Growing Culinary Herbs Outdoors

Every summer I grow herbs for cooking and for tea.  I use to grow herbs for healing but when I moved my space for growing herbs outdoors was limited as there are too many trees in my yard.  

 My husband suggested that I grow herbs year round in the greenhouse where we have grow lights. This of course is always a good idea as you do not have to worry about groundhogs eating your parsley or the brown grasshoppers.  It is the best to grow in way to grow healthy and organic herbs, however the bees and butterflies are not able to forage off the basil and rosemary blooms.  

I watched the sunlight in my yard and found that a small section received 4 hours of morning sun, followed by part shade in the afternoon and at 4:00 pm the section had full sun for another 3 hours.  The sun was enough and I decided to plant a small herb garden.
  

Photographs of my small culinary herb garden:

I set my herb garden up with a rock boarder.  I laid a thick newspaper lining to keep the grass and weeds from growing into the bed and then I added two inches of pea gravel mixed with sand for proper drainage and on top of that I added 12 inches of top soil mixed moisture control beads and equal parts compost.  I then planted; dill. African Blue Basil, Honeydew sage, oregano, Rosemary, chives, cilantro, Italian parsley and lemon mint. 

If you are contemplating growing herbs outdoors then here are some tips for growing herbs outdoors.

Grow Herbs in the Ground

1. Use a tiller to break the ground and loosen the soil to 18 inches.
2. Remove grass and rocks
3. Break up soil lumps so that it is fine in texture
4. Add organic compost to the garden soil and mix well
5. Add slow release fertilizer

Grow Herbs in Raised Gardens

1. Raised garden beds get more sun and dry out quickly so it is wise to set the raised garden in an area that is close to a water source; rain barrel or sprinkler head.Choose a flat surface for the raised garden.  A leveled garden will provide a good water balance.
2. Buy a raised garden kit and set it up according to the directions.
3. Fill your raised garden with a mixture of Scott's miracle grow moisture control garden soil, Scott’s compost and course sand. This mixture will provide your raised garden with hydration, nutrients and drainage.
4.  Another way to fill your raised bed is to mix half organic compost with half potting soil.  Add water pearls to help retain moisture. .

Grow Herbs in Container Garden

1. Drill holes on the bottom of the container to aid in water drainage.  For large containers you may want to drill holes on the side close to the bottom of container.
2. Fill your containers with all purpose potting soil mixed with compost or manure.  Add water pearls to help retain moisture
3. Fill soil to one inch bellow container top. This will prevent the water from draining off and will also allow you to apply peat moss or mulch around the herbs.

Tips:

1. Herbs need a minimum of six hours of direct sun to grow.
2. Plant herbs after you have installed your patio, walkway. Once planted it is best not to disturb the soil.  As compacting the earth for patio or walkway will shift the earth from the herb roots and cause the plants to suffer.
3. Water herbs daily; for containers and raised gardens, water in the morning and early evening.
4. Avoid allowing soil to dry out.

Mirabilis Jalapa Wildflower Growing Tips

The Mirabilis Jalapa is a wildflower that is commonly known as the four O’clock flower.  These flowers bloom late in the afternoon at approximately 4:00 and stay open throughout the night.  These flowers will close at dawn and will remain closed during the day, except on cloudy days.  

I grow four O'clock flowers and look forward to them blooming because they attract hummingbirds and also because of their fragrance.  I planted the magenta color close to my patio and the bi-color yellow grows close to the garden path.  I have also planted yellow mixed with the magnet in a large pot and set it on my patio. 

Photographs of my four O'clock flower gardens: 

Growing tips:

 Plant the seeds indoors 8-10 weeks prior to the last spring frost. Purchase seed starter kits at your local garden center. Fill the planters with soil. Then dig a hole that is ½-inch deep in the center of the pot. Use the eraser end of a pencil to form the hole. Place the black seed in the center and cover with soil. Water well.  Germination takes 8-12 days.  Transplant outdoors after the threat of spring frost has past.  Or you can sow the seeds directly into the garden bed. It is best to plant when the soil has warmed to 65 - 75F; germination is usually in 14 days. 

