Herbs in the Garden A-Z Tips

Catnip- it's not just for cats

Catnip makes a wonderfully fragrant and delicious tea. It is relaxing and tastes good for most everyone. Plant some for both you and your cat!

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Catnip

Catnip is another popular tea herb. It's a mint, and
spreads like one in the garden...and yard, and
anywhere else it likes. Catnip prefers full sun, and you
may want to container-plant this one.

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Thyme

Thyme will grow up to 15 inches tall.
It makes a nice border plant, preferring full sun,
started most easily from a cutting. Some varieties
tend to spread, and for those, container planting
might be your best choice.

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Watercress

Watercress is a good source of iron and other
minerals. It, like horsetail, can be a nice
addition to a water garden. Watercress does require
standing or running water to grow, in most cases.

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Start With A Small Potted Plant

It's best to buy your first angelica plant in a pot.
The seeds die quickly after falling from the mother plant,
and you'll have much better luck the first time out
with a small potted plant as a starter for your garden.

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Oregano

Oregano is a mint, so grows easily from cuttings.
Yes, it can take over your garden, so you might want
to plant it in a container. Oregano prefers full
sun to partial shade and grows to a height of 1 to
3 feet.

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Fennel for mother's milk

Fennel is said to increase the supply of a breastfeeding mother. Fragrant and delicious in a tea blend, this is an easy addition for any mom to include in her diet.

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A Few Words About Angelica

Angelica is a biennial, and a giant in any herb garden.
It grows into long, tubular stalks that will branch off
into forks of smaller branches that have flat green
leaves. In late spring to early summer, large purple hued
flower stalks will appear, sometimes up to
seven feet tall, and are stunning in any herb garden.
Big clusters of yellow flowers open at the tops, and
from these flowers will the new seeds spring.

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Basil and Tomatoes

I like to plant my basil and tomatoes in the same bed.
Basil is said to enhance the flavor of the tomatoes.
Besides, I just take them in the house and cook them
together anyway!

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Growing Motherwort

Motherwort is a beautiful herb that any herb garden would benefit from. It grows 2 to 4 feet tall and flowers from mid to late summer.

Stratify the seeds for several weeks. Sow directly outdoors. The seeds germinate in about 2 weeks. The nice thing is that Motherwort can tolerate any amount of light, from full sun to partial shade. Harvest the aerial parts from spring to fall.

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Lavender

Lavender is best started from a cutting. It has a
very woody stem and will grow into a bush about
3 feet in height.

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Hyssop

Hyssop prefers full sun to partial shade and needs
well-drained soil. It grows to a height of 2 or 3
feet. Harvest both leaves and flowers for tea.

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Growing Basil

Basil is started easily from seed, sown outside after
threat of frost. It grows to 2 feet tall, prefers
full sun, and is not invasive.

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Growing Dill

Dill grows easily from seed, prefers full sun, and
reaches a height of about 3 feet.
If you don't collect every seed, you'll have it all
over the place, so harvest those seed heads with care.

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Parsley

Parsley is a biennial plant, easily started from
seed. It prefers full sun to partial shade and
does not spread. I like to use it as a border,
as it only grows to about 12 inches in height.

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German Chamomile

German Chamomile grows to a height of 2 feet or so
and is easily started from seed. It prefers full sun
to partial shade and is not invasive.

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Roman Chamomile

Roman Chamomile only grows to a height of 3 to 12
inches, and can be placed in a garden path,
releasing the scent every time it is walked upon.
It prefers full sun, and can be started from seed.
It does spread.

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French Tarragon

French Tarragon likes full sun or partial shade, and
is best started from cuttings. It grows to only
about 18 inches high, and does not spread.

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Valerian

Valerian can be planted in full sun, but plant it
among other herbs, as it prefers its roots to stay
cool. I burned up several plants by planting them
next to a west-facing wall in full sun.

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Angelica's Best Climate

Angelica is native to northern areas, and in a hot climate,
growing angelica may prove very difficult. If you live where
the summers are milder, angelica will grow easily.

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Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm, also called "Melissa," is a delight in
the garden or in your tea cup. It's a member of
the mint family, and has a lacy edged leaf and nice
lemony flavor. It can be started either from seed
or cutting; I have found cuttings to work best.
It is invasive (it's a mint!).

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Borage

Borage, a great tea herb, is started easily from seed.
I like to use it as a border, because it usually
doesn't reach much more than 1 1/2 to 2 feet in height.
Borage will reseed itself year after year.

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Nutrition in your lawn

Dandelion is high in Vitamin A, Protein, Potassium, C, K, D, and B complex, iron, manganese, phosphorus and trace minerals. This unassuming herb also tastes wonderful!

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Rosemary

Rosemary grows best in a warm location, partially
protected from winds. It has a woody stem, and can
break easily in high winds, when it reaches a height
of 3 feet or so. It bushes nicely, and can live more
than a decade, so plant it where you want it to stay!

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Chives

Chives can be started by seed, or by division (if you get a good clump going, divide it and reap the reward!). Chives prefer full sun and are not invasive.....unless they are "Garlic Chives."

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Growing Coriander/Cilantro

Coriander/Cilantro is easily started from seed,
prefers full sun, and grows to a height of 1 1/2 to
2 feet. It will self-seed.

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Easy Growing Borage

Borage is very easy to grow. It's an annual, and it will
die away shortly after it blooms/flowers, but it will
self-seed, so you can have a few crops of it in one
season.

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Oatstraw

Oatstraw grows very easily from seed.
Harvested and dried while still green,
it is full of silicic acid and calcium, and
makes a nice, mild-flavored tea. A great way
to add calcium to your diet.

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Bee Balm

Bee Balm is one of my favorite tea herbs. It prefers
full sun to partial shade, and grows to a height of
about 4 feet. If you start with a cutting, it will
seed itself nicely year after year. The bright
purple to light pink flower is a lovely addition to
your garden.

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Horsetail

Horsetail is rich in silica. It grows best in moist
soil with full sun. I live in Oklahoma, and here,
the best place to grow horsetail is in a water garden.

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Growing Angelica

You'll need well drained soil, and lots of room for
angelica to grow. The soil can be from rather dry to
moist, and angelica will thrive in a sunny to partly
shady area.

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