Herb Gardening
John Smythe
When you go to the supermarket you can see fresh herbs for
sale. These same herbs can be grown in your garden with a
minimal amount of trouble. You can grow herbs from cuttings or
seeds. You can divide the heavy growing herbs and plant new
herb plants. Whatever format that you decide to use, herb
gardening adds zest to your world.
Herbs are annuals, biennials and perennial plants. Herbs like
Basil, Coriander and Dill are annuals that bloom for one season
only and then die. Caraway and parsley are biennials that live
for two seasons and bloom only in the second season. Perennials
like chives, fennel, mint and tarragon ‘die’ over winter and
then blossom each season once the plant has established itself.
Herbs need to be planted in a 20 by 4 foot garden space. In
this garden, you can have separate plots for each type of herb.
This mini plot is a 12 by 18 inch herb garden. With the many
herbs that are being used, colorful and frequently used herbs
can be planted around the borders of your plot. Parsley and
Purple Basil are examples of colorful border herb gardening.
For your herb garden to thrive the soil should not be very wet.
Herbs do not grow in wet soil. To make your herb plot well
drained, remove about 15 to 18 inches depth of soil. To the
bottom of the hole add some crushed stone or other material
that is similar to the stones.
A compost and sand mixture added to the soil will lighten the
soil’s texture making it easier for the water to seep through
the soil and drain away. Hummus will enrich the nutrients
within the soil and restore the soil’s Ph level. Then refill
the hole higher than it was originally.
The herbs can be planted in the ground late winter. Herb
gardening requires that you first grow them indoors in shallow
trays. The herb seeds must not be covered with a thick coating
of soil. The soil needs to be light and well drained. This type
of soil texture will ensure that your herb gardening gets off to
good start.
Once your herbs are planted outdoors there are a few insects
that can attack the plants. Aphids like anise, caraway, dill
and fennel herbs. The red mite spider attacks low growing
herbs. Rust can be a disease-like status for mint plants.
But these minor troubles aside, herb gardening is a peaceful
and intriguing activity that takes its place in history.
Whether you use herbs for cooking, medicinal use or even
aromatic usage, the art of herb gardening is making a comeback
amongst gardeners. Join their ranks and enjoy the pleasures of
using your own herbs.
To your gardening success!
John Smythe
About The Author: John Smythe is an avid gardener from sub
tropical Queensland, Australia For the 2 hour audio complete
gardening ebook plus 3 free bonuses go to
http://gardeners-handbook.info For more gardening articles go
to
http://gardeners-handbook.info/gardening/index.php
See Also:
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