Smart Gardening Tips

Cultivating a fresh herb garden is a wonderful adventure. The rewards of herb gardening can be gained from any of the herb use classifications chosen by the herb gardener to grow.  The plants are easy to grow, hearty and for the most part insect free.  The following tips can get the new herb gardener off to a good start.

Sizing The Herb Garden



It is helpful to first diagram your garden.  Determine how much space you will need and this will be determined by the type and amount of plants you want in the garden.  A 4 by 20 foot area should be an ideal size for a kitchen garden.  Each herb should be allocated a 12 by 18 inch area.  The type plant should be considered in plant location.  For instance colorful or frequently used herbs such as basil or parsely should be used as border plants.  Annuals and bi-annuals should be seperated from perennials.

Soil and Site Conditions



The most important component in the herb growing success formula is soil drainage.  Herb plants hate wet feet and will not grow in overly damp ground.  With that in mind let soil drainage be your first consideration when selecting the location of your herb garden.  If you do not have a well drained spot for your garden, not to worry.  A well drained garden area can be created by removing the garden area soil down to 16 inches and then putting down a three inch layer of gravel.  Mix a little sand with the soil you removed earlier and then replace it on top of the gravel.  Now you have a well drained garden plot.  

The soil for herb growing should not be overly rich.  Usually highly fertile soils will cause herb plants to produce more stems and leaves than flavor and aromas.  Some herb plants such as lovage, summer savory, fennel and chervil need small amounts of fertilizer.

Sowing Herb Seed

With few exceptions herbs can be successfully grown from seed by the gardener.  Herbs are resistant to almost all insects and diseases.  One of the few exceptions is that anise, caraway, fennel and dill sometimes bothered by aphids.

It is recommended to sow seeds in boxes in the late winter and then transplant the seed sprouts outside in the garden in the spring.  Herb seeds can be very small so care has to taken to not sow them too deep.  Usually one eight of an inch of soil is sufficient for finer seed like savory, thyme or marjoram.  During germination finer seed should be covered with burlap to keep the soil moist during the process.  Fennel, dill and coriander seed should be planted straight into the garden because they are not amenable to transplanting.

Harvesting Herbs

You can begin harvesting fresh herb leaves as soon as there are enough on the plant to maintain growth after you take what you need.  Good oil content insures excellent flavor and aroma.  The best time to pick leaves or seed heads to get the best oil content is just after the dew has gone away and before the sun gets too hot.

Now you are ready to start your herb garden adventure.



Get All Your Gardening Supplies Here

Herbs can be annual, biennial or perennial. Herbs with lifespan of one year are known as annuals, while those with a lifespan of two years are known as biennials. Perennials are ones that live longer than two years. Herb gardening is not only an art but also a science besides being a great form of exercise and a hobby. The Chinese, Indians and Greeks have extensively developed herb gardening for centuries. According to the main characteristic of herbs, they can be classified as culinary, medicinal or ornamental herbs.

You can become successful herb gardener if you know the secrets of setting up a herb garden and taking care of it the right way. Even though each herb grows in different conditions, all herbs maintain the equilibrium of their surroundings. Herb gardening can either be done indoors or outdoors. While few grow well indoors in a pot or a container, others grow well only in the garden. Edible herbs grown by you would be free of herbicides. In turn, you can safely consume chemical-free herbs.

Maintenance

Easy maintenance and low costs are the main advantages of herb gardening. However, there are few points to remember when you try growing herbs, especially the edible varieties. If you opt for indoor gardening, make sure you choose appropriate pots or containers. While selecting the edible parts of the herb for consumption, make sure that they are not infected or have any insect bites. Some of the herbs may not like to be restricted to a pot or vessel. Make sure that you do not plant such herbs inside the house.

Herb Gardening In Containers

You can use any container for growing plants. Make sure that there are no insects, bugs or snails hiding inside the vessel or pot used for sowing the seeds. Insects are the worst enemies of any kind of plant, as they destroy the leaves and other important parts of the herb. Also, make sure that the holes are such that bugs cannot crawl into the pot after filling it with soil. Before you fill the pot or container with soil, cover the bigger holes with a thin cloth so that it covers the hole and a small portion around it. The cloth should be one that allows water to drain out and at the same time, keeps the insects out.

Fill the pot with sufficient and appropriate soil, and then sow the seeds in appropriate climatic conditions. You can also choose to purchase ready-made pots with the herb already planted in it. In both conditions, you should remember to change the soil after 3 months. Moreover, make sure that you pluck off the dried and dead leaves, and keep trimming the herb so that it does not grow wild.

Raised bed herb gardens and Parterre are other styles of herb gardening besides container gardening. With a sincere effort on your part and proper care, you too can show off your homegrown herbs to all and sundry.



Get All Your Gardening Supplies Here