Tips for Growing an Herb Garden
Herbs are some of the easiest, most
versatile and useful plants to grow. If you're going to start a garden for the
first time, try growing herbs. Many of them grow with very little care, and if
you live in a condominium or townhome with limited space, herbs can easily be
grown in containers. Whether you've got acres of land or just a few pots on a
patio, here are a few tips for growing a successful herb garden.
Tip
#1: Grow Herbs You'll Eat
There's no sense in growing herbs
you won't eat. Do you enjoy a nice caprese salad of tomatoes, mozzarella, and
basil? Do you like your mojito with plenty of mint? What about pan-fried
potatoes with garlic and rosemary, or lentils simmered in broth with a few
thyme sprigs? Think about your favorite recipes. List the herbs used in each,
and grow the herbs you will eat.
Tip
#2: Prepare the Soil to Grow Your Herb Garden
Although most herbs will tolerate
dry, rocky soils, it is best to grow herbs in a dark, crumbly, fertile soil
that has plenty of organic matter and good drainage. One of the best tips for
growing an herb garden is to work in plenty of compost, worm castings, and
fertilizer before planting. By preparing the soil, you'll give your herb garden
the best possible chances for success.
Tip
#3: Understand Each Herb's Need for Water
Many herbs, such as bay and lemon
balm, produce the most intense flavors in poor, dry soils. However, each herb
is different. Some herbs, like mint and catnip, for example, grow best in moist
soils. Novice gardeners often think that more water is better. If a plant looks
like it's struggling, just add water, right? Unfortunately, no. Each herb has
different needs for water, and if you water some herbs too much, you will cause
them to rot at the roots and die. Most garden plants need an average of one
inch of water per week. Some will need more, some less. If you take the time to
research the herbs you're going to grow, you'll know where you need more or
less water.
Tip
#4: Group Herbs with Similar Growing Requirements
Once you have a list of herbs you
wish to plant in your herb garden, sort through the list and group them
according to their sunlight and water needs. Plant the herbs that need a dry,
sunny site in an appropriate area of the garden, and group the herbs that need
moist, shady sites in an area with the proper conditions. This will give the
herbs the light they need and make watering easier.
In a sunny site you might plant
basil, chives, oregano, dill, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and thyme. In a shady
site, try planting any of the mints, wild ginger, nettle, parsley, catnip,
sweet cicely, and monarda.
Tip
#5: Create a Garden Design That Works With Your Style
Herbs have been cultivated for
thousands of years, as far back as ancient Egypt and ancient Rome, in monastery
cloisters, knot gardens, and parterres. They can be as simple or complex as you
want to make them. If you only have a tiny space on a patio, use a strawberry
pot and plant each pocket with a different herb. In a grouping of pots, you can
plant several herbs and easily grow the most common herbs used in cooking. If
you have a townhouse and are limited to a small planting bed area, nestle a few
herbs among shrubs and perennials. These informal solutions are great for small
spaces.
If you have more space, you can
create an herb garden that is as formal or informal as you like. If formal is
your style, consider a classic knot garden design. The layout can be a square,
rectangle or symmetrical arrangement of geometrical shapes with low, clipped
herb borders and straight lines. Lavender and tightly clipped box hedges can
serve as borders, and bay trees can be clipped into topiary shapes.
No matter what your style, you can
grow an herb garden.
