Herb Gardening for Beginners
Herbs have been a source of healing and flavor since the times of the ancient Egyptians and Chinese. References in the Bible and ancient medieval documents show that herbs have been usedin most households throughout written history. Growing your own herbs is beneficial in several different ways. Herbs may be used to flavor food, for potpourri and teas, for medical purposes and to even control pests in the garden.
Herb gardens can be specialized towards one specific area or for many different purposes. They can also be grown in a garden with other plant species or in container gardens indoors. Although a popular use for herbs is for cooking (known as culinary herbs), they are also grown for their aromatic foliage and some for the beauty of their flowers.
Some herbs are used as garnish for plates or salads while other types of herbs can be used to perk up the flavor of a dish. Herbs can repel insects either through their presence near other plants or by rubbing them on your skin or on your pets. As with other plants, herbs can be annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees. Most herbs need to stay well-drained and organic matter can be added to improve the soil.
Fertilizers are not usually necessary for herbs grown outdoors. Many herbs prefer a sunny location and a few prefer full shade. Most herbs will flourish with afternoon shade. Because of their natural repellants, very few diseases or insects attack herbs. Sometimes in dry, hot weather red spider mites can be found on low-growing herbs and aphids may attack dill, caraway, anise, or fennel. Rust can affect mint.
Herb plants can be bought and planted into a home garden or they can be grown directly from seeds. It is an honor and joy to be able to see herbs growing from a single seed. Growing a plant like an herb from seed is all the more rewarding because herbs are so useful.
Seeds should be placed in a shallow pot or box in late winter. Use a light, well-drained soil for your seeds. Since herbs do not have a deep root base don’t cover the seeds too deeply. Follow the rule that the finer the seed, the shallower it should be sown.
You can transplant the seedlings to the outdoors in spring after the last frost. Although most herbs can be grown from seeds, some herbs do not transplant well. Herbs like dill, fennel, anise, and coriander should be planted directly into the garden.
Although growing herbs in a home garden is extremely easy and worthwhile, you need to understand herbs and know just what to do to get the most out of your herb garden. We hope this article has whetted your appetite for growing herbs.
We encourage you to complete the journey and joint us in becoming a satisfied herb gardener. You can find all of the information you need right here!
Erin Smart is an herb gardening enthusiast who loves to garden with her family. Together they grow all kinds of organic herbs and vegetables and share seeds with other organic gardeners all over the world. To learn more about herbs and growing them, check out her website at http://www.esmartyherbgarden.info .
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