Culinary herbs can beautify your landscape, enhance your meals | Sally Scalera
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If you're not already growing at least one culinary herb, consider giving it a try.
Many herbs are well adapted to container gardening because of their small size. The containers can be placed on patios, porches, or balconies, and herbs with a cascading habit are easy to harvest in hanging baskets.
Most herbs grow best in full sun (though some grow well in partial to full shade), can be grown throughout the landscape, and they are all delicious when added to a meal.
Below are some herbs that can be planted in full sun and enriched soil. If you have not already added organic matter (i.e., mushroom compost, compost, earthworm castings, etc.) to your sandy soil, do so before planting these herbs. Be sure to also inoculate the planting holes of all your plants with a variety of bacteria and mycorrhizae to get the biology back into your dirt.
Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a popular annual that is the main ingredient in pesto. There are many types, from large to small-leaved varieties, with leaf colors ranging from green to purple. This plant can be started easily from seed and grown in full sun or partial shade. The tender green leaves can be used fresh or dried in soups, stews, sauces, meat, fish, eggs, salads or with vegetables.
Dill (Anethum graveolens) is the plant whose young leaves and fully developed green fruits (seeds) give dill pickles their name. This herb is an erect, strong-smelling annual that grows to 4 feet, though some cultivars grow much smaller. Attractive yellow flowers are produced in large umbels. Dill grows easily from seed. The leaves can be used fresh or dried along with the dried seeds in soups, stews, sauces, fish, eggs, pickles, salads and vegetables. This plant is also a host plant for the eastern black swallowtail butterfly, so if you see caterpillars, just buy more plants so you all have enough to eat.
Mints are some of the easiest-to-grow perennial herbs in Florida. Spearmint (Mentha spicata) and peppermint (Mentha piperita) are two of the most popular mints. Mints are easiest to start from cuttings or you can buy a 4-inch pot from a nursery. Mints prefer moist soil and can tolerate shade to full sun. The leaves and flowering tops can be used either fresh or dried. Mints can also be grown in hanging baskets (for easier harvesting), containers, or in the landscape as a ground cover. If mints are planted in the ground, they will take over if they have ample water.
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Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) grows well in full sun to full shade. The fresh leaves can be used in soups, stews, sauces, meat, fish, eggs salads and vegetables or chewed to freshen the breath. When harvesting parsley leaves, just remove the outer leaves, leaving the central growth alone. Parsley looks attractive in hanging baskets, containers, and in the landscape. Parsley is another host plant for the eastern black swallowtail butterfly.
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are perennial and can be started from seed but will take a long time to produce plants large enough to use in your cooking. The hollow, tubular leaves of chives are used fresh in dressings, soups, omelets, potatoes, etc. Chives can be grown in pots, planted in the landscape as a border, or in a rock garden. It is a good practice to dig up the plants, cut them into sections and replant them every three to four years. The more water the plants receive, the larger the leaves will grow. Chives do not dry well, but they can be chopped and frozen in water in an ice cube tray.
Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) is a winter annual that has lacy foliage with a wonderful anise flavor. Make a note on your calendar to purchase seeds and sow them in October or November. This herb needs a shadier location and is easy to grow from seed. Chervil can be used to season seafood, poultry, omelets, soups, salads and vegetables. It is very popular in France and is one of the four herbs found in the French herb mixture Fines herbes. Because chervil is a delicate herb, it is best to add it near the very end of cooking to preserve its flavor.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a woody shrub that can grow up to 4 feet or more. It can be grown in full sun to partial shade and in well-drained soils. The fresh leaves can be used with meat, fish, game, vegetables, cheese, eggs, soups, stews, sauces and salads. The dried stems, that have been stripped of their leaves can be burned in the fireplace for the aroma or placed in the grill to flavor the food.
Oregano (Origanum heracleoticum) is a low-growing, perennial ground cover for well-draining soils. The fresh leaves can be used in stews, soups, cheese, eggs, bread, meat, shellfish, vegetables and pizza. The leaves have the best flavor when the flowers are beginning to bloom. Oregano also makes a great ground cover where there is a slope and possible erosion.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a shrubby perennial that comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Usually, it is a small-growing plant less than 1½ feet tall, with very tiny gray-green leaves. Purplish flowers are formed at the ends of the stems. To harvest, remove the top one-third portion of the plant when in full bloom and spread it on newspaper in a well-ventilated room to dry. When dry, strip the leaves and flowering tops from the stem and store them in containers.
After planting the herbs, regardless of if they are in the ground or in a container, be sure to do the following two things:
Re-mineralize the soil by applying a rock or volcanic powder (i.e., Azomite, etc.) around the herbs. This will provide important trace elements that will increase the nutrition of your herbs.
Inoculate your plants with beneficial soil microbes using a liquid inoculum (for more information on this step, email me at sasc@ufl.edu ) that has a large variety of bacteria and both endo and ectomycorrhizae. These microorganisms will help your herbs grow their best. Mix the recommended amount for one gallon of water and water the root balls of your plants.
This can be repeated just for good measure.
This is just a partial list of some of the culinary herbs that can be grown throughout your landscape, container garden or vegetable garden. Why not start with one of your favorite herbs, like oregano for your nachos.
Everyone can enjoy the flavor of home-grown herbs by growing parsley in a hanging basket, chives in a pot on your balcony or rosemary along your front walk.
Sally Scalera is an urban horticulture agent and master gardener coordinator for the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences. Email sasc@ufl.edu.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Here's a list of culinary herbs that grow well in Brevard County
