And other spicy herbs, landscape designer and TV presenter Olga Voronova will tell you how to make a special garden for them - not a garden one, but more like a flower bed. How to plant dill and coriander, mint and lemon balm, oregano and thyme? How to decorate a herb garden beautifully?
Spicy herbs significantly enrich the taste of any dish, they can be frozen and dried, and vitamin teas can be brewed from them. Among other things, they repel many pests.
Many spices — perennial plants... Having planted once, you can forget about them - they will grow on their own, regularly providing you with greens rich in vitamins.
Spicy herbs start in early spring, one of the first, when there is almost no greenery on the site. They can be designed as a separate landscape object - a spice bed. She will become one of the elements beautiful garden, original and practical. This will be a flower bed, a decoration bed. Its place is not in the garden, but in any of the recreation areas, in the front garden or in the front area of your garden.
You can lay it out of stone in the form of a spiral, make a raised flower bed of any shape, or you can simply overlay beautiful stones a small piece of land. At the same time, such a beautiful object needs some kind of additional framing; gravel dumps are best suited for this purpose.
You can also decorate the spice bed with stones, but smaller in size, shards of ceramic products, small vessels, figures that just need to be placed between the spice bushes.
How to make a herb bed? Master Class
- Please select appropriate place for the future spice bed. Mark the shape with pegs and string.
- Dig up this area and select the roots of the weeds.
- Lay out boulders and (or) large rubble stones along the contour of the future bed. You can also use granite.
- Dig the ground again within the boundaries of the garden bed.
- Arrange the herb pots where they are.
- Use a scoop to dig a narrow trench 10 cm deep and about 8-10 cm wide along the outer perimeter of the bed.
- Lay geotextiles in the trench so that it covers not only the bottom, but also the sides. Secure it temporarily with separate pebbles.
- Fill the trench with rubble or gravel to ground level. This backfill will beautifully frame the garden and prevent weeds from entering it.
- Plant herb seedlings and rhizomes in the garden with large gaps between the plants, as they will overgrow. In between, here and there, you can sow annual spices, such as dill, coriander.
- Decorate your garden with rocks, garden figures, or decorative solar lights.
Spicy herbs: what to plant
Dill and fennel. It makes no sense to grow these plants, irreplaceable for every gardener, through seedlings. Sow directly into the soil. For early use - in the soil of the greenhouse. Be sure to sow thickened if you want to get especially juicy and tender greens. If you grow some part on "umbrellas" - on the contrary, sow less often.
Dill and fennel reproduce well by self-sowing, so new and new plants will appear in your garden this year and next. Sow dill every 2 weeks, and until late autumn you will be provided with fresh herbs to the table. The main secret success for dill - abundant watering.
Lovage. The king of herbs, very rich in vitamins. It is a large plant that produces a large mass of greenery. The taste of lovage, as it were, unites the tastes of almost all spicy herbs, and it can be used to prepare any dish.
Lovage is planted in seedlings, sowing is carried out in early March. His germination is always good. Sow thickened, plant in open ground in the beginning of May. If you want to get young lovage leaves throughout the season, prune the plant regularly. Its further reproduction is carried out by dividing the bush.
Caraway. It is indispensable for canning, preparing sauerkraut, preparing meat dishes and bread. It is grown in seedlings. Sow caraway seeds in pots at the end of February, thickened, also plant in the ground. The best time to disembark is early May.
Tarragon. Basically, it is a vicious weed. It is easier to start it on the site than to remove it. Therefore, it is better to plant it not in the garden, but in the far corner of the garden. It will give a rich harvest regardless of growing conditions.
In cooking, tarragon can be used almost everywhere, and it can turn homemade preparations into real delicacies. The cultivation method is similar to the cultivation method for other herbs, seedlings. The timing of sowing and planting in the ground is the same.
Mint. You will not have any problems growing mint. The only thing that needs to be done is to limit the area of distribution of this plant: you can dig a large container into the ground or fence off the site with slate.
Mint can be propagated by seedling by sowing seeds as early as possible, or by dividing the bush, if you or your neighbors already have this plant. However, seedlings should be planted in the ground later, in July-August.
Melissa. Has a wonderful lemon scent. It is less aggressive than regular mint and more sensitive. If lemon balm is not insulated for the winter, it can freeze under severe winters.
Basil. Basil is used in cooking both on its own and together with lovage. The plant is also very aesthetic - it can be planted in containers and pots for decorative design plot.
Basil is the most heat-demanding spicy annual; it does not even tolerate temperatures of 0 ° C. Therefore, there is only one way out - to grow basil seedlings and plant them in the ground no earlier than May 15, or to sow in a greenhouse. In mid-May, you can sow another batch of basil outdoors.
Basil is very picky about watering. It needs to be planted somewhat thickened. He is also responsive to feeding.
Oregano (oregano). This medicinal plant is very decorative and exudes a great aroma. But oregano is good not only for tea - it is widely used in cooking. The breeding method is the same as that of mint. The secret of success: you need to add a little sand to the soil.
Coriander (cilantro). It is grown for its fresh, aromatic greens and seeds, which are widely used in cooking. This "garden spice" is an annual plant, which is sown in open ground in early May.
The seeds are harvested as they ripen. Coriander is capable of producing 2-3 crops per season. For him, only plentiful watering is important, otherwise it will grow under any conditions.
Thyme (thyme). As a spice it is used in various dishes, as well as for making tea and in home cosmetics. Blooms in June-July, bushes need to be trimmed periodically. Thyme does not tolerate frost well and needs shelter.
