How To Start Herb Garden Of Your Own
You may be thrilled to start herb garden of your own. There are a few notes though, in planting herbs, especially in outdoor settings. When you wish to plant your herbs outside the house, start with finding a good spot. There are herbs that definitely love sunlight and there are those that prefer a little shade and moisture. Herbs that love sunlight are basil, chives, dill, oregano, rosemary, tarragon and thyme while chervil, lemon balm and mint thrive more in filtered sunlight.
Start herb garden right by knowing how to propagate them. Your garden need not be very big. It’s good to start with something small first. Better a manageable garden than a big but lowly maintained one. If you want to plant common culinary herbs such as basil, thyme, parsley, chives and lemongrass, it is recommended that you start planting their seeds indoor first. On the other hand, mint, rosemary and tarragon can be grown better if propagated through cuttings.
It is good to get some information about the herbs that you want to grow before you start herb garden of your own. Consult expert herbalists or your local nursery regarding the nature of herbs. Some plants love dry soil while some prefer it moist. Group your plants according to their need for water or their need for sunlight. Rosemary and thyme love dry soil, so you can plant them together. Basil and parsley can be grouped as they both prefer moist soil.
There is such thing as companion plants. If you never heard this concept before, this simply means that some herbs grow better when planted with complementary plants. Of course, there are also herbs which grow weakly when paired with other plants. Basil grows best when grown together with tomatoes. Gardeners suggest 3 basils for every one tomato plant. Parsley also loves tomatoes. Since both basil and parsley prefer moist soil, you can bet these three will make a good combination. Parsley and mint should be kept away from each other. You can plant mint near your cabbage patch though.
Good news about cultivating your herb garden outdoor is that, your plants are seldom infested by diseases and insects because they receive sufficient sunlight and air circulation. Also, you can provide them with good drainage. When you’re plants get infested by insects, use insecticidal soap or horticultural oil instead of chemicals. Chives soaked in water are likewise a good, organic way to eliminate mildew disease. Keep your young plants humid by constantly spraying water on them.
In case you plant herbs during cold months, plant your herbs in pots and keep them indoors first. Cut small holes at the bottom of the pots so extra water will be drained out. Place your pots on trays and place them along the windowsill.
