# what are the essential herbs for the garden?



## boomchakabowwow (Apr 2, 2018)

i have some pots to fill. i want a healthy potted herb garden.

what would you grow? it would help if they grew all good looking.


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## WildBoar (Apr 2, 2018)

basil, thai basil, parsley, mexican and greek oregano, sage, pineapple sage, tarragon, rosemary, mints

Thai basil and pineapple sage look nice (not really a factor in our garden). Rosemary gets flowers if you let it grow.


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## Xenif (Apr 2, 2018)

+thyme and lemon thyme, easy to grow, alternate citrus flavour

Are you growing indoor/outdoor? If indoor what is you light source? Whats the medium/pot size?


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## DamageInc (Apr 2, 2018)

I have thyme, tarragon, sage, mint, oregano, and dill planted in my garden. Thyme is the most important one for me. Tarragon is also nice.


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## WildBoar (Apr 2, 2018)

x2 on the dill lemon thyme. And 'regular' thyme as well.


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## boomchakabowwow (Apr 2, 2018)

Xenif said:


> +thyme and lemon thyme, easy to grow, alternate citrus flavour
> 
> Are you growing indoor/outdoor? If indoor what is you light source? Whats the medium/pot size?



outdoors. right outside my kitchen.


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## chinacats (Apr 2, 2018)

Don't forget the cilantro!


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## nwdel (Apr 2, 2018)

All of the above, plus I'm going to try epazote this year.


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## HRC_64 (Apr 2, 2018)

chinacats said:


> Don't forget the cilantro!



cilantro can be a ***** to grow


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## Xenif (Apr 2, 2018)

HRC_64 said:


> cilantro can be a ***** to grow


Cilantro need to drain FAST, I use bottom 1/3 gravel top 2/3 medium with extra pumice, if you are using a pot.


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## Jovidah (Apr 2, 2018)

On my shortlist would be thyme, rosemary, parsley, bay leaf and mint. But that's simply because that's the fresh herbs I use the most. So the better answer is probably: whatever you use most!


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## panda (Apr 2, 2018)

parsley & chives most important
then thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary (in any order)
next tier is dill, mint, tarragon
honestly grow as many as you possibly can, herbs are great


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## boomchakabowwow (Apr 2, 2018)

Xenif said:


> Cilantro need to drain FAST, I use bottom 1/3 gravel top 2/3 medium with extra pumice, if you are using a pot.



great tip..thanks. that explains a lot!!


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## GorillaGrunt (Apr 2, 2018)

Cilantro, basil, mint, parsley, oregano, tarragon. +1 to panda, in terms of the difference it makes in your food herbs are the #1 thing to grow at home especially if space is a concern.

Ive never had a problem growing cilantro, but it bolts so youll want to stage several plantings throughout the season. I grew epazote last year, heard that was difficult around here (Wisconsin) but got quite a bit of it.


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## Barmoley (Apr 2, 2018)

Do any of these do well right next to each other in the same large pot or planter? For example mint can take over everything....


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## Xenif (Apr 2, 2018)

Yeah Cilantro bolts like crazy especially hot dry summers, but then you get tons of corriander seeds that grows more cilantro ! 

You can grow them altogether, but theres no real advantage, for the same amount of space you can use small pots in a trough, allows you to control soil humidity, nutrients, and other conditions much better. Its also easier to manage when the plants hit various cycles of maturity and repotting.


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## HRC_64 (Apr 2, 2018)

yeah a 3ft tall cilantro plant
is all seed and no leaf :rofl:

agree also on the mint and similar,
best done in pots to keep under control.

basil in pots lets you stage its maturity.


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## GorillaGrunt (Apr 2, 2018)

Dill bolts too; the first time I grew herbs I grew these giant plants and was so proud of myself until I realized that when they get that big and flower the leaves have no flavor! On the other hand dill seed heads are better than foliage for dilly beans and other pickles.


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## bkultra (Apr 2, 2018)

Durban poison


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## chinacats (Apr 2, 2018)

bkultra said:


> Durban poison



I've grown that...


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## panda (Apr 2, 2018)

wow not one of you mentioned ganja, so disappointed.


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## McMan (Apr 2, 2018)

panda said:


> parsley & chives most important
> then thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary (in any order)
> next tier is dill, mint, tarragon
> honestly grow as many as you possibly can, herbs are great



^^ This.
Plus, all this stuff grows like weeds (or at least should in Cali!)
Grow flat and curly parsley; couple types of basil.
Add marjoram and lavender.

Most important--grow a bunch of tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes, grilled meats, olive oil, herbs = always a good starting point.


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## Xenif (Apr 3, 2018)

Durban poison is a good call for outdoor cali sun, but it stretches really really tall if you dont control it. Yield can be decent if you prune the f out of the bottom, but it gets so top heavy it wants to fall over. More often than not though, I find it less potent than advertise. 

I can't believe no one has mentioned green onions. Most over looked herb, essential in a lot of asian cuisine, if you can source some japanese heirloom breeds its spectacular.


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## FoRdLaz (Apr 3, 2018)

bkultra said:


> Durban poison



I cant believe Durban poison has reached such far shores!!


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## Grunt173 (Apr 3, 2018)

FoRdLaz said:


> I cant believe Durban poison has reached such far shores!!



I don't think it reached Ohio yet,I have never heard of it.


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## K813zra (Apr 3, 2018)

I grow and use a lot of dill. I like dill. Anyway, other than that it is as follows, for me. Parsley, thyme, rosemary and basil. I also grow mint but I don't often cook with it. I use it in drinks and maybe some baking but I am not much of a baker. I just like the way it smells. Lemon verbena is a nice aromatic too. Oh and laurel but I don't grow that so much as I buy it, lol.

