Choosing French Tarragon and Dividing It Carefully
French tarragon should usually be purchased as a known plant or division. A generic packet labeled tarragon may contain Russian tarragon with a different culinary character.
GROW YOUR OWN WAY
Herbs.
Grow a little kitchen inspiration with practical guides to familiar culinary herbs.
Pruning Common Sage Without Cutting Into Bare Wood
Common sage is easier to shape with light early pruning than to rebuild after it has long bare stems.
Growing Pineapple Sage for Fragrance and Late Color
Pineapple sage can become much larger than a small nursery pot suggests. Give it a seasonal container with space for height and branching, and choose its position with the mature outline in mind.
Keeping Lemon Balm in a Manageable Container
Lemon balm can seed as well as spread vegetatively. Inspect flowering stems as part of normal harvesting and remove heads before shedding where needed.
Recognizing Seasonal Change in Lemon Verbena
Lemon verbena may shed leaves as conditions cool. Inspect stems for living firm tissue and adjust water to the reduced canopy.
Harvesting Culinary Bay From a Container Tree
For culinary bay, identification is the essential first step. Keep the Laurus nobilis label through repotting and do not substitute leaves from a hedge called laurel.
Growing Leaf Fennel Without Crowding Other Herbs
Leaf fennel needs substantial height and a separate deep root space. Its flower heads can shed seed widely, so decide whether seed harvest is intended before they ripen.
Growing Anise for a Carefully Timed Seed Harvest
Anise grown for seed should retain most of its foliage as the crop develops. Watch individual heads rather than waiting for every part of the plant to dry equally.
Planning for Caraway Beyond Its First Season
Caraway scheduling depends on the named selection. A biennial can spend its first season building a root and rosette, then flower after winter.
Testing Cumin in a Warm Container Garden
Cumin is best approached as a climate matched trial where warm growing time is limited. Record the sowing stage and compare progress with the expected season.
Pinching Shiso for Repeated Leaf Harvests
Shiso can be very productive, but in some locations its seed spread requires care. Check local guidance before letting flower heads mature.
Keeping Vietnamese Coriander Warm and Moist
Vietnamese coriander is not a substitute for cilantro in a cool season sowing schedule. It prefers warmth and a more consistently moist root environment.
Dividing Lemongrass Before the Pot Becomes Crowded
Lemongrass becomes heavy and root congested as the clump matures. Before dividing, set aside a roomy position for each rooted section and plan how the wet pot will be moved.
Harvesting Salad Burnet While Leaves Are Young
Salad burnet is most useful for a small steady supply of young leaves. Select tender outer growth and preserve the center.
Sowing Garden Cress in Small Manageable Batches
Garden cress trays should be small enough to use promptly. A fresh clean tray and seed intended for edible growing are easier to manage than a large crowded batch.
Growing Land Cress for a Cool Season Harvest
Land cress should be managed as a soil grown leafy plant rather than placed into stagnant standing water.
Pinching Stevia to Encourage a Leafy Shape
Stevia can be shaped by early light pinching once the plant is established. Leave healthy leaf pairs below the cuts and allow side shoots to develop before harvesting heavily again.
Choosing a Clearly Identified Culinary Herb for a Family Pot
For a family herb pot, a durable botanical label is as useful as the watering can. Keep unknown ornamental leaves outside the harvest area and replace any plant whose identity cannot be confirmed.