Clary sage. Highly unpretentious plant that is easy to grow from seed. Blooms for a long time. Used as a spice for confectionery.
Rosemary. Not only spicy, but also a medicinal plant. It is used for cooking dishes from lamb, potatoes, root vegetables, for flavoring olive oil. The frost resistance of rosemary is average, so shelter in winter definitely does not hurt. Rosemary can be made using herbs found in supermarkets.
Hyssop. A spicy herb that is especially good for preparing meat dishes and marinades, and it also blooms beautifully. Hyssop is unpretentious, very hardy, it is easy to grow it for seedlings from seeds.
Monarda. Monarda is also called "bergamot", as its smell is almost identical to bergamot. But real bergamot is a completely different plant. Due to its aroma, monarda is indispensable for tea. It has soothing and pain relieving properties. You can add it to meat dishes.
In addition, it is a bright, showy perennial. The plant itself is quite tall, and its flowers resemble multi-tiered "shaggy" sultans of crimson color with green intervals. It is often grown as a flower for decorative purposes.
Comment on the article "Basil, cumin and 12 more herbs: growing in the open field"
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"Other names: Spicy cumin, Egyptian cumin, Volosh cumin, an annual herbaceous plant in the Umbelliferae family. Basil, caraway and 12 other herbs: outdoor cultivation. It will give a rich harvest regardless of growing conditions."
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When I bought it - they said that in open ground conditions - it is an annual, but in room conditions it seems to be because it does not survive the winter in the open ground. 05/21/2001 03:13:27, Marinka. Basil, cumin and 12 more herbs: outdoor cultivation.
When growing spicy herbs in the country, you cannot plant them all in one garden bed or flower bed. Each plant has its own requirements for growing conditions - for soil, sun, moisture. In order for each spice to give the maximum aroma, the plant must be individual approach... Only herbs with similar requirements can be grouped in one place.
What are spicy herbs
Herbs are aromatic plants that are used to prepare meals and drinks. They are rarely consumed by themselves and are intended to enhance the flavor and flavor of food. In addition, most herbs have medicinal and tonic properties.
To create a garden bed with such herbs in the country, it is advisable to choose a place near the house. This is convenient because in summer time spices are best used fresh, just picked. In addition, such a bed adorns the site, because spicy plants bloom in the middle of summer and exude a pleasant smell at the same time.
The collection of leaves or flowers from all plants is carried out in different time, but there is one rule: the collection is carried out in dry weather, when the dew dries up.
Two days before the mass collection of raw materials, watering of herbs is stopped.
Rules for creating a garden of herbs
Spicy herbs can be conditionally divided according to several factors:
- annuals and perennials;
- drought-resistant and moisture-loving;
- sun-loving and shade-tolerant.
Annuals and perennials can be grown in the same garden bed, and often even saves space. While perennials are growing, annuals perfectly close the voids between them.
- Annual herbs: basil, chervil,.
- Perennials, which, depending on the climate, are most often grown as annuals or biennials: parsley.
- Perennials: thyme, oregano, mint, lemon balm.
Herbs with different watering requirements can be planted in the same flower bed. Moreover, their neighborhood is delimited by bumpers from decorative material, which will also serve as a watering limiter. The hygrophilous include chervil, marjoram, mint. Plants such as basil, sage, thyme, fennel, oregano, and lemon balm are drought tolerant, and their roots rot if excessive moisture is present.
But the sun-loving and shade-tolerant plants will have to be planted in different parts of the garden. Under constant light, most herbs accumulate the greatest accumulation of essential oils in leaves and flowers, but there are plants for which bright light is destructive. Spices such as chervil, arugula, watercress cannot stand the sun.
Spicy herbs look good in a flower bed next to flowering plants... In addition, spices can be grown in pots or containers. In the summer they will decorate the garden, and for the winter they are moved indoors, placed in a lighted place, where they continue to grow. Many of the herbs are suitable for growing along paths, near a porch, or on a narrow strip of land along a structure or fence.
Description of some types of herbs
In addition to growing conditions, plants differ in the method of reproduction, the timing of the collection of raw materials and the methods of harvesting. Most of them are consumed both fresh and dried or frozen.
- Basil
Basil is a thermophilic annual plant that is afraid of frost and sudden temperature fluctuations. It grows large foliage only in the sun, in the shade the leaves become smaller, and flowering becomes scarce. In regions with warm early spring, seeds are sown outdoors in May. If night frosts are possible, cover the seedlings. In cold areas, they are grown by seedlings. Seeds for seedlings are sown in mid-March, and in the country they are planted in late May or early July, depending on the weather forecast.
When planting, there should be at least 30 cm between plants. When 6-7 leaves are formed, pinch the top. Additional shoots appear very quickly from the lateral sinuses, the bush grows in diameter. You can cut it several times over the summer, leaving a few leaves on the bush. Foliage, twigs, flowers are dried. Dried basil is ground in a coffee grinder or blender.
Minimal care - weeding, loosening. Watering is often impossible - if the ground is constantly wet, the roots begin to rot. In the fall, on the eve of frost, several bushes can be dug up, transplanted into a container with drainage holes and continued growing on the windowsill.
- Sage
Sage is grown not only as a spice, but also as a medicinal plant. This perennial is thermophilic, therefore, in regions with frosty winters, it grows as an annual or biennial. In the second case, shelter is needed for the winter.
