Growing Herbs

Herb Gardening
Cynthia Sandberg
Love Apple Farms
www.LoveAppleFarms.com
Welcome to Love Apple Farms
Class Introduction
Please keep your talking to a minimum, allowing you and your
neighbors to get the full value of the class.
Please raise your hand if you have any questions, but try to wait for
the Q & A time periods, so we don’t get off track.
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Class Structure
● Soil: Testing, pH, amending
● Perennial vs. Annual
● Warm weather vs. Cool weather
● Siting and Sun Requirements
● Starts vs. Seeds
● Descriptions of individual herbs
● Propagating by cuttings
BREAK
● Flat sowing
● Flat care
● Planting out
● Container Growing
● Fertilizing with Worm Casting Tea
Start from the Ground Up
Soil pH
● Rainfall causes soil acidity
● Add lime to raise pH
● Add sulfur to lower pH
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Importance of Soil pH
● Most herbs want a pH between 6
and 7
● 6 is a great pH for an all-purpose
herb garden
● Your pH could be way off
● Plants cannot uptake nutrients
when pH is skewed
Importance of N-P-K: Macronutrients
● Nitrogen (N): Green growth
● Phosphorus (P): Root growth and fruit/flower production
● Potassium (K): Overall plant health
● Calcium (Ca): Cell wall development and growth
Purchase Good Top Soil and Compost
For New Herb Boxes
Bed Amending Recipe
For a 50 square foot bed:
● One barrow homemade compost OR
1 bag Gardner & Bloome Harvest Supreme
● 2 quarts G&B 4-6-3 Tomato, Veg, & Herb Fertilizer
● 1 quart pure Worm Castings
Bed Amending Step by Step
● If bed too full, remove a barrow of soil
● Sprinkle all amendments evenly on top
● Turn over soil using a spade fork, which places
compost and fertilizers 8" - 10" below soil level
(where feeder roots are located)
● Rake smooth
Annuals
● Live for a season or a
year
● Must be sown or planted
every year
● Usually tender and leafy
● Allows you to redesign
your garden yearly
● Biennials: Live for up to
2 years (example:
Parsley, Lovage)
Perennials
● Live for more than 2
years
● Placed permanently
in garden unless
planted in container
● Woody: Must be
pruned every winter
for health and growth
● Herbaceous: Dies
back in winter and
grows again in spring
Warm Weather
vs. Cool Weather
Lovers
● Should not be planted before
last frost
● Require full sun
● Usually started from seed
indoors in winter/early spring
and transplanted outside in
late spring/early summer
● Can be grown all year but
should be shaded in summer
● Will bolt quickly in warm
weather
Siting Your Herb Garden
● Close to your kitchen for easy harvesting
● Most herbs want full sun but will tolerate partial shade
● Perennial herbs are there to stay unless you transplant
● Rosemary, geraniums and lavender can get big and bushy
Siting Your Herb Garden
Herb Garden Design Ideas
Herb Wheel at Original Love Apple
Herb Spiral (Popular in Permaculture)
Herb Spiral Plans
Beautiful
sunken herb
garden. These
are actually
pots dug into
the ground
Container Herb Gardens
Rosemary
● Evergreen perennial - cut back by 2/3s in winter to keep it from
becoming too woody
● Will grow almost anywhere - sun, shade, cold, hot
● Edible purple flower
● Can be grown from seed
● Easy to propagate from cutting
Pruning Woody Perennials
● Remove any dead branches at base
● Cut down to 1/3 of original size
● Use loppers, clippers, heavy gloves
Salvia
● Aka "Sage"
● Ornamental or culinary
● Many different cultivars (arboretum at Cabrillo College)
● Evergreen perennial - cut back in winter
● Not hardy everywhere
● Can be grown from seed
● Easy to propagate from cuttings
RED
CARADONNA
COMMON SAGE
Tarragon
● Herbaceous perennial (dies back in winter)
● Difficult to start as cutting
● Best to purchase plant from nursery
● Unable to grow French variety from seed
● Mild anise flavor
Thyme
● Cultivars: Regular, Orange,
Lemon, Lime, Wooly, Creeping,
etc.
