Herb Gardening for Beginners
Herb Gardening Is A Great Introduction To Gardening
When it comes to gardening, not everyone has the green thumb that it takes to grow the more exotic flowers like the enormous Corpse Flower, but that doesn’t mean that all types of gardening are off the table. One of the most fulfilling types of gardening and one that requires significantly less skill than the more exotic flowers, is herb gardening. Herb gardening is not only a great place for the beginner gardener to start, but it is also a type of gardening that produces a result that is both fragrant and edible! While many beginner gardeners pooh-pooh the idea of growing something that is “all green,” what is seldom realized is that while many of the commonly grown herbs may all be green in color, they all vary greatly in fragrance.
Deciding How to Begin
When growing herbs you need to decide how you are going to begin, whether you want to grow your herbs in small individual pots or whether you want to grow your own herb garden. Some people find that when they begin growing herbs it is easier to stay on track if they begin with small pots with a single plant in each. Many times this method is started with a small pot that contains a small dried tablet of soil with the herb seeds already contained within it. These small pots are an easy way to begin because all they require is a little water and sunlight to begin since the soil already contains much of the nutrition that the herbs need to grow. After growing herbs in this way for a little while; however, the plants will become too large for the small beginner pots and you will need to transplant the plants in to larger pots to ensure that the roots have enough room to spread out without becoming tangled and choking the plants source of nutrition. Transplanting a plant from one pot to another is a relatively easy process; however, some people prefer to disturb their plants much less or grow larger amounts of herbs at a time and so they choose to begin an herb garden. Herb gardens involve more work in the first weeks of gardening since you need to prepare an area of the garden for your herbs and ensure that the soil contains the nutrients that are needed for the herbs to thrive. For the purpose of this article we will assume that you will be planting an herb garden, since this is the one method of the two that requires more instruction.
Prepare Your Soil
Most people do not have a rich soil that is easy to manage and they can easily become discouraged before they even begin the gardening process when they try to turn over an area of soil and find a clay rich soil or a sandy soil that does not look appropriate for planting anything. Herbs are a rather easy plant to grow which is what makes them a great choice for beginner gardeners; however, that does not mean that they will grow absolutely anywhere and that soil requires no preparation before planting an herb garden. All soil requires some type of preparatory work before anything is planted in it in order to assure that there is adequate nutrition and moisture. The first step is to test your soil to determine what type of soil you are working with. Most types of soil require the addition of a fertilizer to even out certain deficiencies within the soil composition, but before adding a fertilizer you must first determine what type of fertilizer to add and this is determined by the results of soil testing.
What Is Soil Testing?
Soil testing is a method used by gardeners worldwide to analyze soil to determine the elements and the amount of those elements within gardening soil. Soil should be tested periodically and not just at the beginning of a gardening project; however, since the nutrient content of soil changes over time. If soil testing is not done before applying a fertilizer soil can easily be damaged and as a result plants can be burned or may not grow at all. Soil testing is performed by your local county extension center as well as gardening companies and independent labs in your area. Some gardening centers and nurseries also offer soil testing services for a small fee.
How to Test Soil
In order to give a comprehensive sample to the lab of your choice you should take multiple samples from areas of your garden that you will be utilizing for your gardening experience. If the soil samples are from a relatively similar area and do not appear to be different combine a few samples in one clean container to present for testing to ensure that the overall soil quality his being assessed. If soil areas appear to have different types of soil all together it is important not to mix these soil types and instead present them to the testing facility in different sample containers. In order to get a good sample you should take around 1 to 2 cups of soil to your testing facility for them to test. Make sure when taking samples that you do not take them from areas that have already been fertilized or from wet areas, soil should be dry why sampled. If you find that your soil is slightly moist allow it to dry naturally before taking the sample in for testing. Once received at the lab, specialists will be able to test your soil to determine which nutrients it has and which nutrients it needs in order to act as a fertile gardening soil that is conducive to gardening. It is important to provide information to the testing facility on what you wish to plant in the area at the time that you provide your sample, they may also wish to know how large the planting area is. Soil sample results will generally be timely and will provide information on what type of fertilizer you will need to apply to your planting area in order to make it a nutrient rich and well balanced soil for planting your herb garden.
Why Fertilizer is Important to Herb Gardening
Fertilizer is what helps to ensure that your soil is providing the nutrients that your plants will need in order to grow which is why it is important to apply the appropriate type of fertilizer to ensure that a plant does not receive too much of a certain nutrient. After applying the necessary fertilizer to your soil before planting your herbs you are creating a well balanced environment for your plants to grow; however, after your plants initial burst of growth tests may indicate that they have depleted certain nutrient levels in the soil and that another round of fertilization is needed.
