Herbs make such delightful kitchen garden plants. Beyond their obvious talents as spices for a variety of recipes, some species are beautiful flowering plants that add to your garden scenery. Others make great herbal teas and wine vinegars.
Herbs make marvelous indoor plants, container plants, and window box plants. The great variety of herbs likewise indicates a variety of soil conditions needed to be successful in your herbal projects. Many varieties of herbs are native to the Mediterranean area.
These herbs will thrive in a drier, nutrient poor soil. Some plants falling into this category include dill, sage, oregano, thyme, rosemary, hyssop, lemon, balm, and lavender. When planting these herbs make sure the soil drains well. It should frequently dry out. These herbs seem to like an occasional dose of lime. Essential oils produced by many of these herbs make them unique in the plant world.
The soil in your garden should mirror their native soil to insure their oil production.Some herbs that like a more nutrient soil of the typical garden are: parsley, chives, garlic, borage, French tarragon, basil and angelica. These plants also require more watering then their cousins from the Mediterranean area.
Sunlight is a common necessity for all herbs. Most of your herbs will do better in a no shade environment. There are exceptions to this rule, and some will do well with approximately six hours of sun. For you herbal tea lovers out there I would consider planting a tea garden. These herbs are ideal window ledge herbs because they are easy to care for and require little space. Have some fun experimenting with different blends from your tea garden.
Herbal delights are - will be - wonderful additions to your kitchen garden and recipes.