If youre looking for an easy summer project, it’s time to give herbs a try. Herbs that you grow in your own backyard can give your food and drinks a spicy, new twist. They can be used to season salads, vegetables, meats, and sauces. They’re also great for attracting “good” insects to your garden and enhancing its fragrance.
Chive is a low-maintenance, high-yield plant that you can use on almost anything. While you can grow chives anywhere, they mostly do well under the sun.
To harvest chives, take your shears and snip the leaves about one to two inches above the soil. You can also add fresh chives to salads, compound butter, or omelets that you make for your family and friends in the summer.
One of the most popular herbs to grow is basil. A lot of people like it because it smells good and tastes good, and it’s also very easy to grow. You can add basil to many recipes to elevate them. After all, who doesnt love pesto?.
If you have a lot of basil in your garden, you can make more than just pesto spread and pasta. You can also make Caprese salad or pizzas in the summer. Or, to cool off in the summer, you can give your friends soda water with basil and strawberries mixed in.
Unlike many herbs you can transplant well, dill is best grown directly from seeds. But if your dill plant has four or five leaves, you can pick them. Just pull them off or cut them with shears.
Dill is a plant that grows best in the sun. Its pleasant smell will make your recipes better. It goes best with fatty foods like cream-based dips or butter-based sauces.
Another one of the favorite herbs to grow in summer is rosemary which loves the full sun. Rosemary shrubs grow lovely blue flowers that add a pop of color to your garden. Here’s a tip: Snip the stems while theyre young to have flavorful rosemary.
Rosemary adds aromatic flavor to your grilled steaks or roasted potatoes. You could also serve rosemary oil with warm bread while your friends drink their favorite wine.
If youre fond of inviting guests over, you can also garnish your charcuterie spreads with rosemary.
You cannot have a list of herbs to grow in summer without including mint. The herb mint smells nice and gives your recipes a fruity kick. It grows well in both full sun and shade, which makes it a favorite all year long.
Just like rosemary, the younger the leaves, the more flavorful they are. So feel free to snip yourself some mint as soon as it grows. Think of mint as your best friend for summer parties because you can use it to dress up fruit salad, juices, and summer drinks like mojitos.
Thyme just loves the summer heat—its a low-maintenance herb because of its ability to tolerate drought. If you want to attract bees to pollinate your garden, leave your thyme to blossom.
To harvest thyme, snip off the herbs top five to six inches. And to encourage growth, its best to trim them regularly.
Adding thyme to roasted summer vegetables like zucchini, tomatoes, or summer squash will make your summer recipes more interesting. You can also serve your family and friends easy meals like omelets, baked potatoes and soups with thyme.
One of the best parts of summer is having fresh herbs right at your fingertips. The warm weather and abundant sunshine bring out the most flavorful aromas and tastes in garden-fresh herbs.
Growing your own herbs is easy and rewarding. With just a small garden bed or a few pots on the patio, you can enjoy tasty seasonings for summer cooking.
Below are my top 10 herb recommendations for summertime harvesting. These herbs thrive in heat and stand up to the long sunny days of summer. Let’s dive in!
Best Herbs for Summer Growing
1. Basil
A summer garden staple, basil’s sweet peppery flavor is perfect for pesto, sauces, and Italian dishes. The more you harvest, the more new leaves will grow. Pinch off flower buds to encourage leaf production. Grow classics like Genovese, or try colorful varieties like lemon, cinnamon, or purple basil. Plant in full sun.
2. Oregano
Robust oregano can handle summer’s heat and drought. This zesty Mediterranean herb complements tomatoes, peppers, meats, and more. Snip leaves as needed. Greek or Italian oregano are best for cooking. Let some flowers bloom to attract pollinators!
3. Thyme
Thyme thrives in hot sun and dry conditions – perfect for summertime harvests Its earthy, herbal notes enhance meats, stews, and eggs Common thyme works beautifully, or try lemony flavored varieties. Cut sprigs right above the woody growth.
4. Sage
With its robust flavor profile, sage is ideal for hearty summer dishes. It pairs deliciously with meats, beans and veggies. Harvest leaves before flowers appear. Provide good drainage and afternoon shade in very hot climates.
5. Rosemary
This versatile herb has a piney scent and bold taste. Clip rosemary sprigs to flavor grilled meats seafood dressings and more all summer long. Upright forms work well, or prostrate creeping varieties for cascading over pot edges.
6. Chives
No herb garden is complete without chives! Their mild oniony kick enhances salads, dips, fish and potatoes. Snip leaves 2 inches above the soil. Let some purple flowers bloom – they’re edible too! Chives grow vigorously in summer warmth.
