How to Start a Herb Garden?

Herbs are a great way to add flavor to your cooking and give you access to fresh herbs year-round. In addition, they are easy to grow and require minimal care. It can be difficult to know where to begin if you have never tried growing herbs before or have only grown them as houseplants. Read on for tips that will help you start an herb garden today!

Table of Contents

Identify What You Want to Grow

To start a successful herb garden, knowing what you want to grow is essential. Consider the size of your space and how much sunlight it receives. Your herbs will also need plenty of water and nutrients if they’re going to thrive.

There are plenty of options if you are looking for a simple herb garden that can be grown indoors. Here are a few popular herbs to start with:

Basil: Basil is a popular herb that is used in many dishes. It can be grown indoors during the winter months and will grow well under fluorescent lights.

Oregano: This herb is commonly used in Italian dishes. It is also popular for its antioxidant properties.

Thyme: Thyme is a popular herb that is often used in Mediterranean cooking. It can be grown indoors and will grow well under fluorescent lights.

Rosemary: Rosemary is also a popular Mediterranean herb that’s often used in cooking. It can be grown indoors under fluorescent lights.

Sage: Sage is another popular Mediterranean herb often used in cooking. It can be grown indoors and will grow well under fluorescent lights.

Figure Out Where You Have Space

The next step to starting a herb garden is deciding where you have space. You need enough room for your herbs to grow, the containers (and any tools or soil amendments you might use), and fertilizer if that’s something you will be using.

A good rule of thumb is about one square foot per plant, meaning a small container or raised bed will work well for growing just one plant at a time, while an outdoor herb garden with plenty of suns could easily hold five or six plants. When planning out how much space your herb garden will take up, keep in mind that it should be located somewhere it won’t compete with other plants, for example, away from areas where tomatoes are grown so they don’t share pathogens like a blight on their leaves.

Choose Your Containers

When choosing a container, it’s important to consider how large the plants will grow and whether you can move the plants inside during winter. If you are hoping to plant herbs that grow tall, like oregano or basil, a large planter with drainage holes will be necessary for them to thrive. If you want something more compact and decorative, choose a smaller container that only needs watering every few days.

Choose a Growing Medium

When you are figuring out what to use for your growing medium, there are two main options: soil and soilless growing mediums.

Soil is the most common choice for many herb gardeners. It has been used to grow plants for centuries because it’s inexpensive and easy to get your hands on. The downside of using soil is that it contains pathogens that can harm your plants if not treated with pesticides and fungicides (which may be toxic).

A second option is a soilless growing medium such as vermiculite, perlite, or coconut coir fiber. These materials are sterile, non-toxic alternatives often made from recycled materials like volcanic rock or coconut husks (not harvested trees). This can reduce costs even further since these materials are often free or very cheap if you can access them yourself. They also tend not to have some harmful chemicals found in traditional soils, which means less risk when it comes time for harvesting those tasty herbs!

Get Soil Tested (If Necessary)

Before starting a herb garden, it’s important to test your soil and ensure it’s in the right condition. Soil testing kits are inexpensive and easy to use—follow the instructions on the package and mail off a sample of your dirt.

The results will tell you what nutrients are available in your soil and its pH level (how acidic or alkaline it is). Soil pH affects nutrient availability to plants. If it’s too low (acidic), some minerals may not be able to be used by plants; if it’s too high (alkaline), some minerals may wash away from their roots or be toxic to them. Your local extension office website has instructions for how much lime or sulfur you’ll need to add if your soil needs adjusting.

Give Your Herbs Plenty of Sunlight

Don’t be afraid to grow your herbs indoors. If you don’t have a lot of sun and live in an area where the days are short and rainy, or if you’re simply unable to get out there much, growing herbs inside can be a great option. It’s easier than you may think!

Ensure your herb garden gets at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. If all else fails, place it under artificial light for 12 hours daily (for example).
Alternatively, use a grow light to give your plants more light during their darkest months—this is especially important for basil and sweet basil.

When growing herbs indoors, placing them near a window that gets sunlight in the morning is important. This will help your herbs grow healthy and strong.

Water Deeply and Infrequently

Water plants deeply and infrequently. This means you want to water the plant’s root zone rather than puddling water on its leaves.

Consider how much time and effort you are ready to put into maintaining your herb garden. A self-watering planter is great if you are busy or forgetful (or both!), but if not using one means giving up on growing herbs altogether, then avoid this option altogether!

By watering deeply, we encourage herb roots to grow deep into the soil to access more moisture and nutrients. As a result, this allows them to better withstand drought stress as well as fight off diseases or pests.

In addition to improving overall plant health, watering deeply will also help prevent problems such as overwatering (which can cause root rot), over-fertilization (which can cause leaf yellowing), and compacted soils which inhibit drainage of excess water from your herb garden beds.

Fertilize the Soil and Plants Regularly

Fertilizing your herb garden can be done in several ways, but the most common approach is to use a fertilizer with a balanced ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. This formula provides the nutrients plants need to grow quickly while avoiding toxicity issues by not overloading them with any one nutrient.

You can find fertilizers designed explicitly for herbs at nurseries or home improvement stores, or you can mix up your own using organic ingredients such as manure and bone meal.

You should fertilize regularly—once every two weeks during spring and summer when growth is at its peak, less often in fall and winter when light levels are lower, and plants slow down their growth rate naturally.

The amount of fertilizer you apply depends on how much space you have available: In general, small spaces require about one tablespoon per plant (more if there are multiple species), and medium-sized pots need about ½ teaspoon per plant (again multiplied by how many types of herbs are growing). In contrast, large containers will need only ¼ teaspoon per pot (or less if there aren’t many).

Fertilizer helps encourage new growth by providing essential nutrients that may be lacking in the potting soil after time spent outside in cold weather conditions; it also stimulates root development so that plants will grow stronger overall.

Benefits of Herbs

Herbs have many benefits. They can be used to flavor food, make teas, and even be incorporated into beauty products. Herbs can also be used for medicinal purposes!

Herbs can be used to treat many ailments, including headaches. Some herbs are even thought to have magical properties. Many different herbs can be used to treat headaches. Some have been used for centuries, while others have only recently gained popularity.

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you get started with your herb garden. Whether you are just starting or have years of experience, we can all agree that herbs are essential to any kitchen. Even if you don’t have space for a full-sized herb garden, there are plenty of ways to incorporate herbs into your daily life. So go ahead: explore the world of herbs, experiment with new flavors, and enjoy!