Growing Delicious Herbs (with Photos) in Zone 9 | Tips from Garden Club Meeting

Herb gardens are a great way to add flavor and nutrition to your meals, as well as providing an attractive addition to your outdoor space. Whether you choose to grow herbs in pots or directly in the ground, there is a wide variety of herbs available that can be grown in most climates.

In Zone 9, fall is a great time to plant herbs. When preparing for planting, it is important to clean out any old soil from the herb bed, and cut back any plants that have become overgrown during the summer months. After adding fresh soil, you can then purchase new nursery-bought items such as basil (Italian and lemon), cilantro, garlic chives, marjoram, mint (chocolate and spearmint), oregano, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme (generic and lemon).

At a recent garden club meeting, a speaker gave a presentation on growing herbs. It was surprising to learn that it is recommended to fertilize herbs once per month with special herb fertilizer. This contradicts the popular belief that fertilizer weakens flavor. The speaker also suggested using regular potting soil in containers instead of pricey gritty amendments. Additionally, she introduced citronella and scented geraniums which could be ordered from catalogs for next year's garden.

One enthusiastic gardener recently bought a cart full of herbs including mints, oregano, thyme, chives, sage and hyssop. To make her herb garden look even more attractive, she added five pots of calibrachoa flowers which will bloom until killed by frost. She also purchased four little pots of hyssop - something she had never tried before - which grows up to four feet tall so needs to be planted in a very large container or directly into the ground. Hyssop's blossoms attract bees and butterflies making them a great addition to any garden.

Hanging baskets and other containers are ideal for certain types of herbs such as mints (spearmint, apple, orange and chocolate) and basil (purple, Thai and sweet). Mexican mint marigold can be used in place of French tarragon which does not grow well in this climate. Lemon balm should be kept in pots as it spreads quickly. Garlic chives may not appeal to everyone but they are incredibly attractive to bees!

Every year brings the same cycle: picking fresh herbs until tired of running outside; then using dried herbs until longing for the scent and taste of freshness again. Moving existing plants around each season can help keep things interesting while ensuring they get enough sunlight and water. Trying different methods like winding mint through tomato trusses may even deter pests!

The photos posted show what one garden looked like last October after planting their herbs - a beautiful sight indeed! With careful planning, preparation and maintenance anyone can create an herb garden that provides delicious flavors all year round.