Info on Herbs for Early Planting 2013

Seeds! It's Time!

What to Know About Your Herbs for the Growing Season
Before you even get comfortable with your seed packets—look over some of these herb planting sites.
Herbal Information: University Extension Links Here, you can gather info as universities present it.

Herbs: Organic Greenhouse Production---Directory of Organic Seed Suppliers
A food link to have come spring—actually, before— to plan well.

Growing Savory Herbs. Do you want to grow your own herbs and sell them? This gives a larger perspective than we would normally use, but we get to know what we are in for with the planting process and how herb crops are harvested and counted.

Here are some tips I compiled for some everyday herbs.

Know the size they will be before sowing seeds.

Planting Each item contains: the plant height in inches, space in inches, Water needs, Sun(light) Shade Growing temp  and Best harvest time

Cilantro  24" 18" apart M H L C Summer

Dill (aneth) 24-36" 12-15" apart M H L C Summer

Lavender 12-18” 18” apart M H M C & W . Watch Flower blooming stage

Mint 12-18". Varies M M-L H C & W All season. Stems are bitter.

Oregano 12-18" 12-15" apart M H L W When flowers appear

Thyme 12-18". 18" apart M H L W Mid summer before flowering

Parsley 12-18" 9-12” apart M H M C&W All season; bitter in 2nd season.

Sage 24-36 “ 18” apart M H M W Leaves. rior to bloomin

Height: Varies, usually the standard plant (such as Salvia officinalis) is used.
Planting Space is the spacing used between the plants planted to provide  the "spread" necessary.

Water: All plants should be watered on a regular schedule, taking care to not overwater. Some (thyme) can stand a bit of drought. Signs of overwatering include yellow leaves.

Sun (light): Most Mediterranean herbs enjoy full sun (a minimum of 6 hours.) Others can take partial shade; some others yet, particularly the mint family, can flourish in partial to full shade.

Growing temperature- seasonal times: when the plant is at its best.
C=Cooler weather, W=Warmer weather.
Cool: Sow in early spring, harvest in summer, The plant does not do well midsummer. Warm: sow or put cuttings in the ground after the danger of frost is past. Will do well in midsummer.

Harvesting: Plants have different peaks, many offer clues through the ways the leaves look or flowers unfurl.