Herbs Top Ten Questions

When presenting information on herbs, I am often asked the following questions:

1. What are the most popular herbs for home culinary use?
2. Is it possible to grow herbs indoors?
3. Are there any perennial herbs that grow in Minnesota?
4. Can herbs be grown from seed?
5. Is it possible to dry or freeze herbs?
6. Just exactly how are herbs used?
7. Is there a best time of day to harvest herbs?
8. Do herbs generally need rich soil and a lot of moisture?
9. Do herbs attract a lot of garden pests?
10. Do you have a favorite herb?

With the idea that I might whet your appetite for growing and using herbs, I’ll share the following: Parsley was the first herb I ever knowingly tasted. As a youngster we didn’t have herbs growing in the family garden and we rarely went out to eat. When we did, an elderly aunt and uncle usually accompanied and once the meal finished, my uncle would eat the parsley garnish on his plate saying it helped to settle his stomach. I recall that my siblings and I nibbled on our own parsley sprigs but it wasn’t a habit that really stayed with us! The real introduction to herbs came when, as a young married woman, my husband and I were invited to a friend’s house for dinner where we were served chicken breasts that had been lightly sauteed in browned butter and, right before the lid to the pan was put in place for the last couple minutes of steaming, each chicken breast was flavored with a squeeze of lemon and a healthy sprig of tarragon. The resulting taste was so good and so new to me! At the time, tarragon with its delicate licorice flavor was not easily purchased and so began my exploration into adding herbs to my gardening efforts.

You might ask, “Just exactly what is an herb?” The explanation I’m most familiar with is that herbs are plants with leaves, seeds, or flowers that are used for flavoring food, fragrance, or medicine. Ask any good gardener/cook about the herbs they absolutely must have in their garden and you will undoubtedly receive an answer that includes some, if not all, of the following:

• Basil Ocimum spp, Family: Lamiaceae, annual, full sun, rich soil, over sixty species,
• Bay Laurel Laurus nobilis, Family:Lauraceae, hardy to zone 8, full sun, average soil
• Chervil Anthriscus cerefolium, Family: Apiaceae, hardiness: zones 3-8, sun to light shade, rich soil
• Chives Allium spp, Family: Lilaceae, hardiness: to zone 3-4, full sun, well-drained soil
• Cilantro/Coriander Coriandrum sativum, Family: Apiaceae, annual, sun to light shade, moderately, rich, moist soil
• Dill Anethum graveolens, Family: Apiaceae, annual, full sun, moderately rich, well-drained soil
• Lavender Lavandula spp. Family: Lamiaceae, hardy to zone 5, full sun, somewhat dry soil
• Lemon Balm Mellissa officinalis, Family: Lamiaceae, hardy to zone 5, part shade to full sun, moist soil
• Lemon Verbena Aloysia citrodora Family: Verbenaceae, Hardy to zone 8, full sun, moist, rich soil
• Mint Mentha Family: Lamiaceae, Hardy to zone 3-4, full sun to part shade, rich, moist soil
• Oregano Origanum spp. Family: Lamiaceae, Hardy zone 6-9, full sun, well-drained soil
• Parsley Petroselinum crispum Family: Apiaceae, Annual, part shade to full sun, moist, rich soil
• Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis Family: Lamiaceae, Hardy zone 7-10, full sun, well-drained soil
• Sage Salvia spp. Family: Lamiaceae, Hardy zone 7, full sun, well-drained soil
• Tarragon Artemisia dracunculus, Family: Asteraceae, Hardy to zone 4-5, full sun, well-drained soil
• Thyme Thymus spp. Family: Lamiaceae, Hardy to zone 5-6, full sun, moist to dry soil

Most herbs are easy to grow and they are relatively pest free. In addition to being useful, they enhance a garden with color, texture, and form. They don’t like to be planted in overly rich soil, over fertilized, or over watered. Locating plants for your garden can be done in a variety of ways. Seeds are the most inexpensive and for best production may need to be started inside several weeks prior to your average frost-free date. Herbs that can be started from seed include: Basil, Chervil, Dill, Marigold, Parsley, and Nasturtium. Plants that don’t produce seeds or come true from seeds may be started from cuttings and include: Lemon Verbena, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, and Tarragon. Another easy way in which to propagate plants is by division such as with Bee Balm, Catmint, Chamomile, Lovage, and Tarragon.

