Planting a herb garden in your backyard is one of the simplest and most rewarding gardening activities you can perform. The reason is that herbs require very little tending to, and they are not fussy when it comes to weather conditions. However, there are still some tips and tricks you need to know. Therefore, here is our quick and easy guide on how to plant an herb garden in your backyard.
What Do You Need to Start Your Herb Garden?
As we mentioned in the beginning, you won’t need much, as these little flavor-packing plants are resilient. They will not require a lot of sunshine, but they will need to reside in a soil which will drain easily. You can also add some fertilizer or compost to make them grow nice and strong.
Herbs thrive in the earth as well as in pots, so you needn’t worry if you don’t have a lot of space in your herb garden. However, it depends on the herbs you choose. While most are small, some of them can grow quite large. Thusly, they will feel uncomfortable if you keep them in a pot.
Tips on How to Create the Perfect Herb Garden
- All the plants need to have a few feet between them so that they can develop properly. Here are the measurements. Rosemary, mint, sage, marjoram, and oregano need to be some three or four feet apart. Basil, tarragon, savory, and thyme require approximately two feet between them. Cilantro, dill, chives, and parsley only need one foot apart.
- If the soil in your herb garden is somewhat compacted, you need to dig it out with a garden fork.
- Never over-water your herbs. Doing so will only harm them and lead to a weak crop.
- You can harvest your herb garden when the plants become 6 or 8’’ tall. When that happens, you can cut off a third of their leaves and branches.
- Tip – if you cut very close to a place where the leaves intersect, the plant will grow back very quickly.
- If you planted parsley, you should know that the new branches with this plant grow from the center. Therefore, you will have to cut the ones on the sides, to make way for the older branches.
- Should you own a backyard, it’s far better to plant your herb garden directly into the ground than in containers or pots.
- All your herbs need at least four hours of sunshine every day.
If you follow these tips and tricks, you will see your herb garden grow in no time. Cooking will never be the same again after that!
