Just add herbs

Edible gardening expert Simon Holloway reveals his top tips for fresh herbs that will flourish all year around …

1

It sounds glib, but the best herbs to grow are the ones you actually like to eat! They’re quite hardy and will grow year-round. There’s no point growing all these weird and wonderful things if you don’t do much with them.

2

You need a minimum of four to six hours of sun for your herbs and leafy greens. My top tip is that getting a fully self-contained raised bed means you can put them anywhere in the garden, even if it’s concreted.

3

All soils aren’t soil – you need premium potting mix. I always tell people not to look at the brands, just focus on if the “certified premium” logo or ticks are on the bag.

4

Humans aren’t the only ones who like eating herbs. By putting a tighter mesh net over your herbs and leafy greens, you’re not only stopping the big things like possums, but also pests like slugs and white butterflies. And unlike with bigger, loose nets, you’ll deter them without harming or killing them.

5

A self-watering wicking bed takes the guesswork out of watering. Some plants are really thirsty so they’ll send their roots down, whereas others – like rosemary – naturally don’t need as much, so they’ll be smart and only take what they have to.