Herbs have been used for cooking, medicine, aromatherapy, religious ceremonies, pest control and decoration since the beginning of civilization.
Plants that are referred to as “herbs” are not used as a food but are grown and consumed as a garnish, and for flavor enhancement, aroma and sometimes alleged healing properties.
The aromas, tastes and pharmaceutical properties associated with herbs result from a collection of chemicals in each plant. These chemicals, known as essential or volatile oils, are synthesized in the plant during metabolism.
Depending on the particular plant, the essential oil may be concentrated in the flowers, seeds, leaves or roots, or throughout the entire plant. Selective herbal use in culinary dishes can enhance the flavor of the food greatly, replacing table salt, resulting in a healthier alternative for many people.
The purpose of this publication is to serve as a guide in growing and using herbs for culinary purposes. No health claims are implied with any particular herb.
Herbs are so adaptable, anyone can grow them! From a windowsill to a garden plot to multiacre plots, employing basic horticultural plant-growing techniques usually results in success.
Like all vegetable plants, herbs need adequate light, water and soil nutrients to produce high-quality plants. While some herbs are “weedy,” with the apparent ability to grow “anywhere,” the home gardener or commercial producer should provide adequate soil preparation and pay attention to soil pH, temperature extremes, potential pests and other environmental variables.
Herbs can be grown via direct seeding, as is the case with dill, or set out as transplants from greenhouse sources, as is done with French tarragon. Our long daylight hours during early summer stimulate vigorous growth for annual, biennial and perennial herbs.
Some herbs that are perennial, such as rosemary, can be grown only as annuals in our northern region. The popular herb, parsley, is a biennial grown as an annual for its well-known tasty and aromatic foliage.
Top 10 Herbs to Consider for Culinary Purposes
Listed are the Top 10 herbs for growing in upper Midwestern prairie gardens and for culinary purposes. The selection of these 10 herbs was based on direct experience in growing and culinary use, along with the belief they have ornamental or environmental value. You certainly have more herbs to consider, and the authors hope this publication serves as inspiration to grow and use all the herbs in preparing meals.
- Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Anise hyssop is hardy to Zone 4 (Red River Valley and southern three-fourths of North Dakota). American Indians used anise hyssop as a sweetener and in preparing teas and infusions. A member of the mint family, this species can be sown directly or transplanted. It grows best in sunny locations and apparently is not soil pH-sensitive.
High-quality plant production requires irrigation and a balanced fertilization regime. Plants wilt easily under hot, dry conditions. The foliage and flowers are harvested for culinary purposes. The blue to purple flowers are borne on terminal spikes of the stem or branches and are extremely attractive to honeybees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
- Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Basil is an annual herb that is very cold-sensitive. Planting it outside too early will result in reduced yield or death of the plantings. It grows readily from seed when sown in warm, moist soil. In California, transplants often are set out in gardens when the soil has warmed to about 68 degrees. Full sun and well-drained soil, along with balanced nutrition, are essential for success.
Regular watering via a drip hose or microirrigation is useful because overhead watering often leads to fungal disease development. Continue pinching the center of the plant to discourage flowering and harvest the tender new shoots that result for culinary purposes. Handle carefully because basil foliage will darken if bruised.
Many types of basil, including Genovese, holy, lemon, cinnamon and purple basil, grow well in California. Because of the wide phenotypic character of this species, basil plantings for ornamental purposes are common.
- Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
Chamomile, or German chamomile, is an easily grown annual that some might classify as a “weed” because it is easy to grow and reseed. This is an herb with attractive ornamental qualities due to the profusion of flowers it produces, which are used in preparing teas. Chamomile is among the least fussy herbs to grow and adapts well to many types of soil.
- Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
Chives are a sure-fire confidence builder for the most amateur gardeners. This hardy perennial can be seed sown directly into the site or moved in via divided transplants. The pink to bright purple flowers form globular heads at the top of the plant that attract any honeybee in the vicinity. Chives will self-seed readily and should be dead-headed to prevent volunteer plants from coming up in unwanted places. They often are used as border plants that will not get out of control. Like chamomile, it is not particular about soil conditions, needing only full sunlight to look and produce its best. This herb, along with parsley, can be grown in containers.
