Spring · Beginner · Phoenix / East Valley, AZ
Herbs are often the most overlooked part of a Phoenix spring garden — and they're some of the easiest things to grow. A small pot of basil next to your tomatoes, a border of oregano, a few chive clumps — they take almost no space and pay dividends in the kitchen all season.
Basil loves Phoenix spring heat and grows vigorously from February through June. It's the classic tomato companion — plant it nearby to deter aphids and improve tomato flavor (the old gardeners' wisdom says this; science is mixed, but the aesthetics are undeniable).
Key tip: Pinch off flower heads as soon as they appear. Once basil bolts (goes to seed), the leaves turn bitter and production slows dramatically. Pinching keeps plants producing lush leaves all season.
Oregano is almost indestructible in Phoenix. Plant it once and it comes back year after year. It handles summer heat with minimal care and actually tastes best when slightly stressed — just like in the Mediterranean. Greek oregano varieties have the strongest flavor. Italian oregano is milder.
Chives are a perennial in Phoenix — plant them once and they'll come back every fall and spring. They go dormant in the worst summer heat but reliably return. Mild onion flavor, beautiful purple flowers, and completely low-maintenance. A garden staple.
Mint grows aggressively in Phoenix's cool and mild-warm seasons. One important note: always grow mint in a container. It spreads underground via runners and will take over a garden bed in one season if you're not careful. A large pot in partial shade is ideal — mint appreciates afternoon shade in our summers.
Rosemary is one of the great Phoenix plants. It's drought-tolerant, loves our dry heat, handles both our mild winters and brutal summers, and becomes a beautiful shrub over time. Plant it once in well-draining soil and largely ignore it. Harvest sprigs as needed — regular harvesting keeps it bushy rather than leggy.