Beginner’s Guide On Growing Herbs For Your Garden
If you’re a first-time gardener, you may be wondering how to grow herbs. It’s not as hard as it seems. In fact, learning how to grow herbs can be very rewarding. Even if you have no idea what kind of herbs you’d like to grow, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is. And once you get started and establish a regular garden, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it.
First of all, it’s important to remember that herb gardening involves more than just choosing the right herbs to plant. You’ll also need to know how to properly plant them. That means knowing how to grow your herbs in the right location, at the right time, and in the right way. All herb plants need a warm, sunny location that is well drained. They will also benefit from being planted about six to eight inches below the soil surface. For your indoor herb plants, it’s best to use organic soil, as most commercial fertilizers are toxic to herb plants.
It’s a good idea to do a little research on herb gardening before you start planting. There are lots of books and magazines out there that will help you understand the basics of growing plants. If you want to grow your herbs outdoors, there is plenty of information on that as well. With so many herb plants to choose from, learning how to grow them becomes easier with each new one.
A good place to start for your new herb gardening hobby is to learn how to grow herbs using the best possible soil conditions. Your local garden center should have some suggestions on which herbs grow best in your area. Also look for books at your local library and home improvement stores that talk about herb gardening. You may find some classes at your local community college that are offered specifically on herb gardening.
Once you know what herbs you plan to grow, go through the herb’s section of your local garden center and purchase some seeds to plant in the spot you picked out. When you buy your seeds, make sure you buy ones that are a few years old, unless you are interested in germinating them. It can take up to five years for herbs to grow properly but by starting them young you can cut down on the time needed.
Another important part of how to grow herbs beginners is understanding how to prune your plants. Many people do not prune their herbs because they think it takes away from their harvest. This assumption is false. By removing unwanted leaves or branches, you are allowing more of the plant’s nutrients to be absorbed by the soil. Also, pruning helps grow herbs up higher so they will be ready to harvest in a few months.
When learning how to grow herbs, another thing to consider is how to deal with pests. One of the easiest ways to prevent herb pests from taking over your herb garden is to use natural repellents. Some popular repellents include Cayenne, tea tree oil, lavender oil, orange peel, or peppermint oil. Other repellents may require you to spray the plants directly; these include Cayenne oil, lemon grass oil, basil oil, oregano oil, thyme oil, or marjoram oil. You may also want to consider purchasing package insect repellents that can be applied to the outside of your herb garden to keep pests like silverfish away.
The last thing any beginner needs to learn how to grow herbs is how to prepare the herb for harvest. Harvesting an herb before the herbs are fully developed prevents you from wasting your harvest. Harvesting the herbs before they are ready allows you to ensure they get used to your growing conditions. If you do not learn how to grow herbs, you may find yourself losing money because you waited too long to harvest your herbs.