It's time to add herbs to the mix

In recent years, the use of fresh herbs in cooking has become much more popular, and people often buy herbs in a pot in the supermarket or garden centre. Other fresh herbs are available in little plastic pouches.

These are handy to use, but can be expensive compared to growing your own. And there are no fresher herbs than the ones you pick in your own garden. While you might not want to grow many kinds, make a choice of the ones most favoured, and there is a good list to choose from.

Traditionally, there was the trio of parsley, sage and thyme. To these can be added the shrub rosemary and bay laurel, which is a small tree. Sage and thyme are small shrubs, with weak woody stems. Non-woody perennials include mint of many kinds, fennel, lovage, French tarragon, horse radish, chives, wild rocket, sorrel and marjoram.

Some kinds are annuals and must be raised from seeds sown at least once each year, such as dill, basil, coriander, parsley and summer savory. How to grow each kind of herb depends on which group it is in. Rosemary is just grown as a bush, like any other shrub, trimmed back if needs be, while bay laurel is a big bush or small tree with vastly more leaves than could ever be used.

Sage makes a spreading bush to about one metre or so; thyme, with its wiry little stems, to half that. The non-woody perennials can make sizeable plants, fennel to over 2m tall in flower.

Because of their differing size requirements, and their decorative value, these shrubs and large herbs can be planted into mixed borders, herb foliage being collected as needed for cooking.

A formal herb garden can be a decorative garden feature, but it can be difficult to match the size needs of the various herbs, as some have a tendency to outgrow and swamp others.

A formal herb garden will need more regular attention for maintenance. While perennial herbs, woody and non-woody, can be grown informally in a mixed border, the annual herbs can be grown in a vegetable garden or in a bed of their own.

Dill, coriander, annual marjoram, summer savory, chervil, basil and parsley must be sown annually, at least twice, to keep a supply going, as these kinds have a tendency to flower readily, and stop making leaves.

Basil does not do well outdoors and must be grown in a greenhouse. The other annual herbs grow well in a greenhouse too, and growing under cover also extends the season at both ends.

Now is a good time to plan herb-growing. If you are inexperienced, start with a few standards, such as sage or marjoram, or try something new to you, such as French tarragon, a remarkable herb. Take a look around the garden and identify a few spots for herbs, depending on their size. Most herbs are Mediterranean in origin and like full sunshine and well-drained soil, not overly rich.

Most herbs can be grown from seeds, particularly the annual kinds, but the others too, and plants of the perennial kinds are widely available in spring from garden centres.

Once you have plants, others can be grown from cuttings or by division of the perennial kinds. Basil is easily grown from seeds sown in a pot in a warm spot in early spring, and not over-watered.

Usually, the shop-bought basil plants consist of a score of seedlings and the clump can be divided carefully and potted up to grow on as several plants.

Many kinds of herbs can be dried or frozen to preserve them, as there is almost always too much to use!

Bulk up your bird squad

It has been shown by research that feeding garden birds in winter helps to maintain their population levels and even increase their numbers. And, it also shows that greater numbers of birds go on to nest in areas close to where they were fed. Feeding birds in the run-up to nesting season helps to get them in good condition for that strenuous process. Apart from birdsong and the sight of birds in the garden, there is another, more selfish, reason to encourage garden birds: their value for pest control. For instance, the blue tit, that lively visitor to nut feeders, is also a vigorous consumer of greenflies and caterpillars. Blackbirds eat leather-jackets in a lawn and thrushes feed on slugs and snails, breaking the snail shells to feed.

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Flowers

Begonia tubers can be started off in a greenhouse, or on a windowsill indoors. Set the tubers lightly onto moist compost in a seed tray or small pot. Be careful not to over-water. Lifting and dividing of over-grown herbaceous flowers can continue if the soil is dry enough. Old flower stems can be tidied or chopped up and left on the soil.

Lawn

With some grass growth all winter, lawn areas should be mown as early as possible now. Do not cut the grass down tightly, instead raise the blade on your mower one notch up on the usual level. If there is heavy moss growth, a lawn mosskiller can be applied at this stage, but it is too early for any feeding, as the nutrients are likely to be washed out.

Fruit, vegetables and herbs

Set out early potatoes to sprout before planting. Take any weather opportunity to prepare ground for vegetables. There was a good dry spell in early January. Plant garlic if the ground is not wet. Sow seeds of early varieties of cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce and onions in a tunnel or glasshouse to get a start on the season.

Trees, shrubs and roses

Rose bushes, and repeat-flowering climbers, should be pruned in the next two weeks, if this has not already been done. The deciduous tree planting season still has a while to run and this is a good time to plant if the ground is not too wet. It can be very damaging to young trees and shrubs to be planted into wet ground.

Greenhouse and house plants

Grape vines should be pruned without delay. Last year’s shoots need to be shortened back to about 10cm before the vine breaks dormancy. Seeds of geraniums, lobelia, busy lizzie and bedding begonias can be sown in a heated propagator. Clear dust off the leaves of house plants. A little brush can be used to pollinate peach flowers.