Nothing is more satisfying than the taste of homegrown herbs fresh from the garden.

Have you planted herbs lately? They’re easy to grow and the benefits are delicious.

My favorite herbs are parsley (Petroselinum crispum), cilantro (Coriandrum sativum), French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) and thyme (Thymus). Parsley, tarragon and thyme are good container plants, so you can keep them close to your kitchen.

Parsley can be difficult to grow from seed, but once it takes off, it reseeds readily.

Before you plant seeds, enrich the soil by thoroughly mixing in aged manure or compost to improve drainage. Sprinkle seeds into moist, shallow trenches and cover lightly. Water lightly until the first set of leaves appear and then water regularly.

Curly parsley has a subtle fresh celery and mild pepper flavor. It has been a culinary herb for centuries, used in hot and cold foods and as a garnish. Italian or flat-leaved parsley has a stronger taste preferred by many cooks. Parsley provides vitamin C and potassium. Curly parsley makes an attractive low border plant and looks good interspersed with vegetables and flowers.

Cilantro is an annual best planted in early spring in dappled sunlight. It doesn’t transplant well and has a tendency to go to seed on hot summer days. Cilantro is also known as coriander, and its seeds are used in pickles or ground for use in pastries. To plant them, soak the seeds overnight, then plant as described for parsley. Cilantro is popular in Mexican, Indian, Chinese and Southeast Asian cooking. Its chopped leaves add a pungent taste to salsas and pestos.

Like cilantro, parsley and tarragon also like to be planted in dappled sunlight. Planting in containers gives you the option of easily moving your herbs out of strong light or away from drying winds.

All four herbs are available at local nurseries in six-packs in the spring and will reward you almost instantly.

French tarragon grows well in containers. It cannot be propagated from seed, but you can purchase four-inch seedlings and transplant them into a 12-inch pot for your herb collection. Use its small, slender leaves either fresh or dried in salads, vinegar and sauces. It pairs well with artichokes and chicken. It is a perennial that may die back in the winter, but will re-grow with vigor in the spring. If planted in the ground, it may grow up to three feet wide. You can propagate new plants in the spring or fall by root division.

Thyme is everyone’s favorite, and there are many species. Scented thymes range from lemon to orange to lime, but new ones are developed every year. T. vulgaris is the common thyme sold for culinary use. Also consider growing ornamental thymes for their variegated leaves and bright small flowers. A low-growing woody perennial, thyme needs full sun and well-drained soil. When it grows too tall for your taste, give it a haircut and tender new leaves will soon appear. This perennial herb enhances poultry, meats, soups, stews and marinades.

When harvesting herbs, try to cut them early in the morning after the dew has dissipated. That’s when the essential oils in the leaves are at their peak.

Contact Master Gardeners at the UC Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Ave., Suite 4, Napa, 253-4221, or toll-free at 877-279-3065. E-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on their Web site www. master gardeners.org. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions?