Whether you're an avid gardener or just starting out, learn everything you need to know about how to grow herbs like basil, cilantro, parsley, sage and thyme, just to name a few and we'll also learn how to use the herbs in homemade remedies like lip balm and deodorant.
Featured Expert: Dr. Frank Williams, professor of Plant and Animal Sciences at Brigham Young University
Featured Expert: Kate Penhallegon of Springfield, Oregon learned about herbal essences and started extracting her favorite ones using oil and water methods. She then uses essence in making soap, deodorant, lip balm, lotions, salves and creams. For her, this was a way to counteract allergies to commercial products. Contact Kate at herblady55@msn.com
Click on a topic below to view additional information.
History of Herbs
Growing herbs at home explains herbs in the botanical and in the garden sense. Herbs are a major source of seasonings in food.
Herbs gives herb uses down through the ages. It provides a link to the Herb Research Foundation.
Herbs and Herb Gardening refers you to many excellent books books for further reading on the history of herbs, herb gardens, and their uses in cooking, medicine, cosmetics, dying cloth and perfume.
Growing Herbs
Selecting Herbs to Grow in Your Area
Selecting Herbs to Grow in your area gives four important considerations for deciding which herbs to grow and a list of ten easy herbs for the beginner.
Be aware of plant hardiness zones when selecting herbs. Some perennials may need special protection during the winter. This chart on USDA Plant hardiness zones will help you determine what zone you live in and how plants will survive in your climate.
Growing Herbs in the Home Garden has tables for Annual, Perennial, and Biennial Herbs. Find out all about herbs and the conditions required for growing them.
The Annuals
Annuals are herbaceous plants which lack permanent woody stems; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some have medicinal properties; some are pests.
Growing Herbs in the Home Garden has tables for Annual, Perennial, and Biennial Herbs. Find out all about herbs and the conditions required for growing them.
Climate
Growing Herbs gives tips for growing herbs in Alabama. Herbs preferring a cooler climate may simply have a shorter growing season.
Culinary Herbs to grow in San Antonio lists herbs that are especially adapted to the growing conditions of Texas
Sunlight is one of the most important considerations for planning and planting an herb garden.
After deciding what kind of herbs you want to plant, check your garden site for the plant's requirements.
Growing Herbs at Home says that most herbs do not require a highly fertile soil because it tends to produce excessive foliage that is poor in flavor.
The Herb Society of America recommends a soil test.
Selecting the location is all about how much sunlight is available. Growing Herbs in the Home Garden says that most herbs need 4-6 hours of sunlight every day.
Growing Herbs at Home recommends that herbs can be grown indoors in a west or south-facing window.
Growing Herbs in the Home Garden includes a section about how to get started with indoor herb gardening. Because of the typical lack of light, grow lights are often required.
Tips on site selection from Dr. Frank Williams
Plant herbs preferably close to your kitchen door.
Spacing
Check the fact sheets of herbs listed below on this website for specific requirements.
To prevent seed formation, snip off the flower at the base. The plant will branch out and grow more leaves. After plants produce flowers and seeds, they will die.
Harvest annuals by removing the outer leaves and allowing the rest of the plant to continue growing.
Pests and Diseases
Growing Herbs at Home suggests that very few insects or diseases attack herbs. But if spraying is necessary, be sure to use an insecticide that is labeled for food crops.
This site has talks about dealing with aphids, white flies, spider mites, thrips, and fungus gnats. Although oriented to the commercial grower, the information can be useful in home gardens.
These are the herbs that remain green and leafy throughout the year and last from year to year. Some perennials are termed "herbaceous" because they die back to the ground every fall and send up new shoots in the spring. Rhubarb is an example. Others are "woody" like the sage plant and grow like small shrubs.
Give perennials the space they need. Plant them 2-3' apart.
Propagation of Perennial Herbs: cutting and dividing and layering.
Growing Herbs at Home gives tips on propagation from cutting, division, and layering. Cutting is to snip the stem just below the leaf node. See Frank's demonstration of this method on the show.
This site gives a list of herbs that may be propagated by stem cuttings
Propagation gives more detailed instructions on how to divide plants, how to take vegetative cuttings, and how to do layering.
Pests and Diseases
Herbs will have very few pests and can live 3-5 years in the landscape.
Harvesting
Growing Herbs at Home recommends harvesting when essential oils are at their peak, usually early in the morning. The time of day is very important.
