Being that many of us are locked down by our governments at the moment in an effort to combat the spread of the SARS-CoV-19 virus, a great number of us who would otherwise eat out or not eat at all are now cooking again. Cooking means buying ingredients – but with many people unemployed or furloughed, ingredients can quickly become costly and can dent our pockets. If you are in the kitchen a lot more, you might want to consider starting your own herb garden. Your own herb garden is a fantastic way for you to reduce the amount of money you spend on herbs and spices and a great way to get organic.

In this article, we will tell you everything that you need to know about starting your own fresh herb garden. By the end of this page, you will know everything you need to and will be ready to begin!

Here’s how to start your own herb garden.

Which Herbs Do You Want to Grow?

The first thing you will need to think about is the herbs that you want to grow. You should only grow herbs you could see yourself using, otherwise, you risk wasting herbs [unless you donate them to neighbors]. You will also want to plant them on a cycle so that you are never short and always have some available. You can end up using herbs quite quickly, so if you do not plant them on a cycle, you might not have them when you need them.

Location, Location, Location

The location of where you grow your herbs is very important. A herb garden is indicative of a raised garden bed with herbs planted inside, although you can plant herbs on your windowsill in pots or free in the garden. With that said, we do recommend a raised bed, for they offer your herbs the best protection, and you can cover them with netting to prevent them from being eaten by pests and vermin. Always give the location of your herbs some serious consideration, and make sure you find an appropriate setting.

Starter Plants

When you are growing herbs, it is best that you use starter plants rather than seeds. Seeds will take a long time to grow, whereas starter plants, which you can pick up in most grocery stores, will grow very quickly and will be ready to go from the moment that you buy them. Buying starter plants can sometimes be cheaper than buying the seeds; although, if you want to grow organic, you will need to find organic starter plants [which most of the supermarket starter plants will not, disappointingly, be]. Starter plants are a good option.

shelf with spices

Soil

You need to find a soil suited to your herbs. We recommend potting soil over garden soil, for potting soil drains water a lot easier than garden soil does. The soil in which you grow your plants is very important and must not be overlooked; if you do not grow your plants in the right soil, their growth might be stunted, or they might not grow at all. Give serious thought to the soil that you use and only use the soil of high quality. Do not just scoop soil out of your garden and tip it into the pot.

Taking Care of Your Herbs

You can’t just leave your herbs and expect them to grow without being cared for. No, rather, you must take good care of them, water them, prune them, and look after them. If you want your herbs to grow, then nourish them. Herb plants will not require as much attention as other, larger plants will, so you need only visit them once a day and take care of them – that’s all. Herbs are very easy plants to take care of and are great for first-time gardeners or anyone who just wants to live off of their own produce.

Harvesting

You should harvest your plants often so as to allow for more growth. When your plant looks mature, harvest it. When harvested, your herbs will begin to regenerate, which will mean you can get started. Remember to plant on a cycle, as mentioned previously, so that when one is ready for harvest, another is coming into maturity, and when that is harvested, the other is coming into maturity. This will allow for a steady stream of herbs coming into your kitchen and will mean you do not need to go to the grocery store!

With this page, you are now ready to get started on your own herb garden. Herb gardens are a great way to grow your own produce and stop relying on grocery stores. Once you’ve got your own herb garden, you’ll begin planting a tonne of other things, and before you know it, you’ll have a full vegetable garden!