Grow your own herbs this summer!

If you’ve got a small garden — or even just a sunny windowsill — you’ve got everything you need to ditch the spice rack for the summer and start growing your own fresh herbs.

Using fresh herbs in the summer is really a no-brainer. The flavor they bring to your table is night-and-day from their dried-out counterparts, and growing your own will save you money and trips to the grocery store. An herb garden doesn’t take up much space and is super low-maintenance, so why not give it a try? Just follow these easy instructions and you’ll be growing in no time.

Tailor your garden to your tastes. Is a caprese salad your favorite summer snack? Basil is an easy choice. Guacamole maniac? Go with cilantro. Love roasted chicken? Treat yourself to fresh rosemary instead of the dried stuff.

Don’t worry about getting stuck with the extra herbs you don’t have time to use. Making herb-infused olive oils is incredibly easy and adds a fancy touch to any dish. Simply add your herbs to an air-tight bottle with extra virgin olive oil and let the mixture infuse in a cool, dark place. After a week or so, your olive oil will be packed with flavor. Infused oils will keep for about a month, but by individually portioning your oil into ice cube trays and then transferring the cubes into ziplock bags for freezer storage you can get that fresh herb flavor all year long!

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Suggested Herbs

basil (‘Purple Ruffles’ or ‘Dani’)
sage
oregano
common thyme
sweet marjoram
lavender
rosemary
parsley
chives
cilantro

Pick a Location

Pick the location for your herb garden. An ideal location would be a few steps from your kitchen, but any spot that gets about six hours of sun a day is good. If you have space in front of a kitchen window, plant the herbs in small containers for an indoor garden.

Prepare the Area for Planting

Prepare the area for planting by loosening the soil. If the soil is compacted or consists of heavy clay, improve drainage by adding some compost, peat moss or coarse sand. Work the material into the top foot of soil before you plant. Tip: Plant early in the morning or late in the afternoon to prevent the transplants from wilting in the midday sun.

Dig Planting Holes

Because you are starting herbs from bedding plants and not seeds, you will need to create larger planting holes. Dig each hole to about twice the width of the root ball of the new plant.

Add Plants to Soil

Space the bedding plants about 18 inches apart to give them room to spread out and grow. Tip: Place taller herbs, like sage, rosemary and marjoram, toward the back of the garden, and place parsley and cilantro at the front.

Article and Photos Courtesy of HGTV.com