Herb Gardens

Many gardeners are exploring outdoor gardening for the first time and aren’t sure where to get started. Picking plants can feel intimidating and overwhelming. Wandering the local garden store looking at seeds packets and trying to figure out what to grow takes hours. But gardening is supposed to help curb stress, not create it. The easy solution for anyone getting started or those who are unsure of their outdoor gardening abilities is to plant an herb garden.

Many herbs are considered weeds. Because of this, they’re one of the easiest plants to grow as you venture into the world of outdoor gardening. Growing a few herbs on your windowsill can be fun and exciting—but an indoor herb garden limits how much you can grow. This is why most indoor growers venture outside to try an herb garden.

Outdoor herb gardens give you fresh herbs to use all of the time. Unlike your houseplants, outdoor herb gardens will get plenty of direct sunlight and give you a good excuse to spend some of your own time outside. Hours of sun for you and your new plants will nurture and grow your green thumb.

Herb plants can impact your whole garden setup

Plants like chamomile, coriander, and lavender have fragrant smells and blooming florals that will attract butterflies and bees, which will also help pollinate the other plants you have in your backyard. They can also deter the bugs that you don’t want. For example, lemon balm and lemongrass are natural mosquito repellents.

The obvious benefit to herb gardening are the homegrown herbs available to you. Once you’ve had fresh oregano in your pasta, you’ll never go back to dehydrated herbs. The same is true for fresh dill or basil. You’ll never have to buy the overpriced packs of it from the grocery store again.

Get Started

The first step for a successful outdoor herb garden is to find the brightest spot in your outdoor area. Once you’ve found that perfectly sunny spot, it’s time to get your garden setup together.

Because many herbs are weeds (and tend to grow like it), it’s best to plant them in a container garden, raised beds, or even outdoor pots with drainage holes. If you decide to plant your herbs along your fence line or in your yard, be prepared to smell chives every time you mow your lawn.

If you’ve opted to plant your herbs in pots, you should pick up potting soil. If you’ve opted for raised gardens or a container garden, you should get garden soil instead. Both options will be a mixture of compost, mulch, and dirt which your herbs will love. The two different soil options aren’t all that different but are carefully formulated to ensure you’ve got good drainage depending on your plants’ chosen home.

Although you should water your garden every day, no herbs are the same and each will prefer different amounts of water. Pay careful attention to the instructions that you receive in herb packet—or use Google. Find out how much water is too much and how much is just right. The easiest and final step is to enjoy the fruits of your herb garden labors.

And Remember: Herbs can be harvested throughout their growing season.