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Saturday, April 4, 2009


HERB GARDENING


Herb gardening has become a very creative for people since several years now. Herb gardening refers to the planting, growing and maintenance of herbs. Before you go in for herb gardening you should decide which herbs to grow. Most of the herb plants are very easy to grow and they require very less maintenance. You can choose from the following common herbs to grow for herb gardening.

Strong Herbs - These consist of herbs like winter savory, rosemary and sage

Herbs strong for accent - These herbs consist of sweet basil, sweet marjoram, tarragon and thyme

Herbs for blending - These herbs consist of chives, parsley and summer savory.

You can add a variety of herbs to your garden later on. You can make herbs grow with other vegetable or can make herbs grow in a separate area by itself. You should also decide on your herb garden size. 12 by 18 inch plots within the area should be adequate for herb gardening. You should keep annual and perennial herbs separate. You can grow attractive and colorful herbs like parsley and purple basil.

When you select the site for your herb garden, you should consider the type of soil used and the drainage system. None of the herbs will grow in wet soil; hence drainage becomes an important factor. To improve the drainage at the garden site you should remove the soil up to a depth of about 15 to 18 inches. Next you should place a 3 inch layer of crushed stone or similar material on the bottom of the excavated site. Before placing the soil in the bed area again you should mix some compost or sphagnum peat and sand with it to lighten the texture. You can use fertilizer in case the soil is not very fertile.

Next is the sowing of herb seed. If possible sow the seeds in shallow boxes in winter. Also in case you want to transplant seedlings outdoors then you should do the task in spring. A light, well drained soil is best for starting the seedlings indoors. The finer the seed, the shallower it should be sown. The cutting and division are also useful in propagating certain herbs. Cuttings are the best choice when the seeds are slow to germinate. The fresh leaves on the herbs can be picked up as soon as the plant has enough foliage to maintain growth. To ensure good oil content you should pick the seeds after the dew has disappeared and before the sun becomes too hot.

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