Annual and biennial herbs

Sometimes spicy, sometimes sweet - and always tasty. Aromatic herbs have become indispensable in the kitchen. Chives, parsley and co. taste particularly delicious if they come from your own cultivation. But when it comes to the cultivation period, some hobby gardeners are unsure: Should the plant in question be cultivated for a year or two. And: Which varieties are really worthwhile?

Definition "annual"

The terms "annual", "biennial" and "perennial" are often used in connection with herbs and are taken for granted; it is difficult to make a clear distinction between the individual variants. True annual herbs are very rare; these are varieties that reproduce only once in the course of a continuous growing season and then die off. This includes, for example, the "Canary Nasturtium", which is rarely cultivated in our latitudes.

The herbs known as classic annuals, which are known in our latitudes, are usually only raised in this way - for example, because they originally come from warmer countries and do not overwinter here can.

Annual herbs

In our part of the world, many herbs are only cultivated for one summer. These include, for example, popular kitchen herbs that can be grown both outdoors and in the kitchen on the windowsill. For annual cultivation are available:

• Savory (leaves)
• Dill (fruit and leaf tips)
• chervil (leaves)
• coriander (fruit)

dill and chervil

– annual herbs for the penumbra –

The popular kitchen herbs dill and chervil are often planted together in a herb garden because they have similar cultivation conditions:

• Sow from April (beware of late frosts!)
• Can be cultivated in half shade
• Nutrient-rich and humic compost soil is used as the optimal substrate
• The soil should be protected from compaction
• The harvest takes place in summer

While dill, with its fresh, mildly spicy aroma, is mainly used for fish dishes the slightly sweet anise-like taste of chervil, especially in egg dishes or light sauces popular. If you want to expand your herb bed, you can locate the classic kitchen herbs parsley and chives in the same location - they also grow in semi-shade.

savory and coriander

– Annual sunbathers –

Savory and coriander can be planted in the same location as both have similar growing conditions:

• Sow from mid-April
• Cultivation in humus-rich and well-drained soil
• A sunny position is preferred
• The harvest takes place from early summer

While savory does well in poor soil, the corner of the bed in which coriander is sown should also be enriched with nutrients.

Coriander can be used in many ways; Potato dishes taste particularly good when they are refined with the spice; but Christmas cookies also get a special aroma with coriander. Savory, on the other hand, is often used to refine spicy stews as well as vegetable and meat dishes due to its sharp and slightly peppery taste.

Annual herbs that are also cultivated perennial

In addition to the classic herbs, the growth period of which lasts only one year, there are also those with additional perennial varieties. These include basil and celery.

basil

– the classic par excellence –

Basil is one of the classics of Italian cuisine and is mainly used in various pizza and pasta dishes. All basil species grow quickly - especially when ideal site conditions are offered:

• Sowing starts in April (optimal light conditions)
• The plant thrives on nutrient-rich substrate
• The location is chosen bright and warm
• Harvesting can begin in summer

The following varieties are particularly popular:

• Genovese basil: the best-known type, aromatic and large-leaved
• Fino Verde basil: small leaves, ideal for making pesto
• Fine green basil: fine-leaved and suitable for desserts
• "Toscano" basil: large-leaved with a fine mint taste
• Neapolitan basil: large, light-colored leaves with a peppery aroma
• Cardinal basil: decorative red flowers

In addition, different varieties of bush basil are available, which usually have slightly smaller leaves deliver, for example Turkish bush basil (with a particularly sweet scent) or the real one Provence basil. However, basil is occasionally also available as a perennial plant. The following varieties can be overwintered:

• Wild basil: very robust, slightly smoky note
• African tree basil: spicy, clove-like
• Cyprus shrub basil: large plant with late flowering

celery

– also as a soup vegetable –

If you want to prepare a hearty vegetable soup, you need celery, a herb that is easy to grow, as an important basic ingredient. It is a salt-tolerant plant; cultivation works best if the following conditions are met:

• Sow in March
• Substrate should be nutritious
• Cultivation in a sunny position or in partial shade
• Regular watering is necessary
• Substrate should always be slightly damp
• Harvest possible from summer to autumn

