Every spring, I wait for the day I call the “greening”. It seems to happen overnight–the trees go from gray and barely budding to an explosion of chartreuse, with pollen tendrils hanging from the oaks that dust you as you walk by. Then the spring rains come, followed by an even bigger explosion of greenery in the tree canopy when the leaves unfurl.
This year the “greening” happened with the Spring Equinox, which was on Tuesday night at around 11pm EST. Tuesday morning we were all on freeze watch, ready to douse the blooming blueberries with water for frost protection should the temp dip below 31°. Then on Wednesday we awoke to an explosion of green! Today begins the spring rains.
Early spring ephemerals like bloodroot are fading, now being replaced by carpets of native purple and white violets. The hawthorns are starting to leaf out and yesterday I saw that my neighbor’s white lilacs are blooming. Hops shoots are emerging and tangling with the cleavers…and of course there are the nettles.
The nettle patch is one of my favorite places in spring. When we first moved here nearly five years ago, I planted two small nettle plants in the area that’s now tucked behind my greenhouse. It has since exploded into a full patch of stinging leaves that gives us baskets upon baskets of nourishment every year. We love to blend them in soups or wild pestos (scroll down for a recipe!) but I also like to just sit with them.
The scent of fresh nettles is so specific. To me they smell like fresh compost, the tang of our iron-rich red clay, and green sweetness. That doesn’t sound too delightful when I read it but trust me it’s incredible!
I always thought autumn was my favorite season, but these last few years have changed my mind. There is nothing like spring in the south.
In many of the traditional medicine systems of West Asia & Mediterranean basin, Spring is associated with the Air element, which is hot and moist, the sanguine temperament, and blood. Ancient physicians saw that the humours of the body were continually affected as the seasons changed, and made recommendations for dietary, lifestyle, and herbal body care strategies based on the energetics of the time.
This is why physicians like Hippocrates and Galen routinely recommended tonic herbs with alterative qualities in the springtime – they cool the rising heat, balance our lymphatic waterways, and purify the blood after a long, stagnant winter. These recommendations have persisted cross-culturally for centuries.
Spring is the perfect time to start growing herbs in your garden. With the warmer weather, herbs will thrive and give you a bountiful harvest. Choosing the right herbs to plant in spring will ensure you have flavorful and aromatic herbs all season long. Here are the 21 best herbs to grow in your garden this spring:
1. Basil
One of the most popular herbs to grow, basil comes in many varieties like sweet basil, Thai basil, lemon basil, and holy basil. Sow basil seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost. Once the danger of frost has passed, transplant seedlings to the garden in a sunny location. Pinch off flowers to keep the leaves tasting fresh. Harvest leaves as needed.
2. Chives
A perennial herb that grows in clumps, chives have a mild onion flavor. The pinkish-purple flowers are also edible. Plant chive seeds 1⁄4 inch deep in the garden 2-3 weeks before the last frost. Chives grow well in containers too. Cut leaves as needed, being careful not to damage the plant.
3. Cilantro
Cilantro adds a fresh, citrusy flavor to dishes. Sow seeds directly in the garden 2 weeks before the last frost since it does not transplant well. Cilantro bolts quickly in heat, so plant it in the shade during summer. Harvest leaves anytime after the plant is 6 inches tall.
4. Dill
Dill has delicate, fern-like leaves with a soft anise flavor. It grows over 3 feet tall and attracts beneficial insects. Direct sow dill seeds in the garden once the soil reaches 50°F. Dill can be harvested anytime, but for the best flavor cut leaves before the plant flowers.
5. Oregano
A perfect match for tomatoes oregano is a must for any herb garden. Sow seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost date. Oregano can also be propagated from cuttings. It grows over 2 feet wide and tall. Harvest leaves anytime to use fresh or dry.
6. Rosemary
Rosemary is a woody perennial with needle-like leaves and a piney aroma. It grows over 3 feet tall and can be shaped into a low hedge. Plant rosemary in containers that can be moved indoors for winter. Clip sprigs anytime to use fresh or dried.
7. Sage
Used fresh or dried, sage adds robust flavor to meat, bean dishes, and more. Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost Transplant into the garden 18-24 inches apart For the best flavor, harvest sage leaves before the plant flowers.
8. Thyme
Lemon thyme, creeping thyme, and garden thyme are all great culinary herbs. Thyme seeds can take a while to germinate, so start them indoors 10-12 weeks before the last spring frost. Space plants 12 inches apart in full sun and sandy soil. Harvest leaves and stems as needed.
9. Parsley
A biennial herb grown as an annual, parsley is popular for its bright green leaves and mild flavor. Soak seeds overnight before planting directly in the garden 3-4 weeks before the last frost. Curly and flat leaf varieties can both be planted in spring.
10. Mint
Spearmint, peppermint, and other mints grow aggressively and do best in containers. Start mint from nursery transplants, cuttings, or plant divisions instead of seeds. Plant in partial shade and harvest mint leaves to use fresh or dried.
11. French Tarragon
Tarragon is valued for its distinct licorice-anise flavor. Plant tarragon transplants in the spring once the danger of frost has passed. It grows 2-3 feet tall. French tarragon will not flower or produce seeds, so propagate from cuttings or root division.
12. Chervil
A delicate annual herb, chervil has lacy leaves and a faint licorice flavor. Direct sow seeds in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Chervil grows about 1 foot tall. It bolts quickly in summer heat, so plant it in partial shade or containers.
13. Summer Savory
Summer savory is a tender perennial grown as an annual. It has a peppery flavor and grows 12-18 inches tall. Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost date. Transplant into the garden in full sun after danger of frost. Pinch flowers to prolong harvest.
