Most people will not recommend planting herbs and even vegetables and other crops during spring. During these months, the weather is quite fickle-minded. One day the weather is extremely hot and the next, you’re dealing with a heavy downpour accompanied by thunder and lightning. But, nothing is stopping you from starting your spring garden. All you need to do is to choose the right plants to grow. Below are some of the best herbs to start your spring garden with.
Basil
Basil is one of the best things that can happen to any spring garden. Once you succeed in growing this culinary herb, which shouldn’t be that difficult, you’ll have a supply of fresh basil leaves for three to four months in a pot and six months in the ground.
Plant basil seeds six weeks before the last spring frost and keep them indoors. Once the soil reaches 50 to 70º F, transfer the basil outside. Ideally, the plants should receive six to eight hours of full sun a day. These are important since basil thrives in hot temperature.
Plant the basil seedlings in well-draining soil about 1/4-inch deep. Each seedling should be ten to twelve inches from each other. Keep the soil moist to prevent the herb from flowering early. Once it grows too many flowers, the leaves will lose its distinct taste. Pinch the flowers off as soon as you see them.
Borage
Borage is one of the most useful herbs around, which is one reason why it should be in your spring garden. All of its parts except the roots can be used as medicine or ingredient in different dishes. The distinctive blue flower looks great on your salad and the leaves can be used to make cucumber-flavored tea. The oil derived from its seeds, meanwhile, works great on eczema and other skin issues.
Plant borage seeds at the start of spring or immediately after the last frost. Bury the seeds around 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep in well-draining soil with a medium pH range. Keep each seed one foot apart. Make sure to plant the borage seeds in an area meant solely for them.
Cilantro
Some people will cringe at the thought of including cilantro in their spring garden. That’s quite understandable since this herb has its share of fans and detractors. But if you love Indian food and other dishes that require cilantro, then you’d be glad to grow it in your own backyard.
Cilantro is best planted at the onset of spring. Plant the seeds directly on the ground. They can withstand a bit of cold from the little snow left from winter. Once it gets warm, the cilantro seeds will start to germinate.
Mint
When you think spring garden, you often see images of people with wide-brimmed hats on their knees digging through the soil in the yard. But if you’re starting your spring garden with mint, you shouldn’t be planting them on the ground. Mint is an invasive herb. If you let it grow as it pleases, you’ll soon have a yard full of mint. Keep these herbs under control by planting them in pots. Place them under a shade, such as along the sides of your house. This way, you not only get your regular supply of mint, you also keep mosquitoes from straying into your home.
Spearmint and peppermint are some of the popular herbs from the mint family that would do well in you spring garden. They require well-draining soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7.
Lemon Balm is another herb that will thrive in your spring garden. Like other mint herbs, lemon balm is best when kept in a container. You have the option to bury the whole pot so you can only see the herb itself and make your garden look more pleasing to the eyes.
Parsley
There are two kids of parsley, the flat-leaf and the curly-leaf. The former is preferred by cooks while the latter works well on salads.
Soak parsley sees in warm water for 24 hours then plant them in a shallow trench on well-draining loamy soil. Plant two to three seeds every inch and 1/2-inch deep. Water regularly and wait for the seeds to germinate in two to three week. Thin them to 6 to 8 inches apart once the seedlings are about an inch tall. Avoid pulling the seedlings. Cut them with a pair of scissors instead so the roots of the other plants stay undisturbed.
Cover the plant with mulch but check the soil regularly. Water if it looks dry. You can start harvesting in two months’ time. Simply snip off the outer stalks close to the ground early in the day. Don’t just harvest the green foliage off the tops.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a great herb to have in your spring garden. Not only does it give your meals a distinctive flavour, it also provides a wondrous scent.
The easiest way to grow rosemary is by planting a cutting. Look for someone who has a rosemary herb in their garden and ask for a cutting. If you don’t know anyone, purchase some online. You can even buy a whole seedling if you wish.
Plant your rosemary cutting in late spring. Remove the leaves on the bottom inch of the cutting then plant it in a pot filled with coarse sand and peat moss. Leave it somewhere sunny but avoid direct sunlight. Water the cuttings regularly.
The roots should form in three weeks. Once they do, transplant them in bigger pots or directly in your spring garden. Rosemary thrives in dry soil though it needs to be watered every now and then. Avoid overwatering. Once winter comes, bring your potted rosemary indoors.
There are lots of other herbs you can plant in your spring garden. But since you’re just starting, you should just choose a few kinds of herbs and focus on them first. As you go along, you can try to grow other herbs in your spring garden.
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