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like clay. Clay doesn t drain well. Remember the natural habitat of most herbs — the Mediterranean where they have a sandy soil and a dry climate.
“Herbs are noted for growing in poor soil but from my own experience, the better the bed you give them, the better the herb plant you get,” she continued. Sherrie advised mixing building sand and humus into the garden spot to loosen the soil.
The second step is picking the plants. Most are perennials. “Some are hardy — sage, tarragon, thyme, chives, parsley. They can be planted as soon as the weather breaks in the spring — April 15 or sooner. They can stand the cold and even a frost or two,” she said.
Other perennial herbs — basil, dill, oregano and marjoram — fall into the tender classification. “Wait to pj&ot; tb*0*/untiLMay.l5r until-the' soil warms . up,” advised. Sherrie.
Perennial plants come back every year. However, tender perennials won’t live through the Virginia winter. “They must be brought inside before the first frost and then set out in the spring. If you don’t want to do that, as summer winds down, you should pick off all the leaves to either dry or freeze,” she added.
Seeds Or Seedlings?
“Unless you have a green thumb, you’ll have a better success rate if you buy plants. Initially, it will be more expensive than growing herbs from seeds but the gratification will be immediate.” However, she noted a few exceptions. According to Sherrie, dill and chives are both relatively easy to start from seeds. “And parsley, though it takes a long time to germinate. You should dampen the seeds
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