Growing your own herbsBay, Rosemary, Sage

Bay

Add flavour to your soups and stews

How to grow

Bay tolerates both sun and shade, and will grow in any soil providing it isn’t too wet. Position in a sheltered spot as the leaves can be scorched by cold winds.

Bay is an ideal container plant – it’s only moderately hardy, so growing it in a pot makes for easier winter protection. Buy new plants in late spring and plant into containers in May.

How to care for bay

Clip plants into shape if necessary in June to July. In autumn, protect the rootball of container-grown trees by moving the pot into the greenhouse or conservatory, or by wrapping the pot in bubble wrap and hessian.

How to harvest

Fresh leaves have a stronger flavour than dried ones and, although leaves are available all year round, it’s a good idea to pick and dry some leaves in August for use in winter.

Dry the leaves between the pages of an old paperback weighted down under a stack of books. This will stop the leaves from curling as they dry and will therefore make them easier to store.

Recommended varieties

The normal species of bay (Laurus nobilis) is the only one used for culinary purposes.

Rosemary

Rosemary is ideal for growing in patio pots

How to grow

Rosemary is widely available as established plants in garden centres for planting in spring. For more plants, take cuttings from young shoots in spring or summer. Rosemary can be used as a low hedge.

How to care for rosemary

Rosemary is slightly tender and needs a sunny, sheltered position in well-drained soil; it does well in chalky soils. If growing it in a container, add some grit to the compost to aid drainage and don’t over water. After flowering in March, trim into shape and feed.

How to harvest

You can pick leaves from this evergreen all year round. It’s a good idea to dry some leaves at the end of summer if you want to use lots of rosemary over the winter, or add a sprig to olive oil for salad dressings.

Recommended varieties

The Common rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is the hardiest form and most used in cooking. ‘Miss Jessopp’s Upright’ is a more vigorous and upright variety and makes a good focal point in a herb bed.

The Prostratus Group are low-growing forms ideal for the top of a wall or rock garden. Corsican rosemary has a more pungent scent.

Sage

Purple-leafed sage

How to grow

There’s a wide variety of plain green and coloured-leafed sages available in garden centres. Alternatively, take cuttings in late spring or early summer. All varieties will root easily in about four weeks.

How to care for sage

Sage needs a well-drained fertile soil in a sunny spot. If your soil is a little heavy, dig in some grit before planting. Alternatively, sage will grow well in a container; again add grit to the compost to improve the drainage.

Cut plants back hard in March to about 15cm above ground level to prevent them becoming leggy. If you’ve got an old straggly plant, it’s best to get rid of it and replace it with a new one.

How to harvest

Fresh leaves can be picked any time before flowering. In theory, you should be able to pick leaves all year round, as sage is evergreen, but the leaves can suffer in cold winters. Harvest in summer and dry for winter use.

Mix chopped sage and onions into sausage meat for a great tasting stuffing.

Recommended varieties

The most commonly used for cooking is sage (Salvia officinalis). Colourful foliage varieties can also be used and look good in the garden. Try ‘Purpurascens’ and ‘Tricolor’.

If you plan to plant and grow your own herb garden, this expert Which? advice guide offers tips on stockists and suppliers to buy plants and seeds from

Supermarket herbs

Supermarket herbs are easy to buy but hard to keep going

Many common kitchen herbs are now available from supermarkets as potted plants, but they can be tricky to keep going.

However, the majority of these, such as basil, coriander and parsley, are actually a collection of seedlings crammed into the pot rather than a single established plant. You can use this to your advantage and it can be an easy, convenient way to get a lot of herb plants.

Growing from seed

Growing from seed is the cheapest method for annual herbs. Cut parsley, coriander and chives to within 5cm of the base before repotting. Separate the individual plantlets and repot each one in its own container.

Take care when dividing coriander, parsley and basil, as they all resent having their roots disturbed. If basil has become leggy, you can replant it more deeply to encourage stronger growth.