Herbs add so much to the organic garden, everyone should devote some space to these forgiving plants. Herbs are useful in culinary and alternative medicine preparations, and herbs are ornamental in the flower and vegetable garden.
Starting Herbs from Seed
Annual herbs are the easiest to grow from seed. Cilantro, basil, dill, borage, and chervil mature quickly from seed-started plants. Gardeners can sow them directly in the garden, and in fact, the plants may self-sow if some plants are left to go the seed the previous season. Gardeners in cold areas can start basil or cilantro seeds 8 weeks before the last frost in a 50-50 mix of sharp sand and compost, but dill, borage, and chervil don’t transplant well and do best with direct sowing.
Caring for an Herb Garden
With the exception of lemon balm and mint, which are so vigorous that a partly shady spot will not slow them down, herbs require full sun to thrive. Many herbs have Mediterranean origins, and over-fertilizing or irrigating them will encourage rank growth with low oil content.
Herbs make an ideal subject for a container garden, and they allow the organic gardener to have a small edible windowsill garden in the winter. Like many indoor plants, herbs are susceptible to fungus gnats and spider mites. Prevent spider mites with a daily mist of fresh water, and catch fungus gnats with yellow sticky traps.
Herb Pests and Diseases
Organic gardeners must take care not to use any sprays on or around herbs, even organic sprays, as the slightest residue will impart a foul taste to the final harvest. Fortunately, the pungency of many herbs makes them unappealing to many garden pests. The most common pests affecting herbs growing outdoors are aphids. Sprinkle ashes from the fireplace on plants to suffocate aphids, and blast survivors away with ash residue the next day with the hose.
If gardeners notice large caterpillars feasting on their parsley or fennel plants, they shouldn’t rush to handpick these larvae. They are likely the immature form of swallowtail butterflies, which flock to these members of the carrot family.
Diseases in herb plants like root rots, damping-off, and wilts are usually a result of poor cultural practices. Organic gardeners can prevent these problems by giving herbs a spot in the garden with full sun and well-draining soil, and by spacing the plants properly to allow for air circulation.
Harvesting and Drying Herbs
The best time to harvest herbs is in the late morning, before the sun zaps the essential oils in the plants but after the dew has dried. Harvest leaves and stems from mature plants, but before the herbs flower, as the essential oils begin to decline after flowering.
Gardeners should resist the temptation to hasten drying by using a microwave or warm oven, as this destroys delicate oils. Instead, lay the herbs on a screen to promote air circulation that discourages mold. Dry the entire stems with leaves intact of herbs with small leaves, like rosemary or thyme. Slide the leaves off the stem when ready to use, and this slight crushing action will release the herb’s aroma.
Source:
National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
GOG101
Jamie McIntosh - Jamie has written hundreds of garden articles for the web, and is your guide to Flowers on About.com.
