Q.Easiest spice & herbs to grow in garden?
How best to grow herbs in tn(zone 7)
I'll bet each cook has a favorite list. They are all easy to grow once you understand the differences in moisture requirements. Some herbs are perennial, woody plants. These include sage, oregano, thyme, and lavender. They need a permanent home outside where they get lots of sun and the soil is rather sandy. Too much water will kill them! Rosemary is perennial for those in zone 7 and warmer. Chives are perennial; they die back to the ground where winters are cold and emerge in early spring. Other herbs are grown as annuals. They can be started from seed or purchased. They are all easy to grow. Basil is a heat lover and likes full sun and moist, but not wet, soil. Cilantro can take part sun but does not do well in hot weather so grow it in spring or fall. Some people grow cilantro in a shady spot to delay the adverse effects of hot weather. Parsley is another one that doesn't like full sun in hot weather. You'll hear people say their herbs "bolted" or "went to seed". Most annual herbs don't taste as good once the plant produces flowers/seed. Of course, cilantro yields coriander and dill makes dill seed so flowering isn't all bad. Regular harvesting is beneficial; new shoots keep coming up to replace removed leaves. Dill has a short life span in my garden. Plant seed every 3-4 weeks for a continuous supply. Herbs are seldom bothered by bunnies and other critters. Annual herbs can easily be grown in containers. Use the search function [Q] at the top of the page to look up individual herbs, growing herbs in containers and starting an herb garden.