● Woody perennial
● Can be started from seed
● Easy to propagate from cuttings
Winter Savory
● Woody perennial
● Cut back each year
● Can be started from seed
● Easy to propagate from cutting
Oregano
● Herbaceous perennial that can continue to be evergreen in mild
climates
● Lots of cultivars
● Cut back each year
● Can be started from seed
Sweet Marjoram
● Woody perennial
● Cut back each year
● Start from seed or cutting
Stevia
● Naturally sweet - 50X sweeter
than sugar. Good for diabetics
● Seed requires light to germinate
(so don’t cover seed with soil).
● Dies above ground in winter,
regrows in spring
Chives
● Can live for several years
● Start from seed
● Die back in winter and regrow in spring
● Plant in bunches of 4 - 5
● Edible purple flower
● Round and hollow
● Requires supplemental nitrogen fertilizing
● Can propagate from seed or division
Garlic Chives
● Same culture as regular chives
● Aka Chinese Leeks
● Flat leaf blade
● Edible white flower
● Mild garlic flavor
● Susceptible to black aphids
French Sorrel
● Leafy perennial
● Lemony flavor
● Cut off flower spikes
● Prefers partial shade
● High yielding crop
● Start from seed, prick out in
bunches of 3 - 4
● Harvest by pulling or cutting
larger leaves
● Can harvest through winter in
mild climates
Red-Veined Sorrel
● Similar culture to French Sorrel but prettier
● Harvest small or large leaves
Bronze Fennel
● Different than bulbing
fennel
● Harvest by cutting leaves, or
fronds
● Start from seed and prick
out
● Can be sown directly
● Annual that resows itself
well
● Warm-weather lover
● Can get 3 feet tall
● Edible yellow umbel
flower
Dill
● Warm-weather lover
● Start from seed and prick out in bunches
● Can be sown directly
● Annual - resow every year
● Can grow 2 feet tall
● Edible yellow umbel
flower
Basil
● Annual, resow each year
● Warm-weather lover
● Start from seed and prick out 1 - 2 per pot
● Pinch top leaves to promote branching
● Cut off edible flower spikes to increase season
SWEET ITALIAN BASIL
THAI BASIL
Basil
PURPLE BASIL
LEMON
BASIL
RED &
GREEN BASIL
Basil
BLUE SPICE
BASIL
SERRATED BASIL
Basil
Cinnamon Basil
Christmas Basil
Pinching Tops
● Technique to promote branching, rather than plant being one long,
spindly branch
● Use on basils, mints, & cuttings (after they have rooted)
BASIL SPROUTS SHOWING
COTYLEDONS AND FIRST SET OF
TRUE LEAVES
PRICKED OUT BASIL SEEDLING
Plant Anatomy 101
Second pair of true leaves
Node
Pinching Tops
● Pinch off 2nd set of true leaves above node where 1st leaves are
connected
● Causes plant to grow 2 branches from this node
● When new branches grow 2 sets of leaves, pinch off those top
leaves
Flat Leaf Italian Parsley
● Better flavor than curly leaf used
for garnishing
● Biennial
● Slow to germinate and grow
● Takes extreme temperatures
● Sow in flats and prick out or sow
directly in ground
● Edible green umbel flower
Cilantro
● Aka Coriander
● Cool-weather lover
● Bolts quickly in warm weather
● Can sow directly
● Edible white flowers
● Let seeds dry on plant and save seeds for cooking or resowing next
crop
Chervil
● Mild licorice flavor
● High germination rates
● Can be sown directly
● Edible white flowers
● Popular in France
● Prefers partial shade
Summer Savory
● Similar flavor to Winter Savory but slightly sweeter
● Annual that must be resown
● Edible small purple flower
Anise Hyssop
● Annual, warm-weather lover
● Mint famly
● Edible purple flower
● Sow in flats and prick out
Mints
● Peppermint, Spearmint, Apple Mint, Chocolate Mint, Persian Mint,
Bergamot Mint... ... ...