Growing Herbs notes that by cutting or harvesting the plant just above a set of leaves, new growth will be encouraged.
Tips on harvesting perennials from Dr. Frank Williams
Harvest perennials slowly the first year to allow them to establish themselves.
Winter Protection
Mulch is the best protection from freezing temperatures. Apply after the ground has frozen in early winter.
The best defenses against pests are proper growing conditions, good sanitation, removal of weak or infested growth, and regular pruning.
Fact Sheets for Specific Herbs
Listed below are websites with planting information for specific varieties of herbs. Find information and tips about specific herbs and their growing instructions. Experiment with some of the new and unusual varieties of herbs.
Herbs of the Year features one herb every year that has culinary, medicinal or ornamental uses.
Using Herbs
Herb Drying
Herbs that are harvested fresh are best. If you can’t use them all at once, preserving them is the next best thing. Herbs are used for making a variety of products from lip balm and lotion to soap and shampoo.
How to Dry and Preserve your Garden Fresh Herbs says that the slow drying of herbs works best for herbs that don't have a high moisture content, like Bay, Dill, Marjoram, Oregano, & Rosemary.
Drying herbs is one of the easiest methods of preservation. Pick your herbs at the height of flavor.
An essence is created from essential oils. These precious oils are obtained from the parts of plants such as the flowers, the stems, the leaves or the roots. There are several methods for extracting the oil: water or steam.
Obtaining essential oils can be a long and difficult process requiring special equipment.
Essential oils can also be purchased on the Internet or through local retailers.
This website gives information about essential oils.
Tips from Kate on drying herbs
All herbs may be used fresh or dried. There are several methods of drying herbs.
Method #1 Tie the herb stems with a string and hang it upside down in a cool, well- ventilated location. Herbs should air dry but not in direct sunlight.
Method #2 Tie the herb with a string and invert in a paper bag. Close the bag and tie shut. Allow to sit in a warm, dry location.
Method #3 Herbs dry very well in a food dryer. A full dehydrator is most efficient. Dry more than one herb at a time, but the herbs should have a similar leaf size for even drying time. When the leaves are dry and crumbly, remove from the dehydrator. Crumble and store in airtight containers.
Recipes from Kate Penhallegon
Herbal Essence using Dried Lavender
Equipment
1 glass pint jar
Cheesecloth, muslin or paper filter
Ingredients
Oil of your choice (Almond oil, Castor oil)
1 pint of dried lavender blooms
Directions:
Pack a pint jar with the dried blooms. Cover with the oil or your choice. Allow to sit for 6-10 weeks. Check the essence by smell. When the fragrance has reached the right potency, you must strain the oil thoroughly through a cheesecloth, muslin or paper filter.
Tips from Kate:
Rosemary, Rose, & Lemon Verbena among other herbs can also be used as alternates making essence fragrances.
Essence can be used in making soap, deodorant, or lotion.
Herbal Essence using Fresh Lavender
Equipment
1 glass pint jar
Cheesecloth, muslin or paper filter
Ingredients
Oil of your choice (Almond oil, Castor oil)
1 pint of dried lavender blooms
Directions:
Bring enough blooms of fresh lavender from the garden to pack a pint jar.
Cover with oil of your choice.
You need to watch the jar carefully as fresh blooms will mold in oils.
If the blooms molds, you have to start over.
When the color of the blooms has faded, strain the oil with the metal strainer and add fresh blooms. For this you need a constant supply of blooms.
Check the jar 2-3 times a day for signs of mold or deterioration.
Fresh blooms must be in the oil for at least 6-10 weeks at room temperature.
The test of the essence is the smell or potency.
When the smell or potency has reached the right intensity for your needs, you must strain through a cheesecloth, muslin, or paper filter.
Creating a stronger concentration is best because it becomes diluted when mixed with other ingredients.
Herbal Deodorant
There are internet suppliers that carry all the ingredients or the herb section of the yellow pages lists local retailers of all the ingredients.
Order the deodorant containers in advance through the internet.
Some oils are synthetic and some are organic essential oils. The organic oils are better because they are literally from the plant and have not been chemically enhanced.
This recipe can be adapted to allergies and other needs.
CAUTION:
-IT IS IMPORTANT TO MEASURE THE INGREDIENTS ACCURATELY (if you use too much of one of the ingredients, it can become an irritant).
-IT IS IMPORTANT TO ORDER FRAGRANT GRADE OILS AND NOT FOOD GRADE.
