The Collard Family

Welcome to the Place of Growing Herbs

Welcome to the world of herb gardening! Herb gardens are delightful, aromatic, and a fantastic addition to any home. 

An herb is a plant with non-woody plant tissue. For the purpose of The Harvest Doctor Herb Garden Guide, an herb is a plant you can grow for culinary, medicinal, spiritual, or aromatic purposes. 

The Harvest Doctor Herb Garden Guide covers

1. Optimal Herb Garden Environment

2. Types of Herb Gardens

3. Harvesting Herbs from Your Herb Garden

When placed in this context, a world of possibilities are open to us!

Why Should You Grow an Herb Garden?

Herb gardens have many benefits:

1. Herb gardens instantly brings you into a community of other gardeners who love herbs
2. Herb gardens are low maintenance
3. Herb gardens will cut down your grocery bill because herbs are expensive
4. Herb gardens can grow a business like gardening or skin care
5. Herb gardens can thrive in many environments 
6. You can sell herbs and make a profit
7. Many herbs can withstand frost
8. You can grow herbs to make cocktails and healthy juice blends

The possibilities of herb gardens are endless!

These Herb Families are very common in Kitchen Gardens in the United States and are often the most requested plants for herb garden installations. 

Lamiaceae includes popular herbs like mint, basil, lavender, rosemary, and oregano. making up the Mint family. These herbs thrive in well-draining soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. A blend of potting mix, sand, peat moss, and perlite is ideal for their growth.

I have seen the ways in which mint can survive frost, ice, and snow without a frost cover! Nevertheless, I would recommend covering a week before the frost comes. 

Herbs like parsley, dill, and cilantro belong to the Apiaceae, or the Parsley family. They prefer rich, fertile soil with good drainage. A mix of garden soil, compost, and coir provides the right conditions for these herbs.

Chives, garlic, and onions fall under Amaryllidaceae, or the Onion family. These herbs flourish in well-draining soil with added organic matter. A mix of potting soil and coir ensures optimal growth.

Plants like bay laurel and cinnamon belong to the Bay Laurel family. They require well-aerated, slightly acidic soil. A blend of potting mix and coconut coir provides the perfect conditions for these herbs.

Asteraceae, the Daisy or Yarrow family includes, echinacea, calendula, chicory, chamomile, dandelion, feverfew, and of course yarrow. This family loves cooler temperatures and they do not like extreme heat. This family loves fluffy soil and they cannot thrive in clay-like soil.

The Ginger family includes turmeric and, well, ginger. This family loves fluffy soil too, but they like it really hot. This family thrives in warmer climates.  

Now that you know the ideal growing conditions for different herb families, let's explore creative ways to showcase your herbs. After reading this guide, you will be the envy of your neighbors! They will beg you for an herb garden tour!

• Wooden Raised Gardens: Perfect for outdoor spaces, these offer good drainage and an attractive aesthetic.
• Steel Containers: Ideal for balconies, steel containers provide a modern and durable option for herb gardening.
• Plastic Table Kitchen Counter Herb Garden: A practical solution for indoor herb gardening. Use containers that fit on your kitchen counter for easy access.
• Terra Cotta Pots with Layering Effect: Create a visually appealing herb garden by layering different-sized terra cotta pots. This is excellent for small spaces and balconies.
• Cloth Gardens Such as Grow Bags: Grow bags are perfect for apartment gardening. They are cheap, mobile, and they can be easily decorated with pom pom garlands to add personality and color. 

Now that you know the type of herb garden you want to grow, you need to know which herbs thrive in raised garden planter boxes (raised beds), containers, and kitchen countertop herb gardens.

A List of Herbs That Thrive in Raised Garden Beds

Basil, Calendula, Cayenne, Chives, Chamomile, Chickweed, Cilantro, Dandelion, Dill, Echinacea, Fennel, Garlic, Lavender, Leeks, Lemon balm, Licorice, Oats, Onion, Oregano, Marigold, Mint, Parsley, Red clover, Rosemary, Sage, St. Johns Wart, Shallot, Spearmint, Tansy, Thyme, Yarrow.

