Fresh herbs liven up all foods. Grow your own herbs on your deck, in your backyard – even a window flower box can be a home for a few tasty herbs. We have an herb pot that sits on our deck. During the summer we love to go out and snip some fresh herbs for salads, cooking, or grilling.

Here is how you do it...

Planting herbs in a pot:

• Place some broken crock pieces in the bottom of the a strawberry pot (a pot with open holes on the sides for plants to grow thru). The crock will aid in drainage and keep the herbs from getting "wet feet".

• Fill the pot with potting soil up to the level of the first planting holes. Mix a couple tablespoons of slow release fertilizer into the soil.

• Now you're ready to start planting the herbs. The best way to plant a strawberry pot is to lower each plant into the pot and then carefully guide the foliage through the planting holes. Press the plants in, adding more soil as necessary. If you are using a pot with multiple levels of planting holes, add more soil up to the next pockets and repeat this step until they are all filled.

• After all the herbs have been planted in their respective pockets, fill the container the rest of the way up with soil.

• Now plant some herbs in the top of the pot. For a small container, one plant is all you have room for. Larger pots can accommodate more plants. Press in the last plant and water the container thoroughly.

If you have a small sunny area in your yard you can become decorative with your herb garden. Plant several varieties of lettuces, herbs and edible flowers in a small tub to create your own mini garden.

If not grown for use in cooking, herbs are worth growing for pleasant aromatic foliage and some of them for the beauty of the flowers as well. Herbs can be used fresh for garnish in salads and to perk up the flavors of bland vegetables or to add flavor to meats and stews in which case one needs only to nip off a few leaves when wanted.

For those of you who have a small plot for an herb garden - you might want to try some of these herbs.

Sweet Basil - Germination usually occurs in 7 to 10 days. Basil is not difficult to transplant. Grows to 18 inches; space 12 inches between plants. Basil is very good to use to flavor tomato juice and tomato pastes.
Borage - Germinates in 7 -to 10 days and grows to 2 feet tall. It is an annual and shouldn't be transplanted except when small. It is excellent used in tossed salad to add a most elusive flavor.
Chives- They are really very easy to grow from seed. The tiny little plants look like fragile spears of grass. When transplanted they wilt slightly. Even during a continued drought they grow very well. Mature plants grow to 12, inches; space 6 inches apart. They are very hardy even in cold locations.  Fine in salads, egg dishes and sauces of all kinds. Potted up, chives will grow on a sunny windowsill in winter.
Dill - An easily grown annual with feathery foliage. Grows to 21/2 feet in my garden and germinates in 7 to 10 days planted at the same time as tender vegetables. Resents transplanting. May be spaced as close as 4 inches apart. Self-sows readily. Great to have on hand when pickling.
Sweet Marjoram - Sow seed indoors with germination in 7 to 10 days.  Plants may be potted up and grown in the greenhouse or sunny window over the winter. Adds a delicate flavor to lamb, fish, salads and soups.
Sage - This hardy perennial  is often grown in gardens for its pretty foliage and spikes of bluish flowers. Can be sown outdoors in May with germination in 21 to 30 days. Fine herb for dressings for chicken, turkey, pork and for flavoring sausages.
Summer Savory - This is an easily grown annual being best planted directly to the garden where it is to grow with germination in 7 to 10 days. Grows to 12 inches tall; space 5 or 6 inches apart. Good to flavor fish dishes, beans and soups.
Sesame - This herb has whitish colored leaves and pretty pink flowers. Needs warmth for germination and should not be planted into the garden until -the soil and air are very warm; about 70 degrees. Germination will take place in 3 to 7 days. Seeds are used to flavor breads, crackers and cookies.
Thyme - This is a hardy perennial being of somewhat shrubby growth. Leaves are cut for drying before the blossoms are open. It is easily grown from seed sown indoors with germination in 21 to 30 days. It needs rich soil. Thyme is used for flavoring soups and poultry dressing.