Grow Four O’clocks in full sun to part shade to shade in the afternoon when the sun is the hottest.  If your summers are extremely hot (95 to 105 F) then the four O’clock will benefit from part shade in the peak heat of the day.   Plant in well-drained soil, okay to grow in poor soil.  The plant will flourish if you amend the soil with compost or manure.  Space plants two feet apart. Keep the soil evenly moist until the plant fills out and gets a bushy appearance.  Then water as needed.  I generally water every morning with a soaking hose. The slow drip at the soil line is a good way to provide roots with hydration.

I grow magenta, white, yellow and pink four O’clock flowers as a backdrop to my stone patio.  These perennial flowers return every year due to our mild winters here in zone 7.  Both my husband and I enjoy sitting outdoors on a summer night especially when the air is perfumed by the four O’clock flowers.  What I like about this plant is that they are a large bushy with many branches.  When mature the plant will grows to almost four feet in height with a similar spread. I also enjoy the many blooms that come again throughout the late summer and fall season. When the days turn cooler the four-o’clock will stop blooming and will go to seed.

Tips:

Four O’clock plants are native to North and South America.  In South America, they are called the Marvel of Peru.

Four O'clocks are perennials in zones 8 to 11.  They may be grown as an annual in other growing regions.

  

Mature four O’clock plant have large tuber roots.  Divide and transplant the tubers every 3 to 4 years in the spring.  
  
Collect seeds in the fall and keep them in a labeled envelope.  Use these seeds for spring planting. Caution: do not eat the seeds; they are poisonous.

Cover Ground with Vinca Minor

Vinca Minor is an evergreen trailing ground cover that will add eye-appealing color to those shady spots in your yard where nothing else grows. You may be familiar with this pretty evergreen ground cover that blooms in spring, as it also goes by the name as lesser periwinkle or creeping myrtle.   

Vinca benefits the gardener who needs to cover the ground with eye-appealing green color.   I grow vinca minor under shrubs or on my shady slope.   This plant will cover bare spots very quickly by forming a dense mat. 

My husband likes it growing on the rocky slope because he no longer has to mow and I do not have to weed the vinca minor garden as it chokes out weeds.  I also grow vinca up against my rock wall.  In this section of my yard, I planted daffodil bulbs, and in the spring when the flowers bloom the purple blooms of vinca look beautiful at the base of the daffodils. Here are my photographs of Vinca Minor that grow in my gardens.

Growing tips for Vinca Minor

Plant the vinca minor ground cover in the spring after the danger of frost has passed. Purchase plants or bare roots. Soak the bare root in a pan of tepid water for one hour before planting. The water is useful in hydrating the roots.  Vinca minor will grow very well r in part shade to full shade.  A garden site where the soil is moist and well-drained is preferred however mature plants will tolerate some drought as long as they are not growing in direct sun.  Plant the vinca close to your foundation, in rock gardens, raised planters, and under shrubs and shade trees.

Clear the garden site of grass, weeds. Loosen the soil to 8 inches and break up the clumps so that the texture is fine.  If your soil is poor then mix equal parts compost with your soil. Wet the garden site so that the soil is moist but not wet.  Dig holes that are the same size as the nursery container. For bare roots, dig a hole that is deep and wide enough to accommodate the roots. To allow for growth space eighteen inches apart.

Care for the ground cover by watering in the morning. Fertilize in early spring before the flowers bloom.
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Tips & Warnings

• Good plant for erosion control.
• Fully grown plants are six inches in height.
• Vinca grows in thick. It will choke out plants and weeds.
• Vinca minor can become invasive. Divide and transplant in spring
• Vinca is deer resistant.
• Grows well in USDA growing zones 3 to 8
• Vinca is native to central and southern Europe. 

Growing Herbs - Basil

 Basil is a culinary herb that is a main ingredient for many recipes. When you add fresh  basil leaves to soups, sauces and entrees the flavor of the food will be heightened.  The foods that are prepared with basil herb are always well received by family and friends as they are delicious. If you enjoy cooking then I would recommend that you grow basil in your herb garden.

Aromatic and Delicious African Blue Basil

Grow basil from seed by starting the seeds indoors, planting in a grow kit, and set by a sunny southern exposure window.  Keep the seedlings soil evenly moist but not wet.  Transplant after the threat of spring frost has passed.  Plant the basil in a sunny location that has well-drained soil.  Water lightly in the morning until the plants are mature, then you would water as needed.  A mature basil plant is approximately two feet in height with a similar spread. 

