herbs

How to Grow Dill in Containers

Container gardening opens up the wide world of plants to those who may not have a yard or garden space. Growing dill in containers is an easy way to begin herb gardening an dyou get dill to use in fresh fish dishes, dill vegetable dip (one of my favorites), and homemade pickles!

Why grow herbs in containers?

Dill is an excellent choice for a container herbs garden for several reasons. Not only is it a beautiful and fragrant plant, but all parts of the plant are edible! True story. It’s also easy to grow, and it can be kept pruned to fit the space where it’s being grown.

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Learn how to grow dill in pots with these easy-to-follow guidelines.

What size pot is best?

Dill forms a long taproot, so it will need a deep pot to grow in. Select a pot that is at least 12-inches deep and equally as wide. If you want to grow a grouping of several dill plants, use a much bigger pot. The pot will need several drainage holes in the bottom to promote good drainage. If you find a pot you love that has no holes, you can create them on your own with a good drill.

Dill is a top-heavy plant and tends to fall once it matures because of its weak and hollow stems. The pot will also need space for a support stake or trellis if you plan to allow the plant to grow un-pruned.

Best soil for growing dill

Use well-drained, loamy potting soil when growing dill in pots. This hardy annual will tolerate poor soil, but it will grow better if you add a cup full of compost to the soil at planting time. And who doesn’t want to give their dill the best shot possible?

Compost will keep the plant fed, promote drainage, and help prevent soil compaction.

When to Plant Dill

If dill is being grown indoors in pots, then the seeds can be planted at any time of the year. Place one seed in prepared pot, moisten soil, cover top of container with plastic wrap, and place in a warm, bright location. When seed germinates, remove plastic wrap and keep soil moist.

When growing in a pot in an outdoor location, wait until spring to plant the seed in a prepared pot. Keep soil moist, but not soaking wet during this early time.

Place pot in a location that receives at least 6-hours of direct sunlight and good air circulation. I like to add dill, a tall and leggy plant, to a pot with low growing plants. It’s a great way to add interest and fragrance to containers!

How to care for dill in containers

Allow the top of soil to become dry to the touch between waterings. (Use the finger test. If your push your finger in the soil and it’s wet, don’t water. If it’s dry, water your plant.) Dill does not like soggy soil and will develop root rot if over-watered. Apply water at the soil level and avoid getting foliage wet to prevent fungal diseases.

Feed plant once a month with water-soluble plant food during the spring and summer. I like Espoma’s organic plant food for a slow release option that’s easy to apply.

For indoor-grown pots of dill, harvest, and prune as needed to keep plant looking tidy but don’t remove more than 1/3 of the plant at a time. When dill is grown in pots outdoors it can be allowed to grow naturally or be kept pruned. An un-pruned dill plant will develop tiny yellow flowers that are filled with edible seeds.

Want to save your dill seeds for using in the kitchen or for planting? Check out my full post on how to save dill seed!

Herb Growing Helps

Get help in the herb garden will these helpful how-to's and tutorials for growing all kinds of herbs at home.

How to Prune Basil for Larger Yields

How to Root Basil from Cuttings

Companion Planting for Vegetables and Herbs

DIY Herb Container Garden

Inexpensive and fun DIY herb container garden that uses a metal Dollar Store bin that is artificially aged. A fantastic garden project that also makes a wonderful gift.

by Courtney Leave a Comment

How to Save Dill Seeds

Growing dill in your garden this spring and summer? Learning how to save dill seeds is so easy, you’ll never buy dill seeds or plants again! All you need is a little bit of patience and a paper plate. Let’s get started.

Why save dill seed?

Dill seed has a variety of uses both in the kitchen and in the garden. In the kitchen dill seed can be a flavorful seasoning for any soups and stews as well as pickled vegetables. Serious Eats has some great suggestions for how to use dill seed in the kitchen. Find their article here.

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In the garden, dill is a wonderful companion plant that can help to keep pests at bay. (See my guide to companion plants.) It’s also an herb that adds a bit of height and whimsy to the garden area. The delicate fronds of dill are so dainty and lovely that it’s hard not to admire them. The dill itself can be used in pickling as well as fish marinades and compound butters. If you’re nervous to grow dill in the garden because you immediately associate it with the strong flavor of dill pickles, don’t be! Remember that pickles soak in a dill-infused brine for quite a while, so the flavor is much more intense (and there’s vinegar, so…).

Drying out dill plants

The most effective way to save dill seeds is to let the plants themselves dry out in the garden. I won’t say I’m a lazy gardener, but I am practical. If I can save the step of trimming off the blooms and placing them in a paper bag to dry, then I will.

