Herb Gardening

July 2006

By Gene Joyner, Extension Agent
Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service

The summer season is always rough on herb gardens because of the sometimes frequent heavy rains that can actually damage small tender plants and with the extra rainfall we also get a lot of weed competition.

Make sure you’re checking your garden faithfully and removing weeds as they develop. The use of heavy mulches wherever practical will also help to discourage weed competition.

If you’re wanting to renovate or redo existing herb gardens, now is a good time to do that and remember that not all herbs do well in the heat of the summer. Some varieties are best put in in the late fall and early winter months when conditions are more favorable.

If you garden in containers, make sure that the containers are irrigated regularly if they are under a covered roof and fertilized at least once a month.

If you have questions about winter maintenance in your herb garden, check with fellow members at monthly meetings or your local county Extension office.