The place should be sunny, and the soil should allow moisture to pass through well. Sage does not like stagnant water. Leaves are cut off as a spice all season. After flowering, the bush is shortened by half, which provokes the growth of new shoots. For use in cooking in the country, it is enough to plant 2-3 plants.
- Thyme
Thyme (also called thyme) is an evergreen, low shrub that spreads along the ground, and its shoots take root by themselves, touching the soil. The distance between plants must be at least 35 cm, The best way reproduction - dividing a bush or germinating seedlings. Growing in one place for more than 5 years is undesirable: the plant is dug up, divided and planted. The place should be sunny, lit throughout the day, and watering should be moderate. Twigs and leaves are harvested all year round. Cutting can be carried out even in winter, if the plantings are not covered with snow. It grows well on the windowsill, but in the open field the aroma of thyme is stronger.
- Fennel
Fennel - externally resembles dill, but these are different herbs. The plant is tall, up to 1.5 meters, perennial. All its parts are used as a spice - foliage, seeds, roots. Flowering begins only in the second year. The place should be sunny and protected from drafts. Loves neutral or calcareous soils. It will not grow in a waterlogged area.
Winters well only in warm climates. In colder regions, you can try to leave it under cover for the winter, but this does not always help. The best way- grow it as an annual, and use only foliage in cooking. 
Chervil is an annual plant that loves coolness and partial shade. The leaves dry out in the hot sun. Cold-resistant, greens are harvested before frost. At the dacha, they practice sowing seeds in the ground, they sprout quickly and amicably. The distance between plantings is small - about 15 cm is enough. The plant quickly grows green mass. Care consists in weeding, removing the inflorescences. Chervil loves frequent watering.
The aroma of chervil leaves is reminiscent of anise. It is not cooked, because the smell disappears under the influence of heat. Add to dishes just before serving.
- Marjoram
Marjoram is a perennial thermophilic plant. In our climate, it is grown as an annual, because it does not tolerate cold winters. The marjoram is about 50 cm high, planted according to the 15x50 cm pattern. Flowering begins in June and lasts until August. As a spice, flower buds and leaves are collected. They can be used fresh, fried in oil for an interesting flavor, or dried for the winter. The smell is very strong, so only a small amount of raw materials is required for cooking.
Marjoram seeds can be sown in the ground in early May, or seedlings can be grown - for this, seeds are sown in March. On the site you need to choose the most sunny place, and water often as soon as the soil begins to dry out.
- Oregano
Many people take oregano and marjoram for one plant with different names... But, despite the external similarity, these are different spicy herbs.
Oregano is an unpretentious perennial shrub. It grows on any soil, except for marshy soils, tolerates drought and winters well even in frosts. It blooms profusely only in a sunny place, weakens in the shade. Propagate oregano by dividing the bush and seeds. If seeds are sown in open ground in April or early May, then the plant will bloom only next year. If the seeds are sown in March for seedlings, and in May, the bushes are planted in a permanent place, then they can bloom in the same summer. The distance between plants should be about 40 cm.
Care consists in weeding and loosening. Watering should be moderate. With abundant watering, few essential oils will remain in the leaves.
- Mint
Mint is a perennial sun-loving plant that prefers rare but abundant watering. In extreme heat, you will have to water a little more often. The smell of mint is pronounced, it can overpower other aromas. Small amounts are used in cooking or to flavor beverages.
Mint propagates well in pieces of roots, tends to creep far beyond the planting site. In order not to have to pull out the mint like a weed, the place of its cultivation must be limited. To do this, pieces of slate, tin or thick boards are dug into the soil.
- Rosemary
Rosemary is perennial evergreen... The height of the bush reaches 60 cm. Needles and flowers are used as a spice. Parts of the plant can be harvested throughout the year.
Rosemary seeds can be sown in the ground in May, or seedlings can be grown. The place for rosemary on the site should be sunny, protected from dampness and drafts. In a harsh winter, some of the shoots freeze out, but they quickly resume.
- Melissa
Melissa is used both in cooking and as a medicinal plant for making tea or decoction. She has a pleasant lemon flavor and aroma.
Propagated by dividing the bush or sowing seeds. It grows in one place for 5 years, and then she needs rejuvenation and transplantation. More "mature" bushes do not tolerate frost well. In a sunny place, a large amount of essential oils are formed in the leaves and the aroma becomes persistent. May die in a damp place. In autumn, before the first frosts, lemon balm is covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves or compost.
Outcome
Growing herbs is possible on any, even the most small area, because many plants are so fragrant that they are used in very small quantities. In order for the aroma of spices to be stable, when choosing a place, it is important to take into account the requirements for the growing conditions of the plant, as well as observe the watering regime. Perennials need to be divided and transplanted on time.
Annual and perennial herbs in the country are not only a great way to prepare fragrant seasonings for the winter, but also to organize a small, but healthy flower bed.
Before you start setting up your small garden, think about what attracts you the most? Perhaps it medicinal herbs, a collection of aromatic species or a variety of spices?
Or maybe your goal is to attract striped honey plants and repel pests? The choice of plants, their number and place in the garden will depend on these answers.
A flowerbed with medicinal plants will require a special approach, which will focus on the decorativeness of the spicy corner. All your efforts will help to attract beneficial insects to the garden and get rid of unwanted chitinous visitors. Between vegetables and fruits, you can successfully place marigolds, marigolds, wormwood.
A completely different matter is the kitchen garden, in which parsley and dill, coriander and basil, chervil and lovage, horseradish and hyssop, mint and lemon balm can grow in abundance - everything that you use to prepare your culinary masterpieces.