Let your dill plants produce their beautiful yellow blooms, then simply wait. Your dill plants will be ready to have seeds collected when they are brown and dry.

Don’t want to wait that long? Once plants have finished blooming, but aren’t yet dried out, cut blooms with a length of stem off of the plant. Place the blooms in a brown paper bag with stems sticking out of the top of the bag. Tie up bag and hang for a week or more until dill is brown and dry.

Dill seed heads drying on plant with blue sky in the background

Harvesting dill seed

Once plants are dry, start harvesting the dill seed. Grab a paper plate and one of the dill heads. Use your fingers and begin rubbing the seeds off of the ends of the plant. The seeds should easily come off and land on the paper plate. Repeat this process with all of your dried dill plants until you’ve gotten all of the seeds onto the plate.

Discard the stems and the remnant of the dill plant in your compost pile. (See my guide on how to start composting!)

harvesting dried dill seed on a white paper plate with a blue placemat underneath

How to Store Dill Seed

Dill seed can easily be stored in a glass jar with a well fitted lid, if you’re going to use it for use in the kitchen. (I like this spice jar set that includes labels and a funnel.)

For storing to plant seeds later, use a simple envelope marked with the seed type and date or use a small plastic container. For more ideas on seed storage, check out my seed storage post.

More seed saving ideas

Yield: tons of seeds

How to Save Dill Seeds

Learning how to save dill seeds is quick and easy. One plant can give hundreds of seeds to use for replanting or for recipes in the kitchen.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Materials

Paper Plate
Dill Plant
Envelope or Plastic Container

Instructions

Begin by letting the flower heads on the dill plant dry out. They will be dry when they are brown and "crunchy" to the touch.
Trim off the seed heads with a bit of stem connected and place on a paper plate.
Over the paper plate, begin rubbing the ends of the seed heads to release the dill seeds.
Once all of the seeds are removed, pick out any stems or miscellaneous pieces.
Store dill seeds in a marked envelope or a sealed container in a cool, dry place. Or place in a glass spice jar for use in the kitchen.

Notes

If you don't want to allow the blooms to dry out completely outdoors. Trim them off the plant and place in a paper bag. Let stay in the paper bag until completely dry, then proceed with the instructions for removing the seeds.

by Courtney Leave a Comment

DIY Herb Container Garden

An Herb Garden Planter is a great little container garden project, and with a little help from Dollar Tree, and some a clever hack, we’ll show you how to create an easy rustic planter! This DIY Herb Container Garden is a fun garden project that can quickly be put together for your patio table or as a gift. My post originally appeared on Juggling Act Mama as a guest post, so be sure to check out her site for great recipes and other projects!

DIY Container Herb Garden

Gardening can feel like an expensive hobby. All the plants! All the pots! And don’t get me started on the price of premium soil. But what if you could create a beautiful and table-top worthy herb garden planter with a little help from your favorite dollar shop? Well, I have news for you. You can!

Hey all! It’s Courtney from The Kitchen Garten, and I love bargain shopping; it’s true, and I am also a big fan of putting my hands in the dirt and growing all. the .things. So, in a recent trip to the Dollar Tree, I noticed this shiny metal container, complete with French words, and I was sold. And since spring has finally arrived, I knew it would be perfect for a herb planter. Container are the perfect place for herbs, especially those that are annual (die in the winter) or those that can go crazy in the ground (I’m looking at you, mint).

I’ve used Dollar Tree finds in my gardening adventures before with my DIY Hanging Succulent Planter.

I love paying less for project materials and making something beautiful and useful for the home. This also makes an amazing DIY gift, too! Think about making this for:

Hostess Gift
Mother’s Day
Teacher Appreciation
Housewarming Gift

It would also make lovely centerpieces for a garden-themed bridal or baby shower, too! You could add a pretty flowering annual like verbena or petunias for a burst of color. Calibrachoa is also great for container gardens. That’s what Ang from Juggling Act Mama used in her Pallet Planter.

So what do you need to get started on this fun project?

Herb Garden Planter Materials List

Metal Container (I snagged mine at the Dollar Tree!)
Good quality potting soil (Espoma is a favorite)
3 Herbs of your choice (I used orange mint, rosemary, and oregano)
Salt
Rocks
Hydrogen Peroxide
White Vinegar

How to Make a DIY Container Herb Garden

Start by aging your bucket. I didn’t care for the shiny metal look of the planter from The Dollar Tree, so I decided to “age” it using instructions from Saws on Skates.

