Posted by Yilmaz Cesur
For millennia herbs have been used not only for their taste and aroma but also for healing both the body and mind. Humans have been cultivating basil, rosemary, lavender and sage, just to name a very few of the many available, throughout time for countless useful purposes. Besides enjoying things like thyme or oregano in our pasta and smelling the wonderful scents of lavender and mint, we also drink herbal teas and use topical preparations for healing. Herbs are also beautiful to look at and there are so many different ways of creating herb garden designs that are simply breathtaking when experimenting with colors, textures, size, and foliage.
Beauty of It All
It's rather simple to grow an herb garden that offers beauty and aroma as well as tasty additions to all your recipes. Perhaps the best part of creating interesting herb garden designs is that it won't take a lot of money, time, or effort to get started. You'll also be able to plant and design your garden in any way you like and then use the fruits of your labor in so many ways. With benefits like these, it's easy to see why you'll want to get started learning how to create your very own herb garden.
Helpful Hints to Remember
And speaking of starting an herb garden, here are a few suggestions on how to design it to achieve maximum beauty and purpose:
* Begin with assessing the site you have in mind for your potential garden. Since most herbs need a lot of sunlight, anywhere from four to six hours on average, you'll want to choose an area with a lot of natural light unless you've chosen those herbs that can still thrive in partial sun.
* Learn all you can about the herbs' suitability to the climate and location of your garden. You can ask help from the professionals although reading up a bit will also help just as much. You can even join local gardening groups, if you are so inclined.
* What purpose did you have in mind for your herb garden? Do you want to grow herbs that can be used for medicinal preparations, or do culinary herbs suit your needs better? When planning the visual effects of herb garden designs remember that many of them appear quite different from one another so knowing ahead of time the way full-grown herbs look will help greatly during the early stages of your garden.
* Experiment with the setup. You can start by planting herbs in containers, experimenting with placement to determine which one looks and grows best with another, and then transplanting your ideas into a bigger space, if you have one.
* After you've chosen the site and purpose for your garden along with the herbs you'll plant, add some accessories for interest and visual appeal. In larger gardens, focal points such as trellises or water fountains would be perfect while smaller container or windowsill herb gardens would require daintier accessories like statues or figurines.
In the end, the herb garden designs you choose should be based on your wants and needs, the available space you have, and, of course, your own personal taste and style. Fortunately it's rather simple to create a completely unique garden that's beautiful as well as functional provided you keep the three most important things about growing herbs in mind. Provide your herbs with ample sunlight, sufficient water and drainage and room to grow, then sit back and relax as Mother Nature finishes the job.
Learn more about Herb Garden Designs, stop by Yilmaz Cesur's site where you can find out all about his Free Herb Garden eCourse and how it can help you.
Tags: Garden, Garden Designs, Gardening Articles, herb, Herb Garden, Herb Garden Designs
Posted by Yilmaz Cesur
As you know doubts already know, the use of herbs dates back to the time of the ancient Egyptians and Chinese. In fact, there are many medieval documents which also mention the fact that herbs were commonly used in many homes. Even the Bible makes mention of herbs. Over and above their use in cooking, herbs from your herb garden can also be used for making potpourri, tea, medicines, and even for keeping pests at bay in the garden. Another great thing about growing your own herbs is that you can choose to specialize in a certain field, or you can opt to grow a more generalized garden, in which case you can simply grow some herbs in between the other plants you already have growing.
There are quite a few different ways in which herbs can be grown. You could grow them outside in your garden as most people opt to do, but if you want you could actually grow them right in your kitchen. It's really up to you, but if you are into cooking, then having them in your kitchen would be a great idea. Then again there are many herbs that are used for aromatic purposes. There are even herbs that can be used as garnish for salads, or even flavoring for other foods.
Herbs grow as annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees just as with other plants. For best results, you should always plant herbs in well-drained soil, and if you feel that your soil is too heavy then you need to mix in some organic matter, but it's not necessary to add any fertilizers. In most cases, herbs tend to prefer sunny locations, although there are some which prefer shade. Very few herbs get targeted by insects and disease, although in very dry, hot weather, some herbs such as dill, caraway, anise, or fennel, may end up with spider mites and aphids.
Even though most herbs can be purchased as plants, many gardeners prefer growing them from seeds, in that it is more enjoyable and more rewarding. However, even though almost all herbs can be grown from seed, there are some which simply don't like to be transplanted, so the likes of dill, fennel, anise, and coriander should be planted directly into the garden instead. When planting seeds, they should be started in a shallow tray and care should be taken not to cover them with too much soil. The seeds should ideally be started towards the end of winter so that they can be transplanted outdoors when spring arrives.
Admittedly, most people find it easy to grow a home herb garden, but there is plenty of information you need to find out in order to have a proper understanding of the different herbs you intend growing. This short article has been written simply to try and encourage you to begin growing your own herbs at home. Best of luck!
Learn more about Herb Garden Information, stop by Yilmaz Cesur's site where you can find out all about his Free Herb Garden eCourse and how it can help you.
Tags: Gardening Articles, herb, Herb Garden, herb garden info, herb garden information, herb gardening information
Posted by Yilmaz Cesur
The benefits of fresh herb gardening are numerous beginning with the fact you can enjoy homegrown herbs right from the garden, which inarguably, will have even more delicious aromas and tastes than any found at the local grocery stores. Speaking of which, you'll also be able to save money when it comes to cooking since you won't have to buy your herbs anymore. And, as if all of this weren't enough, fresh herb gardening also gives you a wonderful pastime to enjoy, taking you away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life while getting exercise and getting in touch with nature.
