CIR570
Herbs are plants which are grown for the special flavor and aroma of their various parts. They are used mainly to season, enrich, or otherwise improve the taste or smell of certain foods. Since they are not primary dishes, they are not classified as vegetables. However, due to similarity of their growth habits and cultural requirements, herbs are often included with vegetables for discussion and in the garden.
Most of the common herbs can be grown seasonally in Florida in sufficient quantities for home use. In south Florida, many herbs may be grown in the home garden throughout the year. Since only a small portion of the plant is usually needed at any one time and because the plants are generally small, herbs are adapted to container culture. Their attractiveness as an ornamental plant makes them fit well into the home landscape, either in a border planting, or included in the flower garden. Specially designed formal herb gardens are both practical and attractive. to popular belief, herbs are sometimes planted among vegetables to repel certain insects and other pests. While pest control with herbs is undocumented in scientific journals, this practice will at least reward the gardener with a steady supply of various herbs.
1. This document is CIR570, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date March 1994. Revised March 1998. Reviewed March 2014. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
2. James M. Stephens, professor (retired), Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, 32611.