Since the planter is an oval shape, this was a bit tricky, but place your bucket in a larger plastic container.
Add 1/2 cup of salt and a gallon of white vinegar to the container. Submerge one side of your planter.
Let it sit for an hour or so (or longer if you’re not home). After that, flip the container and submerge the other side. You should notice discoloration starting to appear on the metal.
Once both sides have been submerged in the salt and vinegar mix, pour out the leftover liquid. (I used my leftover vinegar/salt mix in my DIY Weed Killer sprayer.)
Now pour hydrogen peroxide on the container, submerging one side for an hour, then repeat on the opposite side.

What you’ll have afterwards is a lightly rusted and weathered planter.

Now let’s get to the actual planting! Create drainage for your herbs by placing river rock or any smaller stones in the bottom of the planter. This keeps water from sitting at the bottom of the soil which could damage the roots of your herbs. Since this DIY container herb planter is smaller, the rocks at the bottom will not create a heavy planter that is difficult to move or carry.
You’re now ready to start adding your herbs. Chances are, if you purchased herbs in larger cups, you may have all the soil you need right there. So begin by deciding which order you’d like your herbs in. My taller herb, rosemary, went in the middle, while the hanging mint and low-growing oregano went on either side. Once you’re ready, squeeze the herb container and gently remove it from its cup. Once it’s free from the original container, gently loosen the soil at the bottom to break up any bound roots. This will help your roots to grow and thrive. Once the herbs are in place, use any extra soil from the cups to fill in any gaps in the planter. If needed, grab extra potting soil to do this.
Finally, clean up any loose soil clinging to your DIY Container Herb Garden and lightly water your herbs. You’re ready to add your new planter to any outdoor patio space or to gift it to a lucky family member or friend. Most importantly, be sure to use the herbs that you’ve planted.

This lovely little planter sat on our patio table all summer long and into the fall. It was a lovely addition to our backyard space, and the herbs also help to keep mosquitoes at bay! (Check out my post on other plants that repel mosquitoes in your backyard.)

DIY Herb Container Garden

Inexpensive and fun DIY herb container garden that uses a metal Dollar Store bin that is artificially aged. A fantastic garden project that also makes a wonderful gift.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Active Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 3 hours

Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Estimated Cost $5

Materials

1 metal container
1 Rosemary plant
1 Mint plant
1 Thyme plant
Potting Soil
River Rock
Vinegar
Salt

Tools

Gardening gloves
Plastic tub

Instructions

Since the planter is an oval shape, this was a bit tricky, but place your bucket in a larger plastic container.
Add 1/2 cup of salt and a gallon of white vinegar to the container. Submerge one side of your planter.
Let it sit for an hour or so (or longer if you’re not home). After that, flip the container and submerge the other side. You should notice discoloration starting to appear on the metal.
Once both sides have been submerged in the salt and vinegar mix, pour out the leftover liquid. (I used my leftover vinegar/salt mix in my DIY Weed Killer sprayer.)
Now pour hydrogen peroxide on the container, submerging one side for an hour, then repeat on the opposite side.
Then you’ll want to create drainage for your herbs by placing river rock or any smaller stones in the bottom of the planter. This keep water from sitting at the bottom of the soil which could damage the roots of your herbs. And since this rustic planter is smaller, the rocks at the bottom will not create a heavy planter that is difficult to move or carry.
You’re now ready to start adding your herbs. Chances are, if you purchased herbs in larger cups, you may have all the soil you need right there. So begin by deciding which order you’d like your herbs in. My taller herb, rosemary, went in the middle, while the hanging mint and low-growing oregano went on either side. Once you’re ready, squeeze the herb container and gently remove it from its cup. Once it’s free from the original container, gently loosen the soil at the bottom to break up any bound roots. This will help your roots to grow and thrive. Once the herbs are in place, use any extra soil from the cups to fill in any gaps in the planter. If needed, grab extra potting soil to do this.
Finally, clean up any loose soil clinging to your Dollar Tree Herb Planter and lightly water your herbs. You’re ready to add your new planter to any outdoor patio space or to gift it to a lucky family member or friend. Most importantly, be sure to use the herbs that you’ve planted.

Notes

Use any combination of herbs that you prefer!

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by Courtney Leave a Comment

Tips for Growing Rosemary

Herb gardens can be as small or large as you can imagine. Mason jars indoors or a large space in your backyard can both be effective methods of growing some of the most popular herbs. And rosemary definitely falls into the category of popular herbs to grow at home. This woody and resilient herb is a favorite in the kitchen and in home decor, and growing rosemary is actually quite simple. So let’s get down to some tips to help you know how to grow rosemary at home!

