About Herb Gardens

Providing fresh herbs for your favorite recipe or steeping a handful of dried herbs for a flavorful cup of tea can be easily accomplished by having your own herb garden. Not only can herbs be used for cooking, but they're also fragrant flowering plants that can be used for many decorative and creating purposes.

Function

A primary use for growing an herb garden is to have a variety of herbs to choose from that can be used in cooking to add a particular flavor to sauces or spreads or to use as a garnish. Additionally, herbs such as chamomile, rose hips, sweet fennel, mint, lavender and lemon balm can be used fresh or dried to make hot tea.
For crafting purposes, fresh herbs that have been cut and allowed to dry can be used to make sachet packets and potpourri mixtures and as an ingredient for scented oils and candles.

Types

Along with herbs that are planted in a traditional garden setting, there are also container and window box herb gardens. Container gardens are perfect for areas that are limited with little to no yard space. They can be planted in large clay pots or other types of containers and placed on a patio or balcony.
Window boxes work well for growing particular herbs that produce colorful, fragrant flowers for decorative purposes or to have a small window garden that supplies fresh herbs for cooking and herbal tea.

Benefits

Fresh herbs not only provide delicious flavors, but they are also a healthy replacement for seasoning food instead of using salt.
Dried herbs can be used in crafting projects to create sachets that can be placed in clothes closets and lingerie drawers to add a fresh scent. The colorful and fragrant herbs can be mixed with dried flowers to create potpourri. Scented oils can be added to sachets and potpourri to enhance the fragrance.
Herbs such as mint, basil, eucalyptus and tansy can work as a deterrent to keep pests and insects out of the home and garden.

Planting

When planting a traditional herb garden, select an area that will receive adequate sun and has proper drainage for the soil. Compost or manure can be mixed with the soil to provide needed nutrients.
Both container and window box herb gardens should be planted in a container or box that has been lined with small rocks to promote good drainage and filled with a nutrient-rich potting soil. These gardens should be placed in locations with both sun and partial shade. Provide plenty of water, especially during the hottest months.

Air-Drying

To air-dry herbs, clip the herb sprigs in the morning, removing any diseased or dried leaves and leaving enough of the main stem for binding. Rinse with cool water to remove any dirt and completely dry the herbs using a paper towel. Bind the stem ends together using a twist tie, rubber band or thin twine and place inside a bag upside-down. Hang the bag in a warm, dry location with good ventilation. Allow to dry for at least 2 weeks.
Once dried, store whole leaves in airtight jars or bags and keep them in a cool and dry location. The leaves can be crushed into small pieces and dried in the oven on very low heat, then placed in airtight containers.

Resources

• Backyard Gardener