Sep
Herb Gardening And The Seven Deadly Sins
When Herb gardening, first & foremost you must have a plan before you begin your endeavor. This is the first fatal sin herb gardeners commit consistently. You can grow an herb garden for cooking, or medicine or beauty. Choose which one will fulfill your needs, or have beds or containers for all three. If you’re a beginner it’s best to start off with just one so that you’re not overwhelmed. You want this to be fun & creative, not a job you grow to hate.
The best way to come up with a plan is to concentrate on a theme. Then narrow it down to a sub-theme. Most people grow culinary herbs so let us start there. If you love French cooking plant the herbs that you’ll be using in your meals. French herbs are savory, marjoram, thyme, oregano & rosemary. Add some parsley & bay & you have the perfect bouquet garni to add to your soups or stews.
If you prefer classic Italian fare you should plant Italian parsley, marjoram, thyme, oregano & sweet basil. You can cook some great pasta dishes with these herbs.
After you have settled on your theme do a little research as to what herbs are available. You should come up with a list that has the absolutely essential herb, the herbs that would be fun to have & the ones that are really not necessary. Then check with your local nursery or on line for availability. Again, if you’re just starting out you should keep the list to between five & say ten herbs.
On to the next fatal sin that herb gardeners commit. You must have the perfect spot for your herbs to thrive. Consider the herbs needs-they must get four to six hours of sunlight daily. The soil needs to drain well & your garden should be where you can harvest your crop easily. If you have pets keep that in mind when picking your spot. You should mix in a lot of organic material to improve the soil whether it’s in the ground or in containers.
The third fatal sin is to use the wrong planting method. You really have to work the soil with compost & bone meal before you even consider any planting. Carefully work through the root ball to encourage new growth. Be sure to water the roots well before planting to give them a good start. Herbs like basil should be pinched off to help them achieve a bushy plant.
You must know the needs of your herbs. Bad maintenance of the plants is the fourth fatal sin. On a regular basis you must water, prune & feed your herbs. Talk to the people at your nursery center to get advice on fertilizing your herbs. Never spray them with toxic chemicals if you find snails, aphids or beetles on the herbs. Here again, your nursery center can help you out. Here is a homemade recipe that will keep the pests out:
In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid & 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture & 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, & other pests.
The fifth most fatal sin is to fall madly in love with your plants. You need to cut your herbs. Harvest them at regular intervals. If you have an abundance of the herbs freeze them or dry them. A great way to use them is to make vinegars or oils, even soaps & bath preparations.
Don’t get too high tech or overanalyze the situation. The whole purpose here is to connect with the earth. This is the sixth fatal sin of herb gardeners. Work the way nature does. Use natural products, work the soil, & keep it simple.
And, drum roll please, the seventh fatal sin is to not know as much as possible about each herb you have planted. Take the time to do the research. With just a little effort you’ll become quite knowledgeable & face it, it’s the only way to approach herb gardening. Do not beat yourselves up if you make a few mistakes, just learn from them. The whole point is to have fun with your herb gardening & to make some great meals.
Happy Herb Gardening!
Copyright ? Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.
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Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside & outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening & Cooking. Visit her websites at Container Gardening & Herb Gardening
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