​Start with Structure​

When planning a garden from scratch, the best place to start is with “the bones.” The plants that give structure to a garden. Think hedges that offer privacy, trees that separate spaces, and tall shrubs that mark garden paths. ​Edible plants that offer structure:

​Hawthorn

Traditionally used for hedges because its spiky thorns act as a natural deterrent. In the fall, the berries feed wild birds.  The berries can be made into a jam or dried for tea.

​Fruit Trees

​Fruit trees can be planted for height in the back of a border. Dwarf tree varieties offer compact solutions for smaller gardens.  Many fruit trees can be trained in the style of espalier,  parallel tiers, to create a “living fence”. Pear and apple trees are perfect for this style of growing.

 ​Elderberry

Elderberry plants are good choices for the edible garden. In the spring, their flowers can be used to make fermented drinks or battered for a tasty spring treat. In the fall, their berries are packed with anthocyanins and are commonly used to make elderberry syrup. The birds love the berries too. Be sure to use the Sambucus nigra varieties and research the proper ways to prepare elderberries for consumption. ​

Mesquite Trees

​If you live in the Southwestern United States or Mexico, the mesquite tree (Prosopis spp.) is a lovely addition to an edible garden.  The pods are edible and have been harvested for centuries by indigenous people, who prepare and mill them into flour.  Pods can be harvested when they are ripe.  Mesquite pods must be properly dried before milling, so be sure to research this before attempting. Even if you don’t plan on using the pods, these trees are beautiful in a desert garden.

​Olive Trees

​Olive trees can give your garden a beautiful Mediterranean look, even if you don’t live in a warm environment. Olive trees can be grown in containers and protected over the winter months.  Olive trees look really nice with other edible Mediterranean plants like lavender and rosemary. ​

Second Layer

​After you’ve got your structure giving plants, it’s time to think about the next layer, which is usually medium-sized shrubs and perennials.

​Rosemary

Rosemary is great for the edible garden because it comes in many sizes. You can plant taller varieties like ‘Tuscan Blue’ to form short hedges or low-growing ones to create a spreading effect.

​Roses

Roses are a classic in any garden.  From climbers and ramblers, to floribundas and shrub types, there is a rose for everyone. The best roses for edible purposes are the species kinds like Rugosa. Dried rose petals make a lovely addition to tea blends or jellies. In the fall, rose hips look pretty, and you can make rose hip jams.

​Blueberry

Blueberry bushes can be a perfect edible plant for beauty, as long as you give them the right conditions. Blueberry bushes prefer acidic soil.  Blueberries can be grown in containers.  In the autumn, the leaves offer seasonal color interest.

​Lavender

Lavender is a top choice for the edible garden because it’s very easy to grow in the right environment. It thrives in very warm weather and plenty of sun, but most importantly, the roots have very good drainage. Lavender buds are highly fragrant and used in baking, cooking, making syrups, and teas. Use English (angustifolia) varieties for culinary use. Other types can have a more “soapy” flavor and are better used for aromatherapy. ​

The Last Layer

The final layer is of course, plants that are short, low-growing, or groundcover. Let’s explore a few:​

Lingonberry

​Lingonberries are related to blueberries and cranberries, native to Scandinavia, Europe, and northern areas of the United States, such as Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.  Lingonberries are a unique plant to grow and are starting to appear around some nurseries.  If you are looking to try something new and live in an area with cooler temperatures and acidic soil, why not grow a few lingonberry plants as groundcover?   Lingonberries can be grown in the same area as blueberries, too.  The shiny leaves are evergreen, providing year-round interest. The little red berries are tart and similar in taste to cranberries. Although you’d need quite a few productive plants to really make a good harvest, the lingonberry is a fun plant to add to an edible garden. ​

Thyme

Thyme is such a versatile plant: a culinary herb, a medicinal herb, good for pollinators, and an ornamental. Grow thyme as an attractive ground cover or between pavers or pathways. ​

Oregano​

Oregano is similar to thyme in terms of versatility.  Little white flowers are great for pollinators and add beauty to the garden. ​

More Ideas​

• Grow a combination of climbing edibles like tomatoes and nasturtiums up a trellis for a colorful centerpiece of the garden​.

• Rhubarb plants make a statement in the spring with their red and green combination​.

• Create a veggie tunnel by growing cucumbers, squash, or extra small pumpkins over an arched trellis.

