Herbs are often easy to grow from seed, but planting early is the key to getting a harvest the first year. However, there are a few herbs that you can grow later in the season to enjoy a harvest this year and next.
flat-leaf parsley |
Parsley is top of my list, for
it improves so many dishes and is packed full of healthy vitamins and minerals.
Italian, or flat-leaved parsley, is gaining in popularity over the more
decorative, curly kind, for it has more flavor.
Parsley is a flavor enhancer, making it a great companion in dried blends. However, if when dry it turns brown, discard as the flavor is gone.
I buy mine as nursery plants, for there may be some
truth in the adage that the seeds of parsley go to the devil and back six times
before sprouting, and I haven’t the patience to wait that long.
To speed up germination, soak the seeds in lukewarm
water overnight, or place them in the freezer for a day. Then, pour hot water
over the soil before sowing. The seedlings should be transplanted at the 4-6
leaf stage. Parsley likes a rich, moist soil and can be grown in sun or
semi-shade. When harvesting, pick the leaves from the outer edges first.
Cilantro with seeds (coriander) |
Cilantro is either loved or
hated. My husband, for instance, cannot stand the smell of its fresh leaves,
but likes their taste in salad, while I find my appetite activated when I am
merely within sniffing distance of the plants. Cilantro bolts (goes to seed) in
hot summer days, so to enjoy a longer harvest, sow seed every two weeks to give
you a continuous crop. And save the seed
– called coriander to sow or enjoy as a spice.
Sow it at regular intervals to provide a constant
supply, and close together, allowing the plants to support each other. Cut the
leaves right down when harvesting, then leave the plants to produce another
crop. Cilantro does not like full sun and needs to be grown in light,
well-composted soil.
Dill Weed and Seed |
Dill has fine, feathery leaves with a taste of
caraway seeds. It resembles a small fennel, but the two are not related and
should not be grown together. Plant dill in slightly acidic soil that is
well-drained. It is the perfect accompaniment to many fish dishes and can also
be used to flavor soups, cheeses and butters. In Illinois our soil tends to be alkaline
due to the limestone everywhere, so I top dress with pine needles around the
plants once they emerge from seed to provide a bit more acid for them to flourish. It is not required, I just like a lot of
foliage.
Like Cilantro you want to sow seed every two weeks to get a continuous crop of dill weed. The seed should mature just in time for pickling season.
Chives will spread by seed if you do not cut
off the flower heads, making it an easy herb to grow from seed. The narrow leaf common chives have an onion
flavor and the flat leaved garlic chives have a mild garlic flavor. Both make great vinegar. Give them a sunny
location in a pot or in the ground and you will have plants for years to
come. They winter over in zone 5 very
well.
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