As we are thinking about and getting ready for our summer vegetable garden, consider planting some herbs. Herbs are pretty easy to grow, don’t have a lot of disease or pest problems, and are a great way to supply you with fresh herbs for meals. So, let’s talk about growing some herbs this year.

Interestingly, some of the earliest writings we have from ancient civilizations include information of herbs being used to treat wounds and illnesses in addition to being used as a way to add flavor to your cooking. I am kind of a novice with herbs. I grow the basics, primarily rosemary, basil, oregano, and thyme, but there’s so much morel.

Several years ago, we inherited a boat and it’s true what they say, a boat is a hole in the water where you throw your money. We no longer have the boat, but I did enjoy getting to know the guy who owned the marina. He was a Native American and one day he pointed to an area by the shore that looked overgrown to me, but he said that was his pharmacy…a collections of medicinal herbs etc. All this to say, herbs have been used for years for more than just adding flavor to your food, but the flavorful ones are the ones we are talking about here.

Generally, herbs like sunny locations and well-drained soil. Herbs for a sunny spot include lavender, fennel, dill, sage, lemongrass, tarragon, thyme, purslane, garlic, and rosemary. Herbs that can tolerate a little shade including cilantro, mint, lemon balm, nasturtium, lovage, ginger, parsley, and chervil. As a cautionary tale, anyone that has grown mint knows you should really grow mint in a container since mint loves to spread. And, once in the ground, mint can be a challenge to get rid of.

I mentioned that I tend to grow basil and there are two reasons for that - I love the smell and I also love to make pesto. Again, basil is pretty easy to grow. You can start it from seed (mainly starting indoors) and it grows into a nice healthy plant. One thing about growing basil is that if you want it to continue growing, you’ll need to pinch off the flowers. I do that up until a point in the late summer/fall when I just let it flower away. If you are the type of person who likes to save seeds, it’s easy to let those flowers dry and harvest seeds for next year’s plants. Also, pollinators love those flowers.

I also like to have rosemary in our home garden. One thing that can be shocking when visiting the pacific northwest is that they oftentimes have hedges made from rosemary. It’s difficult to pull that off here because of our cold winters. While Arp and Hill Hardy varieties are rated to survive winter here, it seems like I always need to pull them out and replant. But it’s worth it to be able to have a little rosemary to put in the water with a roast or alongside some salmon on the grill. Again, I’ve had very little pest issues with rosemary other than the occasional attack from spider mites.

Sage is good perennial herb for your garden. Sage likes slightly acidic, well-drained soil and will love lots of sun. You can make your sage plant bushier by trimming out the lateral growth. Sage is a good one for stews in the fall.

Now let’s talk about two standards for your garden, oregano and thyme. While both of these are good to use for cooking, they are also pollinator magnets for your garden. I oftentimes talk about the benefits of planting both flowers and vegetables in your garden, but with these two you will get tons of tiny little flowers that are a favorite of pollinating insects…bees especially. This way you get some pollinator bait and a delicious herb for your dinner table.

Chives are another one that is easy to grow and tend to come back each year. Chives are a member of the onion family and push out these beautiful purple flowers in late spring. Chives do best in a location with full sun and will need to be supplemented with water during a dry stretch. When it’s time to harvest some chives, just cut off the top portion of the leaves being sure to leave at least 2 inches so it will continue to grow.

Fennel is another herb that is great for pollinators. Personally, I wouldn’t know what to do with fennel in the kitchen, but I know some of you do. And fennel plays host to black swallowtail butterflies, so you’ll get the benefit of fennel for your kitchen and butterflies to brighten up your day. In addition, black swallowtails will lay eggs on your fennel with the leaves getting devoured by their larvae. But how much fun is that!

We’ve only skimmed the surface of what’s available to plant in your herb garden. You can find more information on growing herbs on our website (www.tulsamastergardeners.org). Just click on the Lawn and Garden Help icon and then Herbs. There’s also a good selection of herbs in our annual plant sale/fundraiser. So get some herbs and enjoy all those fragrances and tastes coming from your yard. See you in the garden!

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org.