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Growing and Drying Herbs

Many herbs can be grown in North Dakota. Some of these are annual which you start from seed each spring. Others are biennials or perennials which you start from transplanted plants, or parts of plants.

Many people use some vegetables such as chives, dill, onion, and parsley as herbs.

Herbs for home use include anise (AN-is), sweet basil, borage (BOR-ij), caraway, cherville, coriander (KOR-ee-an-der), sweet fennel, horseradish, horehound and lavender. Others are sweet marjoram, oregano, rosemary, safflower, summer savory, tarragon, spearmint, peppermint, watercress and thyme (TIME).

Because you generally use only small amounts of these herbs, you only need a few plants. Your herb garden can be separate from the garden, a part of some ornament area or part of the vegetable garden. Adequate space is essential for good growth because some plants grow to considerable size.

Harvest and use the young, tender leaves. Use peppermint and spearmint immediately. You can dry and store herbs in clean, tight containers. Harvest dill and caraway either as mature or nearly mature seeds, then dry and store in tight containers.

If you have further questions, please contact your county office of the NDSU Extension Service for additional information.

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For More Information Contact your North Dakota County Extension Office of the NDSU Extension Service for additional information or see our main NDSU Web Page for publications and articles on Agriculture, Horticulture, Youth and Family, Business and Community and Food and Nutrition at  http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/