How to Grow Rosemary

This perennial, evergreen herb is at home in a roast chicken dish or growing on top of a rock wall. It’s a versatile and fragrant herb that can be grown for both beauty, seasoning, herbal remedies, and frankly, a large shrub in some zones.

Rosemary can be grown indoors in a pot on a sunny windowsill, or in most any sunny outdoor location. But growing rosemary isn’t as easy as sticking it in the ground (or a pot) and leaving it. Follow these tips for growing rosemary so you’ll have a successful rosemary plant in your home or garden (or both!).

Where to plant rosemary

It’s not just for where to buy a home. Location is incredibly important when it comes to choosing a home for any plant. For growing rosemary, select a location that will receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. (Creating a sun map of your yard will help you know where to plant most everything.) No shady corners of the yard for this woody herb. And because of rosemary’s desire to be in the sun, when growing rosemary indoors, keep the plant away from drafts and don’t allow the plant leaves to touch the window pane.

Rosemary plants will not survive the winter when left outdoors in most zones. However, if you live in zone 7(ish) and above, rosemary that is grown close to the house (and therefore protected from harsh winter conditions and frost) can survive. This will result in a large rosemary shrub growing for years on end. Our rosemary plant was nestled next to our brick house, and the brick, which retains some heat from the day’s sun, and the deep eaves of our house, kept it growing year-round in our zone 8 climate. See the picture below of our rosemary and cucumber plants.

An indoor grown container of rosemary will last indefinitely, but may not reach the size of a plant grown out of doors. (Which may be for the best!)

Should you grow rosemary from seeds or plants?

Start your rosemary from seed or buy a plant at your local store? The choice is yours! Seeds can be sown and grown in pots indoors year around. If planning to grow rosemary outdoors, start seeds in a container 6 weeks prior to the last frost date in your area. Transplant your rosemary seedling outdoors when soil warms to above 70 degrees.

Plants can be purchased if you prefer not to start growing rosemary from seed. Or if you have a friend who has a mature rosemary plant, grab a cutting of new growth and root it. The process is similar to rooting basil, but I’ll share all the details in a post later this week.

How large does rosemary grow?

Mature rosemary plants can reach a mature size of 4 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Keep this size in mind when selecting a container or planting outdoors. This doesn’t mean you should start your rosemary in a large container indoors, especially if your plant is small. You can step up your indoor rosemary in to larger containers as it grows.

Rosemary can be kept pruned to a smaller size if desired, but it won’t produce blooms if severely pruned. Pruning can not only help manage the size of your rosemary plant, but you can also prune your plant into creative shapes. I love a Christmas tree shaped rosemary plant during the holidays!

How to Care for and Prune Rosemary

Rosemary enjoys consistent moisture and regular feedings. Use a water soluble plant food mixed at one-half the recommended rate once a week, and water with plain water when the top of soil is dry. This will keep plant well fed and hydrated.

Harvest the youngest stems and leaves for the best flavor. Up to one-third of the plant can be harvested at one time, but allow the plant to recover and produce new growth before harvesting anymore of the herb.

Rosemary, although a hardy and woody herb, can see be susceptible to disease and problems. Powdery mildew and cottony soft rot are two the more likely fungal conditions to negatively affect rosemary plants. These can be avoided by being sure to get your rosemary from healthy stock (go ahead and be picky when you’re at the store), and by avoiding getting water on the leaves when you’re watering.

How to Use Rosemary

Finally, it’s all well and good to grow rosemary because you like the way it looks and smells, but go ahead and use it. This is something I’ve struggled with myself when it comes to garden herbs. If you’re going to take the time to grow it, plan on using those fresh herbs. It literally takes one minute to walk outside and snip fresh rosemary for your roast or chicken, and nothing compares to the fresh taste of home-grown herbs.

You can also use fresh rosemary to infuse vinegar or oil. Drying rosemary to give to friends or to save for use in winter months (if growing outdoors in a colder climate) are all great ways to use your rosemary, and this way you’re naturally pruning the plant as you use snips here and there.

I’d love to know your favorite way to use rosemary. I love to make a small bundle and place it inside a chicken before roasting, along with half a lemon. I love the subtle flavor that’s infused in the chicken and knowing exactly where my rosemary came from is an invigorating feeling! Let me know your favorite use in the comments below!

