| Herbs are such a wonderful gift from mother nature in | | | | balconies, terraces and verandas. This way you can |
| so many ways. There uses are many, including | | | | quite literally have them at your back door - or even in |
| culinary; medicinal; household; cosmetic and craft. Not | | | | your window sill. Container growing is particularly useful |
| to mention their uses in the garden as companion | | | | if you live in a very cold winter climate, so that you can |
| plants and many can be used as activators in the | | | | over-winter your herbs in containers indoors. |
| compost heap. | | | | You can choose pretty much any container to grow |
| And there's no better way to delight in their pungent | | | | herbs in. You could get pretty creative with your |
| aromatic qualities than to grow them right outside your | | | | container as long as it has enough drainage and is not |
| kitchen door. | | | | something that may have any toxic residue. But if |
| Once you have a herb garden you will fall in love with | | | | you're not all that creative there are custom planters, |
| them. Most herbs are fairly easy to grow. They don't | | | | large shallow pots that allow several types of herbs to |
| have to take up much space, or much of your time. | | | | grow together, strawberry pots and window boxes - |
| Herbs don't suffer much from insect attack and they | | | | and I'm sure there are even more options to choose |
| are not prone to disease problems. Most will survive | | | | from. |
| even if quite neglected - but we want our herbs to | | | | Smaller herbs are going to be the best choice for |
| grow healthy and vigorously to best serve us. So let's | | | | container plants. You might be surprised at how many |
| look at creating the best conditions for your herb | | | | types of herbs would be happy growing together in |
| garden. | | | | the same pot. Choosing slow growing herbs will mean |
| Where To Grow Your Herbs | | | | that you won't have to keep them tidy. Snipping what |
| If you are lucky enough to have plenty of room for a | | | | you want for dinner will keep them compact and |
| plot dedicated to growing herbs, then that's great. A | | | | bushy. Always select healthy herbs to give them the |
| great way to grow herbs together is in a spiral. I like to | | | | best start. Remove any dead or diseased leaves to |
| interplant herbs throughout my garden, taking | | | | keep them healthy. |
| advantage of their wonderful Companion Planting | | | | When potting them up into their container remember |
| benefits, as well as having the ones I use most in the | | | | that they'll be there for a while, so choose a good, well |
| kitchen close by for easy access. | | | | drained potting mix. Because most herbs don't need a |
| Many herbs originate from the Mediterranean and | | | | lot of fertilizer, choose a potting mix without added |
| prefer conditions suited to that climate. Such as hot, | | | | fertilizer. Container plants require more attention to |
| dry summers and cool, wet winters. Often the hotter | | | | watering needs as they will dry out much faster than |
| the summer, the more aromatic the oils of the herb | | | | plants in the ground. On hot, dry days you may need |
| become. | | | | to water small containers twice a day. |
| Although most herbs will grow in partial shade, they will | | | | Seasonal Care |
| grow best if you choose a site with between 4 and 6 | | | | Keeping weeds out of your herb garden and watering |
| hours of sunlight per day. | | | | well during summer are the two main requirements to |
| The majority of herbs prefer a well-drained soil, but will | | | | keeping your established herbs healthy. Mulching will be |
| cope with varying soil types. You can always improve | | | | a big help with both of these tasks. It will also help |
| your starting soil by adding organic matter, including | | | | keep your herb roots cool. Apply a thick layer of mulch |
| compost and mulching. If your soil doesn't drain well | | | | - about 3 or 4 inches / 8-10 cm to be effective. If you |
| you might consider building raised beds or growing your | | | | live in an area with severe winters you will need to |
| herbs in containers. | | | | over-winter some herbs or treat them as annuals and |
| Most herbs don't require much in the way of fertilizers. | | | | plant new plants in spring. |
| Adding compost as a mulch with a layer of pea straw | | | | Your will benefit greatly by including herbs in your |
| or similar over the top is enough to keep most herbs | | | | organic garden. They offer so much, yet ask so little. |
| thriving. | | | | Some herbs are best treated as groundcovers, some |
| Growing Your Herbs In Containers | | | | make delightful edging plants, but I prefer to grow most |
| Herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow in | | | | of my herbs amongst other plants. They truly come |
| containers. With some thought to position of the sun, | | | | into their own when their beauty and aromas can be |
| you can grow them quite successfully on patios, | | | | experienced intimately and often. |