Freshly cut herbs can transform simple meals into extraordinary ones. So why not plant a culinary herb garden to celebrate the growing season?

Some commonly used culinary herbs are suitable for container gardening. For easy access while cooking, place the containers nearby. Keep in mind that most herbs prefer at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.

If you’ve never started seeds before, you may be more successful beginning with transplants. They’re available at area farmers’ markets and garden centers.

Herbs demand good drainage for healthy growth. Plant them in appropriate-sized containers with a drainage hole filled with a good potting mix.

Fertilize herbs with a low dose of water-soluble fertilizer every 2 weeks or so.

Harvest by removing top leaves and stems with a sharp knife or scissors. When harvesting annual leafy herbs, leave four to six inches of shoots on the plant for better re-growth. Harvest perennial herbs less heavily by removing only the top third of the plant.

A few favorites to consider for your containers:

Basil: makes great pesto, which may be used as spread on pizza and sandwiches. It’s a flavorful salad dressing ingredient and is delicious tossed with pasta. Pesto makes a nice topping for fish and chicken. Basil is a natural seasoning for tomatoes and zucchini.

It is an annual plant that grows from 18-24 inches tall. Pinch off the growing tips of branches to keep the plant compact and bushy, not allowing it to flower. Basil prefers soil that is kept barely moist.

Chives: grasslike herb with onion flavor. They grow from eight to ten inches tall.

Mints: aromatic herbs with a familiar cool flavor. Delicious with carrots, fruit salads and in tea.

Unlike many other herbs, mints will tolerate a minimum of two to three hours of sun and wet soil. Mints should be trimmed back frequently to maintain a height of eight to ten inches.

Oregano: a pungent herb used in Italian and Mexican dishes and tomato products.

It’s a perennial herb that makes an attractive container plant with leaves that trail over the sides of the pot. Requires a great deal of sunlight and will tolerate dry soil and neglect. Pinch off growing shoots to keep your plant at a reasonable height.

Parsley: delicate, sweet flavor widely used in a variety of dishes. Italian parsley is more strongly flavored and preferred for cooking than curly leaf parsley. Use in potato salad and tabouli. Makes wonderful pesto that may be stirred in pasta salads and used as a topping for fish.

It’s a biennial plant that can be grown in partial shade or full sun. The outside leaves of parsley should be cut to keep the plant about 8 inches tall. Keep it well-watered, especially when young.

Rosemary: leaves resemble pine needles and have a distinct flavor. It’s wonderful on chicken, fish, pork, on roasted potatoes, in soups and stews and tomatoes.

It’s a perennial plant that grows from three to five feet tall. Keep rosemary moist and do not allow the soil to dry out.

Sage: pungent gray-green herb with fuzzy leaves. Nice with pork, poultry, stuffings and sausage.

It’s a perennial plant that grows up to two feet tall. Water sage thoroughly, but allow soil to dry out before watering again. Leaves should be pinched back to keep the plant compact and bushy.

Here are a few tips for cooking with fresh herbs:

• If a recipe calls for dried herbs, use three times the amount of fresh.
• When getting ready to chop, you can include some of the tender stems with delicate herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, and basil. But with sturdy stemmed herbs, such as rosemary, thyme and oregano, remove the leaves by running your thumb and index finger down the opposite direction the leaves have grown.
• To chop, bunch the leaves on a cutting board and then use a sharp chef’s knife to not bruise the leaves, rocking back and forth.
• Basil, chives, cilantro, dill leaves, mint and parsley should be added the last minute or two of cooking or sprinkled on food just before serving. Oregano, rosemary, sage and thyme may be added the last 20 minutes or so of cooking.

While there are many pairing suggestions, there are no set rules on seasoning with herbs. Use your creativity to discover what tastes best.