11 herb plants most loved by gardeners, commonly used as seasoning in the West

Many Western herbs have now become new ingredients in some of our restaurants. Whether Chinese or Western herbs, they are all very easy to grow, suitable for pots, and increasingly popular.

Also, because most are small plants, you might as well plant several kinds in one pot, so you can pick a few for use at any time.

Most herbs are grown for their leaves, but some are grown for their seeds, flowers, berries, stems, roots, or even bark. Not every kind will suit your taste; some you have to try to know, and some you need to get used to slowly.

1. Thai basil (sweet basil):

This herb plant that Italians love, Thai basil, has become the most popular herb in recent years, and is suitable for dishes with tomatoes.

It is called nine-storey pagoda because this plant can keep growing upward, like layer upon layer of a pagoda.

It can reach more than two chi in height. If you pinch it off in the middle during the growing period, it will grow more side branches instead of only growing taller. But do not encourage the same plant to grow too much, or the leaves will taste bland. At the same time, pinch off any flowers as soon as you see them, because after flowering it will only produce seeds and the leaves will be fewer.

Thai basil is an annual plant in cold zones. In the north, you can sow seeds indoors in winter and transplant outdoors after there is no risk of frost damage.

In hotter areas, use plenty of compost soil, bark chips and the like on the soil surface to keep the soil surface moist.

If you like to eat fresh basil, you can sow seeds once every four weeks. Thai basil is suitable for both ground planting and pot planting. The planting site needs full sun and the soil must drain well.

There are many kinds of Thai basil, and the taste differs accordingly. The common green-leaved kind is sweeter; one with a lemon flavor is called lemon basil;

The Thai variety known as Thai basil, and another purple variety called purple basil, do not have the usual sweetness. You have to try these to appreciate them.

2. Catnip

Catnip is a perennial, somewhat like ordinary mint, and generally rather short. It has green heart-shaped leaves and small purple flowers.

Mint is very vigorous and needs almost no care at all. But it needs full sun, and to stop the branches from growing too much, you can pinch off the overly long branches from time to time.

Besides being used as a seasoning, the dried leaves can also be brewed as tea.

3. Cumin seed (sweet fennel):

Fennel is a perennial, up to three to four chi tall, with leaves as fine as threads. For the best harvest, use the stems before the flowers open.

Both the stems and leaves have a fennel flavor. Usually people eat the white base of the stem, generally sliced thin, or used in salads and side dishes. The seeds are also useful, in cooking, or as a topping for cheese.

Sowing seeds on the soil surface in spring sprouts very easily. Because the plant is tall, plant one every one and a half chi. When it grows to one and a half chi, put in a bamboo pole for support.

4. Lavender:

Lavender is a perennial plant. Even if it were not an herb plant, it is a popular garden flower. The whole plant is fragrant, and the pale purple flowers are also ornamental.

Lavender is very easy to grow and not picky about soil, but it likes slightly alkaline soil. It also needs full sun.

Lavender is generally very short. To keep the lavender's shrub shape beautiful, it must be pruned in early spring.

Lavender is generally used by drying the flowers and leaves, for scenting clothes or for fragrant oil.

4. Oregano

Oregano is also often used on pizza, and is also called pizza herb. It is a cold-hardy perennial plant. It smells like thyme.

It is a perennial, very cold-hardy, and not demanding about soil. To make the leaves lush, it is best to remove the flowers when it blooms, and when the branches are too long you can also pinch them.

Every three or four years you can dig it up and divide it, otherwise the roots become too crowded, and the stems also become too thick, which affects how tender and green the leaves are. Usually people eat the tender leaves, and you can also collect excess leaves and dry them for storage. Besides being used to season pizza, it is also suitable when cooking lamb racks or steak.

5. Italian parsley (parsley)

Italian parsley is used in a similar way to our cilantro, but the flavor is different. In the past it was the most common of all herbs.

Because the leaf shape is attractive and the flavor is unique, it is suitable both for garnishing dishes and for seasoning. It can be used in soup, with salad, in sauces, and can also be eaten dried, but then the flavor is weaker.

