Previously we wrote about the basic herbs one can grow easily in a home garden, basically in pots. Of course herbs can be grown in the ground also but the majority of them need really well drained soil which is what makes pots a nice method for being sure their roots don’t stay too wet. As we stated before be sure to always use a potting medium if you are going to use pots, don’t use any product which has a different description as it will be too heavy for the roots. Those of us here at Nature’s Friends Landscaping can help you with your choices if you need suggestions.
As mentioned before there are some additional herbs which are easy to grow and are widely available to us. These are dill, sage, thyme, coriander (cilantro), oregano and lavender. These are all very useful in the home, whether in the kitchen or used for scent. The most outstanding of the scented herbs is the lavender; it also makes a wonderful landscape plant in the right environment. The growing requirements of this plant are similar to rosemary in that, once established, they need a sunny, fast draining, somewhat dry location. They will reward you with a beautiful plant with wonderful scent.
Sage is another pretty herb which doesn’t like to have ‘wet feet,’ meaning again that a sunny, fast draining location is prime. This one comes in different leaf color variations from which you can create an attractive pot even if you don’t use it in the kitchen! But its flavor is always welcome to a number of recipes.
Dill is a wonderful addition to many dishes for every time of day. In addition the appearance is light and feathery which is always appealing, so it can be used as a decorative plant also to bring lightness to other plants with solid leaves. But the flavor is so wonderful we can’t imagine not using it in the kitchen.
Thyme is a beautiful plant, a bit on the tiny side as the leaves grow very small on stems which will spread out eventually to make a really pretty ground cover. It will grow almost anywhere there is decent soil and some sun; and it has some varieties with different leaf colors and textures which make it very interesting.
The cilantro is well known in Mexican dishes, and is another easy to grow herb. It doesn’t love extremely hot, humid weather so sometimes in our area it will do best early in the season. And of course oregano is another popular herb that is easy to grow. It also comes in several varieties but is pretty easy going in the garden.
Just remember that all of these herbs like a good bit of sun so be sure whether they are in pots or in the ground that they are located somewhere that is sunny!