® Hertzler Farm and Feed Inc.


 

 

Back to Gardening Tips

   Herbs             

Seasons

Early Spring 

Beets            
Broccoli  
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage         
Cauliflower   
Carrots       
Cress   
Lettuce   
Onions  
Peas
Potatoes   
Radishes
Salad Greens
Spinach

Summer

Beans
Butter Beans (Limas)
Cantaloupe/Muskmelon 
Corn
Cowpeas/Crowder
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Garlic
Herbs
Okra
Peppers
Pumpkin  
Soybeans
Squash 
Sweet Potatoes  
Tomatoes
Watermelon

Fall

Beets
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Cress
Lettuce
Peas
Radish
Salad Greens   
Spinach
Turnips

Permanent Crops 

Asparagus 
Blackberries
Blueberries
Grapes
Potato Onions
Rhubarb     
Strawberries
Raspberries

Links to Herb Gardening: 

The following links are so comprehensive that I am referring to it instead of doing one of my own.  I personally do not have much experience with growing herbs except for a few of the most common ones; chives, parsley and dill.

Welcome to Gardening is a very cool gardening site with information on herbs. The herbs are listed in alphabetic order with information about growing, harvesting and using herbs for culinary or medicinal purposes. It has also has links to other herbal sites.

 

  • Virginia Herb Association, 4214 Fenwick St. Richmond, VA.  23222  www.vaherb.org 

    herb gardening

Some local herb growers:

  • A Thyme to Plant Herb Farm, Inc.  (Bill Ritchie)  804-379-0653, 2523 Huguenot Springs Rd.  Midlothian, VA.  23113
  • The Powhatan Sage Co. Organically grown herbs, decorative planters and dried arrangements.   email: PowhatanSage@aol.com 

*If you would like to have your business listed, please contact me at hffinc@i-c.net

 

Popular Herbs  

Anise Is an attractive, fine-textured herb grown for its licorice-scented leaves and delicately flavored seeds. The sweet tasting leaves are used in salads, with cooked vegetables, and as a garnish. Add the aromatic seeds to fruit salads and sauces, soups, and baked goods. Plants grow 24-30" tall. 70 days to maturity

  Argula Rocket is native to Western Asia and has been popular in Europe for centuries. This gourmet salad green adds a robust, peppery flavor to salads. Also delicious when mixed with other greens and cooked like spinach. Flowers are edible with nutty flavor. The long, dark green leaves develop into lose, open heads and thrive in both hot and cool weather. Grow for spring and fall crop. 35 days to maturity.

Basil is a popular and easy to grow annual that develops into an attractive bushy plant 1 1/2" - 2" tall. Aromatic leaves have a spicy, clover-like flavor popular in tomato dishes, soups, stews, spaghetti, fish, poultry, and salads. Grow indoors or out.

Borage is an attractive annual is grown as a garden flower and for its useful leaves and blooms. The leaves have a mild cucumber tast and are used to flavor salads, pickles, cram cheese spreads and cold drinks. The delicate blue flowers are used as an attractive garnish. Plants grow 24-36" tall and are commonly planted in flower gardens. The flowers attract bees. 75-80 days to maturity.

  Caraway plants are easy-to-grow biennials taht produce aromatic, finely divided leaves and licorice flavored seeds. Plants grow 18-24" tall. Seeds are used to flavor baked goods, cheeses, soups, salads, and meats. 70-75 days to maturity.

Catnip is a durable, easy-to-grow perennial used mainly as a treat for cats. The aroma of the leaves, whether fresh or dried, makes cats kittenish and playful. Plants grow 24-30" tall and produce pale pink or white flower spikes. Plant in mixed flower and herb gardens, or in containers for growing indoors or out. 75-80 days to maturity.

Chamomile is an herb with an apple-like fragrance, daisy-like flowers and an erect habit of growth from 2 - 2 1/2 feet tall. Blooms all summer, except on hottest days. Dried German Chamomile flowers are used to make Chamomile tea. 80-90 days to maturity.

Chives are easy-to-grow and make a colorful, useful addition to any garden. The slender grass-like leaves have a delicate onion flavor and are used for flavoring soups, stews, dips, and salads. Plant with flowers, vegetables, or other herbs; use as an edging or in pots - indoors or out.

Garlic chives are easy-to-grow and make a colorful, useful addition to any garden. The slender grass-like leaves have a mild garlic flavor and are used for flavoring stir-fry, stews, dips, and salads. Plant with flowers, vegetables, or other herbs; use as an edging or in pots - indoors or out. 80-90 days to maturity.