DIY Mason Jar Herb Planter

There’s something about having fresh herbs at your fingertips that can make all the difference in a meal. An easy Mason Jar Herb Planter will give you delicious fresh herbs, like aromatic garlic chives, rosemary, or basil to use in your tasty savory dishes. And even though wintertime is one of the most challenging times to keep fresh herbs around the house or garden, you’ll be covered! There are some hardier varieties such as parsley, oregano, or rosemary (in certain zones) that can survive outdoors, but what if want some useable herbs and table decor also? Check out my DIY Mason Jar Herb Planter.

Ideas from a Box

I had noticed these mini crates in the craft section of Wal-Mart and thought they were cute. I believe they’re a perfect size for cd’s, but not many of us still keep cds around anymore, so I searched for a use for the mini-crate. Of course, I’d already purchased it at this point because I knew I’d use it for something. (Raise your hand if you have a stash of craft or garden supplies that you just knew you’d use at some point! Me, too!) I’d already purchased one of the larger crates as a book box for our youngest gardener, so I knew it was easy to paint and pretty versatile.

At the time I purchased the crate, the girly gardener was making and selling jars of hot chocolate mix so she could send money to our sponsored child in Kenya. He really wanted a bike, and she was hard at work earning the money for said bike. (She did end up raising the full amount!) I noticed though during this time that in between batches of hot chocolate mix, she was storing the extra jars in the mini-crate. This got me thinking about what I could store in the jars and also have as a functional display piece on our table. The answer: herb planter.

DIY Mason Jar Herb Planter Supplies

Small wooden crate (From Wal-Mart, Michaels, or Hobby Lobby)
Spray Paint of your choice (I used Rustoleum.)
3 Pint Mason Jars (I used regular mouth, since that’s what I had, but the wide mouth would be even better!)
River Rock (or rocks you have laying around)
Brass name tag holders
Herbs of choice (I used rosemary and garlic chives)
Gorilla Glue (optional, see instructions below)

DIY Mason Jar Herb Planter Instructions

Take your small wooden crate outside and use your spray paint color of choice to paint all over and inside the crate. Let the crate dry, then apply a second coat.
Once the crate is dry, gather the rest of the supplies together. Begin by affixing the small brass labels to your box. Using a ruler, measure the front of your box and determine how far apart you want your labels. (Mine were 1 1/2 inches apart.) Use a pencil to mark where each label will go. The labels did come with small screws, which you can certainly use, but since the screws would have come through the other side of the wood pieces, I opted to use Gorilla Glue to adhere my brass labels.
While the labels are drying (if you use the glue), go ahead and begin preparing your mason jars for planting. Take a handful or river rock and place them in the bottom of each Mason jar. This is to promote drainage for your plants.
Then take your chosen herbs and remove them from the plastic containers they came in. You’ll want to gently break apart excess potting mix that won’t fit into the jar and get down to the root system of the plant. Gently push the plants into the jars and add additional potting soil where needed.
Create labels for your brass label holders by cutting small slips of paper from card stock or index cards. Label them with a Sharpie or other permanent marker and slide them into the holders.
Add your mason jar herbs to the crate and display! Keep your herbs watered (but not drowned), and be sure they have plenty of light.

Notes

For a temporary display, choose herbs that you will then be able to take outside and plant in the garden (weather permitting).
Use this for a fun centerpiece for your spring dining table or any table setting.
Once herbs are used, you can repurpose this Mason Jar Herb Planter into fun storage for pens, pencils, and markers, or any other supplies that may need a home. Simply rewrite the labels for whatever you are storing.

Although I am an avid gardener, I don’t always have the touch for indoor plants. So, I love it when I find an easy way to grow plants indoors, and have a fun way to display them like my DIY Hanging Succulent Planter. I’d love to know if you try this project and what herbs you decided to try! Comment below and let everyone know what tasty and fresh herbs you’ll be using. Have a great week and happy gardening!

by Courtney 6 Comments

How to Root Basil from Cuttings

Free plants!! If you’re a gardener or a plant lover, then the offer of free plants is something you can’t turn down very easily. I’ll be honest. I can’t usually turn down the offer of reduced price plants either. I always think I can make them bloom again or nurse them back to health. This doesn’t always work out (the poor clearance lime tree could attest to this if it was still alive.) However, free plants, as in those from cuttings, are a fantastic way to increase your harvest!

Why Root Basil?

You could simply let your basil plant grow, enjoying the fresh leaves in your summer dishes. But why not share the love with others and create more plants for your own garden space? And if you’re pruning your basil plants, which will give you a more abundant harvest, then you already have the perfect cuttings for rooting. So rooting basil from cuttings gives you a way to use those cuttings if you aren’t planning to use the pruned off pieces in a recipe immediately.