• Add plants for movement, but instead of grass, choose fennel, dill, and asparagus, which will wave in the wind. ​

  

• More edibles to landscape with: citrus trees, chives, sunflowers, dahlias, calendula, lilac, and hostas.

  

​With edible landscaping, you get to enjoy your garden with all of your senses!  Start planning your dream foodie garden today with the Planter App.

What makes a plant an insectary plant? Insectary plants provide food sources and shelter for beneficial insects, which attracts them and encourages them to stick around your garden. If you’ve already read our article Pest Hunters: Beneficial Predatory and Parasitic Insects, you know that there are many beneficial insects that prey on garden pests. By planting insectary plants we can encourage these predatory and parasitic insects to take up residence in our garden. Not to mention supporting pollinators which are much appreciated garden helpers!

You might be wondering: ‘if beneficial insects eat pests, why do they need plants for food?’ In many cases it’s the beneficial insects’ larvae that prey on insect pests while the adults feed mainly on pollen and nectar. This is why many insectary plants tend to be flowers or flowering herbs. In the case of herbs, it’s important to let at least some of the plants bloom if you want to attract beneficial insects.

Keep in mind that one lonely flowering plant will not entice an army of pest hunters! Aim to plant as many insectary plants as is possible with the space you have, and be sure to plant insectary plants with different bloom times to provide pollen and nectar all season long. Also, place insectary close to the plants you want to protect. If they’re too far away from your main garden the beneficial insects may not make the trek over.

To help with incorporating insectary plants in your garden plan, we’ve compiled a list of some common insectary plants and the beneficial insects they attract:

List of insectary plants

Ammi

Scientific name: Ammi majus

In a study of insectary plants from the University of Connecticut, Ammi majus was found to attract the highest number of beneficial predatory and parasitic insect families amongst all plants studied. Ammi was also the only plant in the study that attracted two types of parasitic wasps- braconids and ichneumonids. Ammi generally blooms in spring and early summer.

Borage

Scientific name: Borago officinalis

Borage is a favored pollinator plant in the garden. It is also highly attractive to beneficial insects such as lacewings, syrphid flies, and ground beetles. Borage may even help to repel hornworms and other pests! Borage self-seeds prolifically; regular deadheading can help to encourage flowering and to reduce the amount of seeds dropped. With good care borage will bloom for most of the growing season- from June to October or longer.

California poppy

Scientific name: Eschscholzia californica

California poppies are native to the western United States and Mexico. They are highly attractive to syrphid flies and can also attract minute pirate bugs. California poppies bloom from early spring to summer, depending on the climate. In warmer areas they are perennials, but in colder climates they are grown as annuals.

Catnip

Scientific name: Nepeta cataria

Catnip does double duty when comes to pest control. Not only does it attract beneficial nectar-feeding insects such as syrphid flies, but it also produces compounds that have been shown to repel pests such as aphids, squash bugs, and others. Catnip is an extremely aggressive spreader that also self-seeds prolifically, so you’ll want to keep it contained and grow it in an area where it cannot easily self-seed. Catnip usually blooms from late spring to mid-summer; deadheading when flowers die back can help to promote new blooms and reduce seed drop.

Chamomile

Scientific name: Matricaria chamomilla

Studies have found chamomile to be highly attractive to syrphid flies as well as parasitic wasps. Chamomile may also help to attract lady beetles, lacewings, minute pirate bugs, and tachinid flies. Chamomile blooms from spring right through to fall, providing a valuable season-long food source for beneficial insects.

Cilantro

Scientific name: Coriandrum sativum

Cilantro goes to flower readily especially when warm, dry weather arrives in late spring to summer. While this can be disappointing if you’re growing cilantro for it’s leaves, it’s a boon for attracting a variety of beneficial insects such as syrphid flies, tachinid flies, parasitic wasps lacewings, lady beetles, and minute pirate bugs. Plus you can let cilantro form seeds then harvest them either to make coriander spice or to re-plant!

Dill

Scientific name: Anethum graveolens

While dill is technically a biennial it often flowers in the first season, depending on the variety and when it was planted. Dill is attractive to syrphid flies, lacewings, lady beetles, and parasitic wasps. You might also find green-black-and-yellow caterpillars on your dill plants. These are black swallowtail butterfly larvae, and while they do eat dill (and related plants) they rarely cause major damage. It’s best to leave them be!

