How to Plant a Beautiful Herb Garden

Do you love fresh herbs for cooking and their magnificent aromas and colors? It's easy to prepare the soil and plant them in your own garden. Let me tell you how!

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• open area or one that can be worked up for a garden (you decide on the size
• garden tools (trowel, hoe, gloves, etc
• herb plants and/or seeds
• decorative items such as rocks, statues, stepping stones

1. Go outside and look at your available garden space, and determine how big an area you want to devote to an herb garden. These plants will spread, so plan for space. Choose a place that receives plenty of sunlight. Do you want to add stepping stones, a fountain, or some other garden decoration? Be sure to allow enough room for the expanding plants and everything else you add.

2. Work the dirt well with a hoe or hand trowel. If preparing a larger area, you may want to use a rototiller. Pull out all weed remains and rake smooth. You may want to have your garden among other flowers or plants, to add interest. I created my herb garden at the end of a flower bed, and left some flax, calendula, and violets in place.

3. Selection of herbs is your personal choice. If you use a lot of a particular herb or like its appearance, then you'll want more of it. If you're just looking for a little of everything, you should go for it! You can buy herbs at your local nursery, or plant from seed. It may be easier for you to start seeds indoors in a small pot and then transplant, but there is no reason you can't plant directly into the soil.

4. 
   herbs with flax

   Herbs generally do not require as much attention or water as other plants, though when first planting be sure to keep them well moistened until they are established. I've ringed each of my herbs with medium-sized rocks to delineate them, and to help me remember which herb is which. You may want to keep the little plastic tabs from the nursery or make a "map" of your herb garden until they are recognizable and you know what each one is.

5. Maintenance is minimal. Once the herbs are growing well, weeds should not be a big problem. Until then, weed as needed - but be sure you know what is a weed and what is an herb! I've kicked myself a few times for pulling out an herb that I thought was a weed. Water sparingly, but if plants start to droop, give them a good drink.

6. Even if you don't use all your herbs in cooking, their growth, aroma, and flowering will enhance the beauty and interest of your yard. Once well established, they will grow again year after year. Trim them back in order to encourage fresh growth each year. Enjoy!

Tips & Warnings

• have fun - add rocks, stepping stones, or other decorative touches to make your herb garden a place of whimsy
• when herbs "go crazy," offer some to friends. They will be delighted to have them!
• herbs are pungent and can cause skin irritation in some people. Always wear garden gloves when trimming and working in your herb garden.
• if you have pets, check to see if any of the herbs you plan to grow are toxic to animals.
• unless you want them to take over your yard, trim back your herbs well. They will always come back - with a vengeance!

[Mindee94]

on 5/31/2009 Awesome tips for preparing to have fresh herbs for cooking