How to Start an Herb Garden
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It may seem daunting, but having a herb garden is very easy (not to mention delicious). This lovely garden helps bring beauty to your outdoor space and mouth-watering flavor to your food. Whether you want to get into herb gardening as a hobby or to be more financially responsible and healthier, here are some easy steps to help you begin.
Select the Right Space
The great thing about herbs is that they can grow just about anywhere provided they have plenty of sunlight (at least 6 hours) and are potted in well-drained soil. Having your herbs in the shade will allow you to see if pests invade or the plant needs more water. It is also important to consider convenience when selecting a spot. If you plant in the kitchen or near the back porch, it will be easier to harvest the herbs when they’re ready.
Pick Your Herbs
The next thing you need to decide is which herbs you want to grow. Think about the flavors you like, the foods you might want to cook, and what else you want to do with the herbs. Almost all herbs will grow for at least one season, and some will grow for even longer. A good list of herbs includes chives, basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, oregano, lavender, and mint.
Plant & Grow Herbs
Once you’ve decided which herbs you want to grow, look at the plant tag to see how much space they need for the best airflow and growth. Dig a hole, put in some herb food, and place the herb in the same depth as its container. Fill around the plant with potting soil, gently pat it down, and water well. Be sure to water them whenever the soil feels dry and feed the herbs plant food once a month.
Harvest Often
It might seem contradictory to cut and snip the herbs frequently, but they respond better to harvesting and will grow back bushier and thicker than before. The plant will produce more foliage, which means more tasty and wonderful-smelling herbs for you! You can either use kitchen scissors or garden shears when harvesting, but never remove more than 1/3 of the plant so that it can continue to grow at a steady pace.