{"id":86792,"date":"2026-02-04T11:14:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T11:14:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/horto\/complete-guide-to-aromatic-herbs-from-growing-to-harvesting\/"},"modified":"2026-03-02T12:17:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T12:17:00","slug":"complete-guide-to-aromatic-herbs-from-growing-to-harvesting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/aromatic-plants\/complete-guide-to-aromatic-herbs-from-growing-to-harvesting\/","title":{"rendered":"Complete Guide to Aromatic Herbs: From Growing to Harvesting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Aromatic herbs are much more than simple culinary ingredients. Besides enhancing the flavor of dishes, they offer various health benefits due to their nutritional and therapeutic properties. They are easy to grow in outdoor spaces, even small ones, and help add color and fragrance to gardens, patios, and balconies.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"has-hcg-dark-green-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-641d7dec3a302f9c3403d2143214a99a\"><strong>1. UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCES: ANNUALS VS. PERENNIALS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>Before planting, it&#8217;s essential to understand each plant&#8217;s life cycle to plan for replacement or maintenance:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Annuals:<\/strong> Have a short life cycle (one year or less). Examples: <strong>Basil<\/strong> (Ocimum basilicum), <strong>Parsley<\/strong> (Petroselinum crispum), and <strong>Coriander<\/strong> (Coriandrum sativum).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Perennials:<\/strong> Last several years and remain in the garden season after season. Examples: <strong>Chives<\/strong> (Allium schoenoprasum), <strong>Sage<\/strong> (Salvia sp.), <strong>Thyme<\/strong> (Thymus sp.), <strong>Savory<\/strong> (Satureja hortensis), <strong>Marjoram<\/strong> (Origanum majorana), <strong>Lavender<\/strong> (Lavandula sp.), <strong>Lemongrass<\/strong> (Cymbopogon citratos), <strong>Lemon Balm<\/strong> (Melissa officinalis), <strong>Lemon Verbena<\/strong> (Aloysia citrodora), <strong>Mints<\/strong> (Mentha sp.), <strong>Bay Laurel<\/strong> (Laurus nobilis), <strong>Curry Plant<\/strong> (Helichrysum italicum), and <strong>Oregano<\/strong> (Origanum vulgare).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-large\"><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"853\" src=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img-1024x853.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38009\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img-1024x853.png 1024w, https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img-300x250.png 300w, https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img-768x640.png 768w, https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img-600x500.png 600w, https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img.png 1168w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"has-hcg-dark-green-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-a6bd2cbff3aaa2f618b36f8760a11d07\"><strong>2. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO GET STARTED?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>Most aromatic plants are Mediterranean in origin and need at least 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Ideally, they prefer to be planted in the ground, but in small spaces like balconies, it&#8217;s also possible to maintain a small herb garden. There are various pot options, including hanging planters and vertical gardens. However, subshrub plants like Rosemary, Lavender, and herbal teas (Lemongrass, Lemon Verbena, etc.) benefit from larger, deeper pots to develop their roots.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"has-hcg-dark-green-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-dcb8c378ebf193d70d48d3b35616a607\"><strong>Step-by-step for planting in pots\/planters:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Drainage:<\/strong> Choose a container with drainage holes. Place a layer of expanded clay at the bottom to prevent root rot.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-base-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3a5762afc641169261c1e8296eeef502\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/produto\/horta-em-casa\/substrato-aromaticas-11l\/)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Soil:<\/a><\/strong> Use a suitable substrate, ideally for aromatic or vegetable plants. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Planting:<\/strong> Spacing varies depending on plant size, but allow at least 15 to 20 cm.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Identification:<\/strong> Use labels or popsicle sticks to mark each species.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Watering:<\/strong> Water appropriately for each plant.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<p>For planting in the ground, you need to dig holes suitable for the root ball size and prepare the bottom with appropriate substrate, respect spacing between plants, and water at the end. Don&#8217;t forget to identify the plants\u2014popsicle sticks are a simple and effective solution.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"has-hcg-dark-green-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8a585059b5ed1ca5aa411a3987ed41c8\"><strong>3. MAKING COMBINATIONS THAT WORK IS ESSENTIAL!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p>Success in cultivation comes from choosing favorable combinations. &#8220;Companion&#8221; aromatics grow better together, without competition, and can even protect each other. They can also be combined with vegetables in urban gardens or allotments.<\/p>\n\n<p>Some examples:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-base-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-e1c0330dea5121c9e408dba9f7b75bb1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/produto\/lovers\/good-companions-herb-bag-white-pack-of-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Mediterranean Mix: Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, and Oregano<\/strong> \u2013<\/a> Work well together in pots and beds, enjoy sun and good drainage. They form a combination that&#8217;s a true classic of Mediterranean cuisine.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-base-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2529c6ee75170627bde499c932f321f6\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/produto\/lovers\/aromatic-herbs-bag-good-companions-pack1-green\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Fresh Trio: Parsley, Chives, and Coriander.<\/a> <\/strong>They are compatible in cultivation and cooking; chives have antifungal properties, making them ideal to plant among other plants. