Growing Your Own Herbs: An Introduction to Herb Gardening

With their seemingly endless uses, herbs can make a very functional, as well as visually pleasing, addition to any garden. Whether your circumstances permit indoor or outdoor gardening, herbs can be successfully grown in anything from small containers, hanging baskets, and window sill planters to more extensive outdoor gardens. Although growing your own herbs may be more time-consuming than buying herbs, there is certainly great satisfaction to be had in producing your own useful plants that can be used for everything from culinary purposes to making your own herbal remedies.

Even the most inexperienced garden can grow herbs as long as the time is taken to carefully plan the garden. Before you go ahead and start your own herb garden, there are many factors to consider if you want to ensure a healthy, productive herb garden. For example, you should take into account the space available (are you living in an apartment or do you have access to larger outdoor areas?), soil types, exposure, climate, and the type of herbs that you want to grow.

Some General Tips on Growing Herbs:

• Different herbs grow naturally and thrive in many different soils and climates. If you are aware of your growing conditions and the needs of different herbs you can choose the plants that will do best in your gardens
• To grow herbs with full flavor, try to ensure that your herbs have at least five hours of sunlight a day (or 16 hours under fluorescent lights, placed 2-4 inches above the plants)
• A South-facing windowsill is usually the best location for growing herbs indoors
• Ensure that potted herbs have adequate drainage by using a well drained potting mix and by selecting pots with plenty of drainage holes
• Most herbs do not require a lot of water, watering every 2-3 days is usually sufficient
• Many herbs do best when grown with other herbs, although some combinations are not favorable
• When harvesting, do not pick more than one-third of a young plant, or more than half an older herb, at one time
• In general, herbs to better in soils with medium fertility. Don’t overfertilize your herbs as there will be too much soft, leafy foliage that is low in flavor
• If your soil is clay or sandy, try adding organic material such as compost or manure for best results
• The herbs that are the easiest to grow are often classified as shrubby, aromatic herbs (for example, thyme, rosemary, and sage)
• Although herbs are typically planted by themselves, herbs can be used to enhance any garden

To help you get started with your herb gardening, the Helpful Herbalist will be putting together information on both indoor and outdoor herb gardening, as well as pages on cultivation, propagation methods, and harvesting. Please visit our site again soon to see these additional sections on herb gardening.