As a bonus, dill may also have a repellent effect on aphids, cabbage loopers, squash bugs, and other pests. Plus dill readily self-seeds if the flowers are left to form seed heads!

Lavender

Scientific name: Lavandula spp.

English lavender is attractive to syrphid flies and lady beetles. Once established, lavender is a drought-tolerant plant that does not like ‘wet feet’, although it will flower best if not left to completely dry out. Lavender typically blooms from late spring to early summer. The scent of lavender, while appealing to many of us, may have a repellent effect on mosquitos, moths, and other pests.

Marigold

Scientific name: Tagetes spp.

Marigolds are a well-known beneficial garden plant, and for good reason! Marigolds are attractive to a variety of beneficial insects including lacewings, damsel bugs, big-eyed bugs, lady beetles, parasitic wasps, and minute pirate bugs. Marigolds also have many reputed pest-deterring properties, although only some of these are proven with research and the effects can vary depending on the type of marigold and how it is used. Marigolds can bloom almost all season long provided they are cared for and regularly deadheaded!

Mint

Scientific name: Mentha spp.

Mint and catnip are related and, like catnip, mint is a very aggressive spreader and self-seeder. So long as mint is contained it is a beneficial addition to the garden, attracting syrphid flies, damsel bugs, minute pirate bugs, and big-eyed bugs. Mint may also have a repellant effect on cabbage loopers and cabbage maggots. Mint usually blooms from late spring through summer; deadheading can help to encourage more blooms and reduce self-seeding.

Oregano

Scientific name: Origanum vulgare

Oregano is attractive to a variety of predatory and parasitic insects such as syrphid flies, tachinid flies, parasitic wasps lacewings, lady beetles, and minute pirate bugs. Oregano may also help to repel aphids. Oregano tends to bloom in mid-summer. The leaves are more flavorful before the plant forms flowers, but do not harvest too aggressively if you want to encourage blooms.

Parsley

Scientific name: Petroselinum crispum var. crispum, P. crispum var. neapolitanum

Parsley is attractive to syrphid flies, lady beetles, parasitic wasps, and tachinid flies, Like dill, parsley is also technically a biennial but it can flower in the first season especially if exposed to extremes of hot or cold weather. Parsley also plays host to black swallowtail butterfly larvae, sometimes called parsleyworms. While they do eat parsley, they usually do not cause major destruction especially in the home garden.

Sunflowers

Scientific name: Helianthus spp.

Sunflowers are a tall and striking addition in the vegetable garden. They are attractive to syrphid flies, parasitic wasps, lady beetles, and minute pirate bugs. Note that some speciality sunflower varieties do not produce nectar or pollen so they will not be helpful for beneficial insects (nor pollinators). Sunflowers usually bloom in late summer and early fall, providing a great late-season food source. Because sunflowers are tall and may share pests and diseases with other garden plants (more so than some of the other insectary plants), choose a location where sunflowers will not interfere with or shade out other garden plants.

Sweet alyssum

Scientific name: Lobularia maritima

Alyssum is a well-documented insectary plant that is attractive to syrphid flies, lacewings, tachinid flies, lady beetles, minute pirate bugs, and parasitic wasps. Because it is a compact, low-growing plant, alyssum can be tucked into almost any empty space in the garden to lure in beneficial insects (and to help suppress weeds and retain moisture). Alyssum can bloom from summer to fall, although it may slow down during very hot, dry weather. Keep alyssum well-watered and deadhead regularly to encourage continuous blooming.

Thyme

Scientific name: Thymus spp.

Beneficial insects tend to prefer many smaller flowers rather than individual larger flowers. Thyme, with its dainty white or pink flowers, is highly attractive to parasitic wasps, syrphid flies and other beneficial insects. Thyme can also help to repel whiteflies and cabbage moths. Thyme will typically bloom from late spring to summer. As with oregano, thyme leaves are best harvested right before the plant flowers but do not harvest too aggressively if you want to encourage bloom.

There are certainly many more insectary plants than the ones listed here! Of course there will be native plants specific to your area that can help to attract local beneficial predatory and parasitic insects to the garden. Also, research is just beginning to understand how particular garden plants can be best used for natural pest control. No matter which plants you choose, adding a variety of flowering plants in the garden is a great way to beautify the space while providing potential benefits to your edible crops!