14. Garlic Chives
Also called Chinese chives, garlic chives have flat leaves and white flowers with a mild garlic taste. Plant them from nursery starts in the spring 4-6 inches apart. Garlic chives are drought tolerant and deer resistant once established.
15. Lemon Balm
A hardy perennial, lemon balm has a light citrus flavor and aroma. Sow seeds indoors or direct sow into the garden after your last frost date. Lemon balm spreads vigorously, so plant it in a pot with other herbs or prune it often.
16. Borage
An annual herb, borage has fuzzy leaves and flowers that taste like cucumbers. Direct sow seeds into the garden 2-3 weeks before your last spring frost. Borage grows over 2 feet tall and reseeds itself readily. The flowers are edible too.
17. Fennel
All parts of fennel have a light anise flavor. Bulbing fennel varieties grow 4 feet tall with edible swollen bulb stems. Fronding fennel is smaller with lacy foliage. Direct sow seeds in early spring once the soil reaches 50°F. Thin seedlings 10-12 inches apart.
18. Lavender
English lavender varieties are hardy perennial herbs with floral flavor and aroma. Start lavender from nursery plants and transplant into the garden 18-24 inches apart after the danger of frost has passed. Lavender flowers are edible and dried for sachets.
19. Calendula
Also called pot marigold, calendula is an annual edible flower. Sow seeds directly in the garden after the last spring frost. The orange and yellow flowers taste peppery and can be added to salads. Calendula also has medicinal uses.
20. Chamomile
German chamomile is a perennial herb often grown as an annual. Its flowers are dried for tea. Direct sow chamomile seeds outdoors 2-3 weeks before your last frost date. Chamomile grows 6-18 inches tall and likes partial shade. The flowers bloom all summer long.
21. Stevia
A tender perennial, stevia is grown as an annual for its natural sweet leaves. Start stevia seeds indoors in late winter and transplant after the danger of frost has passed. Stevia grows 2-4 feet tall. Pinch off leaf tips and dry them to use as a calorie-free sugar substitute.
Violet • Viola spp.
Violets are perhaps the most ubiquitous signs that spring is in full bloom! These sweet flowers pop up around March or April (depending on where you are in the world) and continue blooming until the heat of summer sets in. There are over 600 species of violets found worldwide and their medicinal uses are extensive, as is their mythology and lore.
Parts Used Flowers and leaves are primarily used; the roots and seeds can be used but are considered purgative and emetic. Some people consider the roots to be poisonous to humans – this may be species-dependent.
Native Region Europe, North & South America, Asia, North Africa, Southwest Asia
Key Actions Alterative, Demulcent, Expectorant, Lymphatic
Taste The flowers are sweet, leaves slightly-salty, and the roots are bitter.
Energetics Moistening, Cooling
Violet has been used worldwide, primarily for its cooling and moistening properties. It is a primary remedy whenever there is dryness in the mucous membranes or stagnation, especially in the lymphatic system, which is why it was often regarded as a tonic plant for the spring season.
It lends well to preparations like herbal infused oils for topical lymphatic massage but is also wonderful in glycerites, tinctures, or infusions. I like to add violet leaf and flowers to teas for coughs and digestive complaints. Making them into a syrup is a wonderful way to preserve their beautiful purple color!
Stinging Nettle • Urtica dioica
Aries season is the first spark of spring, igniting the flame of growth in the natural world. Beginning at the Spring Equinox, the Sun’s shift into Aries initiates the emergence of life in nature – and with this shift comes the growth of stinging nettles in forests & forgotten places.
Parts Used Stalks, leaves, rhizomes, seeds. The stalks and leaves should be harvested prior to flowering.
Native Region West/Central Asia, North Africa, Europe, North America (specifically the subspecies American Stinging Nettle and Hoary Nettle – Urtica dioica was introduced to North America in the mid-1800s)
Key Actions Alterative, Diuretic, Antihistamine, Inflammation-Modulating, Nutritive Tonic, Rubefacient
Taste Salty/Mineral, Sweet (subtle)
Energetics Cooling, Drying, Tonic, Stimulant
Nettle is prized as an early spring tonic that helps to open up the channels of elimination and facilitate detoxification through its affinity for the kidneys & urinary tract, blood & circulation, and the liver. In The Natural History of Pliny, Pliny recounts Hippocrates recommendations to eat nettle in the spring, saying that it helped to prevent disease throughout the year.
Nettle is one of the few herbs that can generally be used by everyone because of its rich nutritive qualities but it is really well indicated for the kind of physical depletion, mental fatigue, and emotional dullness many of us experience as the seasons change from winter to spring. It is great in a long-steeped infusion, added to soups, blended into pestos, and cooked in basically any recipe you’d add spinach to.
Top 8 Herbs to Grow in Spring – The Best Herbs to Plant in Your Spring Garden
FAQ
What herbs are in season in spring?
Some herbs may be transplanted outdoors (or directly sown) in early-late spring: bee balm, catnip, chamomile, chervil, chives, fennel, lemon balm, lovage, marjoram, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme (check growing schedules).
What herbs grow best in spring?
HERBS – sow basil, chives, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, sage and thyme. FRUIT & VEGETABLES – Sow broccoli, carrot, celery, cucumber, lettuce, silver beet, snow pea, spinach, strawberry, sweet corn, zucchini and tomato.
What herb comes back every year?
Perennial herbs are those that come back year after year without needing to be replanted.
What are the best herbs to grow for beginners?
The easiest herbs to start with are basil, thyme, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, sage, lemon balm, peppermint, and spearmint.