Thinking about starting an herb garden but feeling hesitant? Although it might seem intimidating to start a herb garden, we can promise that the benefits far out way the hesitations that you may have. Herb gardens are the happiest of places and even those who don’t have a great need for herbs or find them interesting can benefit from a herb garden. If you’re just starting with gardening and feel a tad bit intimidated by starting a full garden, starting with a simple herb garden is the best option.

Starting a herb garden is beyond easy because as they don’t require much and they’re extremely rewarding. And, whether you have limited experience in the kitchen or cook daily and have culinary experience, herbs can make any dish better. They may be small, but we can promise that the flavor they give and the freshness that they add to dishes is something that you can’t compare with. Even though they’re some of the easiest plants that you can grow, many people are still nervous to attempt growing them.

If you feel this way about starting an herb garden, let us help by giving you some basic instructions on how to get started as well as some of the rewarding benefits that you’ll see from growing herbs. We truly think that herbs are a fantastic addition to your meals and the best starter garden, additional garden, or simply a garden that you start for fun! Let’s take a look at how you can get started with your herb garden.

Pick A Space

The first step to starting your herb garden is picking out where you want it located. The best part about having a herb garden is that no matter where you live, whether you have a full backyard or live in an apartment and have a balcony, growing an herb garden is something everyone is capable of. You just want to make sure that your plants will get at least 6 hours of sunlight so that they’ll grow well.

However, depending on what herbs you choose they may need even less sunlight than that. We suggest choosing a spot that’s located closest to your kitchen so that it’s easy to grab as your cooking, but any location works that you prefer. You can look up the herb or take a look at the plant tag before you buy to see how much light your plant will need. Make sure that you follow this and your herbs should thrive.

Think About Your Growing Style

When it comes to herb gardens you’ve got a few different options for your growing style. You can either choose to plant herbs in the ground directly or use raised garden beds where your herbs will also thrive in. But if neither of these options works for you, you can always use pots for your herbs instead. Pretty much any pot or even wooden boxes (with the proper holes for drainage) will work for you to plant your herb garden. Choose an option that works for you and then get it set up!

Choose The Plants

Now comes the time when you get to choose what plants you want to be included in your garden and think about which plants you’ll use. To make sure that you get the most from your garden and that you have a collection of luscious herbs that you use regularly, we suggest starting by making a list of the flavors that you know you like.

You can also take the time to write down which dishes you make often that include herbs and which herbs you tend to buy. Or maybe you use herbs for other reasons than culinary and you write down a few things you use herbs for regularly. Whatever it is, narrow your herbs down to the ones that you know you’ll use the most.

Start Planting

Now that you’ve chosen your herbs it’s time to get planting! You’ll want to do a little research about each plant before you physically plant them in the soil just to make sure you know the proper spacing and what they need to thrive. The main concept for planting is all the same; you’ll take the plant out, dig a hole in the soil, plant the herb and then fill in the area around the plant and pat the soil down. You really can’t mess this part up and once you get started with the first you’ll be encouraged to keep going with planting.

Care For Them

You want to make sure that you’re caring for your plants properly and giving them the attention that they need. This involves checking them daily to see if they need water and giving them liquid plant food every couple of weeks. You want to make sure that all the herbs are doing well and, especially in summer, they must be getting enough water. This is crucial to make sure that your herbs grow and that they’ll thrive in the garden.

Make Sure To Harvest

This one may be obvious, but make sure that you harvest your herbs. Since herbs respond well to harvesting, they’ll grow back bushier and thicker if you’re constantly harvesting them. We recommend harvesting them in the morning and you’ll get to see your herbs thrive. Do this and you’ll have a healthy garden, an abundance of fresh herbs to use, and a new accomplishment to add to your resume!

LandArt Solutions, with more than 20 years of field experience, is a full-service landscaping and lawn care company serving the Fayetteville, NC region. How can we help you with your pruning and other lawn needs? Talk to us today!