Herb Garden

Herb gardens present a unique fertilization paradox: unlike most edible crops where maximum growth equals maximum harvest, herbs produce their most concentrated essential oils and best flavor when grown in moderately lean conditions with restrained fertilization. Over-fertilizing herbs — particularly with nitrogen — produces lush, rapid growth with large leaves that look impressive but taste bland because the aromatic oils are diluted across more plant tissue. This is especially true for Mediterranean-origin herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, and lavender, which evolved in nutrient-poor rocky soils and actually produce their most pungent flavors under mild nutrient stress. Leafy annual herbs like basil, cilantro, parsley, and dill are somewhat more forgiving and respond well to moderate nitrogen for the continuous leaf production that home cooks desire. The key distinction is between woody perennial herbs (lighter feeding) and tender annual herbs (moderate feeding). A well-prepared bed with quality compost worked in before planting often provides all the nutrition most herbs need for the entire season. Container-grown herbs are the exception — frequent watering leaches nutrients from the small soil volume, requiring regular light supplementation. When fertilizer is needed, a balanced formula at half the rate recommended for vegetables strikes the right balance between adequate growth and concentrated flavor. The goal with herb fertilization is sufficiency, not abundance.