Tips and Ideas For Planting An Herb Garden

If you’ve always wanted to have your own herb garden but just didn’t know how to start, here are some ideas to get you started.

Just about everyone can grow herbs no matter what zone they live in. Herbs are so plentiful and there are so many types, that you surely can find a combination of herbs that will work for you. If you love the thought of stepping outside your back door and plucking a few herbs to add to your dinner or to craft your own tea from your own herbs, growing an herb garden will be very enjoyable for you.

Herbs that are favorites are those that grow back every year. You just plant them, and your job is pretty much over. If that sounds like the route you’d like to go, selecting the right herbs is an absolute must. Consider planting selections like basil, dill, parsley, rosemary and marjoram. All of these herbs can be used to make savory blends for fish and meat as well as pasta dishes and other treats.

Basil is the main ingredient in pesto, so if you love pesto sauce, grow a bunch of basil. All these herbs will grow plentifully and you’ll just need to cut them back before they flower and then turn to seed.

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If you love flowers and want to grow your own herbs for teas, consider planting nettles or red raspberries (for their leaves). Rosehips and hibiscus flowers are also a nice choice. Any of the flowery basils are also nice like lemon basil and chocolate basil. When you rub the leaves, they actually smell like lemon of chocolate. There are many other scented basils too. Another herb you’ll want to grow is mint. Mint will run rampant, however, so consider planting it in a separate pot. Dry out your herbs and add violet flowers or chamomile to make a tea blend. They'll taste better than anything you could buy in a gourmet tea gift basket!

Growing an herb garden outside requires little more than a plot of land, or containers, and water. Keep your soil moist but don’t overwater. Before flowers come onto the heads of the herbs, pick them and use them. Once they’ve gone to seed, they’re not very useful or tasty, and definitely not in any condition to give as garden favors.

Check out various culinary and medicinal herbs. See which ones you’d like to grow. You can have an herb garden all year indoors, so consider planting in small pots. Culinary herbs like parsley and basil do well indoors on a window sill. Be careful not to overwater.

You’ll have no trouble keeping an herb garden once you get it started. Most herbs also have properties that keep away the pests, so you might want to plant them alongside other vegetables. For instance, basil will keep away certain tomato pests, so plant it between your tomatoes. If you are interested in combination planting with herbs, entire web sites and books can be found on the topic. It makes good sense and requires less pest control on your part.

Herb gardens make a delicious way to garden. Whether you steep the herbs for tea or use them in new recipes, herbs are a nice addition to any garden. Whether you keep them separate in a little raised bed or include them in the garden, you’ll enjoy the fruits of your labor.