Aim: Investigate dynamics of culturable mesophilic bacteria and selected foodcontaminating bacteria from three herbs and their production environment. Methods and Results: Marjoram, basil and thyme were investigated during one growing season by sampling plants, organic fertilizers, soil, irrigation water and marketed products. Mesophilic bacteria and selected food-contaminating bacteria (Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., Bacillus cereus group) were cultured and identified by MALDI biotyping. Culturable mesophilic bacteria on marjoram and basil plants decreased over time by two orders of magnitude starting at above 10 6 colony forming units per gram (CFU per g), while they remained constant on thyme (~10 4 CFU per g). Compared to the last field sample, mesophilic bacteria were increased on all market-ready products by one order of magnitude. Marjoram and basil were dominated by B. cereus group, Enterobacter spp. and Pseudomonas spp., thyme by Bacillus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. All selected food-contaminating bacteria were detected in soil and reservoir-sourced irrigation water, whereas in municipal water, only B. cereus group and rarely Enterococcus spp. were found. Escherichia coli was detected only on young marjoram and basil plants (5 9 10 2 and 5 9 10 1 CFU per g, respectively), whereas Enterococcus spp. and B. cereus group were consistently detected on these two herbs. Thyme plants only contained B. cereus group consistently (above 10 3