaten as a vegetable. Fennel reseeds readily in the garden. Cut seed heads to prevent spread.

Lemongrass

• Botanical Name: Cymbopogon citratus
• Sun Exposure: Full to Partial Sun
• Soil Type: Moist, Well-draining, Rich
• Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral (6.0-7.5)

Lemongrass is a common ingredient in Asian dishes. Native to the tropics, lemongrass is only winter hardy in zones 8-11. Elsewhere, it can be grown as an annual or overwintered indoors in containers. As its name suggests, lemongrass is indeed a grass, and can be used ornamentally to add texture to the garden. Each long, lemon-scented leaf blade reaches 2 to 4 feet tall. Stems have a bulbous base and are commonly simmered in curries and stews to add their distinct flavor. Individual stems can be harvested from the edges of a growing clump as needed.

Borage

• Botanical Name: Borago officinalis
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Well-draining, Rich
• Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Slightly Alkaline (6.0-8.0)

Borage is an annual herb with many uses in the garden and kitchen. The vivid blue flowers attract pollinating bees making it an excellent addition to fruit and vegetable gardens. The flowers are also edible, along with young foliage, both of which taste like cucumbers. You will want to harvest and eat the leaves when they are young, before they develop hair. Borage does not tolerate transplanting well, but fortunately is easy to grow from seed sown directly in the garden.