- A kitchen garden in its classical sense most often has round shape which is split into segments... Arrangement of a square area is also permissible, in this case it will be appropriate to use intersecting paths.
This approach is not only following the traditions in which the circle was the figure of the sun, and the watercress personified the Christian principle. Such shapes are most convenient when caring for plants, of course, no one forbids you to use the shape of an elongated oval, triangle or polyhedron. The main thing is that each plant gets enough light.
Most of the herbs that we consider already "native" came to us from the Mediterranean (lavender, thyme, hyssop, basil, tarragon, marjoram, sage), therefore, they require a high degree of light and heat.
But there are those who prefer moist, slightly shaded areas - lovage, parsley, catnip, lemon balm, all kinds of mint, monarda, sorrel, lofant.
- The basis kitchen garden ... However, in the early years, due to their insufficient growth, the emphasis will be on annuals, which are also difficult to do without in the kitchen. Greatest love managed to get hold of coriander, parsley, dill, basil and chervil.
Note! If your goal is not a simple garden bed, but an attractive decorative garden, carefully consider a plant replacement system.
- The finished look will give the garden a "framing" in the form of gravel, as decorative elements stones, pieces of ceramic products, decorative bright chips, small pots and figurines are suitable.
Note! Regardless of the species and varieties chosen, you will have to take care of quality drainage. Spicy plants do not tolerate soil locking very well. If the flowerbed will be located on a heavy clay soil, add sand and raise the ridges.
Basic principles of growing spices
Having determined what spicy herbs can be planted in the country, choose a method of planting them, it can be sowing in open ground or seedling method... Of course, the seed method is less costly, but it will require more diligence and care from you. Ready-made seedlings in pots from a garden center are a more acceptable option for busy summer residents.
The place for the future spice garden is prepared in advance. With the onset of autumn, weed digging and elimination are carried out. If you are going to grow your own seedlings, you need to purchase all the seeds and prepare the soil in March. Those who are going to visit the garden center have until May.
When the soil warms up well enough under the spring sunlight, it is loosened and freed from weed residues. The site is marked and laid out with paths and curbs.
Note! Thermophilic plants such as nasturtium, basil, purslane and lavender are sown in middle lane only after June 10, when the probability of spring frosts has passed.
Description and features of growing some types of herbs
| Basil | |
| Known in gardener circles as raikhon and reagan. It has found its wide application in the preparation of salads and sauces, it is used fresh and dried.
|
This perennial is very afraid of frost. The most optimal method of planting will be sowing in peat-peat pots, which is carried out not earlier than April. Small plants are planted at a distance of 25-30 cm and systematically pinching the shoots is carried out. Ignoring this recommendation will lead to the fact that you will not be able to form a beautifully shaped bush. If you plan to use fresh basil in winter time, in early September, dig a bush and replant the pot. Which will winter on your windowsill. |
| Dill | |
| The plant is easily recognizable by its thin pinnately dissected leaves and small yellow flowers in umbrella-shaped inflorescences that appear in July. Can be up to 60 cm in height.
|
Dill does not tolerate transplanting, it is sown with seeds directly to the place of growth. Choose a sunny, well-drained area and water in dry weather. Brown color, the cut stems are tied in paper bag and hung upside down. |
| Chervil | |
| Perhaps this spice is the most delicate among all the fragrant surroundings. There are several reasons for this - thin openwork leaves, short life cycle in hot weather and an extremely unstable aroma that instantly disappears during heat treatment. It goes well with first courses, fish and egg salads.
|
Despite all its whimsicality, it grows extremely quickly and it will be possible to eat the first leaves from the 8th week of its disembarkation. Chervil is sown at the beginning of summer immediately in the place allotted in the kitchen garden. Thin the seedlings 15 cm apart and remember that they are sensitive to lack of watering. |
| Fennel | |
| This plant is well recognized by its pinnately dissected foliage and yellow flowers. A perennial can reach 1.5 m in height, which should certainly be taken into account when planting it in a kindergarten. The aromatic grains go well with oily fish.
|
A well-drained and sunny place is suitable for growing. Seed sowing is carried out in the spring, but more in a convenient way it still remains to buy a potted plant. The price of spice seedlings is low, so it won't hurt the pocket of an amateur gardener. |
| Chives | |
| You can surprise your guests with the taste of chives dishes from March to October. When harvesting, the leaves are cut sharp knife three centimeters above the ground. It is important to cut it before the first open buds appear.
|
Chives can be grown in several ways: seeded in March, or ready-made seedlings in fall or spring. The distance between the bushes should be at least 20-35 cm. Divide the bushes into smaller ones every 4 years. |
| Marjoram | |
| In nature, there are many varieties of this plant, the most popular is sweet marjoram - a persistent annual in the form of a bush.
| |
Spicy herbs can be successfully grown on a kitchen windowsill in winter and significantly diversify the range of herbs available on the market. In addition to their aromatic qualities, many of them exhibit different shades foliage and no less spectacular than recognized indoor pets. If you want, grow them in separate pots, or if you want, make a fragrant mix in a wide bowl or a small balcony box. Special containers - "vegetable gardens" with pockets or holes are also sold. The activity is very fashionable and not devoid of benefits. The cultivation process is generally simple, but some special conditions for scented herbs still need to be created. Let's talk about everything in order.
