HERBS IN THE GARDEN

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HERBSIN THEGARDEN
Pam Paulsen County Extension Agent,
Horticulture K-State Research Extension - Reno
County
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HERBSWhat are they?

• Botanical Definition Plant that does not
  produce a woody stem and it dies back to the
  ground in the winter.
• Garden Definition Has culinary, aromatic or
  medicinal uses. Roots, stems, foliage, flowers,
  and seeds used.

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HERB CULTURE

• Full sun
• Exceptions menthes, monardas
• Soil
• Well drained, sandy
• Not overly fertile, especially N
• Winter protection
• Pests
• Rust, mites, aphids, caterpillars

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HERB SELECTION

• Environmental requirements
• Mature height
• Use
• Garden style
• Plant characteristics
• Foliage color texture
• Bloom color and time

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Shade Tolerant Herbs

• Tall Growing
• Angelica, Bergamont, Borage
• Medium Growing
• Lovage, Lemon Balm, Chervil, Comfrey
• Low Growing
• Mints (varieties)

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HERB GARDEN DESIGN

• Available space
• Available time for maintenance
• Surroundings
• Formal vs. Informal
• Modern vs. Old Fashioned
• Amount and type of herbs
• Plant often used herbs closest to pathway

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HERB GARDEN STYLES

• Formal
• Informal
• Cottage
• Kitchen / Potager
• Flower Border
• Container

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HERB GARDEN STYLESFormal

• Traditional
• Straight lines Geometric shapes
• Symmetrical - arranged around center point
• Borders
• Clipped hedge, stone pavers, rocks

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HERB GARDEN STYLESFormal - Checkerboard
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HERB GARDEN STYLESFormal - Circle in Square
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HERB GARDEN STYLESFormal - Wheel Garden
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HERB GARDEN STYLESFormal - Wheel Garden
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HERB GARDEN STYLESFormal - Knot
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HERB GARDEN STYLESFormal - Knot
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HERB GARDEN STYLESCottage

• Many varieties
• Maximize space
• Winding paths

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HERB GARDEN STYLESCottage
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HERB GARDEN STYLESKitchen/Potager

• Soup in French
• Vegetables, Flowers Herbs
• Companion planting

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HERB GARDEN STYLESKitchen/Potager
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HERB GARDEN STYLESKitchen/Potager
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HERB GARDEN STYLESFlower Border

• Annual vs. Perennial
• Ornamental value of herb
• Leaf color and texture
• Flower color
• Bloom time

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HERB GARDEN STYLESFlower Border
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HERB GARDEN STYLESFlower Border
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HERB GARDEN STYLESFlower Border
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HERB GARDEN STYLESFlower Border - Raised Bed
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HERB GARDEN STYLESFlower Border - Raised Bed
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HERB GARDEN STYLESContainer

• Lower maintenance
• Closer to kitchen
• Themes
• Color, Salad, Tea Moon
• Containers
• Drainage
• No harmful chemicals
• Pots, hollow logs, tubs, barrels, boots

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HERB GARDEN STYLESContainer

• Hanging Baskets
• Dry faster
• Thyme, Nasturtium, Mint, Rosemary
• Topiary
• Tip prune often
• Braided trunks
• Bay, Lavender, Rosemary

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HERB GARDEN STYLESContainer

• Indoors
• Well drained - no standing water
• Dont fertilize in winter
• Southern window
• Basil, Bay, Chives, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano,
  Parsley, Rosemary, Salad Burnet, Scented
  Geraniums, Tarragon, Thyme, Winter Savory

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HERB GARDEN STYLESContainer
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HERB GARDEN STYLESContainer
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HERB GARDEN STYLESContainer
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Herb Propagation

• Annuals - seed, cuttings
• Perennials
• Division
• Tarragon, Chives, Mint
• Cuttings
• Lavender, lemon Balm, Sage, Rosemary, Scented
  Geranium
• Layering
• Almost any with flexible branches

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Herb Propagation
Layering
Root division
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Harvesting Herbs

• Continuous rather than one time
• Mid morning
• After dew has dried, before heat of the day
• Ideally, wait one day after rain if drying herbs

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Harvesting Herbs

• Root Crops - Fall
• Ginger, Garlic
• Annuals Biennials - All season
• Flowers - As soon as flowers open
• Lavender, marigold, rosemary
• Seeds - Let ripen on plant
• Perennials - Anytime except late fall

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Harvesting Herbs

• Chives - cut 1" from ground
• Basil, mints - Cut to node
• Dill other seeds - cover with paper bag before
  cutting
• Woody stemmed (sage, rosemary) cut into flexible
  wood
• Flowers (lavender) - cut to where leaves begin

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Preserving Herbs

• Drying
• Freezing
• Oils Vinegars
• Sugars Salts

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Drying Herbs

• Not too fast
• Drive out essential oils
• Not too slow
• Mold

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Drying HerbsHanging

• Tightly tie bunches
• Rubberband
• Warm
• Ventilated
• Dust Free
• Low light

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Drying HerbsScreen Drying

• Window or door screen
• Rotate
• Warm
• Ventilated
• Dust Free
• Low light

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Drying HerbsOven drying

• Oven light with door open
• Turn on low for 5 minutes, turn off and put herbs
  in until temp. returns to room temperature.
  Repeat. Do not leave herbs in oven when it is on.