The leaves of the basil are green and highly aromatic.  This herb produces a flower that blooms mid to late summer.  The flowers attract bees and butterflies.  If your summers are hot then grow basil as they flourish in hot humid climates.  

I grow Thai, cinnamon, and African blue basil in various sized containers and decorative pots and also in my rock garden. In the summer, I display the basil in containers on my patio and along my walkways. The aromatic scent of the basil plants is refreshing and repels many flying insects including mosquitoes. It is nice to enjoy the fragrant basil while sitting on the patio.

  
Tips
In the winter, I bring my basil herb containers into my kitchen or into the greenhouse and set them by a sunny southern exposure window.  

In January when the winter days are long and dark we will set the basil under a grow light.  Basil likes it hot so we set the plant container in the center and set the other herbs on the sides or behind the basil.

If you enjoy cooking with fresh herbs then harvest the basil leaves before the flowers bloom. My husband enjoys cooking he will not permit some basil plants to flower because the leaves have a stronger taste after the plant blooms.  

It is best to grow many basil plants so you can enjoy the fragrance and the flavor.

When you add basil to your kitchen herb garden, the plant's aromatic properties add a fresh scent to your home.

 

Growing Tips for Switchgrass

Switchgrass is a prairie grass that grows naturally in the central plains in the US.  This native grass provides many animals with forage and shelter.  You can grow switchgrass in masses or grow switchgrass as an accent plant by planting 10 to 12 seeds together.

Switchgrass "Trailblazer"Panicum Seeds Drought tolerant. Very hardy.

My prairie, phlox, and switchgrass

My home is located in the central states and prairie grass is abundant in large open spaces; fields, meadows, and pastures.  I like the movement of prairie grass and that it provides forage and shelter for wildlife.  A few years ago my husband and I decided to plant upland switchgrass seeds on the hilly and rocky land on the side of our home. 

The fully-grown grass attracted wild turkeys, pheasants, rabbits, foxes, and whitetail deer. Growing prairie grass has provided us with a natural way to relax.  We enjoy sitting on the deck and looking at the native grass and the wildlife. 

Choosing Prairie Grass Seed

Choose the grass seed that meets your needs do this by determining your soil type.  For heavy soil, or soil that is found in bottomland sites, you would choose a lowland switchgrass seed. This seed will grow up to 12 feet in height.  If you reside in a mountain region or hilly terrain or if your land has rocks then choose the upland seed.  The upland switchgrass will grow to a height of six feet.

Ornamental native switchgrass seeds that I recommend:

Where to Plant Grass

Choose a planting area that has well-drained soil and full sun.  

How to Plant Native Grass

Get the growing site ready for spring planting by mowing the area to the height of two inches in late fall.  

In early spring break up the soil with a tiller. Then follow the tiller with a cultivator to break up the soil clumps and then go over the soil with a lawn roller to smooth and firm the soil before planting the grass seeds.

Planting Grass Seeds

Plan to plant grass seeds when rain is in the forecast. Sow the seeds with the broadcaster and follow the broadcaster with a ½ inch layer of topsoil.

Prairie grass will germinate in 14 days and will be fully grown in 60 days.

Care for Grass

Grass will grow well if the annual rainfall is an average of 20 inches. If you have a heat wave or dry spell it is best to water the grass. 

Tips:

Switchgrass is resistant to erosion, pests, disease, drought, and pollution. It is also drought-tolerant and very hardy.

Harvest the grass after a hard frost when the crop has died back.

Switchgrass can be processed into a liquid and then used for clean energy biofuel. 

Grow switchgrass to clean the air. This grass is a natural way to remove carbon dioxide.

Sage Container Gardening

Grow a sage container garden for your culinary kitchen or outdoor garden.  This easy container garden will add color and interest to your living space.  The foliage of the sage is attractive as the leaves vary in color. Some sage leaves are green with touches of yellow, others are purple with touches of gray, and some are a rich shade of green that compliments both purple and yellow.  The sage herb is easy to grow provided it has direct light and dry heat.  

This year I am growing Honeydew Melon sage.  It has dark green leaves with red flowers in the summer.  The flowers have a fruity fragrance that attracts butterflies to my garden.   We use sprigs of honey melon sage to garnish our summer beverages; lemonade and sweet tea. The honey melon sage is a delicious herb and would be a good choice for a butterfly garden or sensory garden.

