Herbs: when to plant them
Basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, mint, oregano, chives and bay are sown or planted in different months, and many stay in the garden for years. Each sheet gives the timing by region.
The herbs on this page are basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, mint, oregano, chives and bay. Basil is sown again each year. Most of the others stay: in Campania thyme and oregano are crops of 3-4 years, sage about 4, rosemary 5-6.
Basil is sown indoors at about 20 °C and goes out after the last frost, once nights stay above 10 °C. Parsley outdoors runs from mid-spring to late summer, about 1 cm deep, and the seed can take a month; in Campania the autumn-winter cycle is sown in September-October. Rosemary and sage, for the RHS, are planted in March, April and May, once the soil warms; in Campania the transplant is in autumn or at the end of winter. Mint, for the RHS, is also planted in September, October and November. Oregano goes out in May and June, after frosts. Chives are sown in March, April and May. Bay is planted in the same months as rosemary and sage, and the leaves come off in any month.
From seed, rosemary and bay take years before a useful picking. For this year's leaves, start from a plant, in the month the sheet gives.
When to plant basil?
When to plant parsley?
When to plant thyme?
When to plant rosemary?
When to plant sage?
When to plant mint?
When to plant oregano?
When to plant chives?
When to plant bay?Frequently asked questions
Which herb will not take the cold?
Basil. It is sown indoors at about 20 °C and goes outside only after the last frost, once nights stay above 10 °C. Rosemary, sage, thyme and bay stay out past the season.
Are they all sown in spring?
Sowing, for the RHS, falls in spring for almost all of them. Planting out does not: in Campania thyme, rosemary, sage and oregano are transplanted in autumn or at the end of winter. Mint, for the RHS, is also planted in September, October and November.
How long does the seed take?
Parsley can take a month or more. Thyme, sage and mint come up in about two weeks, oregano in one to three. Rosemary and bay, from seed to a useful first picking, take years: for this year's leaves, start from a plant.
Do I prune bay to harvest it?
Leaves come off in any month, with no harvest season to wait for. Planting, for the RHS, is in March, April and May, once the soil starts to warm.
Other categories
- Fruiting vegetables
- Leafy vegetables
- Brassicas
- Roots, bulbs and tubers
- Legumes
- Fruit and melons
- Perennial vegetables
See also: Planting calendar · Guides