How to Plant Parsley, Basil & Sage Herbs
If you're growing culinary herbs in one garden bed, reserve a few patches where annual herbs can be tucked amid perennials. For convenience, keep annuals near the front of the bed to minimize the disturbance of established perennial herbs. Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) and sage (Salvia officinalis) are perennials in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8, while basil (Ocimum basilicum) is an annual herb in all regions. All three herbs grow to a similar height, making it sensible to plant basil in front of the two perennial herbs without fear of shading them out. All prefer average but well-draining soil and full sun, although parsley can tolerate partial shade.
Work a 3-inch layer of compost into the top 6 inches of the herb garden to improve drainage and soil fertility.
Sow parsley and sage seeds in early spring, after all danger of frost has passed. Plant them at least 10 inches apart to the center or rear of the herb bed, at a depth of a fourth-inch.
Sow basil in mid-spring, at a depth of an eighth-inch. Space the seeds about 4 inches apart.
Thin seedlings when they are about 3 inches high. Sage and parsley plants should be about 24 inches apart from one another and from other plants.
Thin basil seedlings when they are about 3 inches tall. Basil plants should be about 8 inches apart from one another in a row that is 24 inches from another plant row.
Keep all three herbs well-watered during the seedling stage. The soil in which they are growing should be consistently moist.
- Continue providing basil and parsley with regular water during the height of summer, but keep drought-loving sage on the dry side.
- Herbs take well to container culture. Plant parsley, sage and basil in separate, smaller pots or in one large enough to hold at least one each of the three culinary herbs.
Ellen Douglas has written on food, gardening, education and the arts since 1992. Douglas has worked as a staff reporter for the Lakeville Journal newspaper group. Previously, she served as a communication specialist in the nonprofit field. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Connecticut.