Tips for Starting an Herb Garden

Spring is in full swing and starting an herb garden is a great way to have fresh, flavorful herbs at your fingertips. Growing your own food is not only satisfying and rewarding, but it gives you a connection with nature and a certainty of the quality of what you’re eating. Here are some steps to help you get started:

1. Decide on the location:
   Choose a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sunlight a day and has well-draining soil. It can be a small corner in your backyard, a raised bed, or even a container garden on your patio or in a window sill. For indoors, you can even use a grow light if you don’t have much natural sunlight coming though.
2. Choose your herbs:
   What herbs do you like to eat? Some popular herbs for beginners include basil, chives, cilantro, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme.
3. Buy your supplies:
   Purchase seeds or starter plants from a local nursery or online, as well as pots or containers, soil, and any necessary tools, like a trowel or watering can.
4. Plant your herbs:
   Follow the planting instructions for each herb, which may include spacing, depth, and watering requirements. Some herbs may need to be started indoors before transplanting outside.
5. Care for your herbs:
   Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, and fertilize regularly with a balanced fertilizer.
6. Harvest [eat] your herbs:
   Here’s the fun part! Once your herbs have matured, you can harvest them by trimming the leaves or stems. Be sure to leave enough growth for the plant to continue producing.

Maintain your garden by regularly pruning your herbs and watching for pests or diseases that may affect the plants. By following these steps, you can be on your way to enjoying fresh herbs for cooking salads, teas, sauces, smoothies and more.

Happy Gardening!