We’ve got a lot growing on! In addition to our great produce, we grow heaps of fresh, tasty, and nutritious herbs. Basil, thyme, cilantro, and much more!

HERE’s a few tips on what to do once you get your herbs home to your sunny little spot. Special thanks to The Sage: Gardenuity Blog for this info:

When choosing your plant, you’ll need to consider your climate and the time of year. However, you mostly just need to choose an herb variety that interests you! What flavors do you use most often? What holistic benefits are you searching for? What kind of visual appeal do you want to place in your home?

Plant Your Plant

Once you’ve chosen your plant, it’s time to plant! Choose first whether you want to grow from seeds or seedlings. Although herbs are fairly easy to grow from seed, we recommend seedlings when herb gardening for beginners & all first-time herb growers. The beginning stages of growth are the most fragile, so by choosing a seedling from a trusted farm partner, you begin at an advanced stage with more chance of success.

Whatever you choose, the process is the same. To plant, dig a hole in your soil, plant, and fill dirt around. Then, fertilize. Water immediately or thoroughly.

Check Daily for Needs

When you plant a garden, you essentially commit to a low-maintenance pet. Check your herb garden daily. Make sure it’s receiving enough sun, offer fertilizer when needed, and most important, water as needed.

To determine whether your garden needs water, stick a thumb into the soil. If it’s moist, wait until the next day. If it’s dry, water immediately. It’s that simple. Trust the thumb test — overwatering is the number one reason gardens fail!

Harvest Frequently

If you grow from seedlings, your plants are immediately ready for harvest (although you may want to wait a few days so your plant can adjust to its new environment). If you grow from seeds, your plant is ready to harvest as soon as the leaves are big enough for your desires.

To harvest, carefully snip or pinch off leaves — as much as you need the day of. We recommend harvesting regularly and frequently, rather than in big amounts sparingly. This will encourage plant growth and keep your harvest fresh.

For best results, harvest in the morning. When harvesting, never remove more than 1/3 of the plant. Once you have your harvest, use your herbs as you wish! Check out these 11 exciting things to do with your herbs harvests — from cocktails, to skincare, to cleaning products.

Storage

If your plant begins flowering, the harvests are no longer as tasty. Consider replacing with a new herb plant or let it continue to grow for the visual appeal!

If you choose to replace your herb, finish out your harvest before removing the plant from the soil. Then, store your harvests! Store what you’ll use in the next few days between a slightly damp paper towel in a plastic bag.

Store what you won’t use by drying or freezing your herbs.

To dry your herbs, tie stems to create bundles using twist ties. Then hang these bunches in a warm, dry place. Tie a paper bag with several holes around the neck of the bundle. Let hang until dry.

To freeze your herbs, chop your fresh herb into small pieces and place on a metal baking pan in the freezer. Once they’re frozen, you can move the herbs to a more space-efficient container. They’ll stay fresh for up to 12 months!

Freezed, fresh, or dried, you’ll enjoy your herb harvests throughout the season!