Five easy herbs for your garden that grow back better every year
Growing your own herbs is easy and great for small gardens. An herb garden is one of my most requested garden segment and in this article I’ll share tips that will make this easy and affordable too.
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Are you looking for a plant you can use in the kitchen that you can plant once and forget about? Herbs are not only a great choice for chefs (and those of us just trying our best in the kitchen), they’re also a great option in sensory gardens for an unforgettable fragrance. They're perhaps the most productive plants you can grow in a small garden and do great in containers on your patio, or planted against a very bright window indoors.
The most popular herb for gardeners is basil, which is a summer annual that is worthy of its own segment. But for gardeners looking for something that’s even easier to grow, these perennial herbs are for you. Even a small garden or a few containers can produce a surprising amount of herbs once they’re established.
Here are five of the easiest perennial herbs that northern gardeners can plant once and enjoy for years
Chives are one of the most reliable herbs you can grow, and they’re actually native to North America which means they are very low maintenance and a benefit to pollinators and wildlife. Chives are a small grass-like plant with beautiful flowers each spring. They typically start growing in February and have a delicious light onion flavor.
Mint can make anyone feel like they have a green thumb. This is a vigorous groundcver that spreads fast and will end up in places you couldn’t even imagine. For that reason, it’s best to keep this in a container. Mint is easy to grow from cuttings, just take a stem and keep it in water for a week or two. There are many different flavors of mint with some that have a lemon flavor and others that lean sweet (even claiming to have chocolate undertones!
Thyme is another low-growing herb that thrives with very little attention. It prefers sunny spots and well-drained soil, and is one of the best herbs for a spot that will not receive a lot of water.
An even nicer alternative is Oregano which has larger leaves than Thyme but a similar growth habit. It’s a perennial as well. Just make sure you are growing Greek Oregano (). Cuban Oregano (Coleus amboinicus) is an unrelated plant that is tropical
Sage is a gorgeous evergreen plant that becomes a small shrub overtime. The earthy fragrance and fuzzy leaves make this plant about as enjoyable to pet as it is to cook with. This is great for autumn dishes in particular like sweet potatoes and squash!
Plant these herbs once and you’ll likely be harvesting them for many seasons to come. For gardeners who want something easy, fragrant, and incredibly useful in the kitchen, perennial herbs are so rewarding.
