In order to use the herbs you will need to harvest them first.  Timing is a huge factor.  The wind and the heat can disperse the essential oils of the herbs.  You should choose a calm and dry morning during midsummer to harvest your herbs.  Fewer oils are produced by the herb on extremely wet days.  Harvest the herbs just after the dew has dried form the leaves right before the flowers open.  Harvesting the herb does not mean removing the entire plant.  At this point, you are just taking a certain amount of growth for use.  You do not need to use the herbs that you are harvesting at the time that you pick them.  You can preserve them to use later.  Be careful not to take more then one third of the plant’s foliage at one time.  The plant will need a good amount of foliage to re-grow well.  You should also inspect the plant for insects and damaged leaves before you harvest it.

Typically there are three ways that people preserve their herbs for later use; drying, freezing, or preserving them in a medium like salt or vinegar. In order to dry herbs you need to bundle six to twelve stems together and remove any foliage near the base of the stems.  You can secure the bundle with string.  Hang the bundle in a cool location away from sunlight.  If you are looking to dry individual leaves you can place them on a screen or a rack.  Remember to turn them often in order for them to dry properly.  Some people have turned to using appliances like dehydrators, ovens or microwaves to dry herbs as well although these are less satisfactory ways.  Freezing herbs is a fairy simple way to preserve herbs.  Cut the herbs into ¼ inch pieces and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Once the herbs are frozen, you can place them together in a bag and store them in the freezer until use.  The third way to preserve herbs is through a medium.  For instance, you can cover herbs like chopped mint, basil or tarragon with vinegar and it will be preserved for several months.  Or you can make a flavored salt to preserve herbs by alternating layers of fresh herbs between salt.  When completely dry separate the brown herb from the flavored salt and store it in an airtight container.

Of course, people often use herbs fresh right out of the garden.  Take care cleaning the herbs before they are placed fresh in recipes.  In order to clean fresh herbs place them in a bowl filled with cool water.  If there is a large quantity of herbs you can use the sink.  Place about two tablespoons of salt in the water.  The salt in the water will drive away insects without damaging the plant.  Remove the herbs from the water and dry them in a salad spinner.

Different types of herbs are used for many different uses.  Each different type of herb has their own list of instructions on how to use, harvest, and chop them.  Make sure into research the specific type of herb you are using to use it correctly.

Basil is a well know Italian herb and useful in many Italian recipes.  Basil will not only add flavor to many Italian cuisines, it is useful in the garden to other plants.  Planting basil next to your peppers and tomatoes will actually improve their flavor.  Plus, basil will also repel flies and mosquitoes.

Parsley is a relatively hard herb plant to grow but it is useful in not only Italian dishes but many other types of cuisines.  Many generations ago before their were breath mints it was found that eating fresh, raw parsley after a meal eradicated the bad breath left over from enjoying a flavorful cuisine.  The tradition arose to serve parsley on a small dish after the meal.  The tradition lives today by using parsley as a garnish on a variety of meals.

Oregano is as decorative as it is flavorful.  When it is fully mature it will sprout pretty little purple flowers.  Oregano should not be harvested until it has flowered because this is when the plant is most flavorful.

Fennel is famous for its seeds that grace and enhance the flavors of Italian sausage.  The interesting thing about fennel is that the plant looses its flavor as it matures.  It is a perennial plant that should be divided and replanted every few years to savor its flavor.

Like basil, rosemary is an Italian herb that is beneficial to the garden.  It grows into a large shrub that spouts pretty little blue flowers.  It helps the garden by attracting bees.  Although it is a tough evergreen perennial, it is sensitive to frost.

Probably the most used herb in Italian cuisines is garlic.  No Italian herb garden would be complete without this useful herb.  Garlic gloves can be planted and will thrive in just about any garden with very little attention.  They can be stored to be used at a later time after they are harvested by freezing them or pickling them to store in the refrigerator.

Sage is used in a variety of Italian dishes from meats to salads.  New shoots of the plant contain the most flavor so it is recommended not to let sage plants to get to woody by keeping them trim.  New shoots will be encouraged to grow.  Sage can be harvested after it blooms.

Although there are so many more herbs that can be included in an Italian herb garden, you really should consider which herbs you will use.  Think about the growing conditions each plant needs and consider whether or not you can provide them.  Yes, Italian herbs add flavor to food but they should also be looked at as more then that.  They also make amazing additions to landscape designs.  They can be displayed for color and their aroma.  By planting Italian herbs amongst other plants, you will be graced with the sweet aromas straight from Italy.  It will be like taking a stroll on a Italian hill side.

Annuals like basil, cilantro, and summer savory will not survive a frost.  They need to be planted from a seed or a small plant every year.  Perennials like sage and winter savory can survive colder temperatures and will return year after year.  Biennial herbs are plants that form leaves in their first growing season and flowers and seed in the second season, then die.  Biennial herbs like parsley, angelica, or caraway should be sown in late spring directly into the garden.  Prepare the soil first by working it to a fine texture and wet it slightly.  Plant the seeds in shallow rows then firm the soil on top of them.  Fine seeds can be planted in a mixture of sand which will allow them to spread more evenly.  You can also cover the bed with wet burlap or paper in order to keep the soil moist during germination.