Instructions for growing a sage container herb garden.

Step 1:      Gather what you need to grow a sage container garden.  Various sizes in containers, potting soil, compost, a bag of rocks, fertilizer, an assortment of nursery-grown sage plants, grass clippings, garden gloves, garden tools, and a hose.
Step 2:     Plan your sage arrangement for your containers.  You may want to display the various container sizes in groups on a sunny section of your patio, or in your garden.  Decide which sage plants work with your color scheme..
Step 3:       Prepare containers for planting.   Turn the container over and look for adequate drainage.  Add a layer of small rocks to the bottom of the container.  These rocks will aid in water drainage.  Fill the containers with moist all-purpose potting soil mixed with compost.
Step 4:        Dig a hole in the center of the container that is the same depth and width as the nursery container.  Remove the sage from the nursery container.  Use your hands to untangle the roots.  Gently pull the roots away from the root ball.  Set the sage in the center of the hole.  Place the roots on the soil to encourage them to grow outward.  Fill the hole with soil and water well.

Tips:
Plant sage herb outside after the danger of spring frost has passed. Water as needed, a sage plant requires evenly moist soil until the plants are established. In late spring when the ground has warmed to 70 degrees, apply a mulch of grass clippings around the sage plants.

Redbud Tree – Accent Tree for Landscape

The deciduous leaves of the redbud tree are reddish purple in the spring and then turn dark green in summer followed by yellow in the fall.  The striking leaves and showy spring flowers that bloom in April to May make the this tree a accent for your landscape.  

Redbud Missouri Postcard by Susang6

I do not grow the red redbud tree in my yard, however I have planted a few for my clients and I view the  redbuds growing wild in the woods by my home.  I find it best to grow the tree in morning sun and part shade in the afternoon.   Grow these trees in zones 4 to 9.  

The eastern redbud is renowned for its upright growing habits as well as the dark trunk, and spreading branches and lovely spring flowers. The growth rate is slow. I planted a two foot tree for one of my clients 10 years ago.  The tree at 10 years old was 6 feet in height with a similar spread.

Where to Plant Redbud Tree

Before you plant a tree determine the growing site. Consider planting the redbud tree in front of a picture window or close to your home entrance.  Choose a planting site which allow the tree to accent your landscape.

Buying tips

Buy a tree that has some height.  If you can buy a four foot tree then do so as it will produce flowers the following season. Purchase a redbud trees in a natural burlap root ball covering or container.  

How to transplant a tree 

Transplant the redbud in early spring as soon as the soil is workable.  Gently remove the tree from the nursery container. The best way to loosen the tree in the container is to set the container on its side and roll it gently back and forth. This will loosen the soil on the sides of the container and will enable you to pull the tree out.  If the tree is wrapped in burlap; ask if burlap is 100% natural. A natural burlap wrapping can be planted with the tree, however a wax coated burlap casing must be removed as the roots cannot grow through the wax.  If the burlap is natural casings then cut the burlap away from the tree trunk and fold the burlap back. 

Transplant the redbud tree into a hole that is twice the size of the container.  Remove the dirt from the hole and put in a wheelbarrow.  Break up the clumps of dirt so that it is a fine texture.  Mix compost with the dirt and then add enough dirt to the hole to form a small mound in the center.  Set the root ball in the center of the dirt mound and back fill the soil to 10 inches.  Add an organic root simulator. Dilute solution according to the instruction on the package.  Back fill the remaining dirt. 

Firm the dirt around the tree trunk and press on the dirt to remove air pockets.  Water the tree well. 

Care for Tree

Care for your newly transplanted redbud tree by applying 3 inches of mulch around the trunk or wrap the trunk with a mulch ring. Also tape the trunk to protect it from insects and husbands with weed whackers, trimmers or lawn mowers.  Keep the soil evenly moist but not wet throughout the growing season; spring until a hard frost.

Fertilize the redbud tree every other spring. Continue to keep the soil evenly moist for two years after transplant. Deep watering once a week will encourage a deep root.

Consider pruning the tree in late winter to keep a formal shape.

Tips:

Eastern Redbud is formally known as “Cercis Canadensis” and is a large shrub or small tree that is native to eastern North America to Southern Ontario Canada.