Coriander is a popular, easy-to-grow annual is known as cilantro or Chinese parsley when grown for its distinctively flavored leaves. It's called coriander when grown for its aromatic, flavorful seeds. Plants grow 18-24" tall. The leaves are used in salads, salsa, and numerous Mexican and Oriental dishes. The seeds are used to flavor pastries, beans, meats, and fish dishes. 65-70 days to maturity.

One of the most popular herbs, Long Island Dill is a very easy-to-grow, attractive annual reaching 3-5'tall. The uniquely flavored leaves are used in salads, dips, vinegars, and meat, fish and vegetable dishes. The seeds are an essential in many pickle recipes, and are used to flavor baked goods, cheeses, and vinegar. 65-70 days to maturity.

Fennel is a graceful, attractive plant whose leaves and seeds have a delightful, licorice aroma. Use leaves in salads and fish dishes, and as a garnish. The seeds are used to flavor sauces, soups, and baked goods. Fennel plants add a light, airy touch to the garden, and combine well with flowers and other herbs. 85-90 days to maturity.

Lavender is one of the most popular herbs and is grown for both is pleasantly scented leaves and its colorful flowers. Plants are tender perennials, growing into compact mounds 18-24" tall with small gray leaves and lavender-colored flower spikes. Use to perfume soaps, pillows, sachets, bath water, and in flower arrangements. Plant as a low hedge or edging. Matures in second year.

Spearmint is an easy-to-grow perennial that reaches 18-24" tall. It is prized for its refreshingly flavored, cool-tasting leaves used in a variety of ways, both fresh and dried. Add to salads, vegetables, potato dishes, and fruit cocktails. Garnish iced drinks, melons and ice cream, and use as a basis for jelly.

Prized for its flavorful leaves, Oregano is widely used in several Mediterranean cuisines as well as in many Mexican dishes. Plants are perennials and grow about 10” tall. Use the leaves in salad dressings, meat loaf, stews, and other meat dishes. 85-90 days to maturity.

  Single Parsley is the flat leaf form of the popular, easy-to-grow garden herb. Leaves have a slightly richer flavor than curled parsley, and are used as a garnish and for flavoring. Plant as a garden edging or tuck individual plants into flower garden voids. Parsley is perfect in window boxes and other containers. 80-90 days to maturity.

  By far one of the most popular of all herbs, Moss Curled Parsley is easy-to-grow year round both indoors and out. Plant as a garden edging or tuck individual plants into flower garden voids. Parsley is perfect in window boxes and other containers. Use the finely divided, tasty leaves as a garnish and for flavoring. 80-90 days to maturity.

This evergreen shrubby perennial is grown both for its attractive light blue flowers and its aromatic gray-green leaves. Rosemary grows as a year round landscape plant where winters are mild. Where winter temperatures drop into the teens, grow as a pot plant and bring indoors during cold months. Use sprigs to flavor meat dishes, olive oils, and vinegars. 85 days to maturity.

Sage is an easy-to-grow perennial herb producing attractive flowers and flavorful leaves that are pebbly textured and usually gray-green. Plants grow 18-30" tall. Use leaves for stuffings, meat dishes, stews, chowders, and cheeses. 70-80 days to maturity.

The prolific flower stalks of this perennial, Sorrel,  grow to 1-2'. When used in salads, it provides a tangy, somewhat citrus flavor. Enjoy the leaves in salads, in sorrel soup or cook like spinach. Use to season vegetable soups, omelets, lamb and beef dishes, and in sauces for fish, poultry and pork. 70-80 days to maturity.

Sweet Basil is an easy-to-grow warm weather annual develops into an attractive, bushy plant 18-24" tall. A classic ingredient of Italian pesto, basil's popularity comes from the refreshing, aromatic flavor of the leaves. Use in tomato dishes, soups, salads, and with fish and poultry. Grows well in containers and makes a good addition to flower borders. 80-90 days to maturity.

Sweet Basil is  both a distinctive ornamental and a delectable herb. It has very large, dark, shiny purple leaves which are fringed. Plants grow 18-24" tall and wide and produce attractive reddish-purple herb garden. Aromatic leaves can be used, fresh or dried, to flavor vinegar, soups, stews, salads and Italian recipes.

The small rounded leaves of Sweet Marjoram have a spicy sweet aroma and flavor. A half-hardy perennial growing to about 12” tall, sweet marjoram is grown as an annual in all but the mildest winter areas where it lives over. Use leaves in soups, salads, vinegars, casseroles, and with meat and fish dishes. 70-75 days to maturity.

This popular perennial herb, Thyme has tiny oval leaves with a flavor that mingles well with other herbs. Thyme leaves and sprigs are used for flavoring meats, stuffings, stews, soups and fish dishes. Plants grow 6-8" tall and are ideal as an edging, and in rock gardens and between stepping stones. 80-85 days to maturity.

 

  

Note: The pictures and descriptions were taken from the Wetsel Seed web page.