Tips On How To Build An Herb Garden

by: LeeDobbins
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Word Count: 466

Herbs are very low maintenance compared to other plants. How often do you have to prune your orchids or spray your roses? Comparatively, herbs can thrive in poor soil, need very little fertilizer and only occasional watering. As long as they get plenty of sun and some water, they will thrive by themselves - that's why learning how to build an herb garden is easy!

However, this does not mean that you can enter into it unprepared and you must have some basic herb garden plans before carelessly tossing seeds around.

Because herbs can grow well in poor conditions, it is easy for them to overgrow. Lavender and yarrow can grow like wildfire over large areas. Even chives can proliferate quickly. Be sure you have enough space in your pot or garden for the plants you wish to grow.

You should be fine as long as your herb garden plans include about 1 foot of room between major areas. Chives are an example of an herb that grow well in a bunch. However the roots need a sufficient amount of nutrients and water and anything planted near them will have to compete for those.

Soil is a must for growing herbs, although extensive soil preparation is unnecessary when learning how to build an herb garden. If you intend to grow a wide array of herbs, try to use a good compost or combination of sandy loam and clay. Herbs do well in soil that is rocky and somewhat dry because of their Mediterranean roots. Their background of growing in areas with enough drainage makes this a must. Make sure the soil stays moist as herbs do need some water, but do not drown them in soaking wet soil.

For example, Lavender and Sage are two herbs that are very drought resistant. For these two herbs, normal rainfall will probably be enough. Some herbs, like Peppermint, need more water. An automatic drip system is a good way for the conservation minded person to provide the extra needed water for these plants.

One way to reduce weeds is to lay some landscape fabric. This can really help keep the maintenance of your garden down.

Herbs have a good resistance to bugs. However, you might still want to include some "sacrifice" plants in your herb garden plans. For example Dill is an excellent "trap plant" that invites pests to it instead of your other plants.

One thing about learning how to build an herb garden is knowing when to plant. Plan when you are going to plant which herbs by judging how well they will do at the beginning of the year and at various times throughout the year. There are herbs that can be sown anytime, others that can be planted at intervals of four weeks, and as early as possible after the snow melts.

About the Author

You can learn more about all types of herbs as well as how to build an herb garden at http://basicherbgardeningtips.com/ where you will get basic tips for growing herbs both indoors and out.  

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