Choosing Herbs to Grow
Many people ask which types of herbs are the best to begin growing an herb garden with but in reality most varieties of herb are fairly easy to grow and the herbs that you choose to grow is really your preference. There is a wide variety of herbs to choose from with some having more fragrance and others being utilized more in certain types of cuisine so try to pick herbs that combine these two elements and create an herb garden that not only smells amazing but also produces herbs that you can utilize in the kitchen.
Varieties of Herbs
There are a vast number of herbs that you can plant in your herb garden and the general requirement that needs to be taken in to consideration for each is the amount of sunlight required by each. Some of the herbs that you may choose to grow in your herb garden include: basil, chives, dill, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, chervil, lemon balm, mint, parsley, cilantro, marjoram, chamomile and sage. Many of these fresh herbs can be located in your grocery store or organic food store if you are not sure whether you like the fragrance or taste of any of them so you can always do a little research prior to deciding which herbs you would like to grow in your garden.
Basil
Basil is a pleasantly fragranced herb that many people choose to grow in their herb garden because it is frequently utilized in cooking and it is a strongly fragrant herb that adds to the smell of an herb garden. Basil flourishes when grown in full sunlight and takes around 30 to 60 days to mature at which time a plant should be around 10” tall.
Chives
Chives are another herb that many people choose to grow due to the fact that they are so commonly utilized in everyday cooking. Chive leaves make a great quick addition to soups and bring a lot of flavor to basic salads. This herb requires full sunlight to grow and takes around 80 to 90 days to mature at which time the plant should be between 12” to 18” tall.
Dill
Dill is an herb that some people like and others do not, it is frequently utilized for its seeds which are utilized to flavor pickles so if you grow your own cucumbers and want to begin pickling this is a good herb to grow. Dill requires full sunlight to bloom and takes between 40 to 60 days to mature at which time the plant should be between 12” to 24” tall.
Oregano
Oregano is one of the more commonly known herbs and many first time herb gardeners choose to grow it due to its pleasant fragrance as well as its application in cooking. Oregano makes a great addition to many Italian dishes so if Italian is a cuisine of choice in your household this would be a good herb to add to the herb garden! Oregano blooms in full sunlight and takes between 90 to 200 days to mature at which time the plant should be between 12” to 24” tall.
Rosemary
Rosemary is an herb that many people utilize in cooking to flavor both vegetables and meats as well as in aromatherapy products. Rosemary can be a particularly fragrant herb as well which is why it is commonly used in aromatherapy; however, for those who don’t care for the scent or taste this may not be the herb for you! Rosemary blooms in the full sun and takes between 90 to 400 days to mature at which time the plant should measure between 24” to 36” tall.
Tarragon
Spanish tarragon is one of the more popular types of tarragon that herb gardeners choose to grow based on its licorice like smell that permeates the garden. The flower of the Spanish tarragon plant is also frequently utilized to bring a little color to an herb garden due to the bright yellow Marigold type flowers. The Spanish tarragon plant blooms in the full sun and when fully grown they may reach up to 12” high and 18” wide.
Thyme
Thyme is one of the basic herbs that most people recognize and many beginner herb gardeners choose to incorporate in to their herb garden. Thyme grows low and gives a little height difference to an herb garden but it also brings a lovely aroma. This is a commonly used herb in cooking which is another reason that many people choose to utilize it in their herb garden, so that they have fresh thyme on hand when they need it. Thyme flourishes in full sunlight and takes around 180 to 200 days to mature at which time it should measure between 6” to 12” tall.
Chervil
Chervil is a more subtle herb and while it is used to add flavor its fragrance may be overpowered in the herb garden by some of the more fragrant herbs. Chervil is commonly utilized to flavor soups as well as cheese and fish dishes. Chervil flourishes when grown in full sunlight and takes approximately 120 days to mature at which time the plant measures around 20” tall.
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is a citrusy herb which many people choose to add to their herb garden due to its pleasant lemon flavor which is commonly used in tea. The fragrance of lemon balm can easily be overpowered by more fragrant herbs but the flavor is still pleasant. Lemon balm flourishes in full and partial sun and takes between 90 to 200 days to mature at which point the plant should measure around 24 inches tall.
Mint
Mint is generally the first herb of choice when it comes to growing an herb garden because it is the most commonly known herb and has a particularly pleasant aroma and flavor to it. Mint can be utilized in a variety of dishes as well as fragrant drinks and aromatherapy products. Mint flourishes in partial to full sunlight and takes around 90 to 200 days to mature at which point the plant measures between 18” to 24” tall.
