Do you want to grow your herbs? Here is an easy guide to growing herbs in your garden.
Before you start growing herbs, you must understand a herb. A simple definition of a herb is a plant with fragrant and aromatic properties and can work as medicine or add flavor to food. Spices are made from parts of a herb plant.
The best feeling a gardener can have is harvesting plants and using them fresh from the garden. That feeling is motivating more people to start gardening indoors and outdoor.
If there is something you need to try, it’s growing herbs. They are easy to grow and can take less than three months to mature. After that, you will enjoy more flavor without worrying about the expenses.
So let’s talk about the guide to growing herbs.
Types of herbs to grow
There are different herbs you can grow in your garden. These herbs are common and can be grown in any type of garden. They include;
- Annual herbs
- Basil
- Coriander
- Parsley
- Biennials
- Caraway
- Chervil
- Parsley
- Perennials
- Borage
- Chives
- Fennel
- Marjoram
- Mint
- Sage
- Tarragon
- Thyme
As a guide to growing herbs, it’s essential to tell you to choose the herbs you will use that season. It’s easy to get carried away and plant all the seed varieties. When you start with one variety, it helps you understand the process and learn from your mistakes.
In your first garden, start with common herbs such as rosemary, mint, basil, or thyme. Once you are successful, you can plant other herbs in your garden.
How to grow herbs
So, what are the requirements to start growing herbs? The essential things are:
- Enough sunlight
- Well drained soil
To start the planting process, you will need:
- Trowel
- Garden gloves
- Potted herbs/seeds
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A Step-by-step process to growing herbs in your garden.
Step 1: Prepare your soil.
The first process is to ensure you have high-quality soil rich in nutrients and well-draining. Add the required fertilizer into the soil and mix evenly with a trowel. Water the soil to keep it moist.
Step 2: Prepare the plant.
Since the sun is a requirement when planting, ensure the garden is in an area that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight.
Water the soil in the potted plant. Remove the herb from the pot with the soil. Ensure it has healthy roots by checking the bottom of the soil. Use a sharp knife to make vertical cuts on the roots.
Step 3: Start planting.
Make a hole in the prepared soil. The herb should fit in the hole and cover the roots up to the stem. Backfill the hole, and press the topsoil lightly to allow breathing. Water the plant with a sprayer. Water the soil around the plant rather than on the plant.
After the planting process is complete, it is time to take care of the plant until it is mature for harvest. Taking care means providing enough water, applying slow-release fertilizer, and improving the soil quality with mulch or compost.
When watering the plant, ensure you give it enough water and don’t overwater or underwater it. If you are unsure what you are doing, water the plant only after the soil is dry and leave it moist; not wet. Overwatering or under-watering can kill your plant real quick.
When can you grow herbs?
Herbs have different varieties that require different conditions to grow. However, most herbs love warm temperatures with direct exposure to the sun. For instance, basil grows well in hot temperatures and starts to die during the cold season. Mint is hardy and can withstand cold, harsh conditions for a short time.
Most perennials work well during the summer, die in the winter, then regrow in the spring. In such cases, only the leaves die, and the roots are still alive in the soil. If you water the plant, it will start to grow.
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A guide to growing herbs
Starting a garden without a proper guide to growing herbs can lead you to trouble, especially if it’s your first time. You don’t want to fail on your first try. We will discuss basic gardening tips and terms to help you have healthy plants.
Plant care tag
A care tag is a written document with the seedlings or the seeds from the store. It contains instructions for caring for the plant. The care tag can tell you everything about the plant and its requirements. When purchasing the seedlings, ensure you read them to decide if the plant fits your garden.
Perennial
Herbs that grow every year are known as perennial plants. These types of herbs are planted once, and then they regrow each year from the roots. The secret to perennial plants is that the roots survive winter as the other parts die.
Once winter goes away, the roots start to grow again for the next harvesting season.
Annuals
Annuals are plants that die once their growing period has ended. They grow for one season, which is equivalent to one year. Whether you plant them from seeds or buy seedlings, they will still survive for one season.
Enough sunlight
As we stated earlier, the sun is an essential factor in the growth of herbs. Some herbs may require partial sun, partial shade, full sun, or no sun. However, they don’t require the same amount of sunlight.
If you place a plant in an area with unfavorable conditions, the plant won’t survive. The care tag provided with the plant can show you the amount of sunlight the plant needs.
Water
Any farmer knows it’s easy for water to mess with your plants. The similarity is that your plant will die whether it’s little or more water. If you can’t follow the tag’s instructions, follow the finger test.
The soil should be moist at all times. The finger tests check to see if the soil is dry. That means you only water the plant after the soil is dry.
Temperature
Most herbs can’t survive in cold temperatures. However, some, such as perennial plants, have roots that can survive during the winter and regrow in the summer.
For the annual plants, ensure you grow them in an area with warm temperatures. The best time to start growing them is after the dangers of frost have passed.
Conclusion
Gardening is a journey that involves learning from each other. As you have noted, growing herbs in your garden are easy. The best part is that you enjoy fresh herbs from your garden. You can even make spices for future use. With this guide to growing herbs, you can start growing herbs this season. And remember, don’t be afraid to ask a question when you fail.
