Beginners Tips for Growing Outdoor Garden Herbs

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Inside: Growing outdoor garden herbs is pretty simple but there are a few tips on herb plants to help you pick the right plants and grow your own herbs

Every spring, I say that we are going to grow more herbs this year.  There’s nothing better than going out to the garden and picking herbs that are fresh and you’ve grown yourself.  It doesn’t always work out but this year we have managed to grow a few in pots including sage, parsley and also some quite impressive chillies.  So I can tell you that there’s not too much special knowledge to growing outdoor garden herbs – but here are some tips to get you started!

Caring for herb plants

Herbs are pretty tough things in most cases (apart from Basil, I seem to kill that one very easily) but there are some basics of caring for them that you need to commit to if you want them to produce enough leaves to harvest.  The basics of growing herbs boils down to:

Watering

Depending on what your climate is like, your garden and the weather conditions, you need to regularly water your herbs.  If you are growing herbs in pots, you will definitely need to water them daily as the shallow depth means water soaks through quicker.

Weeding

The aim is to let the herbs get the most nutrients from the soil and that means keeping other plants away.  What counts as weeds is always a little vague for me but any plants that are stealing goodness from your herb’s soil should be removed.

Pruning

A little delicate pruning is often key to getting the best harvest when growing outdoor garden herbs.  Might sound weird because you want the most possible leaves but by selectively pruning, you can keep the plants healthy and encourage more growth.

Harvesting

Most herbs will have a recommended time to harvest in terms of the time of year or the condition of the plant.  A lot of the time, leaves are tastiest before the flowers come along.  So know when is the right time to harvest.

Feeding

Herbs don’t need feeding the way some plants do but you can get specialist herb feed to give them a boost.  Compost or organic fertilisers can also help.

Mulching

Adding 2-4 inches of mulch around herbs can combat weed growth but make sure you avoid the crown of the plant.  It is also a good way to protect them in the colder months if you are leaving them outdoors.  Old compost, grass clippings, shredded leaves or proper mulch products can all be used.

Beginners outdoor garden herbs

The first thing I would say when it comes to choosing what herbs you grow is to think about what you will use.  For instance, if you always have chives in your salad, love to sprinkle oregano on a pizza but hate the flavour of fennel, then grow the first two and ignore the third. 

If you are looking for some inspiration, here are some of the most popular outdoor garden herbs.

Basil

I’ve mentioned that I don’t have the best of luck with it, mainly because I’m in the north of England and we get pretty cold winters.  If you are in warmer areas, then growing basil should be simple.  And you can grow it indoors (if you don’t have 9 cats like me who chew everything!)

Chives

Chives are the ultimate beginner’s herb plant for me.  We have a couple of plants that are three years old and just keep coming back each year.  Plus fresh herbs are so much better than any dried version that you can always find tons of uses for them.

Mint

There are actually loads of different mint plants and they share two things in common – the minty flavour (obviously) and the fact that they are really easy to grow.  Mint is one of those herbs better in a pot simply because it will take over the garden if you let it.  Sage and parsley, you know I’m talking about you two as well!

Coriander

Coriander is generally a ‘grow it and use it’ plant that is an annual – this means it only lives a year.  It is easy to grow and produces plenty of leaves, so you can harvest it hard and not have to worry about killing it.

Dill

Dill isn’t one of my favourite herbs, so we don’t normally have it but in terms of growing your own herbs, it is very similar to coriander – an annual plant that is easy to grow and great to pair with salmon.  Don’t be put off if you hear it called dill weed, it is just an old name for it.

 Parsley

Parsley comes in flat leaf and curly forms and both are enthusiastic growers.  Like mint, they are best in pots, so you can control them.  The leaves are plentiful, and you can make your own pesto as well as many other things.

Rosemary

I love the smell of rosemary when in the garden and it does produce lovely little flowers in white, pink or purple depending on the variety so makes for a pretty addition to the garden as well as a practical plant.

Sage

Sage comes in lots of different varieties including some attractive purple ones.  Like mint and parsley, it goes a bit nuts when it has space to add it to a pot or a raised bed to restrict it a little.

What goes where?

Armed with your ideas about what to grow and how to cover the basics of their care, it is important to look at the plant itself.  There should be some information about it if you get a plant or even seeds that will tell you where it lives to be planted, when it should be planted and when you can start the harvest. 

Each herb will be different and even different varieties can have their own requirements.  Check you can fulfil these before you buy, or you might not get the best results from your plants. Some may be better grown indoors, depending on what your climate is like.

Growing outdoor garden herbs is great fun and there’s something very satisfying when you add ingredients to a dish you have grown yourself.  Plus they smell fantastic.  Even if you have a very small garden, you can have a pot or two with herbs in them and windowsills are also ideal for herb plants.  So there’s no reason why you can’t have a go!

Have you tried growing herbs before?  What was your favourite?  And what would you love to try?  Hit the comments and let me know!