6 Reasons Why You Should Grow Your Own Herbs

For the past several years we’ve grown our own herbs. It started as a fun project to share on my former foodie blog, but as we got more and more into cooking, we loved being able to go outside grab the herbs we needed to finish what ever dish we were making instead of relying on a trip to the grocery store.

Each year once we gotten through the coldest part of the early spring, we head over to our local Home Depot and pick out what we affectionately call, our herb children. If you’re looking to plant your own herb garden for the first time here are some suggestions for herbs you should start out with.

• Italian Parsley (this is a standard herb that all herb gardens should have, in my opinion)
• Sweet Basil (you can also try Purple or Cinnamon Basil if you’re feeling adventurous)
• Rosemary (this herb can tend to take over a pot, so make sure it has plenty of room.)
• Greek or Italian Oregano (we tend to go with Greek and plant this in the front of the pot that contains our Rosemary. This two herbs tend to ‘play well’ with each other.)
• Lemon Thyme (this works well on quite a few dishes, and can even be used as a garnish in summertime drinks)
• Dill (this is another herb that tends to get a little ‘rambunctious’ so only buy dill if you really love it)
• Onion/Garlic Chives (these can be delicious in salmon/crab cakes, or even in an omelet)
• A variety of mints (sweet mint, chocolate min and peppermint… but be sure that each one gets it’s own container.)

This year we also made a lettuce bowl, onions and garlic to try out along with radishes that we will plant when it gets towards Summer.

6 Reasons Why You Should Grow Your Own Herb Garden

Fresh herbs right at your fingertips

With all the things you have to pick up at the grocery store or farmers market, having one less thing to worry about is always a plus.

Having fresh herbs can really make a dish

If you’ve ever tried using fresh herbs vs dried herbs in your favorite dishes, you already know what a difference using fresh herbs makes. You’ll end up with a dish that’s not only more flavorful, but fresh herbs add a nice touch of color when used as a garnish.

Herbs are very easy to grow so it’s hard to go wrong with them.

This is something that we learned in our first year of growing herbs. Just remember to use soil specifically for containers if you’re going that route. Also, to avoid overwatering, test the soil with your finger tips before watering if you can’t tell just by looking.

Herbs don’t take up a lot of space.

We just have groups of containers around our back deck. So whether you have a house or an apartment it’s possible to have an herb garden of your very own.

Herbs don’t require a lot of sun…

So it’s okay if you have your pots in an area that spends most of the day out of direct sunlight.

Herbs are fragrant and will leave your outdoor space smelling great.

Fresh herbs can be just as attractive as flowers when it comes to adding a touch of color to your outdoor space (not to mention that quite a few herbs will produce their own flowers at some point. (Garlic chives and basil both produce pretty blooms.)

Have you planted an herb garden of your own this year? Let me know some of the herbs you planted in the comments below.