Oh and garlic, spring onions, shallots, leeks and chives. Not sure I would consider those herbs but as they are aromatics I will add them.


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## boomchakabowwow (Apr 3, 2018)

panda said:


> wow not one of you mentioned ganja, so disappointed.



haha..i can legally grow six plant in my yard. i wont tho. i dont want to attract idiots jumping my fence for a freebie.

thanks for the replies.. some stuff i didnt know. lots of stuff i didnt know..thanks.


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## bkultra (Apr 3, 2018)

panda said:


> wow not one of you mentioned ganja, so disappointed.



It appears you overlooked my previous post.


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## StonedEdge (Apr 3, 2018)

panda said:


> wow not one of you mentioned ganja, so disappointed.


THIS


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## SacFly (Apr 3, 2018)

Parsley is my #1. 5 plants in a 2 or 3 gallon pot supplies me for the whole year. I feel like such a chump anytime I have to buy parsley. Then come chives, thyme, rosemary, basil. I also have a bay tree that I got last year and overwintered. I haven't harvested anything from it yet, but I'm looking forward to it.


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## panda (Apr 3, 2018)

bk - i hate the stuff cause it just makes me pass out so i wasnt aware you were mentioning a strain. the only one i ever liked was northern lights.


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## Chef Doom (Apr 4, 2018)

Poison ivy for keeping or pesky critters &#128514;


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## HRC_64 (Apr 4, 2018)

Chef Doom said:


> Poison ivy for keeping or pesky critters &#128514;



chef doom 
herb garden
is brutal... :rofl:


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## niwaki-boy (Apr 4, 2018)

Chef Doom said:


> Poison ivy for keeping or pesky critters &#128514;



Nettles are faster


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## DamageInc (Apr 4, 2018)

You can eat nettles too.


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## niwaki-boy (Apr 4, 2018)

DamageInc said:


> You can eat nettles too.



Exactly &#128522;


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## bkultra (Apr 4, 2018)

panda said:


> bk - i hate the stuff cause it just makes me pass out so i wasnt aware you were mentioning a strain. the only one i ever liked was northern lights.



That strain would be right up your alley. It's one of the very few pure sativa strains (most are hybrids). It's one of the most uplifting and energetic strains.


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## panda (Apr 4, 2018)

cool, i will get some asap!!


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## chinacats (Apr 4, 2018)

panda said:


> cool, i will get some asap!!



Hit me up next time your in Maine


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## panda (Apr 4, 2018)

Fo sho!!


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## K813zra (Apr 4, 2018)

SacFly said:


> Parsley is my #1. 5 plants in a 2 or 3 gallon pot supplies me for the whole year. I feel like such a chump anytime I have to buy parsley. Then come chives, thyme, rosemary, basil. I also have a bay tree that I got last year and overwintered. I haven't harvested anything from it yet, but I'm looking forward to it.



At least you CAN buy it. Pft...I live in farm country yet can't buy anything fresh. Funny, when I lived in the city I always had fresh stuff at markets. Weird, isn't it>

Hope the Bay tree goes well for you!


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## minibatataman (Apr 5, 2018)

I dont know about you guys but chives isnt too easily available back home so i used to grow that as well as basil and mint. Things like parsley, coriander, and thyme were super cheap (20 - 30 cents for a big bunch) and easy to come by so i never bothered.


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## Aaroncini (Apr 5, 2018)

parsley is definitely no1. can be left to self seed year after year as well which is a bonus. dill tends to do the same as well but can become a bit of a weed in a garden bed!


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## daveb (Apr 5, 2018)

Every year I've planted parsley I get a caterpillar type bug that hits it, and only it, and within a day or two the plant is bare. I'll have 6 or 8 pots of various herbs close together and it only eats the parsley. No idea what it is but I got tired of feeding it.


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## DamageInc (Apr 6, 2018)

I don't have any bugs in my herbs, but my cabbage and brussels sprout rows that are right beside them always get eaten by caterpillars before I get the chance to harvest anything.


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## Jovidah (Apr 6, 2018)

minibatataman said:


> I dont know about you guys but chives isnt too easily available back home so i used to grow that as well as basil and mint. Things like parsley, coriander, and thyme were super cheap (20 - 30 cents for a big bunch) and easy to come by so i never bothered.



Lucky bastard. Over here (Netherlands) they charge you silly amounts of money for fresh herbs. It's really the one thing I'd want a garden for: being able to plant fresh herbs so I can stop financing that scam. There's no reason 15 grams of tasty weeds should be 1,5 euros, yet that's what they charge...


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## Mucho Bocho (Apr 6, 2018)

daveb said:


> Every year I've planted parsley I get a caterpillar type bug that hits it, and only it, and within a day or two the plant is bare. I'll have 6 or 8 pots of various herbs close together and it only eats the parsley. No idea what it is but I got tired of feeding it.



Garden Safe Neem Oil Extract Concentrate (HG-83179) (16 fl oz) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QAWGIO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Give those choppers a belly ache


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## Bodine (Apr 6, 2018)

When it gets warm, try culantro vrs cilantro, same flavor just stronger.
Grows slower in partial shade.
Best if grown from seed, does not transplant well.


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## mattador (Apr 9, 2018)

WildBoar said:


> basil, thai basil, parsley, mexican and greek oregano, sage, pineapple sage, tarragon, rosemary, mints
> 
> Thai basil and pineapple sage look nice (not really a factor in our garden). Rosemary gets flowers if you let it grow.



The rosemary flowers can also be used too! I like to garnish sashimi or salads with them. Gonna try and pickle some really soon. Hopefully they turn out okay.


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