New Home Herb Garden

Home Herb Garden

So you're interested in starting a home herb garden but you're not sure where to begin. Well it's simple really, and certainly easier than starting a full fledged vegetable garden. Not only are herb gardens easier to maintain, but they're easier to start as well.

The first thing you need to figure out when starting a home herb garden is exactly which herbs you will be growing. As a beginner, try to make this list limited to mainly herbs that you will use frequently. After deciding on what you want to grow, you'll need to research them thoroughly. All herbs grow differently, require different conditions to grow, and different procedures for harvesting them. So do your homework and get a good picture of what each herb is like. This will also help you find out how easy or hard it is to grow each of your chosen plants. You may even decide to take one off your list initially because it is particularly hard to grow.

The second thing you need to figure out when starting a home herb garden is where you're going to grow. And for this you won't need a lot of space. This makes things very flexible in terms of where you want to grow. You can start growing herbs in your yard, or indoors in containers, or even in hanging containers outside. As you'll learn from your research, different herbs require different conditions. Sure, most herbs enjoy a lot of sunlight, but others grow best (as well as most flavorful) in shadier spots. Additionally, some herbs may be better in dry areas and others in moist ones. So figure out the best conditions for the herbs you've decided to grow and choose your location.

Now that you've gotten all the preliminary groundwork decided on, you need to get your supplies. You'll need your seeds (or plants depending on the herb you're growing), soil, and containers if you plan on growing them indoors. Now when you plant, you need to know the right way to plant each herb, as each herb will need different soil and moisture conditions. You'll also need to research how much the particular herb needs to be watered.

After you've accomplished these three steps, you should be well on your way to growing your home herb garden. Just keep on watering and caring for your plants and with a little patience and nurturing you will be rewarded with your own home grown herbs to enjoy in your kitchen.

Awesome Using Herbs from a Home Herb Garden

Using Herbs From a Home Herb Garden

Herbs have played an important role in the lives of people since the dawn of time. Historically, herbs have been used for cooking, health, beauty and more. Today, herbs in dried and fresh form are available at any supermarket but growing them at home is economical, fun and easy, and nothing beats using fresh herbs from a home herb garden.

The herbs chosen should reflect the needs and desires of the gardener. Some of the best herbs for a kitchen garden include thyme, rosemary, flat leaf parsley, basil, chives,oregano, cilantro and dill. Oregano, parsley and basil are instrumental in Italian cooking. Rosemary and thyme are fantastic with meat and poultry and cilantro is essential in Latin cooking.

There are, however, many other ways to use herbs from a home herb garden besides cooking. The best herbs for household uses include lavender, chamomile, aloe and mint. Lavender can be used in sachets to impart a floral scent and discourage moths or it can be put in pillows to encourage sleep. Sprinkled in bath water, it promotes relaxation and stress reduction. Keep a pot of Aloe growing in the kitchen for quick relief of burns. Simply snip a leaf, cut it open, remove the gel from the inside of the leaf and apply it directly to the affected area.

A bath soak made of chamomile, powdered milk and oatmeal will not only relax the senses but smooth and soften the skin. Mint is well known as a digestive aid as mint tea will settle discomfort. Breathing in a mixture of mint leaves in hot water will help to clear sinuses.

Most herbs require frequent harvesting to discourage flowering. When parsley flowers, for example, the leaves yellow and the plant becomes bitter. If frequent harvests cannot be used fresh, drying herbs is relatively simple and can be kept for months to use later, when fresh herbs may not be available.

A home herb garden can be a large area in the yard, a part of the vegetable garden, a pot on the porch or a small container in the kitchen window. No matter how it is set up, using herbs from a home herb garden is satisfying and fun as well as being economical and environmentally friendly. It is always nice to grab those fresh herbs , put it in that pot of stew, and savor that flavor knowing you were the one that had grown that herb yourself. What a good feeling that is.