The Process of Rooting

Recently, my master gardener class had an entire lesson on the topic of propagation, which is what rooting is technically called. Propagation means the process of growing new plants and this can be from a variety of sources, including cuttings, seeds, or other plant parts. For propagating basil, all that’s needed is a basil stem with enough length to be able to submerge in water, without the leaves getting wet. And when you use one part of plant to create a new plant, you’re guaranteed that the plant will be exactly like the parent plant.

While that may seem obvious, in some hybrid plants, seeds that are saved from the plant to be used the next year will not necessarily have the same traits as the parent plant. So, if you like the variety of basil you’re growing, snip off a bit and get to rooting!

How to Root Basil

Begin by using a well developed basil plant. If your basil plant is large enough to prune, then it’s large enough to take cuttings for rooting. You’ll want to take a cutting that has a good stem length on it.
Take your cutting and place it in a jar of clean water. I usually only fill the jar up enough so it’s covering the bottom 1/2 inch of stem.
Keep your stem submerged for 5-7 days, replacing water every other day to keep it fresh. You should begin to see small roots forming after just a few days.
Once the roots have reached 2 inches long, you can remove them from the jar of water and plant them in moist potting soil, or take them as they are to a friend!

Rooting basil is a simple garden task that can yield fantastic rewards for both you and your gardening friends and neighbors. It’s also an easy way to get into plant propagation. Even if you’ve had difficulty propagating plants from seed, trying rooting will give you success and perhaps a confidence boost. I think rooting this way is much easier than starting seeds at home!

And rooting basil (or other plants) this way is a fun project to do with kids. It could even lend itself toward a science fair project if you have a child who is at that age. Perhaps consider rooting in water versus moist potting soil (there are some plants that actually do better going straight into soil). Or add a little rooting powder to one and not another. The possibilities are endless!

I’d love to know if you’ve rooted plants in the past, and what has worked well for you! Comment below and let me know if there’s something I should be trying out. Have a great week!

by Courtney 4 Comments

Tips for Growing Mint

If there’s one herb that never seems to die, it’s mint. And this delicious, helpful, and tasty herb is easy to grow at home with a just a few helpful tips. And did I mention that growing mint at home goes beyond just using it in recipes? Yep! Mint has many other uses, including keeping bugs away!

Why grow mint?

Mint is fragrant perennial plant that can be grown indoors as a houseplant or outdoors in the garden. The versatile plant can be used in culinary applications, for medicinal purposes, to freshen the air or breath, keep bugs at bay, or simply to look at. The many varieties of mint, including peppermint: (Mentha x piperita), spearmint (Mentha spicata), pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) and citrus mint (Mentha x piperita var. citrata) all have one thing in common – a square stem.

Use these tips for growing mint so you can start enjoying this fragrant plant right away!

Where to plant mint

Mint will tolerate some shade and prefers a moist, loamy soil when being grown outdoors. And since it’s a great deterrent for insects, it’s perfect for placing around a patio or other outdoor seating area. Your guests will thank you!

The plant releases its fragrance when touched, so using it as a border plant at walkways or by other high foot traffic areas will fill the air with minty fresh aroma. What could be more welcoming than that?

In the garden, mint is an ideal companion plant for cabbage and tomatoes, the scent repels many pests including deer (find my full list of fabulous companion plants) . For smaller gardens, I suggest growing mint in pots. It spreads very quickly, and a container can help to contain its vigorous growth so it doesn’t take over.

How to plant mint

Start with small plants and plant two, two feet apart in the selected outdoor location. Plants will spread via underground rhizomes and horizontal runners and fill in a barren area within a couple of years, much like lemon balm. So, if you’re trying to keep your mint limited to a certain area, consider burying a pot for your mint to grow in, or use metal edging down in the soil to keep a boundary up for the rhizomes.

For growing indoors, containers of mint should be placed in a bright location, but not in direct sunlight. Mint will bring a pop of bright color to the space and a lovely scent as well.

How large does mint grow?

The mature size for a single mint plant will be around two feet tall and four feet wide. The plant can be trained to grow vertically and used as a ground cover if needed. The plant top can be pinched out to keep it at any height desired, or use your mint on a regular basis to keep the plant size under control. Regularly pinching the top out will keep container grown mint bushy and compact. Mint produces tiny flowers if left unpruned.

By letting your mint “go” in the fall, your plant will bloom, and this is a fantastic food source for pollinators, so be sure to allow at least some of your mint to do this. Your bees and butterflies will thank you!