Take home from the garden
The easiest way to instantly get a spicy bed on the kitchen windowsill is to take a few plants in the garden before the autumn frosts come. Perennial spicy plants are suitable for this - Thyme, Sage, hyssop, oregano, mint, lemon balm, catnip, savory, as well as annual. Choose well-developed, healthy specimens, water them and transplant them with a lump, being careful not to damage them. root system, in pots with fresh potting mix. Large bushes can be divided or used for planting root suckers.
The pot in diameter should be only 2-5 cm wider than the size of the root ball of the plant, otherwise the roots, unable to cope with moisture, will rot. After transplanting, without sparing, cut off the greens, leaving only 3 cm, for basil and hyssop, just pinch the shoots.
Tarragon requires a dormant period before winter begins. Transplant the plant into a pot and leave it in the garden until the leaves are dead. Transfer to a cool place for a few days. Then put on the lightest windowsill and feed with organic fertilizers.
Supplement with ready-made plants
To make fragrant compositions richer and more varied, it is worth visiting garden centers and nurseries (discounts are announced there in the fall). From spicy herbs, it is possible to find varietal thymes - for example, the common compactus, the lemon-smelling Golden King and Silver Queen, oregano, including the yellow-leaved variety Aureum, medicinal sage, often its purple-leaved variety Purpurascens, narrow-leaved lavender, various mint. By the way, peppermint is the most common of the mint, but the aroma of its leaves is too menthol, it is much softer and richer in other species, for example, short and little sprawling curly mint, which is an ideal candidate for growing on a windowsill.
Among indoor plants, laurel and rosemary can be added to this fragrant community.
Planting by cuttings
If there is not enough planting material, use cuttings. This is how oregano, thyme, mint, sage are propagated , hyssop . For rooting, the top shoots are cut 10 cm long, the lower leaves are removed and rooted under the cut plastic bottle or a transparent plastic bag . To speed up the process, you can dust the tips with Kornevin or soak in a solution of Zircon (4 ml per 1 liter of water) for 14 hours. Good lighting, supplemental lighting with phytolamps significantly speeds up the rooting process. This method allows you to get young, well-leafy plants from mother plants, which in the lower part have already had time to woody and will give little fragrant greenery.
Forcing root crops and bulbous crops
How can you do without parsley? It, as well as Celery and Pasternak, is dug up in the fall, the greens are cut off, and the roots are placed, covered with sand, for storage in a basement with a low positive temperature (+1 ... + 3 o C). From November to March, they are planted in batches in deep pots at a slight slope, as the greens grow, they are fed once. Can be used for planting and purchased root crops with intact apical bud. Greens grow back within a month.
Onion. Small samples left after harvesting the onion, or starting to sprout during storage, onions can be driven onto a feather in water or in soil until summer. Sevok is also suitable for this, which is planted in shallow containers after preliminary soaking. Each planting allows you to have a green feather for several weeks.
Garlic. The cloves of garlic are planted 3-4 cm deep to obtain young greens, which will be ready in 3 weeks. You can even use withered or spoiled ones, gradually planting them in pots to other greens.
Sowing seeds
Finally, some plants can be sown. Despite the fact that the most favorable time for indoor crops comes in the spring, with an increase in the amount of light, there are many crops that sprout easily, develop well at room temperature and a lack of light in winter. There are sometimes ready-made kits for growing greenery on sale, including beautiful pots, substrate and seeds - a godsend for those who appreciate the aesthetic side of the process.
Use the time free from summer cottages to get acquainted with new spicy-flavoring and green cultures. Growing some of them can be real fun for kids and adults alike! See for yourself.
Watercress is one of the easiest crops to grow on a windowsill. Cold-resistant, moisture-loving, is content with a small amount of light (no additional lighting), does without soil, grows quickly. Seeds are sown thickly on the surface of gauze or paper napkin, laid in several layers in a shallow plastic tray and moistened (you can sow on a soaked colorless hydrogel). Seedlings are ready for use in a few days - they are simply cut off with scissors. For continuous production of watercress greens, sowing is performed every week. You can also grow it in soil, then the greens are ready for use in 2-3 weeks. To make it tender and juicy, you need constant spraying with water.
Sheet, or lettuce mustard is grown in a similar way to watercress. In autumn, it is better to sow on cheesecloth or a napkin, and cut off when the foliage reaches a height of 5 cm.If sowed in a mixture with watercress and leafy turnip seeds (cabins), beautiful ornamental shoots are obtained, and after 7-10 days - a mixture of vitamin greens for salads, sandwiches and sauces. All three crops are cold-resistant, grow well already at a temperature of +15 o C, without additional lighting.
Chervil. Sowed every 2 weeks. Cold-resistant, grows at + 15 + 16 o C, needs high humidity air (spraying). After a month, they cut it off once, because it grows back badly, and they sow it again.
Watercress. Another plant that is not demanding for light, but constantly needs moisture. Grown through seedlings, then sown at a distance of 15-20 cm or in separate pots. If you have grown it outdoors in the summer, you can use cuttings that root easily in water.
Cucumber herb, or borage... It is sown into the soil, thinned out to a distance of 15 cm. It grows for 3-4 weeks until the phase of 2-3 true leaves, then it is cut off. Before harvesting, it is necessary to dry the soil a little to increase the aroma of the greenery.
Perilla. This plant with laced, chocolate-colored leaves is more often seen in flower beds than in vegetable gardens. But it is not inferior in the content of valuable substances to carrots! Easy to grow on a cool windowsill. It is necessary to take into account only one circumstance - so that the plants do not quickly go into the flowering phase on short autumn days, they need to extend the length of the day to 14 hours.
