<p>Any one done an herb garden for their kitchen? Any suggestions as to how best to set one up? Can you do it on the deck or does it need to be indoors? Full sun or filtered sun?</p>
<p>Last year I put Sweet Basil seeds in a planter. Nothing happened for weeks so I figured the seeds were duds and forgot about them, literally nearly over two months months later they began to sprout and grew into really hardly plants, reaching well over two feet in height. Water them regularly after they sprout.</p>
<p>I’ve had herb gardens in apartment window boxes, in pots, and in the ground. They all work fine. Basil can get really big, so make sure you have a big pot for it. Full sun is best if you have it.</p>
<p>After battling in my herb garden all weekend- keep the mint in a container and watch that it doesn’t leap anywhere else. I think mint is going to take over the world if Tansy doesn’t do it first! Or maybe chives will…</p>
<p>chives are relatively contained- mints are good in one of those strawberry pots.
Herbs generally need decent well draining soil, lots of sun but not too much water.
I have sage, lavender, rosemary as border shrubs, tarragon, basil and other more delicate herbs grow as annuals. Oreganos I have under my tea roses to keep the water from splashing on them- thyme around the rockery</p>
<p>I am afraid to grow fennel, it can be as bad as mint, but I think the kind that you eat the root is maybe not that bad.</p>
<p>Most herbs are very hardy and good for beginners. You can’t kill a mint! It is a good idea to “corral” mint, oregano, and lemon balm since they will try to take over the world. Other herbs like fennel, tansy, and anise hyssop will spread their seeds and give you 3000 babies nearby so it’s best to be good about cutting off the flowers/seeds. </p>
<p>Think of the ones you really like to eat and start there. They will all grow outdoors or in a pot. If you gets lots of hot sun, (southern or southwest USA), grow most of them in part-shade (esp. afternoon shade). If you’re in the north or northwest, put even mint in full sun. </p>
<p>Chives, mint and parsley are the most cold-hardy, but most will survive the winter or can be brought inside. Mediterranean herbs (sage, lavender, rosemary, thyme, basil) generally like it warm and dry - basil will need more water though. The leaves of lavender and rosemary are the type that have evolved to withstand drought, “juicier” looking leaves (basil and parsley) need more water. Enjoy!</p>
<p>Fennel is not invasive at all. The edible part is the root base, not actually the roots - sort of like celery. The fronds can also be used for flavoring. Most herbs prefer full sun, good drainage and medium moist to dry soil. They will do better outside, even in containers. Basil should be cut back frequently - use the cuttings in cooking to discourage flowering. Once basil flowers, it becomes strong and bitter. Other herbs that are easy to grow include rosemary, tarragon and sage. Mint and oregano are invasive, so watch them in the garden. They will do fine in containers. Lavender is a nice edging plant. I’m growing borage and buck’s horn for the first time this year along with the other herbs.</p>
<p>I gotta say… I received an Aerogarden for Christmas and LOVE it. I’ve had basil and cilantro coming out of the wazoo for a couple of months now (I didn’t plant it right away). It’s amazing to see how quickly the stuff grows from one day to the next. It’s also nice because, when I am going to use some, I just clip it off from the plant and don’t even bother washing it… the plant has never been outside.</p>
<p>Here’s what I did this year. I bought a “beverage cart” from Kohls - heavy duty, tiled top and looks good on the deck (plus 60% off, plus extra %15 off, so good price for decent piece of deck furniture). It has 3 shelves, 2 of which water can drain through. It is on wheels. </p>
<p>I have several smaller pots and plant each herb seperately. This is what I did last year. I planted sweet basil (eventually I will likely replant to bigger pot cause yes, it gets tall!), cilantro plant, cilantro seed (so that when the plant seeds I have a back-up 
), parsley, lemon thyme, rosemary, and chives. </p>
<p>Last year’s herb garden was on a smaller scale, but similar and worked GREAT! I can wheel it to a different spot if I want,but the main spot gets good afternoon sun.</p>
<p>I’m already finding myself walking outside to snip a few herbs at dinnertime! LOVE it!</p>
<p>Oh no, I purchased a mint seedling before this thread began. Believe me, it’s been over a week and it looks like it’s dying, LOL. Transplanted it yesterday into the tomato pot. If it revives I hope it doesn’t choke the tomato plant.</p>
<p>My herbs are going to town and I have mixed them with flowers like lobelia and together they are so beautiful. Everything is potted. The best part is using them in cooking and salads, fresh herbs add such flavor. I cut the mint back and put it in my salads. I have a mint that is white and green that is mild and has beautiful purple flowers. I recommend it but it does like to grow. I have some hyssop: what do you use it for?</p>
<p>When I bought my current home the (small) backyard was entirely overrun by oregano. It still needed to be mowed and the smell when I did was unbelievable!</p>