Parsley
Parsley is a popular herb due to its many applications in various cuisines. Parsley is incorporated in to a vast number of dishes including cooking meats, making salad dressings, making soups and making pesto! While parsley does not have a particularly strong fragrance to it, it does have a unique taste which enhances all of these dishes. Parsley blooms in full to partial sunlight and takes around 40 to 60 days to mature at which point the plant should measure between 12” to 18” tall.
Cilantro
Cilantro is a fragrant and flavorful herb that salsa lovers everywhere are familiar with and love to incorporate in to their herb gardens! Cilantro requires full sunlight to bloom and can take between 60 to 90 days to mature at which point the plant should measure between 18” to 24” tall.
at which point the plant should measure between 12” to 18” tall.
Marjoram
Marjoram is a sweet herb that many beginner herb gardeners have not thought of adding to their herb garden; however, it is a flavorful herb that brings a lot to a variety of different cuisines. Marjoram flourishes in full sunlight and takes between 60 to 90 days to mature at which point the plant should measure 12” tall.
Chamomile
Chamomile is an herb that most people recognize for its use in teas and aromatherapy products. The chamomile plant is known for producing small white daisy like flowers that add a little color to herb gardens. Chamomile flourishes in full sun and takes around 120 days to mature at which point plants measure around 4” to 8” tall.
Sage
Sage is another of the basic herbs that many people are familiar with. Sage adds a pleasant aroma to an herb garden and has a variety of applications in numerous cuisines. Sage flourishes in the full sun and takes between 90 to 200 days to mature at which point the plant should measure between 12” to 24” tall.
Combining Herb Varieties to Make Your Ideal Herb Garden
When combining different types of herbs in your herb garden it is important to try to remember to place herbs strategically. One example of this is to ensure that your herbs that require partial shade to flourish are placed somewhere where they receive partial shade and likewise with herbs that require full sunlight. You should also keep in mind that placing milder fragranced herbs next to extremely pungent herbs may lead to the overpowering of the milder herb by the much stronger one, so try to organize your garden to where each type of herb has its own placement and is not going to be overpowered by another. Some herb gardeners like to plant their herbs in rows and utilize seed packets or other markers to remind them of which herb was planted in which area, doing this keeps herbs nicely organized and helps to remind the novice gardener of which herb is which (something that can be extremely helpful particularly for the milder scented herbs!)
Deciding to Create an Herb Garden
Deciding to create an herb garden is a project that will take your time and energy but will also reward you with flavorful fresh herbs to season your cooking as you please. Of all of the varieties of things that you can choose to begin your gardening career with, herbs are by far one of the simplest, yet most rewarding plants to try your hand at. Just remember, gardening is a process that requires love and attention and in the end you will always be rewarded with the fruits of your labor.
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Share Your Gardening Experience
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Post a CommentI love the idea of having my own herb garden in my apartment
I love the idea of having my own herb garden and this article has inspired me to look into it further. I currently live in an apartment in the city, so having a full out garden seems a little unlikely in the very near future. However, I do grow several plants here on my sun porch including a long series of vines that are currently wrapping themselves around my windows as we speak. They are all very beautiful, if not simple, and it is highly enjoyable to see them grow and to know that it is how you take care of them that makes them that way. I have learned a lot by doing this and I would like to share a bit of that now.
One of the most basic things to do to keep a plant alive is to water it. However, there is definitely such a thing as over-watering a plant. I gave a potted flower to my girlfriend once, I forget what it was, but it was potted in small rocks rather than soil. She watered it about three times the first week and it promptly wilted over and died. Lesson learned, do not water a plant until you know that it needs it. You can do that by either researching what a plant typically needs, or by keeping tabs on how the plant looks and how moist the soil may be. A few times a week, I will usually stick a fingertip into the soil of my plants, just a little bit below the surface and feel how much moisture is still trapped inside and against the roots. Based on what I feel, I will either water accordingly or let the plant be for a little while.
The other, and really only other, thing I can think to tell you about keeping plants alive is to make sure they are in the right place in your house. Plants need sunlight on a regular basis in order to grow and be healthy. However, just as water is a good thing but not in unlimited quantities, so too is sunlight. Plants need sunlight in order to photosynthesize light into food and without it they will die in pretty short order. If they get too much, they can dry out too quickly and die as well. A place that has some shade and also some good exposure to natural light will give a plant the opportunity to find its own best position. Leaves and branches will naturally crane themselves into position to get the best amount of sunlight to sustain their growth. My vines are really fascinating as they move themselves around my sun room getting themselves situated.