Container Gardening
Fortunately those of us without a lot of outdoor ground space can also experience the joys of fresh herb gardening by using containers. Even if you live in a high rise or apartment and have no outdoor space at all you can still enjoy the benefits and relaxation gardening provides.
There are many container types available in stores and sites today, from plastic and wood to ceramic and terracotta, that there is bound to be one container that answers your needs in terms of size, shape and style. Just remember that when choosing from among these container types, good drainage is one of the keys to successful herb gardening, the other two being sunlight and moisture.
Wherever there's enough sunlight you can plant or place your herb garden. In addition to both the front and back yards, there are also windowsills, porches, patios, and decks to use for your display of herbs. During rainy or cold weather, you can take the containers where they'll have shelter and then move them back into the sunlight again later.
Mixed Herbs
Yet another great thing about fresh herb gardening is that herbs can be planted along side other varieties in a relatively small area, giving you the opportunity to enjoy a heady aroma and gorgeous display of color and texture in one single space. One thing to keep in mind is planting mint by itself as this overzealous plant tends to overrun all of its neighbors.
For the most functional mixes, plant like herbs together in terms of their use or purpose. For example, if you're planting culinary herbs, use those that would be combined together in similar recipes, like spaghetti or other pasta dishes. Here are some of the most often used combinations that you'll often find packaged together in kits at home and garden centers, greenhouses, or nurseries:
* Italian cuisine - Sweet basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme and Italian parsley
* For French cuisine plant chervil, chives, parsley, sage, and tarragon
* French Cuisine Mixture: Chervil, chives, parsley, sage, tarragon
* Salad bowl - Parsley, celery, salad burnet, rocket and garlic chives
Start out with the best mixture for your needs and experiment as you like, or even better, grow one of each type so you'll have a variety to choose from.
Helpful Hints for Beginners
If you've never dabbled in gardening before, keep these quick tips in mind to help make your efforts a stunning success. First, be sure to keep excess foliage properly pruned to allow and encourage continued growth. Then, remember to transfer your plants to larger containers when needed or transfer a few to other containers if one pot is starting to look too crowded.
Extend the lives of your herbs by nourishing them with liquid plant food, which should only be used at half the normal strength needed for other types of plants. Take care not to over water your herbs as this will cause soggy roots and unhealthy plants. Regularly check the uppermost portion of the soil to see that it's still damp, but neither wet nor dry. And finally, rid your garden of the herbs that are infested with pests like red spiders or aphids.
Keeping all of these helpful hints in mind you should be able to enjoy a bountiful crop along with delicious salads and other healthy foods thanks to your fresh herb gardening efforts.
Looking to find the best deal on Fresh Herb Gardening, then visit Yilmaz Cesur's site to find the best advice via his Free Herb Garden eCourse for you.
Tags: Fresh, Fresh Garden, Fresh Gardening, Fresh Herb Garden, Fresh Herb Gardening, Garden, Gardening Articles, herb, Herb Garden, herb gardening
Posted by Yilmaz Cesur
Herbs can be grown in several types of conditions outdoors in addition to being able to grown inside in special pots and containers. If you are seeking alternative growing spaces to grow your herbs in you should consider window boxes and hanging baskets. When you are growing your herbs in any type of container you are taking an easier route then those that are growing their herbs outdoors as you will not have to worry about sudden changes in temperature. While it is simpler to grow herbs indoors, container gardens still need just about as much tending to as traditional gardens.
Every plant needs sunlight, soil and water to successfully grow, and herbs are no exception to needing these three main requirements. Every plant, including herbs, requires sunlight whether it is grown indoors or in an outdoor garden. Herbs grown in a kitchen or any other room should be placed in a window that faces south or west so that it will receive the best type of sunlight. Different types of herbs require different amounts of light, but almost all need a sunny location. Some people who grow herbs in the home supplement the light with fluorescent lamps or "grow lamps." Herbs grown in containers also require soil that drains well and is not too rich. Place about an inch of gravel at the bottom of each container to provide good drainage, and then add two parts of sterilized potting soil mixed with one part of coarse sand or perlite. One teaspoon of lime in every five inch in each pot can be added as a supplement to ensure the soil is sweet enough for the herbs. Water is also required by herbs grown in pots. Moistening the pebbles and misting the plants will help maintain humid growing conditions. Because the herbs are being grown in containers they will need more water than herbs grown in an outdoor garden, but do not let their roots get drenched or soggy.
One of the biggest benefits to growing herbs in containers is you will be able to move them from place to place. If you are growing annual herbs you will find that they will thrive well indoors all throughout the year while perennial herbs tend to do much better if they are placed outdoors during the summer months. If you have any of your herb garden containers outdoors you should make sure that they are all inside before the first frost so you can avoid having your herbs lose any of their foliage. This rule does not apply to herbs such as mint and chives as these hardier herbs will go into a rest period and eventually will return with stronger growth after being exposed to a light frost.
While all types of herbs can be grown in container gardens there are some that will fare better than others. You must contain mint if you plan to grow it otherwise it will eventually take over your entire garden. It really is quite simple to be able to maintain your indoor herb garden. You will have fresh herbs at your fingertips any time that you need them. By following the information above you will be able to grow happy and healthy plants.
It is quite simple to do the daily maintenance on an indoor herb garden. You want to make sure that you have the herbs that you are growing inside are trimmed as frequent harvesting can promote frequent re-growth. So you can put your indoor gardens to full use.
Learn more about Growing Herbs In Pots, stop by Yilmaz Cesur's site where you can find out all about his Free Herb Garden eCourse and how it can help you.
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