Herb Gardens For Beginners – Growing Herbs in Pots
If you are a true beginner gardener, an outdoor bed herb garden may sound overwhelming. If so, why not learn to grow herbs in pots?
A container garden will give you all kinds of experience while being easy to manage. You can start very small with a ready to use herb growing kit or a few seedlings. You can keep them in a sunny window sill or even on the kitchen counter where they are easy to watch and ready to add to your dinner recipes.
If you choose to use a kit, they come in all shapes and sizes and have everything you need. Or, if you choose to select a few herb seedlings, here’s all you need to get started:
• Herb seedlings
• Potting soil
• Perlite or other soil lightening medium
• A few small stones for the bottom of the pots
• Containers large enough to give the plants room to grow
Then, start your garden:
• Cover the bottom of each pot with a layer of stones to facilitate drainage
• Mix a little lightening medium into the potting soil and fill the pot
• Place the herb in the pot, keeping the soil around the roots
• Water well and place in a well lighted spot
Once your garden is growing, herbs are very easy to care for. Just,
• Allow them to dry out until the top layer of soil is just dry
• Water when about a half inch inch of the soil is starting to dry
• Turn the plants every few weeks if one side gets more light
• Use a light liquid fertilizer with every third or fourth watering if you wish
• Harvest often and cut off all flowers if you want them to keep producing leaves
Your herbs would also love to spend the summer outside if you have a place for them.
Just remember to move into the sun them slowly. First into the shade, then as they become sun tolerant, they can take a sunnier spot. Check on how much sun each herb you grow will like – it varies greatly! And, don’t forget to bring them back in before the first frost.
By following these few steps you can be a successful herb gardener and enjoy fresh herbs all year long.
