How to Plant Herbs for Liqueurs

You can grow herbs in your garden to use in the distillation of liqueurs. Herb-based liqueurs are known for their digestive properties as well as the flavor they add to food and beverages. Planting and growing herbs for liqueurs is easy if you know which ones to use and how to care for them. While the recipes for most store-bought herbal liqueurs are kept top-secret, there are a few herbs that are known to be in many of them. Here's how to plant herbs for liqueurs.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hyssop
• Peppermint
• Lemon balm
• Thyme
• Anise
• Eucalyptus
• Lavender

1. Plant hyssop seeds anywhere in the garden. They will thrive even in poor soil. The pungent leaves of this plant are an excellent addition to flavored liqueurs.

2. Sow peppermint seeds indoors on the surface of moist soil. Transplant the seedlings to moist, fertile soil in partial shade. Don't water it too often--it thrives in dry areas. Peppermint will grow and spread very quickly, so you may need to cut it back frequently.

3. Start lemon balm seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost of the season. They take a fairly long time to germinate, so if you need them soon, you may want to use plants rather than seeds. Space plants between 12 and 15 inches apart in well-drained soil in sun to partial shade.

4. Grow thyme in well-drained sandy soil with full sun exposure. Sow the seeds indoors in late winter to early spring by scattering them over potting compost and patting down lightly. Transplant the seedlings outdoors after the danger of frost has passed.

5. Sow anise seeds directly into your garden early in the growing season. Cover them lightly with soil; thin the plants to 18 inches apart in rows that are 12 inches apart. Like most herbs, they prefer full sun and well drained soil.

6. Start eucalyptus from seed in late winter by sowing in moist sphagnum moss in a warm, sunny location. It tolerates many different types of soil.

7. Sow lavender seeds indoors and plant them outside in well-drained soil in a sunny area once the plants have more than one stem. Lavender needs no special care and can be harvested as often as you like. It adds fragrance to cosmetics as well as to aid healing in the skin and reduce blemishes.