Herb GardeningCynthia SandbergLove Apple Farms

www.LoveAppleFarms.com

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Class Introduction

Class Structure

● Perennial vs. Annual● Warm weather vs. Cool weather● Siting and Sun Requirements ● Starts vs. Seeds● Descriptions of individual herbs● Propagating by cuttings

BREAK● Flat sowing● Flat care● Planting out● Container Growing● Fertilizing with Worm Casting Tea

“Annual” Herbs●Live for a season or a

year●Must be sown or

planted every year ●Usually tender with

thin, fragile leaves ●Allows you to redesign

your garden yearly ●Biennials: Live for up

to 2 years (example: Parsley, Lovage)

Warm Weather vs. Cool WeatherAnnuals

● Should not be planted before last frost

● Require full sun● Usually started from seed

indoors in winter/early spring and transplanted outside in late spring/early summer

● Can be grown all year but should be shaded in summer

● Will bolt quickly in warm weather

“Perennial” Herbs●Live for more than 2

years●Placed permanently

in garden unless planted in container

●Woody: Must be pruned every winter for health and growth

●Herbaceous: Dies back in winter and grows again in spring

Pruning Woody Perennials● Remove any dead branches at base● Cut down to 1/3 of original size● Use loppers, clippers, heavy gloves

Siting Your Herb Garden● Close to your kitchen for easy harvesting ● Most herbs want full sun but will tolerate partial shade● Perennial herbs are there to stay unless you transplant● Rosemary, geraniums and lavender can get big and bushy

Herb Garden Design Ideas

Herb Wheel at Original Love Apple

Herb Spiral (Popular in Permaculture)

Beautiful sunken herb

garden. These are actually

pots dug into the ground

Container Herb Gardens

Rosemary● Evergreen perennial - cut back by half in winter to keep it from

becoming too woody● Will grow almost anywhere - sun, shade, cold, hot● Edible purple flower ● Can be grown from seed● Easy to propagate from cuttings

Salvia● Aka "Sage"● Ornamental or culinary ● Many different cultivars (arboretum at Cabrillo College)● “Common sage” is culinary sage● Evergreen perennial - cut back in winter● Not hardy everywhere ● Can be grown from seed● Easy to propagate from cuttings

RED CARADONNA COMMON SAGE

Tarragon● Herbaceous perennial (dies back in winter)● Difficult to start as cutting● Best to purchase plant from nursery● Unable to grow French variety from seed● Mild anise flavor

Thyme● Cultivars: Regular, Orange,

Lemon, Lime, Wooly, Creeping, etc.

● Woody perennial ● Can be started from seed● Easy to propagate from cuttings

Oregano● Herbaceous perennial that can continue to be evergreen in mild

climates● Lots of cultivars● Cut back each year● Can be started from seed

Sweet Marjoram● Woody perennial● Cut back each year● Start from seed or cutting

Stevia● Naturally sweet - 50X sweeter

than sugar. Good for diabetics● Seed requires light to germinate

(so don’t cover seed with soil). ● Dies above ground in winter,

regrows in spring (herbaceous perennial)

Chives● Can live for several years● Start from seed ● Dies back in winter and regrows in spring● Plant in bunches of 4 - 5● Edible purple flower● Round and hollow● Requires supplemental nitrogen fertilizing● Can propagate from seed or division

Garlic Chives● Same culture as regular chives● Aka Chinese Leeks ● Flat leaf blade● Edible white flower ● Mild garlic flavor● Susceptible to black aphids

French Sorrel● Leafy perennial● Lemony flavor● Cut off flower spikes● Prefers partial shade ● High yielding crop

● Start from seed, prick out in bunches of 3 - 4

● Harvest by pulling or cutting larger leaves

● Can harvest through winter in mild climates

Cat Nip

● Herbaceous perennial

● Beautiful blue flowers

● Low growing● Your cat’s mileage

may vary depending on what they think of it

Bronze Fennel

● Different than bulbing fennel

● Harvest by cutting leaves, or fronds

● Start from seed and prick out

● Can be sown directly● Annual that resows itself

well● Warm-weather lover● Can get 3 feet tall● Edible yellow umbel

flower

Dill● Warm-weather lover● Start from seed and prick out in bunches● Can be sown directly● Annual - resow every year● Can grow 2 feet tall● Edible yellow umbel

flower

Basil● Annual, resow each year● Warm-weather lover● Start from seed and prick out 1 - 2 per pot ● Pinch top leaves to promote branching● Cut off edible flower spikes to increase season

