Herb Gardens For Beginners – Getting Dirty
Okay, once you decide which herbs to grow and whether you are going to plant in a plot or a container, you are ready enter the “start herb garden” mode.
Getting the herbs in the right kind of dirt may be a lot easier if you are going be a container gardener. All you need is the planting material that came in your kit, or some potting soil and a lightening material – like sand or perlite – to make the type soil your herbs will love.
However, if you are going to be a plot gardener you may have a little more work ahead of you. It probably won’t be too hard to find a gardener friend, or a helpful associate at a local garden shop, to help you learn what you will need to do to the soil in your plot to prepare it for herbs. Just remember most herbs like a light, well draining soil in which to thrive. And if you start reasonably small you shouldn’t have too much trouble preparing a soil that your herbs will love.
If your soil is very sandy a good quality soil improver may help. In heavy clay you might want soil improver and sand. You shouldn’t have to do too much, and as I mentioned a local resource can’t be beat to get you started. Also ask for a local recommendation on adding lime to the soil.
Once so armed, just break up the soil really well after removing any weeds or grass, make any needed additions and plant your herbs. If you’re starting from seed you should find the depth and spacing directions with the package. The same is true for plants. Otherwise, the web resource at the bottom of the page can certainly help you out.
Once planted, herbs just need sun, watering when the top layer of soil gets a little dry and weeding if any unwanted green things pop up in your garden.
If you’ve done a good job of preparing the soil you shouldn’t need to fertilize, but you can add a light dose of liquid fertilizer (check the label) to every third or forth watering if you wish.
Herbs love to be gently pruned once they have a good stand of leaves, and be sure to cut off any flowers if you want them to continue to add leaves.
Just follow these easy steps and poof, you have an herb garden.
