Plant cool-season herbs to accent upcoming holidays

Get It Growing for 10/25/24

It’s hard to believe the holiday season is almost here. Many of us will soon be planning elaborate meals and celebrations with friends and family. What better way to take your holiday cooking up a notch and impress your guests than with homegrown herbs?

Several herbs do well in Louisiana this time of year. If you visit your local garden center right now, you’re likely to find a plentiful selection of cool-season annual herbs such as dill, fennel, cilantro and parsley — along with perennial herbs like rosemary, sage, mint, oregano, chives and bay laurel (which is a small tree).

You might be wondering: What exactly is an herb or an annual or a perennial, anyways?

An herb is simply the leafy parts of a plant with pleasant flavors and aromas. Herbs differ from spices, which are made from plants’ seeds, barks and stems. Some plants are used as both an herb and a spice — for example, cilantro is an herb while the seeds from the same plant are called coriander.

Many popular herbs are annual plants that survive just one season. Others are perennials, which live and are productive for multiple seasons. In Louisiana, cool-season annual herbs can be planted between October and February. It’s also an ideal time to plant perennial herbs so they can get established during cooler, less stressful conditions.

Growing herbs is easy. When cooking and garnishing dishes with herbs, just a little goes a long way. What this means is you don’t need a lot of room to cultivate an herb garden that will serve you well this fall and winter. You can plant herbs in the ground or in a raised bed, but if you only have a small space available, they’ll do just as well in containers.

If you’re hoping to have herbs ready to use by the holidays, you’re best off buying transplants. You can grow herbs from seeds, of course, but going this route takes longer to achieve a full-sized plant. You can stick to familiar herbs like parsley, or perhaps you’re up for branching out to something lesser known such as borage or chervil.

Most herbs need lots of sunshine to thrive. Plant them in full sun where they’ll get six or more hours of direct sunlight per day. Some herbs can tolerate shade, including rosemary, mint and oregano.

Water herbs at the base of plants, not from overhead. Keep soil moist but not saturated. Make sure your garden or your containers provide good drainage. Herbs don’t like soggy soil. This is an important point, as our Louisiana winters can sometimes be rather wet.

Sage and oregano are especially sensitive to wet soils and actually thrive with some degree of neglect. Pay special attention to how much water these herbs receive; you may consider planting them in a separate area or container to accommodate their preference for drier conditions.

Also consider keeping perennial herbs separate from annuals. Because the perennials will be around for a longer time, you may wish to give them a dedicated spot in your landscape where their roots won’t be disturbed when it comes time to pull up the annuals next year.

Herbs usually aren’t heavy feeders, particularly when grown in containers with enriched potting mix. Feed with a balanced, liquid fertilizer if you see signs of nutrient deficiencies. Some long-lived, perennial herbs may benefit from a yearly application of fertilizer.

Don’t be afraid to clip off handfuls of herbs and use them regularly. Just don’t remove more than one-third of the foliage and stems at a time. Harvesting will encourage herbs to regrow and become more productive throughout the season.

Once the holidays have come and gone, feel free to leave your cool-season herbs in the garden. Most will tolerate typical Louisiana freezes. Then, as spring approaches, leaf growth will slow down, and the plants will begin to flower. This is an excellent way to attract pollinators to your landscape.

If you’d like more information about growing herbs, types of herbs and creative ways to use herbs beyond cooking, the LSU AgCenter has a comprehensive publication available for free online. Visit www.LSUAgCenter.com/herbguide.