A List of Herbs That Thrive in Containers

Basil, Calendula, Cayenne, Chamomile, Chickweed, Cilantro, Dandelion, Dill, Echinacea, Fennel, Garlic, Ginger, Lavender, Lemon balm, Licorice, Oats, Oregano, Marigold, Mint, Plantain, Red clover, Rosemary, Sage, St. Johns Wart, Spearmint, Thyme, Yarrow.

A List of Herbs That Thrive on Kitchen Counter Tops

Basil, Chives,  Garlic, Lavender, Marjoram, Mint, Onion, Plantain, Red clover, Rosemary, Sage, St. Johns Wart, Spearmint, Thyme, Yarrow.

I am not going to lie to you. 

From my experience, growing herbs from seed is super hard without education. Let’s get into growing herbs from seeds to break the cycle of dead seeds into thriving green.

• Selecting Seeds: Choose high-quality herb seeds from a reliable source.
• Container and Soil: Use seedling trays with a seed-starting mix (peat moss+perlite or coir+peat moss), for optimal germination
• Planting Seeds: Sow seeds according to the package instructions. Water gently.
• Light, Heat, and Temperature: Provide adequate sunlight and maintain a warm temperature for germination. You’ll need a heating pad.
• Transplanting: When seedlings are robust, transplant them into your chosen herb garden containers.

Propagating the Onion family by water is one of my favorite ways to garden. 

• Select Healthy Cuttings: Choose healthy herb cuttings with no signs of disease or pests.
• Submerged in Water: Place the cuttings in a glass of water, ensuring the nodes are submerged.
• Change Water Regularly: Change the water every few days to prevent stagnation.
• Root Development: After a few weeks, roots will develop. Once they are a few inches long, transplant the cuttings into super sandy soil, then plant outdoors.

By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to growing a thriving herb garden, whether it's on your balcony, in your kitchen, or in your backyard.

Now, we reached the exciting part! Here's a step-by-step guide on how to plant small herb seedlings in a planter box. Before you begin, make sure your herb garden is placed in an optional environment. If you are growing outdoors, make sure the garden is in a sunny area, with no shadows (shadows always come from the north), and the garden is near a water source. 

• Gather Materials:
  • Planter box
  • Potting soil
  • Small seedlings
  • Watering can or hose
• Prepare the Herb Planter Box:
  • Ensure the herb planter box has drainage holes to prevent waterlogging.
• Fill with Potting Soil:
  • Fill the herb planter box with high-quality potting soil, leaving about 1-2 inches from the top.
• Create Planting Holes:
  • Make a hole in the soil with a dibbler. Make sure the hole is twice the size of the herb plant.
• Remove Seedlings from Pots:
  • Gently remove the seedlings from their nursery pots, being careful not to disturb the roots too much. Squeeze the bottom to gently work the plant out of the nursery pot.
• Place Seedlings in Holes:
  • Set each seedling into a planting hole, ensuring the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface.
• Backfill with Soil:
  • Fill in the holes around the seedlings with additional potting soil, pressing it gently to secure the plants in place.
• Water Thoroughly:
  • Water the seedlings immediately after planting to help settle the soil and provide moisture to the roots.
• Mulch (Optional):
  • Consider adding a layer of mulch around the seedlings to help retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. However, mulch will change the pH of the soil, so be careful!
• Place in an optimal environment (if using pots or grow bags):
  • Put the planter box in a location that matches the sunlight requirements of the specific plants.
• Monitor and Water Regularly:
  • Keep an eye on the moisture level in the soil and water as needed. Ensure the planter box receives adequate sunlight. Be careful, herbs like the Mint family do not like a ton of water, nor do they like soggy soil. 

Remember to adapt these steps based on the specific requirements of the seedlings you are planting and the local climate, not based on the USDA Zoning Map.

Congratulations! You have grown a thriving herb garden. 

Do not harvest no more than 25% of the plant. Different parts of your herbs can be harvested at different times and stages.

Flowering Herbs

For herbs that flower, harvest the flowers just before they bloom (except for mint–harvest when plant is in bloom)

Rooted Herbs

Harvest during spring or fall seasons

Leafy herbs

Harvest herb leaves before the plant blooms (except for mint)