(NC) The right seasoning takes a dish from good to great. Fresh herbs are one of the best ways to enrich a recipe with fresh, vibrant flavours. Adding mint to green salads produces refreshing complexity, roasting a chicken with rosemary, sage and thyme adds warm, savoury flavours, and incorporating lavender into your baking creates a delicious, floral taste.

Elevate your meals with fresh, homegrown herbs with these easy gardening tips.

Herbs are easy to grow and can be planted in your backyard, balcony or windowsill. Wherever you grow your herb garden, ensure it receives direct sunlight. Most herbs need at least four hours of sun a day.

Remember to feed your food. Fertilizing your herbs helps them grow faster and increases regrowth so that you can pick and use them more often. Slow-release fertilizers are great for herbs, providing them with a steady supply of nutrients over time. Also, consider fertilizing herbs in a container more often than those planted in the garden, as water will wash away nutrients in the soil faster.

Herbs need to be watered two to three times a week depending on the type, the temperature and the container they are in. It is important to select soil and a planter with good drainage. This helps protect the plant’s roots from bacteria, fungus and rot.

Find more gardening tips at fertilizercanada.ca/lawncare.