You shouldn’t have to plan a trip to the supermarket every time to want a few sprigs of rosemary to top your dishes when you can have a garden of fresh herbs growing right at your windowsill! Yes! There are plenty of herbs that are exceptionally easy to propagate at home. For many of them, you wouldn’t even need to buy seeds. Just use cuttings from the herbs you picked up at grocery shopping and start an endless supply of fresh greens in your garden, balcony, porch, kitchen window, or even the tiniest space where there’s enough sunlight!
List Of 10 Easiest Herbs To Propagate
So what do you want to grow? Are you looking for an European delicate touch to the dishes with Italian herbs or a depth of cultural flavors with Indian herbs? There are tons of options to get started with.
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Let’s explore the 10 easiest herbs to propagate at home and add new flavors and aromas to the dinner table.
1. Sage
Sage is an annual herb, great for cooking and very easy to grow. With a refreshing fragrance, it brightens up your mood and adds new dimensions to your dish. There are plenty of varieties to choose from, some with colourful leaves. Take a healthy cutting from an existing plant and plant it in moistened soil, rich in organic matter. Place it somewhere the plant receives ample morning sunlight to thrive. Sage is an easy herb to propagate. To grow sage in a glass of water, be sure to use cuttings from new green growth with soft stems instead of hard. Woody stems don’t grow roots easily.
2. Lavender
Lavender is a beautiful culinary and medicinal herb that brings bright colours to your garden. Flowers of the lavender plant make a lovely garnish to salads and desserts. Propagate lavender in the summers because that’s when they’ll grow the fastest. Just take fresh cuttings and pot them in compost-rich soil to start a thriving lavender garden.
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3. Basil
Basil is one of the most popular choices for herb gardens since it’s easy to propagate and works perfectly in so many dishes! You just need a 4 to 5-inch long basil stem to start a fresh plant. You can pot it up in the soil or propagate it in water; the results will be equally great as long as it gets enough sunlight.
4. Mint
With a strong flavor, mint is another popular herb that works well in savory dishes, desserts, and drinks. Stem cuttings from a mint plant will easily root in water or soil and the best time to propagate them is between late spring and early summers. Roots start appearing in less than a week, and the plant spreads quickly. In fact, most gardeners grow it in pots to keep the plant contained and prevent it from taking over the surrounding space.
5. Rosemary
Rosemary is an evergreen perennial that you can pick from all year once the plant is in full swing. You can add it to soups, meat dishes, or pasta or prepare a refreshing herbal tea from a few fresh sprigs. Trimming the plant regularly keeps it growing fuller and healthy, so maintain a timely harvest for best results.
6. Oregano
Oregano is a hardy perennial that will thrive in warm, sunny spots. Take long, healthy cuttings from an oregano plant and remove leaves from the lower part of the stem before potting it. Oregano prefers light, well-drained soil and doesn’t like being overwatered. They give beautiful pink flowers to adorn your garden and fresh foliage that makes a lovely garnish to your meals. You can also dry it to use as a flavorful spice.
7. Parsley
Parsley is a biennial herb and is a much-wanted ingredient in most kitchens! You can propagate it from stem cuttings, but most gardeners choose to grow it from seeds since the success rate is higher. Grow parsley in rich, moist soil at a location with full sun or partial shade.
8. Fennel
With a sweet, anise-like flavor, fennel is another one of the favorite herbs in the kitchen. You can regrow fennel from the base of the bulb by suspending it in water. Alternatively, you can also propagate it from seeds. Though they’re annuals, fennel plants drop seeds to grow new plants year after year. Harvest the feathery foliage all through the spring and autumn to garnish fish, meat, soups, and salads.
9. Thyme
Thyme works ideally with poultry, vegetables, and seafood and is also easy to grow. You can propagate it from cuttings, and it will require little maintenance. Thyme varieties are well adapted to warm, dry climates.
10. Chives
Chives are members of the onion family that give long, slender leaves you can chop and add to soups, omelets, pasta, and salads. They aren’t easy to propagate from cuttings, but you can regrow them from the bulb’s root end. Store-bought chives often come with the bulb attached. Just cut off the root end with the bulb and 2 to 3 inches of greens attached and pot it in soil.
Where To Get Herb Cuttings From?
Since most of these herbs will easily propagate through cuttings, you’ll probably be wondering where to get the cuttings from.
If you have already have a herb garden and want to propagate more in a pot or at another spot in your garden, you can take cuttings from your existing garden. Use a sharp tool to cut out a 4 to 6-inch piece of disease-free, fresh stem, cutting carefully at an angle just below a node.
Alternatively, you can also request herb cuttings from a friend or a neighbour who already has the particular variety growing in their garden. Herbs you get from the supermarket or at the farmer’s market also work perfectly fine at propagating a new herb garden. Do make sure that you choose the healthiest sprigs for potting in soil or propagating in water.
Conclusion
These were the easiest herbs to propagate in your home garden, both indoors and outdoors. They take barely any effort or time and supply endless garnishes to bring subtle fragrance, colour, flavour, and texture to your recipes. Start a herb garden right away and enjoy gourmet dishes every day!
