Herb Gardening Tips For Beginners
Herbs are a wonderful start for a novice gardener because they do well even in poor soil, require little or no fertilizer, and tend to be quite forgiving of a beginner’s mistakes. Many herbs are resistant to insect infestations, and do not require heavy maintenance such as pruning. Here are some basic herb gardening tips that will get you off to a good start:
Having the right tools once you plan what types of herbs you will grow is very important. Many times a small shovel or spade will do just fine. Cuttings from herbs do not require a large hole, and seeds should be kept near the surface. New seeds using compacted soil can take just a fork or spike to aerate. Soil with good drainage is a must as most herbs do not like soil that is too wet.
Intermittent pruning is helpful in optimizing herb growth. A pair of quality pruning shears is a necessity, as ordinary scissors that work well for smaller, more flexible materials, will not work as swiftly or easily as a pair of pruning shears when it comes to woody stems and other jobs.
Using a watering can may be a good means of watering your herbs and is one of the most basic herb gardening tips. The best type of watering can to use is one that has a spout with a series of small holes (as opposed to one with a single, wider opening). This type of can allows you to better regulate the amount of water you are providing your plants. This is important, for the most common mistake people make is to over water their herbs.
Watering cans may be suitable for herbs planted in pots and small areas. But for bigger gardens, an automatic water system that would save you time and money would prove indispensable. Although, it may require replacement every couple of years, a simple and inexpensive drip or soaker hose system can be easily established for the purpose.
Soaker hoses are a convenient tool that can be spread across even larger areas (say 20′ x 30′) in under an hour; simply create an arrangement snug to the plants and anchor it to the ground with plastic or metal spikes. When winter arrives, be sure to store your hoses. Harsh cold weather elements will clog and rot hoses after just a few seasons.
A wheelbarrow is a great tool to assist with your gardening. It can be helpful when you want to move plants that you started in containers to the garden. Another use is when you are extracting weeds. As you weed, you can simply throw them in the wheelbarrow and then remove them from your garden. This is especially helpful in reducing the chance of spreading the seeds of the weeds.
In order to help reduce the need for weeding, as well as improve the soil composition of your garden, place a 3-4 inch layer of much after planting. Any or all of the following combined will make a suitable mulch: wood chips, bark, gravel, or shredded newspaper. When spreading the mulch, be sure to allow approximately one inch of open space around the base of the plant. This will assure that too much moisture and heat do not build up, as these factors can can harm plants.
As you can see, these basic herb gardening tips are not difficult at all. Purchasing some good quality tools to use as well as some seeds is a fine beginning point. Then you’ll need to find a spot of nice soil and start planting!
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