Italian parsley is an annual in cold zones. Although it can overwinter, it will die after scattering seed, so it can be called a biennial, but you harvest it only once. In warm temperate zones it can overwinter.

It can be sown; the seeds are best soaked in water overnight first, as they sprout more easily. It is very suitable for pots, and can also be planted at the edge of a flower bed, because the plant looks very nice.

A kind with curled leaves is even more popular. When planting it needs full sun, but in the tropics it can have some shade; the soil surface should be kept moist and not too hot, and you can add a little covering soil. The soil must drain well.

When harvesting, cut from the base on the outside of the plant, so the inner stems keep growing. The first harvest will stimulate the plant to become more dense.

6. Mint

Mint is a common seasoning, mostly used in desserts, for brewing tea, and also for meat dishes. In addition, it is used in large amounts in industry; mint oil can be used medicinally, or for washing up.

Mint is a perennial and very vigorous, spreading very easily, so some people plant it in a pot and then plant the pot in the ground, to control the spread of its roots.

To stop leggy growth, it is best to pinch the branches from the middle from time to time, making it more lush with more branches and leaves. At the same time, cut off any flowers as soon as you see them, so that it does not stop growing after setting seed.

7. Rosemary

Rosemary is a perennial, but it is only suitable for warm regions. In cold zones it must be moved indoors in winter, or given covering soil for protection.

It is generally suitable for pots. When planted in the ground, it needs sun and well-draining soil, with more compost soil; organic soil is even better. To stimulate more leaf growth, pinch off overly long branches from the middle from time to time.

Rosemary roots very easily from branch cuttings. Following the usual cutting method, pinch off the lower leaves and plant into moist potting soil; it roots very easily. Sowing is very hard to sprout; the germination rate is generally less than ten percent. Before planting, it is best to soak the seeds in water for 8-12 hours to help germination.

Rosemary is suitable as a seasoning when roasting meat and barbecuing, and can also be used when plating meat dishes.

8. Sage

Sage is a common flower. As an herb, it is generally a perennial, with thick gray-blue leaves and a strong fragrance. It is very suitable as a seasoning and stuffing when roasting pork, chicken, and fish.

When growing sage, it sprouts very easily from seed, and cuttings also root very easily. Before flowering, it is best to pick leaves for use; after flowering, cut off the flower heads to encourage more branches and leaves.

After every three or four years the stems become woody, and you should replant new plants.

9. Tarragon

Tarragon leaves have a special fragrance. They are suitable for curing meat, or for making sauces, and can also be used in salad. Both the leaves and the stem tips can be used, but it is not suitable for drying.

Tarragon is a perennial. When planting it needs sun, but it can also take partial shade. Every three or four years it must be replanted, otherwise the stems will become woody.

10. Thyme

Thyme is a very popular aromatic plant. It can be used with seafood, roast chicken, or braised beef. Its oil can also be made into perfume or used medicinally.

Thyme is a perennial low-growing plant, with very small gray-green leaves and very small purple flowers. It is often grown as a creeping ground cover, and gives off fragrance at a light touch.

Thyme is very suitable as a ground cover plant, or for planting along the edge of a flower bed, and for planting in a rock garden.

11. Savory

Savory is divided into two kinds: summer savory and winter savory.

Common savory is a cold-sensitive annual, up to one and a half chi tall. Besides ground planting, it is also very suitable for pots. The leaves are slender and long, somewhat like rosemary, with a pungent, strong fragrance.

When used as seasoning it has a somewhat spicy taste. If you like strongly flavored food, it is suitable when cooking meat and vegetables. Winter savory is not afraid of cold, but its flavor lacks the fragrance of the summer variety.

Savory sprouts very easily. You can sow the seeds directly into the soil in early spring during the frost-free period. When planting it needs a spot with plenty of light. It grows very quickly and sometimes needs support.

The perennial varieties can handle temperatures of minus 10 degrees, and generally last about four or five years.