Harvest Timelines

• Harvest aromatic herbs like basil, lemon balm, sage, and oregano just as the flowers are beginning to open. This is when the volatile oil levels are strongest, giving you a more flavorful or potent herb. You can use sharp scissors to remove leaves individually or snip stems with the leaves attached.
• Flowers and the tops of flowering herbs like yarrow, chamomile, and roses are best picked right as they are starting to bloom or not too long afterwards.
• Dill and fennel seeds can be collected right before they begin to dry, so they are still highly aromatic. You can cut the flower head off and hang it upside down to dry, then put a paper bag around the flower head to collect the dropping seeds.
• Herb roots and rhizomes are usually harvested in the fall when the plant is dying back and sending all of its constituents to be stored in the root for winter.  Check back this fall for the steps on how to harvest and dry roots.

To Wash, or Not to Wash?

If you are planning on using culinary herbs fresh in your cooking, then you can rinse them off with some water just as you would vegetables. You can rinse your herbs prior to drying them too. Lay them out to dry after rinsing before you move on to the drying process. Not everyone does this because it may increase the chances of the herbs holding onto moisture and molding in storage. You can also spray your herbs with a garden hose a day before you harvest them; that way, they’ll have time to dry off before harvesting. Washing herbs before harvest may increase the time it takes to dry them. If you don’t spray your herbs with chemicals, you keep your pets out of your garden, and you don’t see dirt on them, you don’t necessarily have to wash herbs, especially if you’re concerned about increasing chances of molding. Either way, after harvesting, you should look through the herbs and remove any damaged or diseased-looking plant parts.

More Tips

• It’s best to harvest on a dry day, just after dew has evaporated, and before any extreme heat.
• Be mindful not to take too many leaves or flowers from one plant at a time, as this can stress the plant and sometimes lead to its demise. 
• Only harvest your herbs when you have time to start the drying process.  Plants start breaking down pretty quickly, so you want to process them as fast as possible. An exception is for herbs like chamomile and calendula that have these teeny tiny bugs crawling all over them. I like to let those bugs have a chance to move out before I dry, so I let them hang out in the shade for a while. I don’t really want a bunch of bugs in my dried herbs!
• Use a large bag or loose-weaved basket to avoid crushing your herbs while harvesting. 
• Only harvest what you think you will use. This can be tricky to determine sometimes, especially during your first year harvesting a plant.
• If you plan on saving seeds for next year, remember that before you harvest too much of a plant.

Harvesting your own herbs is so rewarding! When you’re ready to learn the best practices for drying herbs, make sure to read this next post in the herbs series!

Harvest your herbs

Your first instinct might be to just hack down every little bit of greenery that’s left on your herb plants. Before you do, note that some herbs are perennial and some are annual. Annual herbs such as basil and cilantro will typically die off in cold winters. Biennials such as dill and parsley may come back next season, but they are typically grown and harvested as annuals. Perennials such as thyme, oregano, mint, and sage can often survive a winter, depending on the variety, how cold your winters get, and the soil conditions. Since annuals die off in winter, you might opt to harvest them out completely when freezes are in the forecast.

You might also be tempted to hack back your perennial herbs to harvest as much as you can, but you’ll want to proceed more cautiously. While perennial herbs can benefit from pruning in late summer several weeks before your first frost, if you harvest aggressively before winter they might not be able to heal and come back next season. Don’t cut too far down on the stems and don’t remove a significant portion of the plant.

Harvesting your herbs is probably the simplest approach (other than doing nothing), but you’ll likely end up with a glut of herbs to use up. Try drying your excess herbs or chopping them up and freezing them in ice cube trays topped off with water or oil.

Save herb seeds

If your herb plants have formed mature seed heads, take advantage and save seeds for next season! Dill, cilantro, and parsley are all examples of herbs that are fairly easy to save seed from. To save seeds from your herbs, be sure the seed pods on the plant are fully mature- they should be light brown, not green. Cut off the seed heads and allow them to fully dry out before storing them (this can take up to a couple weeks). Remove the fully dry seeds from the heads, then store them in paper sachets, airtight containers, or plastic baggies and label them with the plant/variety and the year. If you’re interested in learning more about seed saving, be sure to check out Seed Saving 101.