Valerianella, or field salad... No less rival of carrots in terms of the content of biologically active substances. Has a sweetish taste and nutty aroma of greens, which goes well with meat dishes. Cold resistant and moisture-loving plant, easily grown on the windowsill. In just a month, it forms beautiful rosettes of green oblong leaves. However, with a lack of light, it is more advisable to grow on a napkin, like a watercress, or use healthy sprouted seeds.
Now about the actual cultivation
In winter, it can be very dry on the windowsill due to the heating operation, therefore, already at the stage of choosing pots, keep in mind that in clay soil will dry out faster than plastic, so they are more suitable for drought-resistant crops (thyme, sage, for example). However, regardless of the ratio of certain plants to moisture, they all need good drainage, for which you can use not only purchased expanded clay, but also small pebbles, brick fragments, sand, or pieces of foam.
The composition of the potting soil... Purchased soil for vegetable plants consists mainly of peat and sand and does not retain moisture well. In order to get rid of this drawback, it is necessary to add garden loam or compost to it. It's also a good idea to mix 1 g of dry hydrogel (1/4 teaspoon) for every liter of substrate. It is more convenient to use a hydrogel just dry - after watering it will swell and replenish the sediment of the soil. Such an additive will reduce the frequency of watering to 2-3 times a month and will facilitate maintenance.
Transplanting plants from the garden to room conditions fraught with the danger of relocation along with them of diseases and pests, which can spread to indoor plants. You will almost certainly bring in at least aphids. Therefore, we recommend that you rinse the aerial part of the plants during the transplantation process. green soap by diluting 100 ml with 5 liters of water. It is an environmentally friendly product that has both insecticidal and disinfecting effects. Spill the substrate in the pot with a solution of the biological preparation Fitosporin-M instead of sterilizing the soil with steam.
After processing and planting, quarantine the herbs, isolating them from indoor plants for at least 2 weeks. However, it cannot be avoided anyway, since it is undesirable to immediately place the plants in the warmth from the autumn coolness, otherwise the greens will dry out. Such a shock is especially dangerous for grasses with delicate thin foliage, and less impact on drought-resistant, with small dense or pubescent leaves - thyme, sage and mint. First, place the pots of plants on a glazed unheated balcony or veranda of the house, and after 2 weeks bring it inside. If this is not possible, leave the pots in the garden for a week or two, only then treat the plants with green soap and pick up a cool, but bright place in the room for a start, and then put them on a permanent one.
Growing conditions... And now about this most permanent place. The shortest days of the year are just around the corner, when the plants on the windowsill are so lacking natural light... Light is needed not only for the bushes to grow lush and compact, forming as much of the desired greenery as possible, but also so that more essential oils are produced, which determine the aromas of the herbs. Plants have been found to require at least 5 hours of direct sun per day for this. Since in winter period it is practically absent, the lack of light is compensated for by uniform supplementary illumination with special phyto-lamps or ordinary fluorescent tube lamps (but they are less efficient and consume more energy) for 14 hours a day. Luminescent lamps are suspended at a height of 30 cm (they heat up), and phytolamps - lower, at a height of 15-20 cm.With supplementary lighting, herbs can be grown even on northern windows, and if it is not there, they are placed on windows of southern, eastern, worse - western orientation ...
In addition to good lighting, it is necessary to provide air humidity. For this, any methods used when growing indoor plants are suitable - from pallets filled with gravel or expanded clay, and 1 cm filled with water, to household air humidifiers. But often in the kitchen, water vapor is already in abundance, you have to ventilate. Good ventilation, the flow of oxygen is also necessary for plants, you only have to protect them from the flow of frosty air.
For most spicy herbs, a comfortable temperature of + 18 ... + 22 o C, at night it is very desirable to drop to +15 o C. It is useful for happy owners of insulated balconies to know that daytime temperatures can be at +15 o C, and night temperatures can drop much lower, to +10 and even +5 o C, but the growth rate of herbs will also decrease.
Care common, like houseplants. From time to time you need to arrange shower for herbs to wash off the dust from the surface of the leaf blades.
There is perhaps only one feature. When growing plants for the sake of greenery, you do not need to be afraid to pinch and cut it - the herbs will grow back. Attempts to bloom should be discouraged by cutting off the inflorescences. And in order for the growth of the vegetative mass to be more active, every 1.5-2 months (and especially after cutting), top dressing is desirable. Since we want to get environmentally friendly products, it is preferable to use organic fertilizers instead of mineral ones. The most perfect of them - with microorganisms, it is worth spending money on a box, which will last more than one year. Having brought them in after planting, you don't have to worry until spring. They not only nourish the plants, but also enrich the soil with useful microflora (which is very important for pot growing), ensure rapid plant recovery after transplantation, and excellent root development. From the number organic fertilizers Biohumus is also acceptable - a waste product of worms, you can get by with Lignohumate or the more common Potassium Humate.
Feeding the same herbs along with all houseplants mineral fertilizers, try to stick to the principle: underfeeding is better than overfeeding (you don't want to eat nitrates, do you?). It is necessary to intensify feeding from February, when the amount of light increases and the plants move to more active growth. In late April-early May, after preliminary hardening, perennial grasses will be ready to return to the garden.
Spicy herbs add spice to familiar food. Usually grown in the country standard set- dill and parsley, sometimes you can find borago (cucumber herb), celery. In fact, the choice is much richer.
Agastahis wrinkled (Korean mint)
He's a Tibetan lofant. A small shrub up to 1 m high and up to 60 cm wide. Grows well on drained sandy loam soils. Frost resistance - up to -30 C.
