Essential herbs

Sunset, Spring-Summer, 1998 by Jim McCausland, Lauren Bonar Swezey

Western cooks are growing herbs everywhere: in front yards, in raised-bed kitchen gardens, even in containers. Why? Once you've tasted fresh, homegrown herbs, nothing else measures up. In the following guide, you'll discover which herbs are indispensable and how to grow and use them.

14 culinary herbs for every garden

Here are the "kitchen herbs" that specialists from across the West consider essential garden and cooking ingredients.

BASIL (Ocimum basilicum). This fragrant warm-season herb bears tender green leaves on 2-foot-tall stems. Start with seeds or seedlings. Basil needs full sun and warm nights to grow well. Pinch plants for bushiness and keep flowers constantly picked off. To harvest for pesto, cut plants back halfway and allow them to regrow. Or plant basil seedlings in succession every month or so and harvest entire plants for pesto. Grow four to six plants (if you plan to make pesto). Annual. All Sunset climate zones.

Culinary uses: Marinades, meats, pastas, salads, soups, and stews.

'BERGGARTEN' SAGE (Salvia officinalis 'Berggarten'). This pungent, musky herb is the first choice of herb professionals for culinary sage. It grows about 2 feet tall, has round, grayish leaves, and usually doesn't blossom like other sages. Grow one or two plants. Perennial. All zones.

Culinary uses: Apples, beans, breads, cheeses, game stuffings, marinades, pork, poultry, sausages, soups, and stews.

CHIVES (Allium schoenoprasum). Plants form 12-to 24-inch-long grasslike spears in clumps. Rose-purple flowers appear on top of thin stems in spring. Harvest chives by snipping the spears to the ground. Otherwise you'll have unsightly brown foliage mixed in with the green. Increase the number of plants by dividing every two years. Grow three or four plants. Perennial. All zones.

Culinary uses: Butters, eggs, mayonnaise, potatoes, sauces, seafood, soups, sour cream, stews, and vegetables.

CILANTRO (Coriandrum sativum). Fragrant, bright green leaves grow on foot-tall stems. Cilantro refers to the leaves; the seeds are called coriander. When cilantro goes to seed, the flavor of the leaves changes - it becomes more like coriander. Start cilantro from a bolt-resistant variety of seed. It does best in cool weather. Grow two or three plants. Annual. All zones.

Culinary uses: Beans, curries, fish, fowl, lamb, Mexican dishes, salads, sauces, and stir-frys.

COMMON THYME (Thymus vulgaris; also called English thyme). Tiny, sweetly pungent leaves grow on upright stems about 12 inches tall. Plants tend to flop over onto the ground. Harvest before blossoms appear. To harvest, hold the foliage like a ponytail and shear it to about 6 inches tall. Grow three or four plants. Perennial. All zones.

Culinary uses: Bouquets garnis, breads, casseroles, cheeses, eggs, fish, grains, marinades, meats, mushrooms, poultry, soups, stews, tomato-based sauces, and vegetables.

FENNEL (Foeniculum vulgare). Finely cut green leaves taste like anise. Flower stalks grow 4 feet tall, but foliage is low. Seeds are also used as a flavoring. To save the seeds, cover the seed heads with brown bags just as the seeds start turning brown. Allow seeds to finish ripening, then shake loose. Grow two plants. Perennial. All zones.

Culinary uses: Use foliage to flavor fish and vegetables, and as a garnish. Use the seeds in baked goods, fish, meats, poultry, sauces, sausages, and soups.

FRENCH TARRAGON (Artemisia dracunculus sativa). Shiny, narrow, dark green leaves have a spicy anise flavor. Woody stems on the 1- to 2-foot-tall plant should be cut to the ground in June and August to encourage new growth. Divide plants every four years. Grow four plants. Perennial. All zones.

Culinary uses: Chicken, dressings, eggs, fish, meats, pickles, sauces, vegetables, and vinegars.

MINT (mentha). Spearmint (M. spicata), with shiny, bright green leaves, is the preferred mint for cooking. lt grows 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall. Peppermint (M. piperita), with narrow, dark green leaves, is best for tea. It grows 3 feet tall. Cut plants back to about 2 inches tall twice a year - in late spring and fall - before flowers form. Plant one or two kinds in (separate) containers to confine vigorous underground stems. Perennial. All zones.

Culinary uses: Baked goods, beverages, desserts, fish, fruits, ice cream, jellies, salads, sauces, soups, tea, and vegetables. Mint has a cooling effect on powerful aromatics, such as basil and cilantro, and on chilies and salsas.

OREGANO. Herb professionals agree that Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare hirtum) is one of the best oreganos for cooking. This shrubby plant grows 3 feet tall, bearing slightly fuzzy leaves with a pungent aroma and taste. For milder flavor, try Italian oregano (O. majoricum), which has bright green foliage and grows 2 1/2 feet tall. Cut plant back to 4 inches tall in late spring, summer, and fall. Grow two plants of Greek or one of each. Perennial. All zones.

Culinary uses: Beans, cheeses, meats, pastas, pizza topping, salsas, and vegetables; use sparingly in sauces, soups, and stews.