How To Build An Herb Garden
Herb gardening is a simple and easy skill to learn. Compared to things like roses and orchids, herbs are easy to care for. They do well in poor soil, hardly any fertilizing and little watering. Compare that to many other garden plants, learning how to build an herb garden is a breeze.
That being said, you can’t just throw some seeds in the ground and expect a great garden. You need to have some basic herb garden plans before you start planting.
First of all, herbs can grow even in poor conditions that other plants can not tolerate. This makes it very easy for them to become overgrown. For example, both Lavender and Yarrow have been known to spread and overtake amazingly large areas. Even Chives can grow at a surprising rate. Keep this in mind when planning your garden making sure to allocate plenty of space for the herbs you are going to grow.
Herbs will thrive contentedly as long as they have a foot of space or so betwixt the main sections. For example, chives have a nice appearance and grow well together - but their roots need space for nutrition and water. Other plants nearby will provide competition for the nutrients so be sure to keep that in mind when making your herb garden plans.
Soil is a must for growing herbs, although extensive soil preparation is unnecessary when learning how to build an herb garden. If you intend to grow a wide array of herbs, try to use a good compost or combination of sandy loam and clay. Herbs do well in soil that is rocky and somewhat dry because of their Mediterranean roots. Their background of growing in areas with enough drainage makes this a must. Make sure the soil stays moist as herbs do need some water, but do not drown them in soaking wet soil.
For example, Lavender and Sage are two herbs that are very drought resistant. For these two herbs, normal rainfall will probably be enough. Some herbs, like Peppermint, need more water. An automatic drip system is a good way for the conservation minded person to provide the extra needed water for these plants.
Landscape fabric is a great way to keep weeds from growing in your garden, ruining the beauty of your garden and choking out your precious herbs. Digging up weeds later can be tiring and frustrating, while using herbicides might kill your herbs since they have a similar makeup. You also do not want to spray poison on your future food supply.
Most herbs repel insects, but you probably want to consider a ‘trap crop’ in your herb garden plans that you can sacrifice for the preservation of the others. Dill makes a decent one, as it attracts bugs away from your other plants such as tomatoes. You can use a minimal amount of insecticide to save your dill crop, but use the smallest amount that you can still get away with.
One thing about learning how to build an herb garden is knowing which herbs will prosper during each different season. Some will thrive year round, but others need to be planted in four week intervals. Yet others must be planted once the winter snows melt.
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