By: Keith Greene

New Herb Gardening from Five Thousand Feet

Herb Gardening From Five Thousand Feet

At some point in your life as an herb gardener, you're going to get right down to ground level, and even below it!  But for this article, we're going to stay up a little higher and take a wider look at herb gardening. It appears that mankind has used herbs for as long as history has been recorded, and archeologists have found evidence of herbs being placed in the tombs of well-to-do or important individuals, attesting to the value placed on the plants.

Today gardeners still enjoy the many benefits of growing and using their own herbs.  Some are grown as flavorings.  Others for the scent they lend to home-made potpourri.  For teas, for medicinal purposes or even for control of pests, herbs are planted, nurtured and put to use for many different reasons.

Not only are the uses for a herb garden varied, but so is their form.  A gardener may plant for a very specific reason and purpose, or for a wide intent.   He or she might choose to introduce a few herbs into the family vegetable garden, or create a separate garden for herbs alone.

Herbs can occupy almost any space for growing.  A full outdoor garden or a small plot (you don't need a lot of space to enjoy your herb garden).  A few pots on the deck, a window planter or even some indoor containers in the kitchen, front room, or unused corner of a sunlight bedroom can all be welcome homes for herbs.  Many gardeners will have both indoor and outdoor locations and enjoy their gardens year round.

Herbs prefer well-drained soil.  If your soil is more clay-like, add compost, peat moss or even potting soil, and work it in well to loosen up the native soil.  Outdoor herbs, planted in good soil, probably won't need fertilizer, but you might have to supplement potted plants.

Most herbs enjoy full sun, but like all plants, each have their preferences and you'll need to research each plant to find out how much light, or shade, it prefers or can tolerate.

Herbs are quite resistant to diseases and insect infestations but not totally immune.  Keep an eye out for aphids, spider-mites, rust and some forms of mold.

You can buy starter herb plants, from the nursery, and put them into your garden, or you can start with seeds yourself.  Be aware, though, that some herbs are much more difficult than others to start from a seed.

When planting from seeds, do so in light, shallow soil.  Generally speaking, the finer the seed the shallower it should be planted.  Many gardeners will start their seeds, indoors, in late winter to be ready for transplant outdoors in the spring.  Be aware that you may not have success transplanting certain herbs (dill, for example, or coriander).  Wait until you can get outside and seed these in your garden or outdoor containers directly.

Regardless of whether you start with seeds or seedlings, you'll find growing and caring for your herbs, and finally harvesting them and putting them to use, to be a very satisfying experience -- so much more so than simply running to the store for a bundle of herbs.

Whether you're just "putting in a few things" to test the waters, or you want to dive whole-heartedly into your herb gardening experience, it's always a good idea to seek the advice of experts to learn what you can expect and to get yourself off to the proper start.

There are many different sources of information, including our website, that you can access as you prepare. The staff at your local nursery can be extremely helpful, and they'll be able to advise you well for your particular climate.  If you have a community garden in your area, you can seek the advice of other like-minded gardeners.  Although many will guard their secrets closely, most will be happy to talk with you and share their experiences.

Whatever form your herb garden takes, as a start, and in the years to come, I wish you all the best and the greatest of success in your endeavors with herbs.

Luxury the Joy of the Home Herb Garden

The Joy of The Home Herb Garden

Home herb gardens can be planted almost anywhere. Not only are most herbs attractive and fragrant, but they also are easily grown, maintained, stored, and a wonderful addition to your cuisine! Plant them in an existing backyard vegetable garden, a raised garden bed, in the front yard (parsley and chives make beautiful border plantings), in containers on your deck, patio, balcony, and even on your kitchen windowsill.

All herbs thrive in rich soil with good drainage. They can tolerate some sand, but do not do well in wet clay soil. Clay hardens too much as it dries, and your herbs do better in loose soil. Thyme, rosemary, dill, basil, chives, tarragon and oregano will thrive in full sun.

But mint and cervil prefer shady areas, so learn about your herbs before planting them, and place them accordingly. Some of the herbs in your garden can be best planted from seed. Lemongrass, parsley, dill, marjoram, sage, chives and basil are in that category.