You can plant herbs in containers but remember, if you are combining plants in a single container, place like-minded plants together. An example of this would be to combine Catnip, Chives, Curry, Lemon Balm, and Thyme in a container with dry soil. Plants that could be combined in a container with moist soil include: Chervil, Dill, Fennel, Lemongrass, and Oregano. Select a container with drainage and fertilize sparingly if at all. Inspect your plants regularly as most pests and disease are opportunistic and will go for those plants that are stressed. Do not use insecticides! A good spray of water is very effective in dislodging most pests. Regular deadheading is a must! To prune: pinch by hand, snip with a hand pruner, or use garden shears. Pruning keeps the plant looking tidy, promotes air circulation, and prolongs the usefulness of the plant. Cut sprigs from all over the plant, not just leaves, or you will end up with a stripped plant and no new growth. Harvest early in the day when the aromatic, volatile oils are the strongest and when the plant is dry as excess moisture reduces flavor and encourages mold to form. Container grown herbs located inside will need at least five hours of sun and will do best if placed outside during the warmer months. Words of wisdom, locate your herb plants close to the kitchen where you can access them while doing food preparation. If they are too far away and you haven’t planned ahead, it’s much too easy to tell yourself that you’ll include them “next time.”

When harvesting herbs be sure to wash, dry (a salad spinner works great), use as quickly as possible, or store appropriately. Many fresh herbs can be held over a couple of days by placing them in a glass with a few inches of water that is changed daily (similar to placing flowers in a vase). You can save herbs for later use as follows:

• Freeze chopped dill, parsley, and chives in small plastic bags
• Infuse olive oil with rosemary or basil
• Mix chopped herbs with softened butter and freeze in airtight containers
• Make basil, sage, parsley, or rosemary pesto
• Dry mint and steep for a calming tea
• Dry whole thyme leaves and grind them for use later
• Dry herbs of choice in sea salt. When they are dry, pulverize the herbs in a coffee grinder (reserved for this use only – not for grinding coffee beans). Add dried lemon peel, if desired, and then remix with the salt. For a finer blend, grind the salt and herbs together. Herbs can be preserved in honey (using small amounts of both) and then drizzled in tea or over a soft cheese, such as goat cheese, as an appetizer
• Sage, thyme, oregano, and rosemary retain their flavor when dried. Use half the volume as fresh herbs and add closer to the beginning of cooking so the flavor has a chance to develop. When using fresh herbs in soups and stews add during the last 10 to 15 minutes to retain flavor and prevent bitterness
• Delicate fresh herb such as parsley, chives, cilantro, or basil can be replaced with another herb or left out as the dried form may be rather tasteless
• Dried tarragon, mint, and dill have a distinct flavor so use half the volume
• Store away from heat and light. If a dried herb has no fragrance, replace it
• When working with fresh herbs, use a sharp knife and work quickly, as herbs turn dark and bruise easily
• Citrus juices, vine, and vinegar often cause herbs to darken or fade, so when making salad dressings, add herbs just before serving

I’m often asked to name a favorite herb. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever met an herb I didn’t like but if pressed, I would have to answer “Lemon Verbena” as it has the most intense lemon scent of any of the herbs. It’s a woody shrub so it must be propagated from a cutting. Bring it inside during the winter as it’s definitely not hardy in Minnesota. While inside it often loses most of its leaves but will perk up once it’s moved back outside in the late spring. Don’t forget to harden off properly when moving the plant outside!

In closing, I’ll include a very easy recipe:

Herb Encrusted Goat Cheese

• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives placed in a small bowl
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley placed in a small bowl
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh lemon placed in a small bowl
• 4-5 ounces softened goat cheese, divided into three equally sized balls.

Roll each ball in one type of herb, pressing to set the herbs. Place on an attractive plate, garnish with fresh whole herbs and serve as an appetizer with crackers.

Happy eating and happy gardening!