How to Grow an Herb Garden at Home
Are you wondering how to grow a herb garden at home? Most people look at herb gardening as an expensive hobby, with all of the equipment that is needed and all of the time it takes out of their busy schedules. Herb gardening is not really that expensive if you are just growing the basic herbs that you use in cooking on a daily basis. If you are growing herbs for some special occasion or another, you will probably need to spend more money. This article will help those who are new to herb gardening in the home.
The first thing that you need to do is get a plan. Before you even start, get a plan on how you are going to grow your herb garden. There are many great books on herb gardening that you can find at your local library. There are even some great websites that have information and pictures about herb gardening.
Next, you need to decide which herbs you are going to grow. There are literally hundreds of different types of herbs, so it is a good idea to have an idea of what kind of herbs you want to grow. Some people choose to grow herbs for consumption while others plant them for decoration. Other herbs are grown simply for the beauty of the plants. Knowing your preference will help you choose the right herbs to plant in your garden.
Next, you should know how to grow the herbs properly. Herbs are very delicate plants and they do not do well if they are over-watered or under-watered. So, before you start your herb garden, make sure that you know how much water, sunlight and nutrients (such as fertilizers) you are getting from the soil every day. It might also be a good idea to add a little salt to the soil in the morning to help your herbs grow.
Your herbs will not grow properly without the right amount of nutrients, water and sun. You should get your soil tested to find out what kind of nutrient content it has. The soil test should also take note of the pH level of the soil. If you don’t have a soil tester, you can use a kitchen tap to get a reading of the soil’s acidity and alkalinity. If it is too high, or if it is too low, your herbs won’t grow properly either. So, you need to get these two levels checked regularly.
To learn how to grow a herb in your home, you need to know where to plant each type of herb. For example, if you want to grow mint, then you put the mint in the area where it can grow best. Another example is basil. If you want to grow parsley, then you place the parsley near the herbs you are growing to allow the parsley to naturally compete with the other herbs for moisture. Other herbs that need to be placed near each other are thyme, oregano, sage, chives and lavender. Just make sure that they are planted in an area with direct sunlight, so that their roots don’t dry out.
Once you have placed your herbs in an area, you need to provide them with some protection. They do not like a lot of sun, so you will need to place metal containers on the bottom of the garden. You can place plastic containers on the ground for your herbs as well. Herbs will thrive better in a raised bed, where gravity is working in their favor. This is the best way to ensure that your herbs get the moisture and sunlight they need.
Finally, you can harvest your herbs from the garden when the herbs have grown to your preferred height. However, some herbs only have a short growing season. You can either set a timer on your kitchen or yard radio or television to alert you when it is time to pick up your herbs. When you go to pick them up, it won’t be as hard to maneuver the large and bulky garden tool. This information should be a great tool as you learn more about how to grow a herb garden at home.