Let's Grow Stuff

- Greetings from the garden, and welcome back to Let's Grow Stuff .

My name is Ben, and today, we are talking herbs.

How to grow them, how to harvest, and some simple tips for success.

So let's jump in and get started.

[upbeat electronic music] So what are herbs?

Well, typically, they're either the leaves or flowers of plants that we can use for cooking or for medicinal purposes.

We can use them dried or fresh, and if you're like me, they're a staple in your kitchen.

Not all herbs have the same growing conditions, so let's learn what we need to do to set our herbs up for success.

First, let's talk perennial herbs.

And these are herbs that are native to the Mediterranean region, which means they need good drainage, direct sunlight, and lean soil.

So if you want to grow these herbs, think about a site on your garden that matches these conditions.

So maybe along your driveway or along your garage where it gets that bright direct sunlight and good drainage.

And if you don't have these conditions available to you, you can create them in a container.

These herbs can become a bit woody over time, so I like to harvest the entire stem and then strip off the leaves, and then that way the flavors stay fresh and punchy.

So if you've had trouble growing these herbs in the past, chances are it's because they didn't have enough drainage or enough sunlight, and they need a lot of both.

So to improve these conditions, you can add things like sand, pea gravel, or perlite to help improve the drainage in your soil.

Now remember, these plants are perennials, which means they need a period of dormancy in order to come back big and beautiful next year.

So just leave them in the ground or in their container outdoors through the winter.

Next, we have the annual herbs, and these are plants that will need to be replanted every season because they are not winter hardy.

These include things like parsley, cilantro, and basil.

And here, we have several different selections of basil, and they're unique in that they are actually a tropical plant and not native to the Mediterranean.

This means they need rich soil, consistent moisture, and full, direct sun.

Now, the key to keeping basil thriving is to pinch off the tops of growing stems throughout the year.

This will help to encourage the plant to create lateral shoots and more leaves, which is great news for pesto lovers.

In doing this, we only want to take off the tip of each stem.

Maybe just a couple of centimeters; we don't want to go too deep.

Now as the season heats up, you may notice your basil starting to flower.

It's important to actually take these flowers off because it diverts the energy from the leaves and into the flowers, and so we want it to keep producing leaves as much as possible.

Since basil is in the mint family, it is a wonderful plant for pollinators, so if you come back from a long vacation and your basil has started to flower, don't panic.

You can still deadhead these flowers.

The good news is, the pollinators have been enjoying those flowers while you've been away.

Now if you're having trouble growing basil, remember to check your growing conditions, but also remember that basil likes it hot.

And so if our season is trending cooler on average, it just may not produce as well as it would in another year.

Last but not least, let's talk about rosemary.

Now for most of us in the Midwest, this could be considered an annual, but I like to bring it indoors in the winter to keep the harvest coming.

The easiest way to do this is to grow it in a container so that moving it indoors is an easy chore in the fall.

Rosemary is also native to the Mediteranean, so if you're planting it in a container, make sure it has good drainage and also consider using a soil mixture like a cacti or succulent mix.

If you don't have this mix available, you can always make your own by taking conventional potting soil and adding things like perlite, sand, and gravel.

Choose a bright window with direct sunlight.

A south or a west-facing window is perfect.

In winter, water it every two weeks, but also remember, it's used to growing along the sea coast, and so it's getting most of its moisture through its leaves.

Give it a mist with a spray bottle every 3-5 days.

If you manage to keep your rosemary alive through winter, it will likely need to be repotted into a larger pot come spring.

Your rosemary may flower in winter, and that's okay.

You can go ahead and let it bloom.

Well, there you have it.

Growing herbs is an awesome way to add a little spice to your life and to your cooking.

Now don't forget, there is so much more to learn online at pbswisconsin.org/letsgrowstuff.

There, we more have videos, tips, tricks, and a blog to help you grow a better garden.

So until next time, happy gardening.

Funding for Let's Grow Stuff is provided by American Transmission Company, Ganshert Nursery and Landscapes, Willy Street Co-Op, Focus Fund for Wisconsin Programming, and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.