KCCG Herb Plants
Herb plants are sold individually.
Basil
Warm Season
Planting Dates: May 1- May 31
This is a classic Genovese (Italian) basil variety with impressive resistance to downy mildew. Fast growing, dark green glossy leaves and traditional aroma. Basil is an extremely important culinary herb and fresh basil is an essential ingredient for pesto. If you let it flower, it slows the leaf growth but provides forage for bees. 24 -28” tall (hybrid) (annual)
Cardinal Basil
Warm Season
Planting Dates: May 1- May 31
Ornamental and edible “Thai type” basil with larger leaves and showy purple stems and attractive purple-red flowers.
Onion Chives
Spring Planting Dates:
March 15- April 15
Fall Planting Dates:
July 20- August 10
This is the standard garden chives. Long green stems with onion flavor. Purple blossoms in spring. Chives are a member of the onion family. It grows in clumps that get thicker but can be cut repeatedly and will regrow. Very tolerant of cold weather. Use fresh or sauteed to add “green onion” flavoring. High in vitamins C and K. (perennial
Flat Leaf Parsley
Warm Season
Planting Dates: May 1- May 31
This preferred culinary variety has huge dark green flat leaves with great flavor. Strong upright stems. Parsley is an important culinary herb that is very nutritious – high in vitamins K, A and C. Parsley plants are very cold tolerant and will live over the winter and flower in the second year and then die. Parsley is a host for black swallowtail butterfly caterpillars. (biennial)
Oregano
Warm Season
Planting Dates: May 1- May 31
This popular herb is considered essential for Italian and Greek cooking. The low growing stems have small rounded leaves. If you let it flower, it will produce taller flower stalks with attractive clusters of small light purple flowers that attract many beneficial pollinators. Can be used fresh or dried. (perennial)
Rosemary
Warm Season
Planting Dates: May 1- May 31
This popular herb is actually a woody shrub from the Mediterranean region. It is very cold weather tolerant but usually does not survive our winters here. The leaves are silvery green and needle-like with distinctive fragrance. Used fresh or dry in many savory dishes and occasionally in desserts.
(tender perennial)
Sage
Cool Season
Spring Planting Dates:
March 15- April 15
Fall Planting Dates:
July 20- August 10
Beautiful gray green leaves with distinctive scent accompanied by gorgeous spikes of small blue lavender flowers in early summer. The leaves are usually dried for use in savory dishes. Dried sage is the herb used to give breakfast sausage its distinctive flavor. Does best in well drained soil. (perennial)
Summer Savory
Cool Season
Spring Planting Dates:
March 15- April 15
Fall Planting Dates:
July 20- August 10
This little known herb is used fresh and dried to flavor savory dishes with beans, sausage, cabbage and many other ingredients. Will sometimes reseed. (annual)
Thyme
Warm Season
Planting Dates: May 1- May 31
This is the standard culinary thyme which is very versatile for use in many dishes. Thyme has complex fragrance and flavor and it goes well with other spices. Tiny leaves on wiry stems. Low growing and very winter hardy. (perennial)