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Garden Allies:<\/strong> <strong>Basil<\/strong> protects Tomatoes from pests; <strong>Rosemary<\/strong>, <strong>Mint<\/strong>, and <strong>Thyme<\/strong> keep caterpillars away from Cabbages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pollinators:<\/strong> <strong>Lavender<\/strong>, <strong>Rosemary<\/strong>, and <strong>Thyme<\/strong> are excellent companions in cultivation. Perfect plants for creating colorful, fragrant planters or beds that are effective at repelling pests and attracting pollinators.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/produto\/lovers\/aromatic-herbs-bag-good-companions-pack1-green\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"377\" height=\"304\" src=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/05_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38017\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/05_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img.png 377w, https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/05_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img-300x242.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 377px) 100vw, 377px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Basket with aromatic herbs<br\/>Parsley, Chives, and Coriander<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/produto\/lovers\/good-companions-herb-bag-white-pack-of-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"377\" height=\"304\" src=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/04_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38014\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/04_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img.png 377w, https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/04_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img-300x242.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 377px) 100vw, 377px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Basket with aromatic herbs<br\/>Thyme, Rosemary, Sage<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/produto\/lovers\/good-companions-herb-bag-green-3-pack\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"377\" height=\"304\" src=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/03_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38012\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/03_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img.png 377w, https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/03_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img-300x242.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 377px) 100vw, 377px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Basket with aromatic herbs<br\/>Lavender, Rosemary, Thyme<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"has-hcg-dark-green-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6baa93338cc5a3c0f75d773d9b21d849\"><strong>4. ESSENTIAL CARE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p><strong>\u2022 Watering<\/strong><br\/><strong>\u2013 Frequent<\/strong>: Basil, Parsley, Coriander, and Mint like moist soil.<br\/><strong>\u2013 Moderate<\/strong>: Rosemary, Thyme, and Lavender prefer the soil to dry out between waterings.<br\/><strong>Tip<\/strong>: In winter, reduce watering and let the rain take care of it.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>\u2022 Fertilization and Soil<\/strong><br\/>Ideally use organic fertilizers, such as worm castings, especially in spring and summer. Avoid excess fertilizer, as it can burn the sensitive roots of aromatic plants. The substrates we sell are already fertilized, so this isn&#8217;t necessary at planting time.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>\u2022 Pruning and Harvesting<\/strong><br\/>\u2013 Perennial aromatic plants should be pruned after flowering.<br\/>\u2013 Harvesting should be done from the outside toward the inside of the shrub.<br\/>\u2013 Use clean, sharp scissors and make diagonal cuts.<br\/>\u2013 Basil Trick: Cut off flowers as soon as they appear so the plant continues to focus energy on leaf production.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"has-hcg-dark-green-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-782f35748313524b999962bdf9e193e9\"><strong>5. HOW TO PRESERVE: THE DRYING PROCESS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Choose a dry day, so the plant isn&#8217;t wet;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make clean, diagonal cuts;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Arrange the harvested stems on a tray or hang them upside down;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dry in a dry location protected from light;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>After about 4\u20135 days, check if thoroughly dry and store in labeled paper bags.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<p><strong>And now, which of these aromatic herbs can&#8217;t be missing from your kitchen?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignfull size-large\"><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"761\" src=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/06_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img-1024x761.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38019\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/06_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img-1024x761.png 1024w, https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/06_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img-300x223.png 300w, https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/06_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img-768x571.png 768w, https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/06_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img-600x446.png 600w, https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/06_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_img.png 1167w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n<p>Image bank \u00a9 AdobeStock, Istockphoto, Pexels, Unsplash<\/p>\n\n<p>\u00a9 <a href=\"https:\/\/companhiadascores.pt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Companhia das Cores <\/a>for Horto do Campo Grande<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aromatic herbs are much more than simple culinary ingredients. Besides enhancing the flavor of dishes, they offer various health benefits due to their nutritional and therapeutic properties.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2646,"featured_media":38007,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1399],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-86792","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aromatic-plants"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/01_HCG_Blog_aromaticas_imgINTRO.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Gabriela Sim\u00f5es","author_link":"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/author\/gabrielas\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86792","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2646"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86792"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86792\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38007"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hortodocampogrande.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}