About Her Lifestyle

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Thinking about starting your own herb garden? Great! Don’t know how? We’ve got you covered! Not only does an herb garden eliminate the need to constantly restock your spice rack, but fresh herbs make a significant difference in taste for any recipe! Following is everything you need to know about starting your own herb garden at home.

Basil

Loves Sun | Loves Moist Soil

Planting

If you choose to plant indoor, aim to plant 6 to 8 weeks before Spring. If you opt for planting outdoors, any time after Spring will suffice.

Special Care Instructions

Remove any flowers that appear to help preserve flavor.

Harvesting

Harvest the upper leaves first, only taking a few at a time.

Uses

Basil is great in salads, sandwiches, wraps, soups, sauces and on pizza.

Chives

Loves Sun | Loves Moist Soil

Planting

If your planning on planting indoor, try to get the seeds planted 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost of Spring. If you decide to plant outdoors, make sure to do so 3 to 4 weeks before instead.

Special Care

Ensure to remove any flowers the sprout as soon as they appear.

Harvesting

Using scissors, cut the outer leaves first while leaving approximately 2 inches of leaf to ensure continuous growth.

Uses

Chives, being a lot like onions, work perfect in almost everything, including salads, sandwiches, wraps and sauces.

Cilantro

Loves a Mix of Sun and Shade | Loves Moist Soil

Planting

It is highly recommended to only plant cilantro outdoors any time after the last frost to achieve the best results.

Special Care

Cilantro doesn’t do well during hot weather, so it is important to keep the soil cool at all times by offering shade and keeping it watered well.

Harvesting

When it comes to harvest, you have two options. Either cut the outer leaves once the plant reaches 6 inches tall or wait until it is fully grown and remove the entire plant.

Uses

Cilantro goes great in both salads and sandwiches but is best in dips and sauces.

Dill

Loves Sun | Loves Dry Soil

Planting

Just like Cilantro, Dill is a plant that does a lot better being planted outdoors. For the best results, make sure to plant the seeds 4 to 5 weeks before the last frost during Spring.

Special Care

Dill is extremely easy to care for, as it prefers a lot of sunlight and dryer soil. Keep in mind that just like every plant, it still needs a regular amount of water.

Harvesting

Always make sure that the plant is at least 12 inches tall before harvesting and never take more than a few leaves at a time.

Uses

Dill mixes great with fish, lamb, potatoes and peas.

Parsley

Loves Sun | Loves Moist Soil

Planting

When it comes to planting parsley indoors, 10 to 12 weeks before the last frost is preferred, as opposed to 3 to 4 weeks before when planting outdoors.

Special Care

When planting parsley, it is important to keep timing in mind as it takes a longer period for germination than other seeds.

Harvesting

To harvest, simply cut the outer stems slightly above ground level.

Uses

Parsley is perfect for salads and soups.

Rosemary

Loves Sun | Loves Dry Soil

Planting

Capable of being planted both indoors and outdoors, ensure you plant the seeds 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost if planting indoors or any time after if planning outdoors.

Special Care

Rosemary is a really difficult seed to germinate. If you are a beginner, it is wise to consider using a mature plant instead of starting from seeds.

Harvesting

While difficult to grow, all that is needed to be done to harvest this plant is to cut from the stem as needed.

Uses

Rosemary is amazing for both culinary and medical uses.

Thyme

Loves a Mix of Sun and Shade | Loves Dry Soil

Planting

Remember to plant the seeds indoors 6 to 10 weeks before the last frost of Spring or 2 to 3 weeks before if you’re planting outdoors.

Special Care

Thyme loves dry soil, so be careful not to overwater it. At the same time, it can be hard to germinate so beginners should consider starting with a mature plant.

Harvesting

Easy to harvest, simply cut from the stem as needed.

Uses

Thyme is great for meats, soups and stews.

All that’s left to do is to grab your personalized wood cutting board, favorite knife set and your newly grown herbs to begin making the most flavourful dishes than ever before. If you don’t already have a hardwood cutting board, check out these incredible models on Engraved Cutting Board’s online store, perfect for every type of gardener.