How To Plant An Herb Garden
Herb garden is fun to have. You get to eat delicious meals garnished with herbs, you get healthy, and at the same time you can enjoy the fragrance and even the beauty of the plants. Here are some guidelines on how to plant herb garden.
If you want an outdoor setting, consider the soil, sunlight, growing zone, and of course, your time. How to plant herb garden may not be too tough, but it requires attention and time. So make sure you can manage to maintain what you have started.
Growing zone, or hardiness zone, is an important factor in herb gardening. Knowing your designated area will help you choose the plants that will thrive even in the harshest cold. Tender perennial plants, for instance, need to be indoors to survive the winter season. Another factor is the soil, its pH level and composition.
PH level is the level of acidity of the soil. This has an impact to the health of herbs, if not a factor of their survival. The ideal level for herbs is 6.5 to 7. If pH level is more than this, then your soil is alkaline. Add sulfur or organic materials to the soil if you want to lower the base level of the soil. On the other hand, if pH level falls below 6.5, your soil is acidic. Put in dolomitic lime, wood ashes, or eggshell to the soil to decrease the acidity level. You can use a home soil test kit to determine the pH level of your soil.
In planting any kind of herb, the basic rule for soil composition is three parts of garden soil, one part peat, compost or old manure and one part sand. Soil needs to be rich to give the needed nutrition to plants. It also has to be well-drained, as herbs do not thrive in wet and heavy soil.
Transferring a potted herb outdoor must be done gradually. To help the herbs acclimate, plant during a cloudy day in late afternoon so your plant will not be suddenly exposed to intense heat and light. Some herbs grow by seeding while others through cuttings. It is more convenient to buy herbs grown in the nursery than germinate seeds. Herbs will have a better chance to survive if already established.
Dig a hole a little wider than the mouth of the container, while the depth is the same as container. When taking out a potted herb, turn the container around and gently tap the bottom of the container. If this does not work, insert a knife on the edge of the container and slice out the soil. Plant the herb and fill out the hole, leaving no air pockets. Water the herbs right after planting, and continue to do this for the next one to two weeks. Add mulch to your plants but you don’t need to fertilize.
If you follow these simple how to plant herb garden instructions, you can be assured of healthy herbs.
