Having a beautiful sustainable garden near your home is great, but what if you don’t have space or the resources to make this dream a reality? Don’t worry – you can still easily grow all the herbs you need in containers on your porch, deck, or patio.
Among many benefits of growing herbs in containers, accessibility is probably the most attractive one. Even if you haven’t bought all the herbs you need for preparing a delicious meal, with your little garden right outside the door, it will never be a problem again.
Here are the essential tips and tricks that will help you grow your herbs easily and with success.
Choosing the proper soil
Contrary to the expectations of many container gardening beginners, using the soil from a garden or a landscape isn’t a good option. This soil is often too heavy and can interfere with roots development, while also containing weeds and bacteria you wouldn’t want near your herbs.
The good choice in this instance would be to buy a few bags of potting soil mix, in an amount appropriate for your chosen containers.
Choosing the right container
When it comes to herb containers, although they come in all shapes and sizes, the typical pot proportions are 12, 18, and 24 inches in diameter. You can choose any container size and shape, minding the number of herbs you’re planning to plant per pot.
You don’t have to limit your planting to one herb sort per container. You can combine several sorts, as long as you provide enough space for them to grow. You can even make interesting combinations of containers of different shapes and sizes to create a personalized garden “look” just right for you.
All of the herbs should be planted in the soil to about ¼ of an inch deep and watered immediately after, to help the soil set and start the germination.
The thinning process
In order to assure your herbs grow steadily and healthily, you should thin them from time to time using scissors. Thinning is important because it allows your plants to grow without overcrowding themselves and competing for sun, soil, and nutrients.
Cut off the extra seedlings near the soil rather than pulling them out: if you do the latter, you can damage the roots and affect the seedlings you want to keep.
Harvesting your container-grown herbs
Harvesting will allow you to enjoy your work on your container plants, as well as allow them to keep growing undisturbed.
Some herbs sorts should be harvested by cutting near the soil, while with others you just need to remove the leaf nodes: each herb is specific, so research this topic before your first try. Also, never harvest more than a third of the entire foliage of any herb.
Best herbs for container gardening
Once you immerse yourself in the beauty that is container gardening, you are sure to continue your research of the herbs your household would love to have and use. As a start, check this list of plants commonly grown in containers you can maintain on your own with very little effort.
Basil
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a warm-weather culinary herb that flourishes in pots and window boxes. The type used to add flavor to dishes is typically called sweet basil, or Genovese basil.
All that basil needs to succeed in the container is some well-drained soil and plenty of sunshine, and it’s good to go. The herb responds well to frequent harvesting and regular thinnings, so make sure to maintain it accordingly.
Keep in mind that, once basil begins to flower, the flavor of its leaves recedes.
Parsley
Parsley or garden parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is another herb that’s easy to grow, but requires regular moisture and feeding. It also appreciates direct sunlight, but can also take some light shading.
Parsley is widely naturalized around Europe and comes in three sorts: curly leaf parsley, flat leaf parsley, and root parsley.
To keep the herb growing well from spring to late autumn, add some slow-release organic fertilizer at planting time.
Rosemary
Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)is an aromatic shrub with needle-like foliage that adds a marvelous flavor to roasted potatoes and chicken.
This herb flowers in spring and summer, but it’s also been known to flower outside its regular season. It can be in constant bloom even in warm climates. Its flowers come in white, pink, deep blue, and purple.
To keep your rosemary happy and healthy, keep it moist consistently, but be careful not to water it too much.
Thyme
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a herb ideal for container gardening due to its low maintenance and tolerance for drought. It was spread to Europe from ancient Egypt and Greece where they used it for embalming and burned it as an incense.
Thyme is commonly used in dishes such as braised or roasted meat, vegetables, fish, and savory baking.
The herb asks for direct sunlight and care when watering: as it’s drought-resistant, it’s better to keep its soil dry rather than too moist.
Mint
Mint or Mentha usually grows best in wet environments and moist, rich soils in partial shade (where, due to its tendency to spread, it can become pretty invasive if left unchecked). Since mint tolerates almost all environmental conditions, it can be easily grown in direct sunlight as well.
Mint leaves can be excellent additions to summer drinks, fruit salads, and winter tea.
Author Bio
Alice Jones is a writer and journalist from San Francisco, CA, where she graduated from the University and got a Master’s degree. Alice is a custom essay papers writing professional providing reliable writing services reviews and is concentrated on topics such as business, marketing, and freelance entrepreneurship.