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Friday, April 10, 2009


LEARN ABOUT HERB GARDENING



Herb gardening has gained has gained a lot of popularity amongst the people in recent times. Herb gardening simply refers to the planting of herbs. There are hundreds of varieties of herbs that can be planted. Many people plant herbs that they can use in their daily lives. Herbs are said to have fantastic curing properties for a number of diseases.

If you have a little room in you garden then you can start growing herbs with the other vegetables. First of all it is very important to decide the size of your herb garden. 12 by 18 inch individual plots are a perfect match for herb gardening. It is necessary that you keep annual and perennial herbs separate. Also when selecting a place for your herb garden you must see to it that you consider drainage and soil fertility. Drainage is probably the most important factor in the case of herb gardening. This is because no herb will grow in excessively wet soil. To improve the drainage at the garden site, you should remove the soil to a depth of 15 to 18 inches. Also before returning the soil to the bed area, mix some compost and sand with it to lighten the texture. Then refill the beds higher than the original level to allow settling of the soil. You can also use small amounts of fertilizer.

Herbs are grown with the help of seeds. Very few diseases and insects attack herbs. Herbs can also be grown in containers and window boxes. You should take care to see that you don't sow seeds to deep in the soil. Some of the larger seeds can be covered in one-eighth inch of soil. Cutting might be needed when the seeds take a long time to cultivate. However some herbs spread rapidly, leading to quick germination and reproduction.

In case of harvesting the fresh leaves can be plucked as soon as the plant has enough foliage to maintain and continue growth. You can pick the leaves or the seed after the dew has disappeared and before the sun becomes too hot. This is done to ensure that the leaves and the seeds have good oil content. It is necessary to wash the dirty seeds in cold water and then drain them thoroughly before drying. In case of perennial herbs it is necessary that they are protected from winter cold. You can mulch the herbs with straw or oak to protect the herbs from withering away.