● All invasive - put in pots separately or plant in areas where other
perennials fail (tough to grow spots)
● Grow from seed or cuttings
● Will die back a bit in winter, and regrow in spring
Feverfew
● Warm-weather lover
● Annual
● Sow seeds in flats and
prick out
● Can be sown directly in
summer
● Pretty cut flower
● Plants can grow 2 feet
tall
● Effective in preventing
migraines
Borage
● Annual that re-sows nicely each spring
● Warm-weather lover
● Sweet, blue edible flower
● Young leaves can be used in salads
● Large plant, 2 - 4 feet tall
Remove
calyx from
petal before
adding to
dishes
Shiso
● Japanese annual mint
● Warm-weather lover
● Red, Green, and
Britton (Green on top with
red underside)
● Propagate from seed
● Treat like basil
Cress
● Annual related to watercress and mustard
● Peppery flavor
● Grows year round
● Can be sown directly
● Edible white flower
Fenugreek
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Leaves can be used fresh or dried (curries)
Seed can be used as a spice
Also great in sprout form (common seed for sprouting)
Commonly used in Indian, Turkish, Persian, Egyptian and
Yemenite Jewish cuisines
● Annual likes full sun
● Grows to 2’ tall (spacing 1’)
● If you want seeds, let pods dry on
plant and harvest in fall.
Epazote
● Leaves used fresh or fried in
Mexican dishes
● Thought to reduce gassiness of
beans
● Can be directly sown
● Likes warm weather
● Grow in full sun
● Can be slightly invasive
● Gets 4’ tall
● Do not over water (likes drier
soil)
Salad Burnet
● Fav of fine dining chefs
● Perennial
● Low growing (plant on south
sides of others)
● Clean, cucumber flavor
● Easy to grow
Lemon Grass
● Citrus flavor
● Needs light to
germinate
● Used in Asian
cuisines
● 3 to 5’ tall
● Needs mild winters
to survive cold
● Likes full sun
● Space 24’ apart
● Likes water
● Harvest by uprooting at least ½” thick base stalks, can
leave remainder behind (tamp soil back around root ball)
Stinging Nettle
● Lots of uses (soup, tea)
● Will irritate skin (plant
away from where kids
could encounter it
● Irritation goes away when
cooked
● Can reseed when happy
● Deer resistant
● Many medicinal uses
● Likes moists oil
● Grows in partial shade
● Easy to germinate from
seed
Quilquiña
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Bolivian herb
Cilantro on steroids
Blue Green color
3’ tall
Sun or light shade
Drought tolerant
Annual
Herbs Suitable for Plant Division
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Chive
Chamomile
Lemon Balm
Tarragon
Marjoram
Thyme
Lemon Grass
Steps to Propagate Cuttings
1. Cut a 3" piece of the plant
○ Piece must have terminal bud (growing tip)
2. Remove leaves from most of lower part of stem
○ Node: At least one should be under the soil
Plant Anatomy 102
Steps to Propagate Cuttings
3. Fill small pots with Gardner & Bloome Blue Ribbon Blend potting
soil. Water them well.
○ Dip cutting in rooting hormone, if desired (not required)
○ Make hole with pencil and place cutting in hole
○ Compact soil around stem to prop it up
○ Don't have too many leaves above soil (no roots to take up water
to them)
Steps to Propagate Cuttings
4. Keep constantly moist in partial shade
○ No direct sunlight
5. Cutting will take a month to root
6. After a month, start hardening off cutting by putting it in direct
sun for a few hours in the morning
Break and Cuttings
Flat Sowing Instructions
1. Write on labels in pencil only
2. Sow 3 cells at least of each type of herb
3. Place label in upper left cell
4. Sow on surface - no divot
5. Don't put in label until you are ready to sow
6. Keep to number of seeds per cell written on canister or seed packet
- seeds are very small! Oversowing will hurt the seedlings!
