The key to a successful organic herb garden is to work with nature. Perhaps your herb garden is sheltered by the house and the soil does not get much rain. Or it could be exposed from a prevailing wind, making the soil dryer than the garden next door. Read on for some planting tips and advice on how to get the very best from your herbs.
Hardy perennial herbs can be planted at any time of the year, except when soil is frozen or waterlogged. Water thoroughly and let the water drain. It is essential that new herbs do not run short of moisture around their roots until they are well established.
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| Plant hardiness is the lowest temperature that the plant can withstand during the winter. Various rating systems are used to describe it. We use the RHS rating system, and this is clearly indicated on all of our plants and seeds: |
FULLY HARDY hardy to -15°C
FROST HARDY hardy to -5°C
HALF HARDY hardy to 0°C
FROST TENDER not hardy below+5°C |
View or download our
Guide to Herb Hardiness (right) |
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As Jekka always says, 'if the ground's too cold to sit on, then don't sow your seeds outside without protection'. If you're sowing your own herb garden or allotment from seed, then don't miss our Seed Sowing Calendar, to find out which herb seeds can be planted at particular times of the year.
You know that you want a herb garden, but do you know which herbs
to put in it? Will you be using herbs to cook with, for aromatherapy,
to encourage bees and butterflies or perhaps to grow your own medicine? To help you choose (amongst our 600 + herb varieties), see our
Herb Garden Collections - a guide to which herbs to include in a first herb garden, a herbal tea garden, for beneficial insects and wildlife...
So, now that you've grown your herbs and are enjoying a,
bountiful herb garden, how do you harvest your crop? Read our
Guide to Harvesting Herbs, and find out how to collect, dry, store and preserve your herbs for a plentiful supply all year round.
Is there some herb gardening terminology or jargon that you don't understand? See if the answer's in our (growing) Glossary..
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