Think you don?t have time to grow and maintain a garden, think again. Try herb gardening. It might not be as beautiful as a flower garden or offer up as big of a harvest as a vegetable garden, but an herb garden can add so much to your home.

There are many types of herbs that can be grown and harvested. The most popular among herb gardeners are Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Chives, and Oregano etc. Just take a look in your kitchen cabinets or spice rack and see what you typically keep on hand for cooking. Think of the money you’ll save your herbs on your grocery bill overall. A few hardy plants can supply enough herbs to last you all year.

Herb gardening requires well draining soil for an optimum growing environment. If the soil doesn?t drain well, your plants will get to wet and won?t grow correctly. You can fix a drainage problem in an outdoor garden by digging a trench in the soil and filling it with crushed rock, and then simply shovel top soil over it. For container gardens, place some large rocks or crushed stone in the bottom of your containers.

As with any garden you can start it with plants or with seeds. Starting with seed packets can save you a ton of money and some are very hardy growers; such as mint. Planting mint in an open area will encourage it to take over the entire area. It is better to plant very hardy growers such as mint in containers with good drainage. These containers can go either in your outdoor garden area, your porch or even on a window sill. The smell alone makes them a wonderful addition to your indoors. Don?t be too hasty to harvest your plants right away even if they do look healthy and ripe for the picking. The plants should be well established for several months before harvesting the leaves. Being patient and waiting for the right time will produce a healthier plant that will thrive for years to come.

Once your plants are ready for harvesting you probably want to cook with them right? First you need to dry them out though. To do this lay the leaves and stems out on a cookie sheet and bake them in the oven at 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 to 4 hours. Then get cooking and enjoying your harvest.

Herbs, once they are dried, can be stored in plastic or glass containers. Avoid using containers made of paper or cardboard as they will absorb the flavor right out of your herbs. Make sure that you store your herbs in a dry place and check them often for moisture. If they get damp it will cause mildew and you don?t want that.

So if you enjoy gardening or even if you love to cook, consider growing your own herb garden. It requires a little work in the beginning, but with optimal growing conditions you will have fresh grown herbs for years to come to enjoy. Share them with your friends too, they make a great gift.

Tags: cooking, food, gardening, home, Landscaping

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This entry was posted on Saturday, January 31st, 2009 at 2:30 pm and is filed under gardening, herbs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.