Let’s Grow an Herb Garden

Great for all ages!

We’ve been hunkered down indoors for a full year, but Spring has sprung and restrictions are lifting. It’s time for rebirth and renewal, growth and gardening gloves!

Gardening is great for all ages and abilities. Here are five health benefits for your favorite seniors.

·        Digging in dirt improves our immune systems. The friendly bacteria found in gardening soil can improve allergies, asthma and psoriasis.

·        Gardening relieves stress and anxiety.

·        Regular gardening improves strength, coordination and sensory awareness, substantially reducing the risk of dementia.

·        Exercise—even light exercise—slows the aging process.

·        Fresh air and sunshine boost the brain’s serotonin level,  which elevates mood and makes us feel centered.

Today we’re planting herbs which are easy to grow, lovely to smell  and handy for cooking. We’ll grow them in containers, which saves space and digging. You’ll need a warm, sunny place like a sunlit patio, balcony or windowsill. Herbs need at least four hours of sunshine a day; some herbs, like basil, can suck up six to eight hours of full sun daily.

You’ll need:

·        Clay or plastic pots, 8”—18” in diameter. Feel free to get creative with wooden boxes or metal washtubs; just make sure the bottoms have holes for drainage.

·        Good potting soil (enough to fill the pots). Potting mixtures are less dense and offer better aeration than regular soil.

·        Plant fertilizer (organic vegetable fertilizer is best)

·        A trowel

·        A watering can, which provides a gentler stream than a garden hose

·        Your favorite starter plants from a walk-in or mail-order nursery, which is easier than starting from seeds

Ten easy-to-grow, good-to-eat herbs:

·        Thyme—deliciously aromatic leaves. Thyme plants prefer clay pots.

·        Chives—a milder member of the onion family, chives impart a subtle flavor to eggs and salads.

·        Parsley—Italian or flat-leaf parsley has the most flavor.

·        Basil—key in Italian cooking, basil plants love warm conditions.

·        Sage—used primarily for poultry and stuffing, sage likes lots of sun.

·        Oregano—when grown outside, this plant comes back every spring. Try oregano flowers sprinkled on salad.

·        Mint—the most common types are peppermint and spearmint. Leaves release a menthol scent when bruised.

·        Cilantro—flavors foods in place of salt! Cilantro seeds are known as coriander.

·        Tarragon—French tarragon is the most flavorful, prefers to be planted in spring or fall

·        Lemongrass—a tropical herb known for its citrusy flavor

·        Bay laurel—grows like a shrub, flavors slow-cooked dishes like stew

How to re-pot herb plants:

·        Select a pot at least 8” in diameter (Clay pots leach moisture from the soil, so soak pots in water first) and fill 2” from the top with potting soil.

·        Add fertilizer, according to directions. Moisten the potting soil by mixing in water until the soil feels damp all the way through.

·        With fingers or trowel, make a planting hole in the soil of new pot.

·        To release the herb plant from its starter container, turn it upside down, tap the bottom, and gently pull on the base of the stems until the plant slides out.

·        Gently loosen its roots from the root ball and slip the plant into the planting hole in its new pot.

·        Gently press the soil around the new plant and water thoroughly. If needed, add more soil, leaving an inch of space from the top.

·        Feel free to combine different herbs in the same larger pot, provided the plants share similar water and sun requirements.

Growing tips:

·        Water only when soil is dry to the touch. Do not over-water.

·        Fertilize! Mix vegetable fertilizer into the water and apply every 2 weeks. Be sure to feed the soil, not the foliage!

·        Deadhead frequently—don’t leave dead leaves on the plants. Snip off any flowers that appear, flowers which are edible!

·        You can harvest the herbs when the plant reaches 6-8" tall. By cutting close to a leaf intersection your plants will regrow very quickly. The more frequently you harvest, the more foliage will grow.

·        Herbs will outgrow their pots over time. (Basils can grow to over 2 1/2 feet high.) You can transplant to larger pots as needed.

Congratulations! You now have hearty herb plants that are lovely to look at and delicious for cooking. Turns out, you do have a green thumb!  

Happy Spring, everyone!