How to Grow Herbs
Imagine growing fresh herbs in your garden. With the all choices at your fingertips, you can pick and choose which herbs to use for cooking, decorative or medicinal purposes. The majority of herbs are easy to grow, do not require much care, and can be planted and kept either indoors or outside.
Planning and Planting
Before you plant the herbs, decide what kind of garden you want to keep. Herbs grow well in containers, in both outdoor gardens and windowsills. Deciding factors might be how tall and wide each herb grows, how much sunlight it needs and how many herbs you wish to grow. Other considerations are how long the herbs live. Some herbs are annuals, meaning they grow and bloom for one season, die off and have to be replanted. Biennials grow during their first season, become dormant during the winter, and grow back to bloom and go to seed in their second year. Perennials live several seasons before dying, and always bloom during their first year.
Depending on your skill level and the amount of time you want to put into your herbs, think about how hardy various herbs are. Some herbs proliferate easily such as dill and horehound, while other types are fragile, like cilantro.
Needs and Care
The majority of herbs types enjoy full sunlight. As long as you can ensure the plants get a minimum of six hours of full sun daily, most herbs will thrive. Herbs also enjoy well drained soil with several good waterings each week. Make sure the soil does not get soggy or becomes standing water, as this will quickly kill off most herb varieties. As your herbs grow, pluck off young shoots and blooms to encourage a fuller, healthier plant.
Herbs are easy to care for. Check with your local nursery for details on what herbs are hardy in your zone and whether it's best to use seeds or young plants to establish your garden.