Cover your herbs

Herbs can be surprisingly cold-hardy, with some notable exceptions such as basil. If you cover your herbs with row cover or clear plastic sheeting you can potentially keep harvesting them into winter. Annuals can still die off if temperatures drop too low, but covering them offers a few degrees of frost protection that can let you keep harvesting them just that little bit longer. Perennials often keep their leaves through winter- so long as they are accessible under the cover and you have the willingness to get out there, they can potentially be lightly harvested through winter. Even if you don’t intend to harvest them in winter, covering your perennial herbs, along with applying a thick layer of organic mulch, can help increase their chance of survival. For information on protecting plants from the cold check out Season Extension Techniques: Keep the Growing Going!

Bring herbs indoors

If your herbs are growing in containers you might be able to easily transition them indoors. In fact, it may be best to bring them indoors as even hardy perennial herbs may not survive freezing temperatures outside in a container. If you do bring your container herbs inside, check the plants thoroughly for pests and consider refreshing the soil to avoid bringing in unwanted houseguests. Otherwise, you can take cuttings from your herbs and root them in water (this works well with basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme to name a few). Herbs prefer full sunlight so to grow them indoors you’ll want to consider using grow lights to keep them as healthy as possible. If your herb cuttings fail to take root all is not lost- just start new herbs from seed as a fun indoor winter project!

Do nothing

Last but not least, you can simply let nature take its course. Without any extra effort you might find that your herb garden mostly bounces back come spring. Perennial herbs can make a comeback, semi-tender herbs might surprise you with their resilience, and some herbs might have self-seeded so you get brand-new plants as soon as the weather warms up! As mentioned, keep in mind that herbs left in containers outside are less likely to survive winter unaided (depending on the size of the container and the temperatures). Also be aware that some herbs, such as lavender, are fairly cold-hardy but will rot and die if they are left in wet, poorly-drained soil. Doing nothing is a bit of a gamble, but if you happen to end up with holes in your herb garden next season consider it an excuse to try growing some brand-new herb varieties!

Herbs can be sturdy winter warriors, but they are not all created equal! Decide what you want to do with each plant as the snow approaches, then hunker down and start planning in Planter for an abundant herb garden next year!

Kale

Kale is truly an incredible plant. Not only is it astoundingly cold-hardy, once established it can grow through almost anything you can throw at it. Kale is a top low-maintenance plant pick because you plant it once and enjoy continuous harvests all season long (assuming you are harvesting it for larger, individual leaves). To harvest kale just snap off the lowest, largest leaves as close as possible to the stem, making sure to leave the top of the plant and several upper leaves intact. When harvested this way, kale can keep on producing well into fall and even winter…You might even find it grows back again the following year!

Chard

Like kale, chard is another season-long powerhouse producer. Chard is also cold hardy, so you can sow seeds early in the season when the planting schedule is not as intense! Chard has a spinach-like flavor and a similar texture when cooked, but unlike spinach chard is amazingly resistant to bolting. Chard leaves remain tasty and sweet all season long, even through the blazing heat of summer. Chard is harvested similarly to kale- cut off the largest, lower leaves as close to the base of the plant as possible.

Green onions

Green onions* are one of the least-fussy plants you can grow. They germinate readily, require minimal fertilizer, and can even tolerate a slight drought (emphasis on slight). Green onions are significantly less tricky to grow than bulbing onions, and there’s no curing process involved - you simply pull them out, wash them up and store them in the fridge. Green onions also ‘hold’ well in the garden - that is, you don’t have to harvest them all at a super-precise time. They’re happy to keep on growing until you need them (although eventually you might end up with some humongous green onions!)

*Note: green onions are a variety of onions in Planter!

Zucchini

Zucchini* makes the list of low-maintenance plants because of how hyper-productive it is! Growing just one or two zucchini plants could easily provide enough zucchini for your family (and you might even be giving it away!) Zucchini plants tend to be on the larger side but there are compact container varieties available that can help save space in the garden. With zucchini the only time-sensitive task is harvesting - it’s important to harvest the zucchinis before they get too large so the plant will keep on producing! Zucchini plants can produce all season long, although at some point they might succumb to pest and disease pressure. Rather than spending time battling pests and disease it may be more efficient to start a couple of back-up seedlings, timing them to reach maturity in the mid-late season. 

* Note: zucchini is a variety of squash in Planter!

Bush beans

While beans are a popular garden plant, for a low-maintenance bean harvest bush beans are the way to go. Bush bean varieties, as the name suggests, have a bushing growth habit which means they don’t require a trellis or support structure to grow and produce a harvest. Pole bean varieties in contrast are vining plants that do need a structure to climb on. Bush beans are also relatively easy to harvest since you don’t need to reach around a trellis. And, since bean plants fix nitrogen from the air (with the help of soil bacteria), you can skip the fertilizing routine for beans!