Equipment:
1 glass measure cup
1 pot of hot water
4 deodorant containers
Mix the following ingredients together in the glass measuring cup.
Ingredients:
1OUNCE: beeswax
1OUNCE: cocoa butter
1OUNCE: coconut oil
1OUNCE: castor oil
1 TSP: grapefruit extract
1 TSP: tea tree essential oil
1 TSP: rosemary homemade extract
2 TSP lavender homemade extract
8 drops myrrh essential oil
Directions:
Place measuring cup in the pot of water and place on the stove over medium heat until ingredients melt. Stir well. Pour into the deodorant containers and allow to set. As soon as the top layer has solidified, place caps on the containers.
Use when the deodorant has completely solidified.
Lip Balm
Equipment:
12 lip balm tubes
Egg carton (empty)
Plastic grocery bag
1 glass measure cup
1 pot of hot water
1 pair of scissors
Ingredients:
1 oz. pure unfiltered beeswax
½ cup sweet Almond Oil, Castor oil, or Olive oil
½ tsp Vitamin E (Vitamin E comes in capsules or as liquid oil at a local pharmacy)
¼ tsp Aloe Vera gel (Snip off a leaf from the plant and cut it open. Scrape out the gel.)
Directions:
Order the lip balm tubes in advance through the internet. Mix all the ingredients in a glass measuring cup and place it in the pot of water and place on the stove over medium heat until ingredients melt. Prepare egg carton by turning it over and cutting small holes (the size of the tubes) in the bottom of each cup. Stuff the carton with the plastic grocery bag and clip it shut and place it up-side down. Insert the lip balm tubes in the holes. Pour the melted mixture into the lip balm containers and allow to set. As soon as the top layer has solidified, place the caps on the tubes.
Use when the balm has completely solidified.
Tips from Kate:
I like lavender, wintergreen, vanilla, & chocolate-flavored lip balms. Add a small amount of an essence or flavoring to the mixture while it is melting.
Hint: Use a chocolate that is at least 75% cocoa.
Herbal Ice Cream
Equipment:
Double boiler or heavy saucepan
Muslin bag
Wire Whisk
Ice Cream maker
Start with this recipe for French Vanilla Custard.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups whipping cream
1 ½ cups milk
2/3 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 rounded TBS fresh or dried herb or herbal blooms
1 tsp dried herbal blooms (optional)
Directions:
In a heavy saucepan or double boiler over medium heat, stir and heat the heavy cream, milk, and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Don't let the mixture boil; it may curdle into lumps.
In a small bowl whisk the egg yolks lightly.
While whisking, pour 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the bowl, then pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium-low heat.
Stir constantly with a wooden spoon.
Cook for about 8 minutes until it begins to thicken and coat the spoon.
Clip a candy thermometer on the side of the pan and insert into the mixture not allowing it to touch the bottom. The custard is done cooking when the thermometer registers 175 T0 180 degrees.
OR
Dip a metal spoon into the mixture and run your finger across the back. The custard is done when your finger mark leaves a clear trail.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Place the 2 rounded Tablespoons of herb or herbal blooms in the muslin bag and place in the custard mixture while it is still warm.
Cover and chill in the fridge at least two hours. Overnight is better as it cools off further and the scent infuses into the cream base more.
Take out bag and squeeze it.
Add one additional rounded teaspoon of the chopped herb or herbal blooms for more flavor.
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.
Tips from Kate:
Herbs that make interesting flavors for ice cream: Lavender, Rose Geranium petals (scented), Rose Petals, Lemon verbena, and Chocolate peppermint
The process is the same for each flavor.
Chop a small amount of herb and put it in the ice cream for extra flavor.
Herbal Infusions
Dried or fresh herbs can be used in an infusion.
Equipment:
A small pot or a quart Jar with a cap or lid
Muslin bag, tea bag or a tin infuser
Wire fine-mesh strainer
Ingredients:
One ounce of an herbal mixture (see mixtures below)
Muslin bag, tea bag or a tin infuser
Boiling water
Directions:
Place the herbal mixture in a quart jar and fill to the top with boiling water. Cap tightly and allow to steep until it reaches the desired flavor.
Note: Mixture can be placed in a muslin bag, a regular tea bag or a tin infuser
Tips from Kate
The following mixtures make great infusions:
Mix #1: Rosemary leaves, chamomile, lavender, spearmint and cloves