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Drying HerbsMicrowave Oven

• Small quantities
• Remove leaves from stems. Place leaves on paper
  towels. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes
  depending on wattage. Stir leaves. Repeat.
• Watch hot spots and cold spots

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Drying HerbsPaper Bag

• Good for small leaved herbs seeds
• In a large grocery bag, place herbs tip down.
  Place in warm, dry spot. Stir herbs daily.

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AnnualHerbs
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Nasturtium

• Flowers foliage are used
• Peppery flavor
• High in vitamin C
• Tolerates light shade
• Compact trailing forms
• Border
• Walls, Containers, Hanging Basket

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Nasturtium
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Cilantro

• Keep pinched to prevent seeds
• Does not transplant well
• Cilantro - foliage
• Coriander - seed

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Lemon Balm

• Very fragrant
• Vigorous grower
• Propagate by division

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Lemon Balm
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Basil

• Propagate from seed
• Remove flower spikes
• Over 150 different varieties

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Purple Ruffle Basil Lemon Thyme
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Thai Basil
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Borage

• 2' - 3' ht.
• Coarse textured
• Sow seeds - does not transplant well
• Use fresh flowers
• Cucumber flavor

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Dill

• Start from seed
• Harvest foliage just a flowers open
• Harvest seeds when flat brown. Seeds are more
  potent than foliage
• Larva plant for butterflies

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Fennel

• Perennial grown as an annual
• Green bronze varieties
• Start from seed - Does not transplant well
• Thin seedlings. If too crowed, it will flower
  early
• Seeds, foliage, stems are used
• Licorice flavored

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Fennel
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Parsley

• Biennial treated as an annual
• High in vitamin A C
• Flat leaved curly leaved varieties

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Perilla or Shiso

• Japanese Basil
• Milder flavor than basil
• Leaves, flower spikes and seeds used
• Used raw or cooked to garnish fish, salads and
  soups
• Foliage used to extract dyes

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Perilla
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Stevia

• Sweet Herb
• 30-300 times sweeter than sugar
• Difficult to propagate. Tip cuttings are least
  difficult.
• Does not like wet soils
• Will not tolerate frost

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Stevia
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Pineapple Sage

• 2'-4' ht.
• Will survive a mild winter
• Showy, red, salvia type flowers
• Flowers, foliage used in teas, poundcake

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Perennial Herbs
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Chives

• High in vitamin A C
• Trim flowers to encourage growth
• Also garlic chives

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Anise hyssop

• Agastache foeniculum
• Anise scented flowers
• Leaves flowers used in teas salads

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Bee Balm

• Bergamot
• 4'-6' ht.
• Aggressive spreader
• Flowers foliage used in teas salads

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Bee Balm
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Comfrey

• 2'-4'
• Prefers light shade
• Propagate by root cutting or division
• Leaves used in a poultice on bruises and broken
  bones
• Also used in teas, but may be toxic

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Comfrey
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Thyme

• 100 varieties
• Groundcover, pathways, rock walls
• Tolerates drought conditions

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Thyme
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Sweet Woodruff

• Prefers part shade moist, loamy soils
• Harvest in spring - most fragrant
• Propagate in spring or fall by division
• Source of coumarin

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Lavender

• Drought tolerant
• Used in hedges, borders, containers
• Used in vineyards to attract bees
• Used in French cooking, teas, perfumes, soaps,
• Harvest flowers when newly opened

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Lavandula angustifoliaHidcote Munstead
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Lavandula officinalis
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Lavender
French L.dentata
Spanish L.stoechas
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Lavender
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Lemon Verbena

• 5' ht. (up to 15' in warm climates)
• Will not tolerate prolonged cold frost
• Prune heavily in spring
• Tolerates frequent pruning - good for topiary
• Used in teas, stuffing, sauces

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Lemon Verbena
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Catnip

• Catmint
• Root division in spring fall Cuttings in summer
• Use leaves in tea
• Mild, minty flavor

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Catnip
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Mint

• Menthe
• Many (25) species in mint family
• Square stems
• Over 600 varieties of menthe
• Prefers moist, loamy but well drained soil
• Prefers light shade
• Readily spreads by runners

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Mint
Pineapple Mint
Peppermint
Lemon Spearmint
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Mint
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Oregano

• Genus includes marjoram
• Trailing and bushy growth forms
• Grows from seeds, cuttings and root division
• Pinch flower buds to encourage growth

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Oregano
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Rosemary

• Pine scented foliage
• Upright and trailing growth forms
• Evergreen in mild winters
• Tolerant of poor soils with high pH

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Rosemary
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Sage

• Slow to germinate from seed
• Replant every 3-4 years when it becomes too woody
• Harvest leaves just before blooming

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Sage
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Lemon Grass

• Tender perennial
• Grows to 5'
• Prefers moist, well-drained soil
• Leaves used in teas
• Swollen leaf bases used in cooking

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Lemon Grass
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Bay Leaf

• Sweet Bay or Sweet Laurel
• Not hardy
• Grows to 25'
• Good for containers, topiary

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