Young leaves have a pronounced aniseed aroma. They are often used as a salad dressing and canning spice. Suitable for making medicinal tea.
Sowing seedlings - from March 20 to April 15. Disembarkation at a permanent place - from May 25 to June 5. Planting pattern 20x30 cm.
Anise ordinary
An annual from the Celery family. The height of the plant is about 50-70 cm.
Anise well complements fish and meat dishes, salads, desserts. Moreover, all parts of the plant are used - fruits, leaves, twigs, seeds. Many housewives use anise to make pickles for cucumbers and zucchini.
Sowing in the ground in the second half of April in fertile loose soil. Essential oils better produced when planted in sunny areas.
Basil
Herbaceous annual from the Yasnotkovye family. It is added to meat, pizza, fish, vegetable salads, sauces, soups, egg dishes. It goes well with tomatoes, seafood, cheese, butter.
Can be grown by seedling (sowing in early April) and seedling methods. Transfer of seedlings to the beds - at the end of May. The soil should be light and fertile, the selected area should be sunny.
Borago (cucumber herb)
An annual herb from the Borage family. The leaves smell strongly of cucumbers, so they are often added to salads, sauces, okroshka, side dishes, soups, vinaigrettes as a substitute (or in addition to smell).
Seeds are planted in a permanent place in late April - early May. For more early harvest can be grown through seedlings (planting in March). The plant adapts well and in the future can reproduce by self-sowing.
Mustard salad
The main purpose is the preparation of vegetable salads. Young leaves are rich in vegetable proteins, carotene, vitamins B, C, PP. It is often used as a side dish for meat and fish dishes, for making sandwiches. Young juicy shoots are used in conservation, seeds - for the preparation of mustard powder.
This early maturing cold-resistant crop can be planted almost immediately after the soil has thawed. Overseeding every 2 weeks. Sowing rate - 2 g per 1 m2, depth - up to 1 cm, row spacing of 20 cm.
Oregano
Perennial herb from the Lamiaceae family. Height - up to 50-70 cm. It is often used as a seasoning for meat dishes (instead of marjoram). It will harmoniously complement seafood, vegetables, boiled chicken eggs... Healing tea is also brewed from oregano.
Seeds are sown in autumn or early spring. The soil can be almost any in composition, the main thing is that there is no stagnation of moisture.
Hyssop
A dwarf shrub from the Lamiaceae family. Young shoots, leaves, flowers (fresh and dried) exude a ginger-sage aroma. As a seasoning, it is suitable for various first and second courses (with meat, fish, beans, potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese), cold appetizers. Used by housewives in the preparation of the marinade.
Seeds are sown in the ground in late April - early May. When grown through seedlings - sowing is carried out already at the beginning of March. Hyssop can grow up to 10 years in one place.
Chervil ordinary
An annual from the Umbrella family. Has a sweetish taste, reminiscent of parsley, and aniseed aroma. Often served with boiled eggs, omelets, grilled chicken, fish and meat dishes, mashed potatoes. Used in vegetable salads.
Sowing in April, almost immediately after the ground warms up. Planting depth - up to 1 cm, scheme - 20x30 cm. The culture is cold-resistant and extremely unpretentious (including the length of daylight hours). It can be grown on the windowsill all year round.
Sowing coriander
Commonly called "cilantro". Harmoniously complements meat, fish and cheese dishes. Used for making marinades, added to baked goods. Young leaves are great in vegetable salads.
Sowing - in late April - early May, when the threat of frost has passed. Loose fertile soil is preferred. Planting depth - 2 cm, step in a row - from 10 to 15 cm, row spacing of 25-30 cm.
Lovage
Perennial herb from the Umbrella family. Good spice to fried meat, sauces, soups, salads, gravies. The root will complement poultry dishes and vegetable stews.
You can sow almost immediately after the snow melts, as soon as the ground warms up a little. Some summer residents prefer winter sowing. Any soil is suitable, but this culture grows better on fertile soils. The site can be either open or shady.
Marjoram
Perennial herb from the Lamiaceae family. The spice is added to soups, salads, vegetable and fish dishes, and is used in canning.
The seedling method is practiced. Sowing seeds for seedlings (mixed with sand 1 to 5) is performed in April. You can plant seedlings from the second half of May, when the threat of return spring frosts has completely passed.
Melissa
An essential oil-bearing perennial herb from the Lamiaceae family. Leaves and young shoots cut before flowering are used in salads. They go well with grated cheese, fish and meat dishes, mushrooms. Can be added to tea. Some summer residents use lemon balm for pickling cucumbers and tomatoes.
Seeds mixed with sand are sown to a depth of 1 cm after the soil warms up (May). When grown through seedlings, sowing is performed in March.
Mint
A plant from the Lamiaceae family. Fresh and dried leaves and flower buds are used in cooking. Mint is added to vegetable and fruit salads, sandwiches, soups, meat and fish dishes, and tea. Fresh mint is sometimes used for canning tomatoes, added to sauerkraut and pickled apples.
You can plant mint in late April - May, as well as in August in sunny areas. The soil should be fertile and loose.
Perilla
An annual herbaceous oily plant from the Lamiaceae family. This fragrant spice with anise-licorice flavor is used in salads, soups, vegetable and meat dishes.
Can be planted by seed or grown via seedlings. The most popular among Russian summer residents is the Rosinka variety.
