Contributing Writer, Hilary Smith
To help
you on this journey, we have created the following guide on how to grow your
own herb garden:
Start
with the basics.
Any garden needs adequate sunlight, access to
water, and good soil. Choose a well lit area that gets plenty of sun for herbs.
Most herbs love sunlight and need 6 to 8 hours of sun everyday. Next, ensure the
soil is rich and has proper drainage by adding compost and other
organic matter, like peat moss, to increase yields. If using containers, be
extra vigilant about drainage and adequate watering.
Plan
enough space.
Many herbs branch out. If you want to use the space year after year,
plan accordingly. One mistake many people make when planting herbs is to cram
too many plants into a small section of garden, so plan about 1 to 4 feet in diameter for each plant.
Listed below are some general guidelines:
- 3 to 4 feet- rosemary, sage, mint, oregano, marjoram
- 2 feet- basil, thyme, tarragon, savory
- 1 foot- cilantro, chives, dill, parsley
Keep it
nearby.
One of the perks to growing your own herb
garden is access to fresh cuttings and they can be very beautiful, so don’t
hide your efforts. Try to keep herb gardens relatively close to the house to
prevent traipsing across the yard to snip a few leaves.
Choose
easy to grow herbs.
Like any garden, some herbs are easier to grow than others.
Sure, it depends on your growing zone, soil type, and location. However, some
herbs thrive better than others with little attention. For a beginner herb
garden, we recommend basil, cilantro, sage, chamomile, dill, and mint. These
plants can be started with relative ease from seed or you can purchase potted
plants from your favorite greenhouse. If you have the time and desire, you can
broaden your herb garden offerings with lavender, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.
These herbs require a little more TLC, but do well for most beginners. Just a
reminder, though, if you want organic produce, you will need to buy organic
certified seed or starters.
Carefully
add plants to the soil.
Many herbs come from bedding plants or roots,
so we need to treat them gently. Space the plants so they have enough room to
spread and dig the initial hole about two times the size of the root system so
they can grow. Also, consider placing your taller herbs, like sage or dill,
toward the back of your garden to keep them from shading the smaller herbs like
thyme.
Label
your plants.
It’s important for freshly planted herbs to be labeled so you can easily
identify them later and keep track of what plants are thriving. This will save
you from some unfortunate cooking mishaps down the road. You can purchase plant
markers or make some from old spoons to add a little whimsy to the space.
Just a
word about mint.
While there is nothing better than fresh mint
in your lemonade or the smell of dried mint on an autumn breeze, mint is
notorious for spreading and taking over small spaces. If you plant this herb,
make sure to leave plenty of room for it to grow or consider planting it in a
separate location or a container.
Make
sure you water regularly.
Harvesting.
Knowing when to harvest your herbs is vital so you get the best flavor. A good rule of thumb
is to harvest the leaves before the plant seeds. Simply cut about ⅓ of the
branches near a leaf intersection when a plant reaches about 6 to 8 inches
tall. This will ensure your herbs keep producing until a hard freeze. As your
plants mature, you will gain a better idea of when and how to harvest.
Many herbs will go dormant or drop seeds so
they will come back next year. At the end of the season, allow your herbs to
seed and then you can trim back the dried foliage. For sensitive plants like
lavender, consider covering the garden with straw or leaves for an extra layer
of insulation against freezing winter weather.
What
tips can you share for growing your own herb garden?
Be sure to check out my "Bee Kind" nature based character development unit and my ebooks as well: A Wife's Guide to Studying Proverbs, Topical Devotions for Pregnancy and Early Potty Teaching. Or, if you're looking for a way to get 30 raw fruits and vegetables in your diet every day, contact me here.
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