My mom was a gourmet cook and also had a green thumb. It seems she always had fresh herbs right outside our kitchen to use in her latest test recipe. I have discovered that growing an herb garden really isn’t that difficult. In fact, it doesn’t matter if you live in an apartment or have a large yard. The type of soil you have doesn’t matter either and growing an herb garden can be done anytime of the year.
Growing an herb garden can be started with seedlings, indoors in early spring. When the weather warms up your plants will be ready to put in the ground outside. Start the herb seeds in 4 inch containers in a sunny location or in a greenhouse, if you have one. You can use a variety of containers such as flats or trays instead of the individual pots. If you plan to use old containers thoroughly clean them with one part bleach to nine parts water this will protect your herbs from any disease organisms.
Some people will choose a larger container and grow two, three, or even four herb plants together. To ensure the best flavor is produced, flower heads must be pinched off. Many types of herbs such as oregano, basil, and parsley are annuals, which means they only last one year. If you have room outdoors, you could grow an herb garden consisting of larger plants such as lavender and rosemary, which produce sprigs to last years. Herbs such as sage, mint, and chives are perennials, which means they continue growing year after year but will require some attention to ensure ongoing growth such as cutting them back.
When testing the soil for growing an herb garden, you may encounter soil that is either too sandy or heavy with clay. In this situation a raised garden bed would be ideal and one can be made or purchased, and rich, healthy soil added. The most important aspect would be to provide drain holes so the soil does not become water logged. These raised boxes can be made or purchased in a variety of sizes, creating the opportunity for one to be placed almost anywhere such as near the kitchen window, etc. As long as the herb garden plants are getting adequate sunlight, the plants will do well. The raised garden boxes could also be used for flowers or vegetables.
Growing an herb garden is really easier than you think. You can begin today to grow your own herbs such as basil, chives, tarragon, lavender, mint, oregano, parsley, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and sage today. Freshly cut herbs add so much more flavor to any recipe.
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