If you’re looking to start your own herb patch, these three favorites of mine – Parsley, Garlic, and Fennel – are the perfect place to begin. Not only are they easy to grow and bring fresh flavours right to your kitchen, they’re also full of incredible health benefits.
1. Parsley: The Winter Warrior
Parsley is a hardy biennial that can keep the scurvy at bay during long winters. If established in a warm, sheltered spot—perhaps in a greenhouse or under shade cloth—it will continue to grow all season long.
Beyond being a garnish, parsley is nutrient-dense, rich in vitamin C and iron, and offers anti-inflammatory benefits. A sprinkle on your soup or salad is a must!
Growing Tips
Growing is easy. You can grow from seed anytime of the year, or as a seedling if planting during winter months.
- Sow seeds into pots using homemade compost or a quality potting mix.
- When the seedling reaches about 8cm tall, transplant into a warm spot in well-composted soil.
- Mulch with straw or wood chips to keep moisture in and weeds out.
- To harvest, start with the lower leaves on the outside of the plant first.
Since it’s a biennial, it will set seed in its second year. Let it go to seed, then sprinkle those seeds along edges or gravel paths—parsley loves these spots and will grow happily.
2. Garlic: The Garden’s Gold
Is it a herb or a vegetable? Who cares, it’s amazing. Keeping with the scurvy busting theme. Garlic is a true health powerhouse from flu buster to sore throats to immune support.
It’s traditionally planted a month either side of the shortest day and harvested around the longest day.
To grow your own, you’ll need a garlic bulb. Preferably from a gardener friend or organic grocer rather than supermarket bulbs, which may be treated to prevent sprouting. You can choose between “hardnecks” (for bigger cloves) or “soft necks.” Remember: Elephant garlic is actually a leek relative, though still fun to grow!
Growing Tips
- Split bulbs into individual cloves; choose the biggest for the best results.
- Prep your bed with a 2cm layer of compost.
- Plant cloves 2-3cm deep in a grid, about 15cm apart. Add a handful of compost into each hole as you go.
- Mulch with loose straw or woodchip and use netting if birds are a problem in your area.
- You may need to top up mulch during the growing season. Water at least twice a week if it’s a dry spring.
- Harvest when the bottom leaves turn yellow and die back.
After harvesting, cure garlic by hanging in a spot out of the sun and rain. Hang them in small bundles for proper air circulation to dry the skin and seal the cloves. This is an important part of the process as it will prevent mold, extend the shelf life and deepen the flavour of your garlic. And lastly, the hardest bit, saving the biggest bulbs for next years May/June planting.
3. Fennel: The Beneficial Beauty
Fennel is as functional as it is beautiful. Its flowers attract beneficial insects, making it a perfect companion under fruit trees. From supporting digestion to being a rich source of antioxidants, it’s a versatile addition to any herb collection.
Growing Tips
- Sow seeds in clumps (10-20 seeds) for a lush growth habit.
- If you are trying to grow fennel as a vegetable it needs a well composted bed and lots of water.
- Use hoops and frost cloth to even out the temperature highs and lows.
- Harvest fronds while tender for salads and stir-frys.
- Dry the seed heads for next spring’s planting or to brew a soothing tea*.
Be aware that fennel can grow quite large! Plant it where it has room to thrive for a few years. In our climate ‘Florence’ fennel is a bulb type that behaves in a more wild way due to our climatic daily extremes of dry hot and cold.
*Note: Always consult a professional before using herbs in large therapeutic quantities. Happy gardening!
