The 6 best herbs for your windowsill garden

Gardeners, birdwatchers, golfers and virtually all outdoor enthusiasts are counting down the days to the season opener - that magical day when we can plant, observe a migratory species travelling our way, or hit the first ball. It all amounts to the same thing: freedom from the lock of a Canadian winter.

Getting started on your summer herb garden now is a good idea for a variety of reasons. We are starved for the smells of fresh herbs, you can “harvest” a lot of herbs from your windowsill between now and planting time in May, and the activity of sowing and transplanting is a welcome break from winter activities, exciting as they may be.

Why start your windowsill garden now?

The seed racks are in at your local retailer and they are jammed full of all of the herbs you can imagine. Many start well from seed while others are best grown from small transplants. Small starter plants are also available at garden retailers now.

If your goal is to grow some herbs that you can clip and trim for cooking or use as garnishes at the table, I have some advice for you. There are herbs that lend themselves to this activity and some that do not. I’ve listed my favourites below.

Grow them indoors at this time of year and move them outside for the summer growing season. I assume that you do not have a greenhouse, but that you do have a sunny window ledge somewhere that suits itself to indoor growing. If you plan to move your herbs outdoors, all of these will perform best in full sun, unless otherwise indicated.

Basil

The seeds are easy to start indoors, but they take up to two weeks to germinate. While nothing compares to the flavour of straight, old-fashioned basil when it comes to pesto sauce or the marriage of flavours between tomato and basil, I recommend that you try some of the more flavourful varieties like lemon and cinnamon. Outdoors: for a great looking border plant in sunny locations in your garden, try purple basil.

Oregano

This is one of the most popular Mediterranean native herbs. Sow seeds any time now for a full crop this summer. Do not cover the seed after sowing for proper germination. Thin the plants aggressively after they sprout. The entire plant is edible and the flowers are attractive and tasty on salads and vegetables. Outdoors: Oregano is a fast growing, ground hugging plant that is known to take over an area if not kept under control.

Tarragon (French & Russian)

Sow the seeds in trays and thin out the weakest specimens after they have sprouted. Don’t be afraid to clip and trim the foliage as the plants grow on your windowsill this spring - future growth will thicken as a result. Outdoors: French tarragon is more flavourful but less winter hardy. Russian tarragon has a less well-defined flavour but will survive to Zone 4.

Chives

Chives are perhaps the easiest plant to grow from seed on the planet. Virtually all plant parts are edible including the flower. Sow in trays using a transparent top to contain moisture and heat pre-germination. Once your chives germinate, thin the strongest plants out and pot up using several rooted sprouts in each pot. As the chives grow, feel free to cut them back for use in the kitchen as they will reproduce quickly.

Outdoors: Chives are a winter hardy perennial that will grow into large clumps that can be dug up and divided quite successfully in spring or fall. Fresh, chopped chives preserve well in the freezer.

Mint

This is one of the easiest plants to grow in the garden as it travels quickly by root, hence planting it in containers is a good idea. Here, you can at least keep an eye on it. Grow some from seed for a quick, satisfying experience. Outdoors: mint is known to get into trouble by going places where it has no business being. Mint does well from seed or from a cutting. This is one perennial herb that will tolerate about a half-day of shade. Look for peppermint, spearmint, rose-flavoured mint, chocolate mint, and the list goes on.

Parsley

Parsley is slow to germinate (up to four weeks) but worth the wait. Use a transparent top over a seed-starting tray for germination. Outdoors: Parsley is tolerant of up to a half day of shade, where it performs best in the heat of mid summer, or in full sun in spring and autumn. Curly parsley is more winter hardy, but the broad-leafed Italian parsley is more flavourful. Freeze in ice cube trays of water to preserve during the off-season.

Mark Cullen appears on Canada AM every Wednesday morning at 8:40. He is the Lawn and Garden expert for Home Hardware. Look for Mark’s new book, The New Canadian Garden, in stores now. Sign up for his free monthly newsletter at www.markcullen.com.