Herbs In Containers
There are many reasons one would desire to start an herb garden Along with many reasons there should also be a lot of thought put into starting an herb garden. The first thing that you should do is decide what your purpose is for having an herb garden. Herb gardens can be used for natural remedies, cooking, making natural oils, or insecticide. Whatever your reason is for starting an herb garden will determine how many seeds and plants you will need.
You will want to decide on what type of herbs you want to use. Do a little research on each herb to see what can grow in your region. Become educated on what type of soil, how much sun exposure and water each herb needs. It would also be advisable to know what kind of animals and insects cause harm to the plants. The more you know the better your chances are of having a successful herb garden.
In making your decisions you can visit the local nursery. The nursery might already have some herbs started as plants. If you can’t find plants anywhere, you can start your own garden out by using seeds and transplant into the garden at the proper time. Leave enough room for each plant to grow and expand.
Think of where you would like your herb garden to be. Herb gardens can be indoors or outdoors. An indoor herb garden will require containers for planting. There are many different styles of planters that you can use. You can purchase clay, ceramic, plastic, or even wood pots. You can also find containers that have room for multiple plants in it. Just make sure that the pots that you chose allow good drainage. Many smaller pots are best for growing herbs. You can keep the plants separated and avoid cross pollination in smaller posts.
The herbs will need water, fertilizer and pruning as they grow. Remove dead leaves and flowers from the plants as they appear. Herbs will need water when they are planted, but it is said that herbs are able to withstand droughts. You will need to fertilize your herbs at least once a month during their growing season. If your plants are looking unhealthy and you do fertilize them, it’s possible that the plants are receiving too much fertilizer.
When it is time to harvest your plants, use a sharp blade to cut off the healthiest branches. You will want to pick the leaves before the plants produce flowers. This is the peak time for the flavor of each plant. Wash all leaves in cold water before you dry them. To dry the plants, hang them upside down in the sun until all the moisture is gone. They will need to be dried completely before storage to prevent molding. Herbs can also be stored by freezing. You will first have to blanch the herb before freezing. Look in a cookbook to find the complete instructions for freezing herbs.
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