How to Start Your Own Herb Garden

We all know how incredibly beneficial and healthy herbs can be for us, but many people do not want to have to go out and buy their herbs, which is where the idea of growing your own herb garden comes so perfectly into play. Starting your own herb garden certainly does not have to be difficult, but there are a few things that you are going to want to know before you get started so that you can have the most success with your garden.

Getting Started

The first step in starting an herb garden is to determine the site that you are going to have your garden in. Location is very important and this is because most herbs require specific conditions in order to grow to their tasty best. There are some herbs that require full days of sunlight to strive while others prefer filtered sunlight and moist growing conditions.

The next step is to decide what herbs are going to be best for you to plant. Whether you are using them for health purposes which is quite common these days, or just for cooking, take a few minutes and make out a list of the different herbs that you want to include in your garden. Make sure not to include too many, especially if this is your very first herb garden, because the last thing you want to do is take on too much all at once and overwhelm yourself.

Starting off small is always the best idea and then you can work up from here, adding to and increasing the size of your herb garden as you become more skilled and feel more comfortable.

Planting

Once you have decided on the herbs that you want to include in your garden and are ready to go, planting is going to be the next step. Make sure that you prepare the ground well in advance and remove any weeds from the area. Then you want to fork in some organic matter such as compost, making sure that the bed is level and ready to be planted in.

If you are using potted herbs then you want to make sure you are very careful when removing them from their container, as they are usually quite small and you do not want to break their stems or roots. If you are using seeds you will not have to worry so much but either way you need to make sure that you have the soil compacted snugly but not too tightly around each planting.

Starting a herb garden can be lots of fun, and not only that but you will be saving money by growing your own herbs as you will no longer have to worry about going out and buying them.

General Information

Light is one of the most important aspects to any type of gardening, including herb gardens. Most herbs love to get full days of sunshine, eight hours or more if possible, and this is important because only with enough sunshine are the essential oils able to develop in the plants. It is these oils that enhance the flavor and the medicinal properties of the plants.

Using the proper soil in your herb gardens is also vital, and you need to make sure that the soil you are using is neither too acidic nor too alkaline. To prepare the soil before planting, you should cultivate it to a depth of about twelve inches and remove any shallow layers of topsoil before breaking up the subsoil.

The best idea here is to add peat moss and compost to the subsoil so that you will be supplying it with as many nutrients as possible, and then put back the topsoil that you previously removed, which you should also then combine with organic matter.

Drainage is critical in all herb gardens, as if your herbs are kept too dry or too moist they will not turn out right. If the soil in your gardens is not well drained then you may want to lay down underground drain tiles, especially if you are looking to go into major herb production.

Remember

Growing your own herb garden can really be a lot of fun and not only that but it is a reason to get outdoors and be active, and you will save money and time by growing and using your own herbs rather than having to go out to the supermarket and purchase them all the time.

If you use organic materials to grow your herbs then you will be doing yourself even more of a favor and can feel safe taking the herbs knowing that no harsh chemicals or byproducts were involved in their planting. Let's look at some of the herbs that you could grow in your garden.

Basil

One of the most popular and versatile herbs, basil is used worldwide in a variety of cooking applications. Basil goes particularly well with tomatoes, which is why this is one of the herbs often included in Italian dishes that feature tomato sauces. But varieties of basil are valued in many Thai dishes as well for their pungent aroma and great flavor. Harvesting the leaves regularly on a basil plant actually encourage new growth on the plant, so this plant is ideal for an herb garden that you can maintain all season.

Rosemary

Unlike many other herbs, rosemary resembles an evergreen bush more than any other plant, with little needle-like leaves. If you've ever smelled a pine tree, though, you know that evergreen-type plants tend to have very noticeable scents, and rosemary shares this characteristic. Other than the great smell it gives off, this herb goes great in lamb dishes and with rice. Many herbs have medicinal properties, and rosemary is no exception, acting as a muscle relaxant in small amounts, though too much will leads to stomach irritation.

Chives And Scallions

You may not know it, but the plants in the onion family are herbs, too! This is most apparent for chives and scallions, which resemble chives. In both cases, the plants tend to form leaves that are almost round and hollow in the middle. Cut into small pieces, they add mild onion flavor to a variety of dishes, from French cooking, where chive is important, to Asian cuisine, where the scallion shines. In addition to being great for cooking, the juice from the leaves repels insects, making it useful for those looking to do some organic gardening.

As can be seen, herbs come in a variety of shapes and have a wide variety of uses, from food to medicine to natural insect repellents. With such a wide range of applications, a small garden, indoors or out, for herbs will allow you to have their versatility at your fingertips. So, get to your local gardening store and get started on growing your own!