How to Grow a Kitchen Herb Garden

Do you love fresh herbs in your salad or soup? Starting a kitchen herb garden can give you fresh herbs all summer long. The key is to start your herb garden as close to the kitchen door as possible. Find a small out of the way space, within a few steps of the front door.

Sit down, and make a list of the herbs, and plants you would like to include in your garden. Make a diagram to see how much space you will need, then plot it out. Use a shovel or a tiller to dig out your space. Cover it well with compost, and sphagnum moss, then dig these organic fertilizers in with the shovel. Now you are ready to add the plants. Here is a list of possible plants to add to your kitchen garden. You decide which are your favorites, and worth the precious space in your garden.

1. Basil is a great culinary herb. Use it in soups and stews, and it's also great in dips. Basil is a tender annual, and a good candidate for planting indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost. If you do not want to start your own basil from seed, you can easily find these plants in your local nursery.

2. Dill is another great culinary herb. It is also an annual, but you can sew the seeds directly in the soil in late spring. Dill will re-seed itself, if you put it in a space where the soil will not be overworked the next year.

3. Nasturtiums, Violas, and Calendula are all great additions to your kitchen herb garden. They all have tender edible flowers, which add color and flavor to your summer salads. All of these flowers are annuals, except Violas. Calendula will re-seed itself in your garden if given the chance, but is not invasive. Tuck these small plants in around your herbs.

4. Scented Geraniums are great for their scented leaves, and edible scented flowers. Start your Scented Geraniums indoors about 8-10 weeks before the last frost. These are great plants to keep in small pots. Set them out in your kitchen herb garden during the summer, then bring them in for the winter. They will reward you with their wonderful scent, and tiny flowers all winter long.

5. You can't have a kitchen herb garden without Mint. There are several varieties, Spearmint, Peppermint, and Chocolate Mint (heavenly scent) to name a few. Mint can take over your garden if not kept in check. You can plant them in pots and sink the pots in the ground to keep them from taking over. Mint has culinary uses, and it's great in potpourri. Put Chocolate Mint into a summer bouquet. It adds a wonderful scent, and some beautiful dark green color to the arrangement.

6. Add Oregano for your Italian dishes. Oregano is a hardy perennial. Start the plants from seeds indoors in early spring, or purchase a start from your local nursery. Once established oregano will spice up your garden for many years.

7. Rosemary is a beautiful addition to any garden. It has beautiful blue green leaves, with a wonderful woodsy scent. Rosemary is great for cooking, garnishing, potpourri, wreaths, and flower arrangements. Since Rosemary is a tender annual you will need to bring it in before the first frost or purchase new plants next year.

8. What kitchen herb garden would be complete without Chives? Chives come in several varieties and flavors. Pick your favorite, place them in your garden, and let them grow. They are a hardy perennial and also re-seed themselves. Chives are not too invasive since they tend to grow in a clump, and any extra starts that come up in the spring can be easily removed before they take hold.

9. Don't forget the French Tarragon. What chef can live without his Tarragon? It works great for rubs and marinades, and you can always add it to soup. Tarragon is another hardy perennial. Start plants indoors early in the spring, or buy a start at your local nursery. This herb stays in one neat clump. You can divide it at the root, or layer a branch in the ground to establish additional plants.

10. Does anybody have the Thyme? If you don't you should get it. Thyme adds scent to your whole garden. There are many varieties available from Lemon Thyme, to English Thyme. Add at least one variety to your kitchen herb garden. It makes a great addition to soups or stews. Combine it with some miniature roses in a small bottle to make a wonderful small scented bouquet.

11. Add flowers to the back of your kitchen herb garden if you have the space. When you need a bouquet for the table, step outside your door, and start trimming. Some great flower additions include: irises, daisies, butterfly bushes, coneflowers, mums, or small sunflowers.

12. A tomato, or pepper plant make a nice addition to the mix. Don't plant them all in your kitchen garden, just a couple. It will allow you to step out the door at suppertime and, grab a tomato, or pepper to add to your meal, without walking all the way to the garden.

The key here is convenience. Plant the herbs, flowers, or vegetables in your kitchen herb garden you will be most likely to use in your day to day cooking. Herbs and plants you use less often can go in the regular garden. The more space constraints you have the more selective you will need to be.