There is something incredibly wonderful about having fresh herbs for cooking. Growing your own herbs is the best way to guarantee having a supply of fresh herbs at your fingertips. Herb gardens require a minimal amount of time and space, but the rewards are huge.
Once you have decided to grow your own herbs, the first step is to choose which plants you would like in your garden. If you new to herb gardening, starting with a few herb plants in your kitchen window is the best of all worlds. You have your herbs in a convenient location for both maintaining them and using them, plus you have the wonderful fragrance lingering in your kitchen.
If you're not sure which herbs to begin with, look at what you have in your kitchen. By having your own garden with these herbs you save time and money not having to purchase them at the grocery store, plus you'll know your herbs are fresh! Good herbs to consider for your first garden are sage, basil, dill, mint, chives and parsley.
When selecting an outdoor location for your herb garden, remember herbs require good drainage. In a container herb garden this is easy to do; but outside might be a challenge, depending on the soil in your area. If the soil does not have good drainage, the simplest way to remedy this is to remove about a foot of the top layer of soil and add a layer of crushed rock. The layer of rock will allow water to drain and your herbs will be happy! Replace the soil, adding new higher quality soil from your nursery if necessary.
Next is to plant your herbs. One option is buy plants from a nursery, however, it is easy to grow herb from seed. You can save money by starting your garden from seed, while plants give you a little boost in terms of time.
Some herbs are known to grow at a very, very fast rate. One example is mint. A mint plant can take over an entire garden in a matter a days. For aggressive growers, such as mint, it's much better to contain the herb plant in a pot, even if it's outdoors.
The last herb gardening tip is about harvesting your herbs. Be a bit gentle with your herbs, especially when they are first getting established. Generally, herbs need a few months of growing before removing any leaves. Taking this extra precaution means your herb plant will have a longer, more productive life.
An herb garden is offers so many plus; fresh herbs, health benefits and a relaxing hobby. Getting started can be the hardest part, but once your garden is established; it will require minimal work and return much reward.
A.G. Coco is an herb gardening enthusiast, writer and researcher. Her most recent book, "The Ultimate Guide to Fresh Herbs" is a step-by-step guide to growing your own fresh, healthy herbs at home.
For additional information on herb garden plants, visit or to sign up for a free "Secrets to Growing Fresh Herbs" mini-course, visit http://www.growingfreshherbs.com.
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