Getting started on a homegrown herb garden is a breeze when you have the right materials and a little bit of know-how. By deciding in advance if you want to grow seeds or starter plants, as well as what types of herbs you want to learn to grow, you’ll be on the road to harvesting a beautiful, flourishing herb garden in the comfort of your own home.
Seeds or Starter Plants?
When starting your herb garden, consider whether planting seeds or starters will work best. Often, for beginners, using starter plants is a better choice that cuts growth time down by two to three weeks and increases your chances for a successful harvest. Once you get the hang of how growth and harvesting works with starters, it’ll be easier to learn how to grow herbs from seeds.
Choose Your Herbs
Choosing the right herbs for your garden is imperative for first-time success. Hardy varieties such as mint, basil, and parsley grow rapidly and are tolerant of frequent harvesting, making them excellent selections for beginners. Thyme, rosemary, and oregano are more popular herbs that grow well, are easy to maintain in indoor or outdoor gardens, and require relatively low maintenance.
Harvesting and Care
Regular care and frequent harvesting are needed to keep your herbs happy, healthy, and growing strong. Herbs grow the most when they’re kept on a consistent watering schedule that includes plenty of sunshine, but take care not to overwater their roots.
Herbs should be watered when the soil on top is dry, and you should check the care instructions in potted plants or on seed packets to learn where each herb prefers to grow. For instance, some herbs such as mint and chives enjoy wetter, cooler areas in the shade whereas rosemary and thyme love to soak up the sunlight.
Growing herbs in your home has a variety of incredible benefits that allow you to participate in the health of the environment while saving you money. By keeping your herbs on track with a regular watering schedule and giving them the TLC they need, you’ll have one amazing harvest after another.