I believe in a more naturalistic approach to raising my plants and I would suspect that doing so with an entire garden would produce good results as well. I am really looking forward to giving it a try.
Draining is Important
While soil is important, make sure that your herb garden is also very well-drained. A poorly drained herb garden will soak the roots and quickly kill your plants. So don't compact your soil and use a sandy bed if necessary. You can also take care of this problem when growing plants in pots by making sure you only use pots that have holes in them and being careful to never overwater.
You should also keep in mind that some plants are easy to transplant and some will resist it will all of their heart. For example, dill is difficult to transplant but easy to start from the seed. Chives, on the other hand can be cut and transplanted to spread out your crop every year. Marjoram and similar herbs fall somewhere in the middle: they can be transplanted, but the entire plant must be moved and they do best when they are grown by the seed indoors for a while and then carefully moved outdoors. Some herbs, like rosemary, are grown primarily from cuttings simply because it takes a long time to grow a plant up from a seed and people tend to get impatient.
While it is unpleasant to think about, your plants may not be safe outdoors from wild animals. While some herbs are unpleasant to some animals because of strong smell and taste, there is typically some species everywhere that is willing to eat anything. Deer, for example, may feel like grousing around your new shoots. Chipmunks and rabbits alike may try to sample your herbs as they grow. If these animals do not like your food, they may choose to uproot their sample rather than just leave it alone. Birds also may be unintentionally destructive. Even cats may be tempted to gnaw on some of your herbs. If you already have a flower garden or have tried to grow in the past, you probably know what types of animals to expect. If not, then try to put your garden somewhere out of reach or cover it with netting, fencing, or other protective materials.
When in doubt, don't be afraid to make your herb garden an indoor project. Window space is not necessarily required even for sun-loving herbs. There is a wide variety of grow lights on the marker, and while many of them are used for less legal types of herbs, they can still do an excellent job of supplying the right wavelengths for a miniature indoor herbarium. Some kits even come with a light, timer, and growing station all packaged together. This is an ideal option if you live in an apartment building or do not have the space in your yard, too. Because herbs tend to stay small and can be easily harvested for meals, deciding to keep your garden indoors may be a good choice. If your live in a rough climate, you may find that growing indoors changes some annual herbs into perennials, since they can now survive freezing winters inside.
Herbs need sunlight but not hot, dry conditions
When you decide to move you’re herb garden outside into the real soil, be very careful that you choose the right location. Yes, many herbs do like lots of sunlight, and this is a very important factor when raising the sprigs inside when first encouraging them to become strong enough for transplanting. However, there is sunlight and there is sunlight. For experienced gardeners this is an automatic consideration, but if this is your first time trying to grow herbs, be very careful choosing a location. The general rule says six hours of daylight at a minimum. This means that many herbs will need even more daylight, which makes it difficult to utilize all those tiny pockets or corners where an herb garden would be so perfect. A window box or a bed in open ground where sunlight is frequent may be best if all the areas against your house receive too much shadow.
However, even more important than this shadow factor is the type of climate that you live in. Many climates will support herbs…in the mild parts of the United States. Other locations will not be so friendly. Herbs tend to suffer in hot, dry conditions. You may get some naturals like sage to appreciate a desert condition such as that spreading across most of Arizona, but basil will not last more than a few weeks even with the most careful protection. Herbs simply cannot survive that sweltering heat, they are largely not designed for it. So if you live in an arid region, keep the herb indoors and next to windows rather than trying to transplant them outside. If you live high in the mountains, take equal care. Often the summers are too hot and the winters are too cold for herbs to survive very long outside. You may be able to encourage a brief crop in late spring and early summer if the herbs are hardy enough, but do not aim for more than that. Herbs such as parsley love wetter climates, but if you live in an area that receives a lot of cloudy weather, you may not have enough sunlight for other types of herbs. Likewise, living on the seashore is rarely conducive to growing herbs, since the salty water transmitted by wind and air will be too much for many varieties.
Also, as your herbs continue to grow well, keep cutting them and using them in cooking. Number one, this is why you should be growing herbs in the first place! And number two, continual cutting your herbs during growing season will encourage them to continue growing. When you cut your herbs, wrap them in a damp paper towel and store them in the refrigerator to keep them fresh. If you have any doubts about what herbs may grow in your climate, take a trip to a local nursery and see what they have growing there. Even if the plants don't tell you much, the store owner will give you good advice.
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