Herb Garden Information
About Herb Gardens
The world’s culture has evolved alongside herbs. Cave paintings discovered in France show that about 15,000 plus years ago our ancestors were using herbs. Both the ancient Egyptians and the Chinese made entire cultures out of the use of these amazing plants. The Greeks and Romans were also believers in the healing properties of herbs. These days we appreciate herbs for their many different uses. They are great for brewing and making tea, for adding an extra tang to food, as a tasty looking garnish and even as a way of controlling pests in the garden.
Herbs are great for modern gardeners too as they grow quite happily indoors. Any part of your house with adequate sunlight can be converted into a garden full of herbs. Even if you don’t have a sunny area, you can still grow herbs as some species actually thrive in the shade. These indoor herbs have the added bonus of making your house look (And smell) homely. Some gardeners even decide not to grow culinary herbs (These are the delicious, edible kinds) and instead focus entirely on growing the best smelling, most beautiful herbs they can. These herbs can then be dried to make potpourri and keep the great smell for even longer.
Herbs generally have four varieties: annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees. These all have similar needs. One of the most important things is good soil, that is well-drained. Fertilizers are not needed for most herbs, so instead organic matter can be added to solve problems caused by heavy or compacted soils. Some plants do well indoors, whereas others (Such as dill, fennel and coriander) are better grown outside.
Most herbs start their lives as a seed, you can also try growing herbs in pots. To do this we usually use a shallow pot. This key word ’shallow’ also applies to the herbs as they generally don’t have a deep root base, so too much soil is hazardous to them. As a general rule look at how fine the seed is. Finer seeds should be planted shallower. Next add a light, well-drained soil. Some plants will benefit from periods outside, whereas others should be kept indoors the whole time.
The problem of pests gets blown out of all proportion when it comes to herbs. Most herbs are pretty hardy and few pests can actually damage them. This being said, there are certain creatures that the grower should be aware of. Red spider mites are a pain in most dry countries. Likewise aphids love fennel and dill. The fungi known as ‘rust’ is also a problem with plants such as mint.
Growing your own herbs is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling things you can get involved in. As always there is a lot of information that you need to research and use to get your herbs. This site has articles and resources that you need to help you have a flourishing, healthy herb garden. Another option is to use herb garden kits as they have the research and information contained in them.
