Opting to plant a container herb garden provides you with versatility that you do not have when you plant an outdoor garden. With containers, you can choose where your herbs grow. You could leave your containers outside when the weather is conducive for growing and bring them inside when it is not. You are also in better control over the soil that your herbs are growing in. Finally, you can ensure that your herbs get the right amount of light. You can move them away from the windows at will or even place them under a lamp.
Selecting the right plants is the first step to successful container herb gardening. Other key factors to success include providing good, rich soil and controlling moisture and nutrients. Whether these factors are provided by nature or adjusted artificially, they are the key elements to your success.
Many herbs are not picky about the pots that they are grown in and this is fortunate for those of us starting a herb container garden. Basil and rosemary can be grown in an old, chipped teapot or an empty coffee can. Thyme can grow in a small terracotta clay pot. Other herbs that love containers are dill, mint, sage and lavender.
Like natural food products, seeds can spoil. For this reason, you need to start your herb garden with good quality seeds. The spores that are contained in the air can invade the seeds and react with the organic compounds within the seeds. Keeping your seeds fresh is simple, but you have to make sure that you look at the dates on the seed packages and throw out any that may have gotten wet.
When it comes to growing conditions, different types of herbs have different preferences. For example, basil prefers warm soil and doesn’t not like cold air and would not do well in front of a frosty window during the middle of winter. So, be sure that you put your container herb garden in the right place!
Sunlight hits most of the Northern Hemisphere’s populated areas from a more southern angle. Therefore, plants that do well in the sun should be located where they will have a southern exposure. Likewise, shade-loving plants would be better in areas facing northward or in shaded areas away from windows.
Prepare the soil as directed and maintain the desired level of moisture. A trick for keeping soil moist is to add clay chips to the pot, but clay may hold water for extended periods of time- the reason that clay soil should be mixed with sandy soil. One plant that does well in dry, alkaline soil is lavender.
Remember that over watering, leading to root rot, is the most common issue with container plants. Water as needed, for each individual herb; for example, peppermint grows best in moist soil while sage prefers a more arid environment.
Remember that to be moist is not to be soaked. Moist soil should feel springy, while dry soil is hard. Next, you can use a toothpick or a moisture gauge to stick in the soil. When you remove the toothpick you will be able to tell if the soil is wet or dry. The gauge’s reading will be more useful and more precise, though.
You will have no trouble maintaining a container herb garden as long as you take the time to do some planning before hand.