This story was originally published in June 2023.
It would be hard to find a recipe that’s not improved by adding fresh herbs. Running to the grocery store or farmers market every time you need some takes time and can be costly. One way to make sure you always have your favorite herbs on hand is planting your own that you can harvest anytime you need them.
Many of these herbs are perennial, meaning they spread or reseed on their own year after year. So once you plant them in your garden or in containers, you will have a steady supply without having to cultivate new ones every season.
“There are a fantastic array of perennial herbs you can successfully grow here in Maine,” said Kate Garland, horticulturist with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. “But you do need to be careful because some can be more aggressive than others and take over.”
Here are five common perennial herbs that you only plant once for years of hassle-free harvest.
Chives
“This is one herb I can’t tout enough,” Garland said. “They can be harvested at any stage, the flowers are edible and pollinators love them.”
A member of the onion family, chives should be transplanted at the same depth as they were in their seedling pot. They do best in moist, well-drained soil that gets full sun, but they will also do just fine in other soil types that get some shade.
Chives can be harvested by snipping them off and leaving an inch or so of the stem above the ground.
The plants can be separated and replanted every three to five years to help them spread out.
“They can really add to so many things,” Garland said. “Even people who don’t like onions seem to like chives. If you are only going to plant one herb, this is a good one.”
Cilantro
Cilantro is a must for any fresh salsa and many other Mexican recipes. It also loses its freshness and flavor almost immediately after harvesting. Planting your own ensures you always have a ready supply just steps away when you need it.
Once planted, cilantro will reseed itself every year in well-drained soil that gets full sun. Once it starts growing, snip off about an inch from the top of the young plants. This will help it produce more leaves and keep it from bolting and going to seed early.
To harvest, keep snipping that new growth all season long and use it right away.
Oregano
Not only does this fragrant herb come back every season, it’s also a great companion planting with virtually any vegetable in your garden. It makes a great addition to a garden’s borders, and it attracts pollinators.
Oregano likes full sun, and once it starts growing, it should be trimmed back to promote growth. The best time to harvest is when the flower buds just start to appear. Since it dries well, go ahead and start harvesting now and dry it for use this winter.
Thyme
Thyme may well be one of the least-labor intensive herbs you can plant. It likes the heat and full sun. No trimming or cutting back is needed. All it requires to thrive is a good watering when the soil is dry.
The springs can be collected to use fresh just before the plant flowers and then throughout the season. Surplus can be harvested and either frozen or stored in airtight containers for future use.
“Thyme is a fantastic plant for bees, and it grows really well as an alternative to a [grass] lawn,” Garland said. “It’s really neat to see it growing in some of the cruddier soils we have in Maine.”
Mint
There is a mint plant for just about every flavor preference you can imagine. Once it’s established, it is one of the fastest self-spreading herbs around. So it’s important to select the variety you know you like and to plant it where it won’t interfere with other crops.
This is a plant that grows so aggressively that Garlen refers to it as a “thug.”
“Make sure you plant it where there are no other plants that can be overwhelmed by this aggressive neighbor,” she said. “It is assertive, but it does smell so good.”
One way to control the growth is to plant mint in containers or pots. Just before winter, you can transplant the potted mint into the ground where the roots will be protected in the dirt. Next season, gently dig them up and divide them among new pots.
To harvest simply pluck off the leaves to use fresh or preserve them by drying.
