Make Your Own Spice & Herb Garden – What You Should Know

Spice and herb gardens can be great additions to your home. Having plants like fresh Basil, Lavender, Parsley, Sage, and Rosemary brought from your garden right to your kitchen can provide you with flavorful spices and herbs for recipes and can even double as relaxing aromatherapy. Consider these tips when creating your own spice and herb garden!

Drainage

In general, most plants require good drainage to thrive to their fullest potential. Herbs require well-drained soil so the water does not begin to pool at the top, negatively affecting the plants. You can layer the bottom of your garden bed with gravel, then add loose well-composted soil to allow for ideal drainage. 

Complimentary Planting

When you are trying to decide on what to plant in your garden, be sure to remember that not all plants get along with each other. Planting herbs that complement each other next to one another can provide the best results for growth. Try combinations like: 

  • Parsley & Basil
  • Rosemary & Sage
  • Oregano & Thyme

Spacing and Labeling

When planting your herbs and spices, be aware of the correct spacing that each seed or plant requires. Looking at the recommendations on the seed packets is a great way to determine how far apart and deep the seeds should be planted. Labeling plants with ready-made plant labels or wooden stakes is also a good trick to remind you what was planted.

Quench Their Thirst

Depending on the pot type or bed your herbs are in, moisture levels can vary. If your plants are in container pots, they become thirstier than ones planted in the ground. A good way of determining whether your plants are thirsty is checking if the soil feels dry an inch below the surface. In addition, always be sure to keep the soil moist but never damp.

Sun, Sun, Sun

Herbs and spices usually require plenty of sunlight exposure to grow and can need anywhere from 5-6 hours daily. Although some plants can vary in how much sunlight they need. Checking the back of the seed packets or the plant labels will show you what each herb needs.

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