- Cilantro, Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
Depending on the intended use, cilantro and coriander refer to the same plant. When grown for the foliage, it can be referred to as cilantro, as well as Chinese parsley or Mexican parsley. When grown for its seeds, it often is referred to as coriander. Although drought resistant, this annual requires full sunlight and regular watering for best production. It should be sown directly into the garden, not transplanted. This widely used herb is popular in many ethnic cuisines, including Mexican, Chinese, South American and Vietnamese. Before becoming popular in culinary dishes, it was thought to be an aphrodisiac and was distilled as a love potion in the Middle Ages.
- Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Dill, a highly versatile culinary herb fresh and dry, is one of the most commonly grown annual herbs in the upper Midwest. The seeds, leaves and seeds in umbels are all used. It produces small yellow flowers, which quickly become seeds. Dill thrives in cool weather, which allows it to be sown early in the spring. It bolts (goes to seed) when the temperatures rise. If an objective is to use the greenery from the plants, then slow-bolting cultivars such as ‘Bouquet’ or ‘Dukat’ should be selected. If use of the seed is desired, wait until the seed has turned brown in the umbel. Cut the plant and hang it upside down to collect the seeds on a drop cloth.
- Garlic (Allium sativum)
Garlic, a fall-planted perennial herb, has grown in popularity with home gardeners during the past decade. Propagated from cloves, the larger outside ones usually are selected to provide the largest bulb the following summer. Place cloves pointed side up, 3 inches below the soil surface sometime after Columbus Day in the fall. The soil will have enough warmth to stimulate root growth and initiate stem growth, but the garlic should not break through the soil surface until the following spring.
The cloves are harvested when the foliage begins to “flag” or turn yellow, which should be late August or early September. After harvesting, the bulbs should be allowed to cure for a day or two in a shady location with good air circulation.
Storing garlic can be fun; simply braid the foliage together and hang in the kitchen for convenient use.
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Whether the lavender plant is a perennial depends on the cultivar selection, microclimate location and amount of snow cover. Perhaps your best option is to consider it an annual and be pleasantly surprised if it should survive a winter. To have any chance of overwintering successfully, lavender should be planted in soil with excellent drainage and in full sun, preferably on a south-facing slope. Lavender can be propagated via direct seeding (burying the seed about 1/4 inch deep), by stem cuttings taken in the fall, or by division of the root system. In the spring, shear the plants back heavily to stimulate new growth and to remove the winter-killed branch ends.
Like other members of the mint family and most herbs, lavender will not need high levels of fertility. If given adequate winter protection and moisture throughout the summer months, lavender plants will produce an abundance of flowers that last only about a week but attract butterflies, hummingbirds and honeybees during that time. If the flowers are harvested before seed set, usually a second blooming period can be experienced. Air-dried flowers can retain their aroma for several weeks.
‘Hidcote’ and ‘Munstead’ are among the hardiest of cultivars; however, none is reliably hardy.
- Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
Oregano is perhaps the most confusing of the herbs because its types vary widely in growth habit, hardiness and flavor. Several Greek and Italian types are hardy in Zone 4 if provided winter protection.
American teens are familiar with oregano because of their high consumption of pizza. Fresh oregano is unequaled for flavor and aroma enhancement in Italian dishes.
Like the other Mediterranean herbs, it needs a warm, sunny location and well-drained soil to thrive. It usually is started from seed in a greenhouse and transplanted outdoors after frost threats have passed. Also, like other herbs, the flavor will be best if you keep fertilization to a minimum and
you add phosphorus and potassium at the end of the growing season to help in developing winter hardiness.
- Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)
French tarragon is hardy in Zone 4 if given sufficient winter protection. Russian tarragon is even hardier. French tarragon has a distinct licorice scent, while the Russian does not. Russian tarragon will grow to 6 feet tall and tends to spread from the seed it produces; French tarragon will grow to just 2 feet tall. This is one of the few herbs that can be grown in full sunlight or partial shade. The other cultural requirements — well-drained soil, not overwatering and modest fertility — are the same as with most other herbs.