Herbs (not technically a plant)

‘Herbs’ is a bit of a catch-all, but truly they can be some of the easiest plants to grow. Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and oregano thrive in poor soil (soil low in nutrients) and actually prefer to dry out between waterings! Some herbs are also perennials- depending on the variety and your hardiness zone they can come back year after year without the need to re-plant. Then there are herbs such as mint and dill which are infamously easy to grow because they self-seed prolifically (and mint also spreads by rhizomes). Grow mint and dill in containers otherwise they grow so readily that they can turn into garden weeds!

Dwarf cherry tomatoes

Tomatoes can arguably be one of the most maintenance-intensive crops, depending on the variety, but dwarf cherry tomato varieties are easy-peasy. They are small, well-behaved little plants that produce prolifically without a need for trellising. They do not require much pruning - only to remove damaged or yellowing leaves and leaves touching the soil. Plus they grow well in containers- so weeding is minimized and you can keep them within reach for easy mealtime harvesting (or a quick garden snack!)

Incorporate these low-maintenance plants into your veggie garden this season to enjoy maximum harvests with minimal effort!

Why Add Herbs to Your Garden

Herbs pack a major flavor punch in a dainty package and greatly enhance any dish you add them to. The price of fresh herbs at the grocery store can make you flinch - ‘do I really need fresh thyme in that dish?’ But if you have a flourishing herb garden, you will be looking for new and creative ways to use them rather than shying away! Herbs also contain vitamins and minerals and offer many health benefits.

Most herbs are quite easy to grow. They can thrive in nutrient-poor soil and some even prefer to dry out slightly! And herbs benefit your garden overall- they are great companion plants that can help ward off pests and attract beneficial insects and pollinators.

How to Select Herbs for your Garden

The first thing to consider when deciding which herbs to plant is what herbs do you like to eat? If you don’t regularly enjoy eating it, don’t bother growing it (unless you are experimenting with something new!)

Some herbs, such as mint, are perennials that can come back every year. Some perennial herbs may not be able to withstand winter in your area though, so be sure to confirm that the specific varieties you select are hardy in your growing zone. There are also herbs, such as dill, that are prolific self-seeders that will likely regrow each year.

Perennial and self-seeding herbs can be an asset in your garden if they are planted in a convenient location. Be warned, though, that some of these herbs can take over your garden if they are not contained. Bear this in mind when choosing which herbs to plant and where to plant them.

How to Plant and Care for Herbs

Some herbs can be easily started from seed, and some can even be propagated from cuttings. Others can be more tricky to grow from scratch, but buying herb plants from your local garden center still provides a great return on your investment.

Generally, herbs prefer a full-sun location and very well-draining soil. If you are growing in heavy clay soil it will need amending with compost and sand. Different herbs can have unique preferred growing conditions, however. Even though it looks enticing to plant a variety of herbs together, check their unique growing needs in Planter and avoid grouping herbs with very different needs in the same space.

You may opt to grow herbs in containers to have better control of the growing conditions. Planting herbs in containers also has the advantage of helping to control spread (except for rogue seeds!) If you do plant your herbs in containers, be sure they have drainage holes or use fabric pots that allow excess water to drain. You will need to water herbs in containers more often than if they were planted in the ground or in larger raised beds. Containers will also need extra care over the winter. Bring them into a garage or shed to help protect them, and bear in mind that perennial herbs will be less winter-hardy if they are grown in containers.

Regardless of whether you plant in-ground or in containers, it helps to have your herbs in a location that is handy to the kitchen. Otherwise you might not be inclined to go harvest them when you are in the middle of cooking!

When it comes to caring for herbs often less is more. Many herbs do not like to be overwatered and prefer to dry out between waterings, and as a general rule herbs need minimal fertilizing. There are always exceptions though, so be sure to check Planter for watering and fertilizing recommendations for the herbs you grow.

When your herbs are ready to harvest, don’t be afraid to give them a haircut! Herbs thrive with a regular trim; it helps them be more productive. Just don’t cut away more than one third of the plant at once. Check out the harvesting and storage tips in Planter to get the most out of your herbs:

Include your favorite herbs in your garden, and enjoy harvesting the freshest possible herbs right outside your door!