‘Genovese’ ITALIAN BASIL SWEET THAI BASIL

Basil

LIME BASIL

‘Red Rubin’ BASIL

LEMON BASIL

Pinching Tops

● Technique to promote branching, rather than plant being one long, spindly branch

● Use on basils, mints, & cuttings (after they have rooted)

BASIL SPROUTS SHOWING COTYLEDONS AND FIRST SET OF TRUE LEAVES PRICKED OUT BASIL SEEDLING

Pinching Tops

● Pinch off 2nd set of true leaves above node where 1st leaves are connected

● Causes plant to grow 2 branches from this node● When new branches grow 2 sets of leaves, pinch off those top

leaves

Flat Leaf Italian Parsley

● Better flavor than curly leaf used for garnishing

● Biennial● Slow to germinate and grow● Takes extreme temperatures● Sow in flats and prick out or sow

directly in ground● Edible green umbel flower

Cilantro● Aka Coriander ● Cool-weather loving annual● Bolts quickly in warm weather● Can sow directly● Edible white flowers● Let seeds dry on plant and save seeds for cooking or resowing next

crop

Chervil● Mild licorice flavor● Annual● Can be sown directly● Edible white flowers● Popular in France ● Prefers partial shade

Mints● Peppermint, Spearmint, Apple Mint, Chocolate Mint, Persian Mint● All invasive - put in pots separately or plant in areas where other

perennials fail (tough to grow spots)● Grow from seed or cuttings● Will die back a bit in winter, and regrow in spring● A must-have for Mojitos and Mint Juleps

Shiso - ‘Britton’

● Also known as Perilla● Grow like Basils● Essential part of a good

fresh spring roll● Very popular in Asian

cultures● Tastes like a cross

between basil, mint, anise and cinnamon

Chamomile

● Pungent lower used fresh or dried for tea● Excellent as a cut flower● Resows nicely each spring● Annual● Can get tall (3 feet)

Steps to Propagate Cuttings

1. Cut a 3" piece of the plant○ Piece must have terminal bud (growing tip)

2. Remove leaves from most of lower part of stem○ Node: At least one should be under the soil

Steps to Propagate Cuttings3. Fill small pots with good quality potting soil, then water thoroughly

○ Dip cutting in rooting hormone, if desired (not required)○ Make hole with pencil and place cutting in hole○ Compact soil around stem to prop it up○ Don't have too many leaves above soil (no roots to take up water

to them)○ Water again

Steps to Propagate Cuttings4. Keep constantly moist in partial shade

○ No direct sunlight 5. Cutting will take a month to root6. After a month, start hardening off cutting by putting it in direct sun for a few hours in the morning

Break and Cuttings

Flat Sowing Instructions1. Write on labels in pencil only2. Sow 3 cells at least of each type of herb3. Place label in upper left cell4. Sow on surface - no divot5. Don't put in label until you are ready to sow6. Keep to number of seeds per cell written on canister or seed packet

- seeds are very small! Oversowing will hurt the seedlings!7. Pass in circle, clockwise. Seeds will go around several times8. Put lids back on tight after selecting. Only have 1 container open at

a time

Example of Labels in Top Left48 cells per tray

3 cells per veg = 16 possible different veg to sow

Seeds to choose from today● Tarragon● Stevia● Shiso - Britton● Thyme - German Winter● Catnip● Bronze Fennel● Rosemary● Basil - Genovese, Thai, Lemon, Lime, Red Rubin● Mint - Common● Chives● Chamomile● Sage - Common● Dill● Parsley● Marjoram● Chervil● Garlic Chives

Seedling Tray Care

● Water 3 times and cover with plastic● Optimal soil temperature: 70-75 degrees● Use instant-read meat thermometer to monitor temp ● Remove plastic cover once seeds sprout● Put flat outside during day and bring in at night

Seedling Tray Care● Transplant into small containers once seedlings show several sets

of leaves● Transplant deeper than they were before● Put transplants outside in sun during day, inside at night● Fertilize transplants with Worm Casting Tea

Container Growing● Containers need to be fertilized

monthly with Worm Casting Tea or liquid organic fertilizer

● Perennial herbs need to be repotted to bigger pots annually or divided

● When planting in 15 gallon pot add:○ 1 cup G&B 4-6-3○ ½ cup Bone Meal