The nectar rich flowers attract honey bees and carpenter bees. Some redbud trees bear fruit in late summer.  The fruit looks like a flat brown pea sized pod. Harvest seeds from the pod or leave the pod on the tree for birds to forage.  The eastern redbud tree is a good choice for a backyard bird habitat.

Nanking Cherry Bush Information

Nanking cherries grow on a bush rather than a tree and these fruit bearing bushes produce a tremendous crop of tart berries for jams, wine and some people make pies, but I have never tried. If you prefer to not use the berries for food consumption then leave on the bush and feed the wildlife.

The Nanking cherry (Prunus Tomentosa) is a moderate to fast growing bush that is native to China and to Japan.  The Cherries are edible for human consumption and will attract birds, deer and other wildlife to your yard.   

Two years ago I bought 3 18-24 inch Nanking Cherry bushes from Gurneys.com and planted them in full sun with well drained soil.  

I fertilized the bushes with Spray n' Grow and by the end of first growing season my Nanking cherry bush had doubled in size. 

 This year my cherry bush was covered with pale pink spring flowers and by the end of June the bush was covered with berries.  

These berries ripened to a bright red color and I harvested 1 quart of cherries for recipes and left the remaining berries on the bush for the birds.

In the fall the leaves turn a lovely shade of gold which makes the nanking a lovely accent bush. 

Growing Nanking Cherry

 If you reside in growing zones 2-8 you can grow Nanking Cherries.  Plant two or more cherry bushes and you will get a large yield of berries. 

Fully grow bushes are 6-8 feet high and will yield a crop of 2-4 quarts of cherries.  If growing more than one bush; plant 8 feet apart.

Plant in spring after the threat of frost has past. Grow Nanking cherry bushes in a sunny area of your yard.  Cherries do not grow well in wet areas so choose soil that is well drained.  

Dig a hole that is the same depth and width as the nursery pot.  Add time released fertilizer into the hole and mix with soil.  Set the cherry bush in the center of the hole and back fill the soil.  Apply two inches of mulch around the stem.  This mulch will help in deterring weed or grass growth.  Water newly planted bush so that soil is moist but not wet.

Notes:

 Nanking cherries are self pollinating so if you have a small yard you may grow one bush and harvest an average of 2-4 quarts of cherries.

Dressing for a Yard Work – Protective Garden Wear

No matter what season a gardener must dress defensively to protect themselves from the weather and from garden pests.   

For yard and garden makeovers that require you to clean up brush, debris, or leaf removal you need to wear protective clothing and accessories.  This is your first defense for preventing a tick, mosquito, brown recluse spider. or poisonous snake bite.

Rubber boots good for high grass or brush

If the job involves manicuring an overgrown yard and garden, then it is wise to dress to protect yourself.  A yard that has leaf matter or overgrown brush will have borers, spiders, ticks, fleas, chiggers, mites, snakes, and rodents.  

For heavy-duty yard clean up jobs I wear a long sleeve Columbia Omni shade shirt that provides me with ultraviolet protection by reflecting the sun rays, this shirt also whisks the moisture from my skin making my skin not as desirable to the tick as they are attracted to moisture and dark areas of the body; stomach, behind the knees, inner thigh, underarm.  I also wear light color shirts only; white and pale pastels because the light colors reflect the sunlight and it is easy to see ticks, spiders, or other insects crawling on you.

I will tuck the shirt into long pants and then I wrap the leg of the pants tightly around my waist and then put on rubber mid-calf or knee-high boots.      

Tips:

Before putting on my garden wear I spray clothing including socks and undergarments with Deep Woods off. I will also spray the rubber boots with insect repellent.  This is how I protect myself from bug bites.

Wear a sun reflective hat when doing yard work.  It is helpful in keeping ticks from getting in your hair.  When trimming shrubs the ticks could be on the leaves.  If you brush the leaf the tick may get onto your hat.  Treat the hat by spraying Deep woods off or other deet insect repellent onto the hat.

The best way to prevent insects from biting you is to be defensive.  Treat the lawn and gardens with diatomaceous earth before you work to kill the pests. Wait a minimum of 4 days for the brown recluse, ticks, and fleas to die off.

Notes from sgolis:
The pests in my yard are very bad this year and I believe it is due to a mild winter and a warm and damp early spring.  We have an infestation of brown recluse spiders, fleas, ticks, and snakes.  I have been out working in the yard and garden since late March and wear rubber garden boots daily.