Growing culinary herbs

DEAR ACCIDENTAL CHEF: It seems that spring is just around the corner, and this year I am hoping to plant some herbs. However, I'm no green thumb. Are there any herbs you would recommend that even a garden-challenged person such as me can handle? - Gardenless in Henrico

DEAR GARDENLESS: It seems that you and I have something in common. I can find a culinary home for just about any herb, but planting them and keeping them alive has, in the past, been a challenge.

When I started my foray into planting fresh herbs, I did the obvious - dug a hole, filled it with water and stuffed in the herbs. While this was successful much of the time, in a most simplified manner, there were times when I ventured into the yard, ready to clip some delicious leaves, only to find a brown, half-dead plant that was clearly not happy.

What did I do wrong? I planted my herbs just like the literature said, so why were some herbs flourishing while others not?

Herbs are delicate, and to thrive, they need certain growing conditions.

The most important condition would have to be sunlight. While some herbs, such as angelica or woodruff, do well in partial shade, the big boys, including basil, oregano and sage, need full sun. The oils, which reflect the herb's particular flavor and intensity, are strongest when the plants receive at least six hours of full sun each day.

Another important consideration when planting herbs is drainage. One afternoon, I scampered out to find my thyme (a ground-covering herb) blackened from the roots up. This unfortunately happened because I planted it in an area that was not well-drained, and my lemon thyme rotted in the ground.

Most herbs don't like really wet soils, so make sure your garden is properly drained before planting. Building a raised bed can help remedy this problem. Also, planting herbs in well-drained containers can help stave off root rot.

For the novice gardener, I would recommend a garden that has some herbs in the ground and a few in pots and containers, so you can see which works best.

But before putting anything in the dirt, the first order of business is selecting which herbs to plant. I recommend starting with those herbs that you know you will harvest and eat. After all, that's the whole point of a culinary herb garden.

Mint is an easy one to begin with because it's extremely hardy, almost too hardy, in fact. I recommend planting mint in a container since it will easily take over your garden. Mint also grows well indoors in a sunny spot.

For cooking, mint truly shines when it's paired with fresh spring peas such as with a cool pea soup or a summery pasta made up of olive oil, lemon zest, peas and mint. There's also nothing better when making rum mojitos than fresh mint from the garden.

Another herb that will get used is rosemary. Rosemary is resilient, and its leaves make excellent additions to a white-bean salad or a spring lamb stew. Rosemary is amazing when it's rubbed into a whole chicken or game hen before roasting. You can even save the leftover stems to use as attractive skewers when grilling.

Fresh basil is one of my personal favorites, and I've had success with it in the ground and potted. Don't be afraid to plant several basil plants, especially the popular sweet basil. Basil is one of the most versatile and widely used herbs.

Other herb options include Greek oregano (for those homemade pasta sauces), dill (for just about any seafood, cheese or egg dish) and tarragon (which makes the best chicken or egg salad you've ever tasted).

As you can see, the possibilities are almost limitless, so start small and see what happens. You might end up with a green thumb after all.
Kendra Bailey Morris is a Richmond-based food writer, culinary instructor and author of "White Trash Gatherings: From-Scratch Cooking for Down-Home Entertaining" (Ten Speed Press). Send ideas, tips or culinary questions to or visit http://www.theaccidentalchef.net.