Even a small herb garden provides plenty of fresh herbs for summer cooking. It won’t be long before these plants will be ready for sampling. With judicious picking, most herbs can be harvested continuously for several months.
If you have available yard or garden space, you can plant a kitchen herb garden. When choosing the location for your garden, keep in mind that most vegetables and herbs need as much sun as possible to do their best. Good drainage is also a must, so avoid low-lying areas where water collects. An ideal location would be a few steps from your kitchen, but any spot that gets about six hours of sun a day is good. Herbs can be added to any garden, and perennial herbs provide years of fresh herbs.
By planting herbs that are most often used in cooking, you can pick what you need all summer:
- Basil
- Sage
- Oregano
- Common thyme
- Sweet marjoram
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Parsley
- Chives
- Cilantro
To prepare your area for planting, loosen the soil. If the soil is compacted or consists of heavy clay, improve drainage by adding some compost, peat moss or coarse sand. Work the material into the top foot of soil before you plant.