All herbaceous plants can typically be referred to as herbs.
But in common parlance, the word herbs is used to refer to plants that are of use to us in some way, such as being used in the kitchen.
The most common herbs are those which are used as pot herbs and for seasoning in a range of recipes, though herbs are also useful to us in a huge range of other ways, both in the garden, and when harvested for use.
Confusion arises because some of the common plants considered culinary herbs have woody stems and are therefore not herbs in a botanical sense. Sage, lavender and rosemary are three examples.
Remember, herbs can be annual, biennial or perennial – and understanding the lifecycle of the herbs you are growing will be important in order to be able to grow them effectively.
Seeds of annual herbs are commonly sown in spring. They can be direct sown after the last frost date in your area, once the soil has warmed, or they can be sown earlier indoors or under cover.
Some annual herbs (such as coriander and dill, for example) run rapidly to seed, so to ensure a continued supply, it is best to sow successionally every couple of weeks through spring and summer.
Perennial herbs, and sometimes annuals too, are often purchased as pot-grown herbs. These can be kept indoors, or planted out in the garden as soon as the weather has warmed sufficiently in spring (and also sometimes throughout the summer or early autumn months) though those planted in spring will usually be easiest to establish.
Some perennial herbs are also propagated from cuttings, which are taken from late summer to early autumn. These cuttings are usually overwintered indoors or under cover before, perhaps, being planted out in spring.
Hardy herbs can also be divided in spring or after flowering in late summer to make new plants, which can be transplanted right away to new growing positions.
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