Growing Your Own Herb Garden

In today’s world herbs are becoming more commonplace. Not only are they used for cooking but we are also finding them helpful as medicine. Herbs can also be used as a fragrance, to be given as gifts and even as a way of making money.

Growing an herb garden isn’t as complicated as one might think. It does take some time to investigate all the avenues but once you have the facts it’s pretty easy to accomplish.

Timing is very important when starting an herb garden. Most gardens are best started indoors around the last week in February. Herbs can then be transplanted outside once the weather has started to settle into Spring conditions. Some herbs do not transplant well so if you are thinking of moving the plants outside investigate the different plants before buying seeds.

Soil is of the up most importance when planting an herb garden. Most herbs grow well in organic matter. They also need sand, silt and clay to be able to thrive and grow. Be sure you have the right amount of sand in your soil base. Too much sand can leave the plants lacking in nutrients. Too much clay can cause drainage problems. This inhibits root growth and keeps the plants from growing. Also the pH in the soil is important. The best level of pH for an herb garden is 6.5.

There are testers available in many garden stores that will help you test the pH in the soil along with things such as fertility and soil balance. Investing in one of these testers is a very good idea if you are serious about growing herbs correctly.

Planting herbs can be a little tricky. As mentioned before. it is best to start herbs inside. This will give the herb seeds a chance to root and survive through the their tender beginnings. Transplanting them outside can be achieved shortly after the first day of Spring when the weather starts to become warm and moist.

Plant herb seeds about six inches apart. If the types of herbs you are planting tend to spread or grow full you may want to spread the seeds out a little further apart. The larger the seed the deeper it should be planted.

Harvesting herbs should be completed before the day becomes to hot. Early morning is a great time to harvest herbs. Start after the morning dew has evaporated but before the sun becomes too high. Plants are ready to harvest when they begin to bud flowers. If you wait until the flowers completely open, it may to late.

The best way to dry herbs is by using air. First wash the herbs in cold water and be sure to drain them well. If you have long stemmed herbs they need to be bundled together. Place them in a brown paper bag and do not cover the stems. Hang them in a warm dry place. This could take 3 to 4 week to accomplish.

Short-stemmed herbs can be placed in a tray to dry. Place the tray in a warm dark place where there is very little moisture. This could take a few days for the herbs to completely dry.

Starting an herb garden is easy and makes sense. Herbs are wonderful for cooking, fragrance, medicinal purposes and much more. By growing them yourself you leave no chance in having herbs that have been exposed to chemicals or other factors that can destroy their taste and effect. All the hard work will be well worth the end result.

Click here to
Cut Your Grocery Bill In Half