By Donna Hessel
There’s nothing like fresh herbs to add that “je ne sais quoi” to favorite entrees. But how do you grow the perfect herbs for your culinary masterpieces if you’ve moved to a smaller home or condo with limited garden space? Growing herbs in containers is the answer.
Any container with good drainage can be used to grow herbs. Most don’t have a large root system, so they will readily fit in smaller containers. In a large container, herbs that need the same levels of moisture and have similar growth habits can be grouped together. Some moisture-loving culinary herbs are basil, parsley and lemon balm. Cilantro, dill and chives also prefer consistent moisture. Mints of all varieties love moisture but are aggressive and should be grown in a separate container to prevent them from crowding out other herbs in the same pot.
Rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano are drought-tolerant and will thrive together. Herbs don’t need a lot of fertilizer. An organic compost mixed with the planting soil is all that’s needed.
Most herbs grow best in a location that gets six to eight hours of sun a day. Some herbs will tolerate partial shade—four to six hours of sun a day. Chives, used in many entrees, will grow in partial shade as well as in full sun. Its flowers are also edible and provide a pretty garnish in salads. Chervil leaves and flowers used to season poultry, seafood and veggies will grow in partial shade. Other herbs to consider are cilantro, parsley and lemon balm. Chamomile’s small white and yellow flowers can be dried for tea. It likes partial shade and well-drained soil.
Sweet Cicely (aka Sweet Chervil) is best grown in organically enriched soil in light to full shade. Its leaves can be cooked like spinach; the tap root can be used raw in salads or boiled. French tarragon should definitely be included in an herb collection for its licorice-like taste. Tarragon suffers in summer heat and prefers to be planted in a shaded pot.
Keep ‘em Cut
Herbs need to be snipped often to encourage continuous growth, but not more than one-third of the plant at once. If a plant flowers and goes to seed, the seasonal growth cycle is complete and it will no longer have new growth. Parsley can be stored in a water-filled glass in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. For longer storage, herbs can be frozen in ice cube trays in water or oil, whole or chopped. Frozen cubes emptied into plastic bags can be stored in the freezer for use as needed. Harvested herbs can also be dried in a food dehydrator or in an oven set on the lowest setting for about an hour and then stored in jars in a dark, cool space. In October before the first frost, remaining herbs can be harvested and dried or frozen. Parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme and mint can be repotted and grown indoors in a sunny spot.
Don’t let limited garden space limit your access to fresh herbs! Just go to your patio or deck containers of delicious herbs and snip away.