How to care for mint

Growing mint is easy and the plants are almost maintenance free. Apply a two inch layer of organic mulch around plants to help keep soil moist, especially during hot and dry summer months.

Mint plants start out slow the first year of planting, but will soon take over an area if not controlled. The underground runners and rhizomes spread quickly to start new plants, fortunately the roots are very shallow and mint can easily be controlled by pulling up unwanted plants. A physical barrier, like a walkway or landscape timbers, will keep the growing mint within the desired boundary.

Uses for mint

Growing mint puts a versatile, flavorful, fragrant herbal plant right at your fingertips. Pinch a leaf off and chew it to freshen breath. Add a sprig to your favorite beverage for a refreshing flavor and to relieve stress and tension.

Use mint cubes in iced tea or mint juleps (here’s a fantastic recipe). Brooklyn Farm Girl has a great recipe for drying your own mint leaves for tea. Mint is also fantastic herb used to season meat for roasting or grilling, so give it a try and play around with its versatile flavor!

Create a mint simple syrup to add to tea and lemonade for a refreshing drink. See my recipe for lemon balm simple syrup and simply swap out mint for the lemon balm!

How to store mint

Mint can be stored for use later in a variety of ways. Crush leaves and place one in each compartment of an ice cube tray, then fill with water and freeze. Or dry the mint leaves for storing with your other dried herbs.

Overall, mint is useful both indoors and out, so don’t let its habit of wanting to spread keep you from planting it. Since it can be easily controlled, plant some mint in your flower beds or containers and reap the tasty and anxiety relieving benefits all year long!

Herb Growing Helps

Get help in the herb garden will these helpful how-to's and tutorials for growing all kinds of herbs at home.

How to Prune Basil for Larger Yields

How to Root Basil from Cuttings

Companion Planting for Vegetables and Herbs

DIY Herb Container Garden

Inexpensive and fun DIY herb container garden that uses a metal Dollar Store bin that is artificially aged. A fantastic garden project that also makes a wonderful gift.

by Courtney Leave a Comment

Fresh Dill Vegetable Dip

I absolutely love growing herbs in the garden. Fresh dill, basil, and oregano are some of my favorites! The thought of using fresh herbs instead of dried has always appealed to me. My struggle lies in knowing what to do with all of the different herbs. In the past, the fresh dill I’ve grown has usually only been used in pickles. And while there’s nothing wrong with fresh dill pickles, I always had more dill than the pickles needed.

Eating Fresh Vegetables

Several years ago I’d read a snippet from Jessica Seinfeld about how her kids were always “starving” just before dinner. Her solution to the problem included putting out fresh cut veggies and dip or hummus. Even if the kids filled up on this pre-dinner snack, it was all raw veggies! I loved this idea for my own family, but many of the dips at the grocery store are filled with 20+ ingredients and some I couldn’t pronounce. No good.

So how could I solve both my problems of having too much dill and providing my kiddos with a dip that they liked and encouraged them to eat vegetables? Fresh Dill Dip.

Fresh and Lighter Dip

I knew fresh dill dip would have to contain dill, but many creamy dips are filled primarily with mayonnaise and sour cream. While I still used both mayo and sour cream, I wanted to lighten my fresh dill dip, so I incorporated greek yogurt. It has a lot of the the tang of sour cream minus the fat, but the added benefits of probiotics. And one of my favorite homemade ranch recipes calls for fresh, raw garlic, and I love the bite it gives. So I knew I wanted to include fresh garlic in this recipe. Fresh dill and garlic? A match made in heaven.

Here’s what you’ll need for my Fresh Dill Dip:

Dill Vegetable Dip Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use Duke’s, because it’s the best.)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2-2/3 cup Greek yogurt (I used non-fat)

2 cloves garlic (minced or pressed)

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp salt (I used pink Himalayan)

2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Fresh Dill Dip Steps:

Combine mayo, sour cream, and yogurt in a medium sized bowl and stir well. Using a garlic press, add two cloves of garlic to the yogurt mix (or mince the garlic if you don’t have a press). Stir again.
Add in the onion powder, salt, and fresh dill. (Remove the dill from the larger stem; the stem is tough and you don’t want to include it in the dip.) Stir well.
Cover bowl and refrigerate dip for at least one hour before serving. I usually make it a day in advance. Serve with freshly cut vegetables, pita bread, or anything else you can get your hands on!

My kids love this, and they’ll eat raw veggies by the boatload if they can dip them in this fresh dill dip. It’s the perfect addition to any cookout, dinner party, or any occasion where a healthy snack is needed. And you’ll be using up some of those fresh herbs from the garden. I’ll be posting next week on using dill again for quick pickles, so stay tuned.

