Setting it all up
If you have chosen an outdoor garden, keep it small at first. 4' x 4' is a good size for a novice herb gardener, and will enable you to grow about 8-9 different herbs. Select a sunny spot which is easily accessible with a hose or sprinkler. Most herbs need lots of sunlight to thrive. Those which may require less light can be strategically placed so that shade from taller plants or nearby trees falls on them, or you can set up a separate garden for them in a shady area.
Work the soil in your chosen area. Dig up and discard any large rocks, break up solid chunks of dirt, take patches of grass to other parts of your yard that are bare and can use the help.
You can, in some cases, plant directly in your soil but enriched soil really is best for gardening. I prefer to make a raised bed, then fill with a mixture of approximately 60% topsoil and 40% peat.
To make a raised bed, construct a box in the spot where it is to stand. One way to do this uses landscaping timbers along with large screws and is very easy. Make the box at least two timbers high. Screw landscape timbers together with 3 coarse-thread deck screws. Put the timbers together by first drilling a 3/8 hole halfway through the timbers themselves. Otherwise, the screw will not go through the landscape timber.
CAVEAT: In some areas of the United States, the available landscape timbers may be infested with Formosan termites. DO NOT use these. Alternatives include left-over deck material or 2x4s.
Fill in the box with the topsoil and peat. You can figure out how many bags of topsoil you need either by judging with your eyes or figuring out how many cubic feet are in the area for your garden and then buying the corresponding cubic feet of soil. Peat generally comes in compressed blocks; you will probably need approximately 1.65 cubic ft. per 4' x 4' area.
For an indoor garden, you can use all kinds of pots and containers, as long as they retain moisture while allowing excess water to drain away. Terra cotta pots are probably not a good idea because they tend to absorb water instead of allowing it to stay in the soil. Fill containers with a topsoil and peat mix, just like the outdoor garden.
You might even try an outdoor container garden. This is an excellent option especially if you live in an apartment, have limited outdoor space or want to start very small. Herbs can be grown individually or you can get a very large pot and combine herbs. If you want to combine herbs you can try themed pots. How about a Kitchen Garden with basil, dill, savory, mint and chives? Have fun making your own combinations based on your own preferences and needs.
The Planting
Seeds or established plants - which should you choose? In the case of the novice herb gardener, I suggest plants. You can find these at reliable nurseries in your area and sometimes in catalogs. Seeds can be unreliable, often not sprouting at all and therefore frustrating to the gardener who is excited about seeing life spring into being. When using seeds, be aware that seedlings often need to be thinned -- this means removing those that are too close together and either replanting them or throwing them out. Seedlings are very delicate and don't always live when replanted, another frustration for the budding herb gardener.
Later on, after your herb garden has become established and you are more confident, you can use seeds. By that time, you will have become accustomed to working with the plants and will have a feel for how to treat them.
Some herbs come in peat pots which can be directly transferred to the ground; however, I have never had much luck with these and recommend taking the plant out of these types of containers. (I understand there are some newer plantable pots from Bonnie Plant Farm (http://www.bonnieplants.com/), but I havent tried them yet.)
When removing herbs from their pots, gently squeeze all around the container to loosen the dirt. Tear away the pot or ease the plant out if the pot is unbreakable. Very gently loosen the dirt around the roots by scrunching it with your fingers and tapping it lightly against your hand.
Make a hole in the soil about the size of the root ball and place the herb plant into this hole. Hold the plant with one hand while scooping earth around it with the other. Firmly but gently pack the dirt around the plant. Don't pack the dirt too tightly as plants need to reathe, something they can't do if the soil is too tight around their roots.
Most plants come with plastic markers that tell you what kind of plant it is, the plant's light and water requirements, and sometimes how much room the plant needs to grow. For a basic 4' x 4' starter garden, place three plants equidistant from each other at each side, leaving a good 4 inches from the sides of the box. This will leave enough room for one or possibly two plants in the middle.
Don't throw away those plastic markers that identify the plants. Instead, put them into the ground near the plant itself so that you always know which plant is which.
After you have all the herbs in the ground, water the area gently yet thoroughly. When watering your herb garden, it is best to soak the soil deeply. Allow the water to run down deep into the Earth, wetting the roots of the plants completely. Deep watering like this encourages strong, stable root systems. If you give your herb garden a cursory watering, only wetting the top layer of soil, the roots of your plants may close to the surface, become weak and die.
Part 3 - What and When to Plant
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Melinda Robinson is controlling partner in Rodeo City Technology Group, a Texas-based company that offers TMS (Total Marketing Solutions) -- including custom content creation -- that fit your business and bring maximum ROI.
http://www.rodeocitytech.com
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