Tarragon, mint, and rosemary are best bought as starter plants or planted from cuttings. Be careful with invasive herbs, such as spearmint. They should be planted in their own pots, and then sunk into the garden to keep the roots from spreading all over.

A home herb garden doesn't have to have a zillion different herbs in it. If you are a beginning gardener, and not yet a gourmet cook, just plant the herbs you are very familiar with, such as parsley, basil, chives, and garlic. As you get used to having your own fresh herbs at your fingertips, you can expand to include a plethora of herbs, for your expanding garden and cuisine!

So let's get started. Remove the weeds from the area you chose, add some compost to the soil and rake it to make it loose and even. Know how much room each plant will require and set your pots accordingly. When you have it right, remove them from the pots and place them in the holes, press the soil firmly around each plant (or seeds) and water well, to allow the soil to set.

Once your home herb garden has been planted, be careful not to over-water it. Herbs can actually handle drought more easily than flood. Mulch your perennials once a year, and fertilize all herbs every month during the growing season. Don't over-fertilize. It can make the plants too tall and sparse, and they will also be more susceptible to disease. It is healthier for both you and the environment to use organic materials.

If you are not constantly picking off sprigs of herbs for your daily cooking, be sure to prune the plants regularly. By removing the dead flowers and leaves, and cutting the plants back, you are ensuring new growth that is both healthy and full, instead of spindly.

Pests such as aphids, red spider, and white fly are rarely found on herbs, but if it should happen, use organic pesticides such as garlic /water sprays to rid your plants of the problem. You will be delighted that you decided to grow a home herb garden.

Inspirational How to Winterize Your Home Herb Garden

How to Winterize Your Home Herb Garden

In order for your herb plants to survive harsh winter conditions you want to be sure to winterize your herb garden. This will enable your plants to come back strong in the spring to continue to provide you with a great bountiful harvest.

Winterizing your home herb garden is not rocket science. Mother Nature has her own magical way of preparing for winter and you will see, as fall approaches, a slowdown in the growth of your plants. Your herb plants will begin to lose their leaves. Don't be alarmed if your perennial herb plants look as if they are dead. They are not dead. They are merely dormant - hibernating, so to speak, to survive the winter.

There are a several reasons you want to pay attention to the condition of your soil as winter approaches. Many herbs like their feet dry anyway because they are from the Mediterranean. Thyme, rosemary and lavender actually prefer dry soil. But you should be aware that wet soil will wick the heat away from your herb plants. Also, water freezes and can crack the roots of your plants.

"Old Man Winter" can be quite hard on your plants. Be sure to take a few extra steps to care for them for their winter protection and survival. Herbs are especially prone to root rot over the winter if they are sitting in wet soil.

Definitely do not fertilize or prune your plants at this time. You don't want tender new growth getting nipped by the cold. You can, however, go ahead trim out dead or damaged stems and foliage.

The best protection you can give your herb plants is mulch. If winter temperatures in your area generally fall below -10 degrees Fahrenheit you will want to lay down lightweight organic mulch around your plants. Shredded leaves, pine needles or straw will do the trick. Some people even use sawdust. However, if you want your herb garden to continue to have a more manicured look, you will most likely opt for a commercial mulch mix. Stay away from whole leaves or heavier mulches as these can suffocate your plants.

I know you want to make sure your herbs see it through to another summer, so what you do throughout their growing season is vital. If you haven't paid much attention to "lightening up" your soil throughout the summer months, please make it a priority when fall comes calling. It's the best way to help ensure herbal survival through the winter months.

Your small annual herbs are perfect for digging up and putting them in pots to spend the winter indoors. Find a sunny windowsill or plug in the fluorescent light. This way you can continue to have fresh herbs.

Even though we all know the most fun in herb gardening is planting your seeds, watching them sprout and grow strong to provide you with wonderful herbs for cooking or other purposes, you do want to pay close attention to winterizing your herb garden. Taking the few steps to winterize your herb garden will enable your plants to come back strong next season.