Herbs are also grouped into the categories for which they are used.  Culinary herbs are probably the most useful to herb gardeners.  They have a huge range of different uses in cooking.  Because of their strong flavors, herbs like chives, thyme, basil, sage, savory, and marjoram are generally used in small quantities to add flavor to different types of food.  Parsley is an extremely popular herb that is used mostly as a garnish.  Aromatic herbs have pleasant smelling flowers or foliage.  Oils from aromatic herbs like loyage, mint, and rosemary can be used to make different types of perfumes, toilet water, or other various scents.  Parts of aromatic herb plants used intact can also be used in the home to scent linens or clothing.  They can also be dried and made into potpourri which will enable them to be able to retain their aroma for a long period of time.  Lavender and lemon verbena are great herbs to use for potpourri.  Some herbs are also used for medicinal purposes.  For centuries herbs have been thought to have the ability to cure the body.  Present medical knowledge recognizes that some herbs are beneficial to one’s health, others are overrated.  Herbs used for medicinal purposes should be used carefully.  Some herbs are harmless but others can be dangerous if eaten.

Some herbs are not used for their flavor, power to heal or fragrance.  Some herbs are also used for their beauty.  Ornamental herbs have brightly colored flowers and foliage.  Many have whitish or various light colored flowers like valerian which has crimson blossoms and borage and chicory which grow gorgeous blue flowers.

While herbs can be categorized into these different categories of uses, many herbs have multiple purposes. For example, mint may be used for cooking, tea, and pest control.  Whatever the reason you have an interest in herbs, by understanding herb garden plants you are able to pick the herbs that will be most useful to you.

Herb garden kits contain a large variety of herbs and can be categorized into Italian herbs, culinary herbs, international herbs, German herbs, herbal tea herbs, salsa herbs and many, many more.  All herb kits are different but contain similar items in which to get started with.  All herb kits will contain seeds.  Some herb kits will contain a dome that will provide consistent temperature and humidity for the herb plants to thrive and to grow a healthy root system.  They will also contain an instructional guide.  This will give the herb grower easy to follow instructions to succeed with their herbs.  Some kits will offer recipes in which to us the herbs that you are growing.  Other websites that sell herb garden kits will offer a newsletter you can sign up for which will provide recipes and additional useful information.  Kits will also provide the planter in which the herbs will be grown in.  Again, all kits are different but, most kits will also provide either soil or pellets in which to grow the seeds with.

Growing herbs indoors from an indoor herb kit has many benefits.  First off it is easier to enjoy the herbs because they are right at your finger tips.  You don’t have to trek out to the garden to add a little seasoning to the pot on the stove.   It is also just as easy to harvest herbs and freeze them for future use.  Plus, with the constant growing conditions that is provided to plants in indoor conditions, you don’t have to worry about winterizing herb plants or herbs that don’t survive the winter weather conditions.  The herbs have a constant temperature in which to thrive.  Plus, all herb garden kits are different but most are small and compact.  They are great for small spaces or apartments.  Plus, when growing plants outdoors it can be hard to judge which area in the garden will get the right amount of light for each plant.  Plus, rain fall makes it easy to water plants but too much rain can also be harmful.  By growing herbs indoors with a complete instructional guide, you are able to take the guess work out of this hobby.  Your herbs will be successful every time.

There is probably a better feeling of accomplishment when you become an herb expert and can grow any kind of herb in your garden.  But it takes work to get there and a good way to learn is through an herb kit where the difficulties are removed and you are left with the enjoyment of the herbs.  Once you get to know the herbs you are growing a little bit more, you can move them into your garden and you are on your way to becoming an herb expert.

All plants need three main things in order to grow successfully; sunlight, soil and water.  Herbs are no exception.  Sunlight is key to growing any type of plant including herbs whether they are grown indoors or in a garden.  You should place herbs grown in a kitchen or other room in a south or west facing window to get the best kind of sunlight.  Different types of herbs have different light requirements but, for the most part, all need a sunny location.  Some home herb growers supplement the light source with “grow lamps” or fluorescent lamps.  Herbs also need a well drained, not too rich soil to grow in.  Add two parts of sterilized potting soil with one part coarse sand or perlite for herbs that are grown in containers.  You will also need about an inch of gravel at the bottom of each pot to ensure that the plant has good drainage.  Herb grown in pots indoors can also be supplemented with one teaspoon of lime per 5-inch pot to ensure that the soil is sweet enough for the herbs.  Herbs grown in pots also need water.  Misting the plants and moistening the pebbles will help to keep the herbs within humid conditions.  Since they are being grown in containers they do need to have more water then herbs that are grown in a garden but, you should avoid getting the roots of the herbs drenched or soggy.

An advantage to growing herbs in a container is that you have the freedom to move them about as you please.  Annual herbs can spend all of their time indoors but, perennial herbs do better if they were to be placed outside during the summer.  Although all herbs should be brought inside before the first frost in order to avoid the loss of foliage.  This rule is over looked when it comes to mint, chives, and tarragon.  These types of herbs will go into a rest period then form firmer and fresher growth after it is introduced to a light frost.

All herbs can be grown in containers but some herbs do better then others.  Mint is an herb that needs to be contained or it will take over the garden.  Over all it is fairly easy to maintain an indoor herb garden.  It keeps the herbs handy and within reach anytime you need them for cooking.  With these tips listed above, you will be able to care for your herbs and ensure a healthy plant.  You should also include periodic light feeding and yearly repotting for optimum health of the herbs.  You will also have to remember to replant annuals each year and move perennials outdoors when needed.  Plus, use your herbs as much as you want as well as harvest them occasionally.  It is no secret that pruning plants encourages new growth.  This rule also applies to herbs.  So use them in your recipes, store them and give them away to friends.