Celery does not necessarily belong to the annual herbs, as different varieties can also be cultivated as biennials or perennials. The most popular varieties include:

• the "Krause cut celery": visually similar to parsley, annual and biennial
• the "Chinese celery": particularly fast-growing vegetable celery, annual and biennial
• the "Korean celery": particularly hearty with a slightly earthy note, persistent

Biennial herbs

The classic biennial herbs require an interruption in the growing season for successful cultivation; this can be triggered either by drought or by cold. Only when this condition is met will later flowering occur. The corresponding plants usually flower in the spring after sowing, while the seeds ripen in the summer months.
Biennial herbs include:

• fennel (fruit)
• cumin (seeds)
• parsley (leaves)
• leek (leaves)

fennel and cumin

– classic medicinal herbs –

Fennel mainly grows perennial, but as a useful herb it is grown as an annual and biennial for seed production. However, in our latitudes, cultivation is usually annual – especially with certain early varieties. These include the annual fennel 'Magnafena', which is designed to provide an edible portion very early in the year; sprouts taste good in spring, cabbage and seeds throughout the year. If you want to benefit from the production of seeds in the fennel, you often grow the fennel every two years.
If you want to have some of the delicious and healthy herb for at least two years, you can choose between different varieties:

• Spiced fennel classic as a tea for stomach pains
• Spice fennel "Berfena": compact cultivation with high oil content and intense aroma
• Bronze fennel: small form with ornamental, red-brown foliage

When growing fennel, the following aspects must be considered:

• Sow only from June, as fennel tends to bolt
• Use of humus-rich and well-drained garden soil that is lightly fertilized
• A warm and sunny place is chosen as the location
• In case of dryness it should be watered
• Lettuce plants have proven to be ideal partners in mixed cultures
• Harvest takes place in autumn

Caraway is also one of the classic medicinal herbs and is also used to flavor spicy dishes; The spice is particularly tasty in oriental dishes. Cumin is offered in both annual and biennial varieties:

• The biennial variant is best sown in late summer
• Caraway is cultivated in deep and lean substrate
• Care must be taken to ensure that the soil is always moist
• Caraway thrives in a sunny position and moderately in partial shade
• The seeds are harvested when they reach full size.

Parsely

– Classic kitchen herb –

Parsley is usually sold as an annual herb; in fact, it is a plant that is intended for overwintering and, depending on the variety, grows biennially or even perennially. Cultivation, however, requires some finesse; the following aspects must be taken into account:

• Sowing is best done in August with pre-fertilized soil
• Cultivation then takes place in a cool, shady location.
• A harvest is then possible in the spring of the following year

The following varieties provide different taste impressions:

• Parsley "Mooskrause": biennial, strong curly
• Italian parsley: perennial, smooth-leaved
• Japanese parsley: perennial, tastes of celery and angelica

Leek

– indispensable in salad dressing –

One of the classic biennial kitchen herbs is the garden leek, which can reach a height of up to 80 cm. In contrast to the wild form, it does not form an onion. The plant thrives best when the following cultivation conditions (summer leeks) are offered:

• Sowing takes place in spring
• The soil should be rich in nutrients
• A brighter and sunnier place is ideal as a location
• A constant water supply is important for a bountiful harvest
• The harvest takes place in summer

The most popular varieties of leeks (summer leeks) include:

• Bavaria: early leek, fast growing, very hot
• Megaton: long-stemmed, very productive
• Elephant: particularly thick trunks, does not tolerate frost
• Early giant: fast-growing, high yields, particularly juicy

In addition to the classic two-year-old garden leek varieties, there are an increasing number of exotic varieties on the market that can also be cultivated for longer than two years. These include, for example:

• Chives "Profusion": ornamental and edible flowers
• Leek slices: tasty and robust wild herb that can even be harvested in winter
• Onion leek: fine onion aroma with a hint of garlic

No matter which variant the hobby gardener chooses: With the right seasoning, every dish becomes a culinary delight

Learn more about annual plants