Start Herb Garden Now!
Start herb garden now is advice that can bring you loads of enjoyment. It is easy to get turned off by the thought of planting a regular vegetable garden with all the work associated with such a project but growing herbs is a lot easier and produces exciting results. Herbs can make your food taste better, provide medicinal comfort and bring bring beauty to your garden.
If you decide to become a herb gardener your first big hurdle is selecting what you want to grow. There are so many types and classes of herbs available to grow that it can be a little intimidating just deciding what to grow. Probably the easiest way to chose is to merely look at your kitchen spice cabinent and start with the herbs that you use on a regular basis. Start off with something familiar like rosemary, sage, basil, dill, mint or parsely.
Herb plants do not like wet feet. The soil in your garden must be well drained. If it doesn’t drain well it will be necessary to rig up some sort of a “french drain.” This is accomplished by putting crushed rock one foot under the garden soil. Luckily it doesn’t take a big area to raise more than enough herbs for your use.
The initial planting of your garden brings you to another decision point. Herb plants or seeds. The plants are readily available. They can be found in garden shops, big box stores and even grocery stores so finding your target plants is easy but growing them from seeds is cheaper and even easier. Most herb plants grow very fast so your not losing a lot of time if you go with seed. It comes down to personal preference.
Follow directions when it your plants are ready for harvest. Premature leaf removal can be fatal to plants that haven’t reached maturity even if you have that perfect salmon filet screaming for some of your home grown fresh herbs. Treat them right and they will produce a bountiful harvest for you.
When your herb garden begins to produce is when the fun begins. Many can be used straight from the plant with food on a grill or in the pot but some require drying. This will preserve them for later use and facilitate their use in cooking. An easy way to dry herbs is to spread them out on a baking sheet and put them in the oven on low heat for about three hours.
After your herbs are dried store them in glass or plastic. Other type containers will not preserve the taste and flavor. Several days after storage check for moisture in the containers. If moisture is present they were not dried properly should be redried or they will mildew.
Establishing a herb garden is a rewarding experience. It doesn’t require a lot of work and it will provide a world of satisfaction so do yourself a big favor and start you herb garden today!