7. Dill
Dill’s anise-like flavor is perfect for summery homemade pickles, salads, fish and yogurt dips. Succession plant every 2-3 weeks for continual harvests. Leafy fern dill provides the best flavor. Let some plants bolt to collect dill seed heads.
8. Cilantro
The taste of summer! Fresh cilantro brings a bright, citrusy note to salsas, tacos, Thai curries and more. It bolts quickly in summer heat, so succession plant every few weeks. Add seeds to cooking as well.
9. Parsley
A workhorse herb, parsley offers a fresh, peppery taste that complements many dishes. Curly leaf parsley is the most common, but Italian flat leaf boasts excellent flavor. Harvest outer leaves so the center can continue growing.
10. Mint
Cooling mint is so refreshing in summer beverages like mojitos, lemonade, and tea. It grows vigorously once established. Contain it in pots to prevent spreading. Spearmint is the best for culinary use. Include other mints like orange, pineapple or chocolate!
Growing Herbs in Containers
One of the easiest ways to grow herbs is in containers. This allows you to place them in convenient sunny spots on decks or patios. Here are some tips:
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Choose containers at least 6-12 inches wide and deep with drainage holes
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Use a quality potting mix suited for edibles
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For most herbs, plant one per 6-8 inch pot, or 2-4 per larger container
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Ensure plants get 6+ hours of sun daily
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Water when soil dries out, taking care not to overwater
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Pinch or snip stems often to encourage bushy growth
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Harvest leaves frequently, rather than cutting entire plants at once
Caring for Herbs in Summer
Here are some keys to keeping your summer herb garden happy and productive:
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Mulch beds to retain moisture and reduce weeds. Replenish mulch as needed.
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Provide 1-2 inches of water per week if rain is lacking. Water soil deeply.
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Fertilize every 3-4 weeks with organic all-purpose fertilizer or compost tea.
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Monitor for pests like aphids. Wash away with strong spray of water or use insecticidal soap.
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Prune or harvest herbs frequently to encourage new growth and flavor.
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Begin harvesting when plants are 4-6 inches tall. Don’t take more than one third of growth at once.
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Cut leaves and stems just above leaf joints or sets of leaves to avoid bare stems.
Preserving Your Bountiful Summer Herb Harvest
Here are some ways to keep enjoying herbs even after their growing season is over:
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Dry herbs by hanging bundles upside down in a warm, dark place. Crumble leaves from stems and store in jars.
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Freeze chopped herbs in ice cube trays covered with water or olive oil. Pop out cubes to use in cooking.
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Make herb-infused oils and vinegars using fresh herbs. Great for salad dressings and marinades.
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Create herb butters by blending fresh chopped herbs with softened butter. Form into logs and freeze.
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Make pestos, chimichurris or herb pastes. Store in jars topped with olive oil and refrigerate or freeze.
How To Plant Summer Herbs
Before anything else, decide where you want to grow your summer herbs—indoor or outdoor. If you’re going to plant outside, choose a spot close to your kitchen so you can get to your herbs quickly.
But no matter where you put your herbs, they need at least four hours of sun every day.
Some stuff youll be needing to plant summer herbs:
- Plastic or clay pot
- Fertilizer or compost
- Good potting soil
- Herb or its seeds
Once youve got everything you need:
- Turn the soil with a garden fork
- Add fertilizer or compost
- Dig a hole
- Remove plants from their starter pot
- Place the plant in the hole
- Gently fill the hole with soil and pat the edges
- Water the plant immediately
It is important not to skip turning the soil because it gets it ready for the roots and helps the water drain faster. Plus, to avoid overwatering, only water when the soil feels dry to the touch.
21 Herbs and Spices You Should ALWAYS Grow
What are the best herbs to plant in the summer?
Knowing the best herbs to plant in the summer offers benefits to your food and your life. Besides bringing flavor to your food, growing summer herbs like peppermint, basil, and rosemary attract pollinators to your garden, repel some of the dangerous pests and insects, and fills your yard with new fragrances, flowers, and colors.
What healthy seasonings can I use this new year?
All natural seasonings are healthy, like onions, garlic, herbs, dried herbs and their mixtures. My favorites are thyme, rosemary, garlic, onion, freshly ground pepper and curry.
What plants grow well in summer?
Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean and grows wonderfully in drier summer weather. This aromatic shrub doesn’t need much to grow into a healthy, delightful plant that can produce gorgeous blue flowers. And rosemary makes a great addition to an ice-cold glass of fresh lemonade! 2. Basil. Basil is one of the most popular heat-tolerant herbs.
Which herbs grow best in winter?
Perennial herbs include Greek oregano, thyme, sage, winter savory, chives, and mint. Once established in your garden these plants will increase in size and come back every year. Tender perennial plants such as tarragon, rosemary, and stevia need to be grown in pots so they can spend the winter indoors.