Parsley
A plant from the Umbrella family. Leaves and roots are used as a seasoning for salads, meat soups, sandwiches. Finely chopped herbs will improve the taste of dishes from poultry, fish, potatoes, and complement the taste of mayonnaise.
This sun-loving culture prefers loose, fertile soils. You can plant from mid-April. 0.5 g of seeds is consumed per 1 m2. Parsley is sown into grooves up to 1 cm deep.
Purslane
A plant from the Purslane family. Raw and boiled stems and leaves are used to prepare spicy salads, mashed potatoes, soups, and meat dishes. For the winter they are salted and pickled.
Rosemary
An evergreen semi-shrub plant from the Lamiaceae family. This fragrant spice has a sharp, bitter taste with a slight aroma of pine and citrus fruits. Dry crushed leaves and fresh twigs are used as a seasoning. Suitable for vegetable and meat dishes, sweet and fruit salads. Add to baked goods.
Seeds are planted for seedlings in March. Saplings are planted in May, when the threat of recurrent frosts has completely passed. Planting scheme - 50x50 cm. The plot must be sunny. Prefers loose calcareous soils.
Arugula
An annual herb from the Cabbage family. Used for preparing salads. It is often served as a side dish for festive meat dishes (grilled meat, kebabs), used in the preparation of marinades, when salting mushrooms and vegetables. Arugula goes well with hard cheeses. It can be added to sandwiches, finely chopped into soups.
Arugula is sown in April (by sowing seeds or through seedlings), when the soil warms up to + 5 ... + 12 C. It can be grown both in open and protected ground.
Ruta
Perennial evergreen semi-shrub from the Rutaceae family. It is bred for the purpose of obtaining young leaves. It is used as a seasoning for meat and fish dishes, vegetable salads, and is often added to tea.
Seeds for seedlings are sown in December. It takes them several months to take root. Use a mixture of turf, humus and sand. Sowing depth - no more than 2 cm. Seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place not earlier than the end of May - beginning of June.
Celery
Herbaceous plant from the Umbrella family. There are 3 varieties: leaf celery, petiole and root celery. The plant is rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin A.
The application is very wide. The seasoning is used in the preparation of sauces, salads, soups, main courses, juices, green cocktails.
All types of celery prefer to grow on fertile loose soils with a neutral Ph. The site must be sunny, partial shade is acceptable.
Seeds of leaf and petiole celery are planted for seedlings in March. Landing on a permanent place is carried out at the end of April - beginning of May according to the scheme 25x25 cm.
Root celery is planted for seedlings earlier - in early February, since it has a longer growing season.
Thyme
He's thyme. This spice has a pronounced pungent taste and a pleasant aroma reminiscent of caraway and anise. Fresh and dried leaves are used.
In order for the thyme to fully "open up", it is added to dishes for initial stage heat treatment. It goes well with meat, poultry, cheese, potato and tomato salads.
Seeds are sown in early spring or late autumn before frosts, embedding them in the ground by 0.5 cm. The soil should be light.
Caraway
A biennial plant from the Umbrella family. Caraway fruits, leaves and young shoots are used in cooking. It is a good seasoning for soups, pates, cheeses, salads. The fruits are used to add aroma to bakery products, pickling cucumbers, pickling cabbage.
In open ground, cumin is sown in the second half of April. Autumn sowing is sometimes practiced (in the second half of October).
Dill
An annual herb from the Umbrella family. It is used as a spice dried, salted and fresh. Improves the taste of the vast majority of hot and cold foods. It is widely used for pickling, pickling and pickling.
You can produce podzimny (late October - early November), early spring (in April) and ordinary sowing (from May to August).
Fennel root
A plant from the Umbrella family similar to dill. Fennel fruits and greens are used in cooking. Can be added to salads, meat broths... Succulent leaves, stems and umbrellas are good for canning, pickling vegetables. The seeds add a special flavor to homemade baked goods.
They are planted 2 times a year - in early spring (late April - May) and in autumn (August - September). Planting depth - 2 cm. The soil must be nutritious and loose.
Savory (pepper herb)
An annual fragrant semi-shrub from the Yasnotkovye family up to 70 cm high. Perfectly complements and maximizes the taste of meat, fish and poultry dishes. Used in the preparation of traditional Bulgarian ketchup. It is used for salting and pickling vegetables.
Seeds can be sown directly in open ground (in late April - early May), but growing crops through seedlings (sowing in March) is much more effective. Seedlings do not tolerate frost.
Ramson
Another name is bear bow. Perennial herb from the Amaryllis family. Leaves, stems and bulbs are eaten. Ramson is rich in vitamin C. It tastes like garlic. The spice is good for soups, salads, vegetables, meat and fish dishes. Ramson is fermented, pickled, salted.
Planted with seeds or bulbs. Seeds germinate well at a temperature of about +20 C. Step back 10 cm between neighboring plants.
Sage
Herbaceous plant from the Lamiaceae family. The leaves have a strong spicy aroma and bitter taste. Suitable for adding to soups, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, salads. Gives a spicy aroma to grated cheeses, pie fillings.
Seeds are sown before winter or early spring. The site must be well lit. The soil should be loose, fertile, with neutral acidity. In one place, the culture grows up to 8 years.
Tarragon
Another name is "tarragon". Perennial herb from the Astrov family. It looks like wormwood. It is widely used as a spice for meat dishes, for canning and salting. Many people know the drink of the same name.
The seeds of this frost-resistant plant are sown in early spring or autumn. Growing through seedlings is the most popular. The seed is very fine, so it is mixed with sand.