Best Herbs to Grow in Your Kitchen

Fresh herbs are one of the easiest ways to enhance any recipe. Not only that, but their vibrant green leaves can also add a splash of life to any room in your house.  

Many amateur cooks and gardeners choose to grow herbs in their homes for this very reason. Herb harvesting is an excellent way to combine your two hobbies and infuse a freshness that store-bought dry herbs simply cannot provide.  

In this post, we will go over six common herbs that you can grow right in your own kitchen.  

Herbs You Can Grow 

There are many different types of herbs you can grow in your kitchen. All you need is a small pot, nutritious soil, water, and sunlight. Here are six of the most common herbs that we recommend you try.  

Oregano 

Oregano is one of the best herbs to start with as it is easy to grow and has many different uses. While versatile, it does have a relatively short life span, and the entire plant must be replaced every two years.  

For the most productive growth, place your oregano in direct sunlight. 

Oregano helps bring out the flavors in many Greek and Italian cuisines and especially goes well with garlic, lemon, and tomatoes.  

Mint 

Mint is a slightly more advanced herb, but even the most amateur gardeners should be able to grow it with relative ease.  

Mint prefers morning sun and partial shade. Be careful of where you place it, too much sunlight can cause wilting or even death. Additionally, mint prefers moist soil so be sure to water it frequently.  

The leaf adds a unique flavor to warm beverages like tea and hot chocolate. Experi-mint with adding mint leaves to desserts. They can add something you didn’t know was missing.  

Dill 

Dill is grown with relative ease, but the herb is not as easily applied as some of those listed above.  

Often called dill weed, there are several varieties of this plant. Popular varieties include a bouquet, Long Island, mammoth, Dukat, and fern leaf. For indoor growing, we recommend Dukat or fern leaf dill as they are smaller dill plants and require less space and resources to grow.  

Dill goes very well with mustard and other creamy sauces (and even cheese!) 

Place the plant in full sunlight or partial shade for the best yield. You can begin harvesting once the plant has five true leaves. 

Basil 

Basil is a great plant to grow in your kitchen but can easily die if not properly attended to. Soil that is too dry or too wet will cause basil leaves to wilt.  

Basil does best with a moist, high-quality soil with good drainage. Basil needs approximately one inch of water per week, but that may change depending on weather and climate conditions.  

If your basil continues to wilt, you may need to change your watering frequency. Hotter weather requires more water and cooler weather requires less. 

Basil needs 6-8 hours of sunlight per day and plenty of warmth. Try placing your basil plant in a kitchen window that sees plenty of sunlight. If your plant starts leaning towards one direction, slowly begin to rotate your plant for more equal sunlight distribution. 

Add basil to tomato dishes, any vegetables, and cheese for the best flavor pairings. 

Chives 

Part of the onion family, chives add a unique flavor to your dishes.  

Chives grow in clumps inside of hollow stems and they can be difficult to harvest, especially for a beginner.  

It can also be hard to tell for certain whether your chives are completely grown. Take your time with chives, they are not fully grown until they flower.  

Here’s the trick to harvesting chives: when they begin to flower, it is time to harvest. Cut the chive stem one inch above the soil. The harvested portion (the stem and flower) can be dried and used for cooking. 

The remaining planted stem will quickly recover and about two weeks later your chives will be ready to harvest again.  

When properly harvested, chives go well with soups, omelets, soft cheese, and potatoes.  

Making Your Kitchen a Garden 

Adding a splash of herbs to your kitchen is one of the best ways to make it feel like a lush garden.  

Not only are vibrant green herbs nice to look at, but fresh herbs also add a flavor that cannot be matched by store-bought herbs.  

If you are looking to add some plant life to your kitchen, stop by Knollwood Garden Center. We offer a wide variety of plant life for both indoor and outdoor gardens.  

Take your garden to the next level today with Knollwood Garden Center.  

Visit Knollwood Garden Center today!