7. Pass in circle, clockwise. Seeds will go around several times
8. Put lids back on tight after selecting. Only have 1 container open at
a time
Example of Labels in Top Left
48 cells per tray
3 cells per veg = 16 possible different veg to sow
Seeds Available to Sow in Flat Today
● Winter Savory
● Chives
● Garlic Chives
● Bronze Fennel
● Dill
● Basil:
○ Sweet Italian (Regular)
○ Thai
○ Purple
○ Serrated
○ Red and Green
○ Lemon
○ Blue Spice
○ Lime
○ Christmas
○ Cinnamon
● Feverfew
● Fenugreek
● Lemon Grass
● Epazote
● Salad Burnet
● Sorrel:
○ French, Green
○ Red-Veined
● Parsley
● Cilantro
● Chervil
● Summer Savory
● Anise Hyssop
● Peppermint
● Common Mint
● Mountain Mint
● Vienamese Mint
● Borage
● Shiso
● Dandelion - Red Veined
● Stevia
● Quilquiña
Seedling Tray Care
● Water 3 times and cover with plastic
● Optimal soil temperature: 70 degrees
● Use instant-read meat thermometer to monitor temp
● Remove plastic cover once seeds sprout
● Put flat outside during day and bring in at night
Seedling Tray Care
● Transplant into small containers once seedlings show several sets
of leaves
● Transplant deeper than they were before
● Use G&B Blue Ribbon Blend Potting Mix
● Put transplants outside in sun during day, inside at night
● Fertilize transplants with Worm Casting Tea
Planting Out
● Plant transplants 4 - 6" apart in offset grid
● Plant herbs that will be taller on North side of bed, shorter herbs on
South side
● Do not plant warm-weather lovers until after last frost:
○ Coastal: April 15
○ Inland: May 1
Container Growing
● Containers need to be fertilized weekly
with Worm Casting Tea or liquid
organic fertilizer
● Perennial herbs need to be repotted to
bigger pots annually or divided
● When planting in 15 gallon pot add:
○ 1 cup G&B 4-6-3
○ ½ cup Bone Meal
Supplemental Fertilizing
● Perennials and container herbs will need additional fertilizer
● Best fertilizer: Worm Casting Tea
● Recipe: Big handful of castings in a 5 gallon bucket
● Let sit for two days
● Strain through cheesecloth or FRC or strainer and apply to plants
with a watering can or garden sprayer
● Do twice a month during growing season
● WCT has been shown to: increase fertility, reduce incidence of
disease and reduce bug stress
Annual Spring Tomato Plant Sale - Now with Peppers & Eggplant!
March 28 - May 31
Mon thru Fri: 10am - 6pm
Sat: 10am - 5pm
Sun: 11am - 5pm
Location: Ivy's Porch
5311 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley
Upcoming Classes at Love Apple Farm
Tomato Masters $59 - Sunday, May 24
Container Vegetable Gardening $69 - Saturday, May 30
Bread Making $99 - Saturday, June 13
Sausage Making $99 - Sunday, June 14
Pies with Flair $89 - Saturday, June 20
Beer Making $89 - Sunday, June 21 (Father's Day)
Beginning Cheese Making $99 - Saturday, June 27
Drip Irrigation $69 - Sunday, June 28
For Sale Today
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Heat mat
Blue Ribbon Blend Potting Soil
G&B Fertilizer
Worm Castings
15 Gallon Pots
Tiered Garden Boxes (great for herbs)
Saboten Garden Shears
Kneepads
Eggs from our happy hens
Now go forth and grow!