Add delicious herbs to your El Dorado salad... -ahem, garden
“Nothing at the table is quite as evocative of summer as fresh Basil – its pungent leaves wafting up off vine-ripe tomatoes layered with mozzarella, the pungent anise-garlic scent of pesto on fresh pasta, its licorice-like flavor punching up an herb salad dressed with local olive oil and wine vinegar, or in a marriage of strong smells along with Chives, Coriander, Parsley, and Mint, in a fresh Salsa Verde on a thick steak grilled over vine cuttings.”
If you are a foodie, the previous quote by Sonoma County Master Gardener Steven Hightower has you heading to the nursery to buy some Basil, Ocimum basilicum, plants or seeds.
There are many other delicious and nutritious herbs that grow well and easily in El Dorado County. Herbs are a healthy way to add nutritious flavoring to your cooking. And like the flexibility of Basil, herbs are very flexible about where they are grown. Yes, you can have a beautiful in-ground herb garden, but herbs are also happy in raised beds and in a variety of containers. Herbs are beautiful plants that can be interplanted with ornamentals. Plus, growing your own herbs gives you many more varieties to choose from. Try using Lemon Basil, Ocimum x Citriodorum, for pesto!
Herbs fall into the easy-to-grow category.
Most need four to six hours sun. If you have morning sun and afternoon shade, that’s perfect, but they’ll also take more sun. You will want well drained soil with some organic matter added and topped with mulch. They prefer deep, infrequent watering and light fertilization – think half-strength. A balanced fertilizer in the spring is usually sufficient except for annual herbs which may require more frequent fertilization.
Once you start growing your own herbs, you’ll be impressed by the quality of fresh herbs compared to herbs purchased at the grocery store. You will also be impressed with how much less you spend on store bought herbs. You will also have herbs available to dry for later use. You might develop your own herb blend such as Italian seasoning. Or maybe a Tuscan herb salt or homemade Herbes de Provence. There are many possibilities. And most herb flowers are edible. Try sprinkling some orange calendula petals and blue borage flowers on top of a salad. You just went from garden to gourmet!
This article by UC Master Gardener of El Dorado County Jan Keahey originally appeared in the Mountain Democrat in May 2026.
Have a question about growing herbs in your garden, or any other gardening question?