The
Growing & Maintenance 
Of Herbs Guide
=
Full Sun |
= Partial Sun |
= Shade |
If you fancy growing your own herbs and have never done so before, use this handy planting guide to get you started. This guide is for the most common and easy to grow herbs for the beginner, the seeds being found in most garden centres and seed catalogues.
Below this chart is a listing of Year Round Herb Maintenance from January to December of things to do in your herb garden.
|
Herb Name |
Position |
Sow
or |
Easy To Grow |
When To Harvest |
Sowing to Harvest |
Notes |
|
Basil |
|
Seed sown in April |
 |
July to October |
3 months |
Suitable for containers. |
|
Bay |
|
Purchase tree in October or April |
|
All year |
6 months |
Best in containers - unrestrained it can reach 18m (60') high. Take indoors during hard frost. |
|
Chives |
|
Root division or seed sown in April |
|
All year if cloche protection in frost. |
3 months |
Attractive flowers. Extremely tolerant of most conditions. |
|
Dill |
|
Seed sown in April |
|
July to October |
4 months |
Dill is an annual, so collect seeds in autumn for spring planting. |
|
Garlic |
|
Plant fresh bulb from greengrocer in March! |
|
September to October |
6 months |
Extremely tolerant of soil conditions and position. |
|
Mint |
|
Rooted cutting October or April |
|
July to October |
6 months |
Invasive - restrict to pot growth. Tolerant of shade. Easy to propagate |
|
Oregano/ |
|
Seed sown in April |
|
July to October |
3 months |
Very fragrant. Suitable for containers. Attractive flowers. Sweet marjoram less hardy than pot marjoram. |
|
Parsley |
|
Seed sown in April and September |
|
All year if cloche protection in hard frost. |
3 months |
Extremely tolerant of soil conditions and position. |
|
Rosemary |
|
Cuttings or seed sown in April |
|
All year if cloche protection in hard frost. |
3 months |
Attractive flowers. Suitable for containers |
|
Sage |
|
Rooted cutting October or April |
|
April to October |
6 months |
Protect from frost when young. Replace every three years. |
|
Tarragon |
|
Rooted
cutting |
|
April to October |
6 months |
Protect from frost especially when young. Replace every three years. |
|
Thyme |
|
Root division or cuttings in April |
|
July to October |
3 months |
Highly scented when crushed. Suitable for containers. |
January: Plan your garden and order seeds.
February: Sow Parsley if weather is mild and dry. Propagate Mint by rooted runners.
March: Sow Chervil, Chives, Dill, Marjoram, Parsley and Sorrel in small amounts. Under Glass Sow Basil. Split clumps of Bergamot and Sorrel. Divide Fennel roots and layer shoots of pot Marjoram.
April: Sow Parsley and small amounts of Dill, Fennel, Hyssop, Marjoram and Thyme. Under Glass Sow more Basil, harden off March seedlings and prick out. Layer creeping stems of Thyme. Plant out rooted cuttings of Bay, Hyssop, Mint, Rosemary and Sage
May: Sow Basil, Chervil, Dill, Fennel, Hyssop and Parsley. Plant out Basil seedlings. Take cuttings from pot Marjoram, Rosemary, Sage and Thyme. Divide straggly Mint and Thyme.
June: Sow Chervil and Dill, thin established seedlings. Take and root Rosemary and Sage cuttings.
July: Sow Chervil, Dill and Parsley. Harvest herbs before they come into full flower. Dry and store herbs.
August: Take cuttings from Bay, Hyssop, Mint, Rosemary and Sage. Collect and dry Dill and Fennel seeds. Divide Chives every 4th year.
September: Sow Chervil and Parsley. Divide Bergamot.
October: Divide roots of Mint. Dig up Fennel for forcing under glass.
November: Clear Basil, Chervil, Dill and second season Fennel and Parsley. Cover September sowing of Chervil and Parsley with cloches.
December: Protect Bay, Marjoram and Rosemary.