I’d love to know if you have any suggestions for using up garden fresh dill. Please comment below. Have a great week and happy gardening!

Yield: 4

Fresh Dill Vegetable Dip

This classic vegetable dip is a great use for fresh dill from the garden. It's creamy taste and texture makes it a perfect companion for fresh, crunchy vegetables.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Passive Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2-2/3 cup Plain Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tbsp fresh dill, minced

Instructions

Combine mayo, sour cream, and yogurt in a medium sized bowl and stir well. Using a garlic press, add two cloves of garlic to the yogurt mix (or mince the garlic if you don't have a press). Stir again.
Add in the onion powder, salt, and fresh dill. (Remove the dill from the larger stem; the stem is tough and you don't want to include it in the dip.) Stir well.
Cover bowl and refrigerate dip for at least one hour before serving. I usually make it a day in advance. Serve with freshly cut vegetables, pita bread, or anything else you can get your hands on!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 143Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 177mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g

by Courtney Leave a Comment

Basil and Sage Butter (Compound Butter)

Butta makes everything betta! Those are true words to live by, and between the Girly Gardener and myself, we could buy stock in Kerrygold butter. It’s pretty much perfect for everything… toasted bagels, steamed veggies, freshly grilled steak. Boom! This is also the time of year when I’m trying to use or save as many herbs from the garden as I can. And while drying or freezing herbs is an option, I love to use them in compound butters or homemade herb butter.

What is Compound Butter?

What is compound butter? These are essentially butters with added ingredients, such as herbs, seasonings, fruits, etc. There are any number of flavor combinations that you could create with whatever herbs you have on hand (basil and sage, rosemary and garlic, oregano and thyme). Obviously, you want to make sure the flavors will blend well together. (No spearmint and dill, ok?) Many times simply using the power of smell can help you determine what combines well. Hold your herb combo up to your nose, and if the smell doesn’t suit your fancy, then you may want to rethink it.

Another great bonus of creating these specialty butters is that they make wonderful gifts for friends or hosts. Simply take a roll of your freshly seasoned butter, wrap it in kraft paper, tie the ends in string, and top it with a gift tag. Thoughtful gift…check! You can also include some suggestions for how to use the butter on the back of the tag. Here are some ideas:

Spread on fresh bread, toast, etc.
Place generous pat on a steak fresh off the grill.
Use in place of butter on a grilled cheese.
Melt a pat on warm, steamed veggies.
Spread on hamburger bun, toast on grill, enjoy.

Homemade Herb Compound Butter

Grab 1 cup (2 sticks) of your favorite unsalted butter and let it come to room temperature. This makes it easier to blend in your herbs.
Decide which herb/seasoning combination you’re going to use and chop them finely. 1-2 tablespoons of each herb works nicely.
Cream two sticks of room temperature butter in a large bowl. Add in herbs and other seasonings if using, and mix well.
Lay out a piece of plastic wrap and spoon butter mixture on top.
Wrap butter in plastic wrap, creating a cylinder shape. Fold over excess plastic wrap on ends and place butter in fridge to firm up.
To use, simply unwrap butter and spread generously!

Basil and Sage Herb Butter:

2 sticks unsalted butter

2 Tbsp finely chopped basil

2 Tbsp finely chopped sage

2 cloves garlic minced

Cream room temperature butter. Add in chopped herbs and garlic. Mix well. Place on plastic wrap. Roll tightly, sealing ends. Place in fridge until ready to use.

This butter is perfect on toast or as the outside butter on a grilled cheese. Amazing!!

Compound or Herb Butter FAQ’s

Can garlic be used in compound butter?

Absolutely! Simply mince or press the garlic and add it in just like you would the herbs. I actually prefer a nice garlic butter… so delicious! (And even better if you’ve grown your garlic at home!)

Can herb butter be frozen?

Yes, it can. Take your wrapped log of butter and put it in an airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag. Pull out butter as needed and let soften at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

What are some good herbs for compound butter?

I personally love basil, rosemary, parsley, sage, and dill. But it’s really whatever your preferences lean toward. I haven’t tried the less savory herbs, such as lavender, mint, and lemon balm, but maybe someone else has? I consider what I’d like on a grilled cheese or steak and make my choices from there.

Yield: 1 roll

Basil and Sage Butter (Compound Butter)

Basil and Sage compound butter is a great way to use extra herbs from the garden!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 sticks butter
2 Tbsp finely chopped basil
2 Tbsp chopped sage
2 cloves garlic