What You Need To Know When Growing A Container Herb Garden
by: LeeDobbins
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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.
If you intend to do container herb gardening, you have many options. There are a number of herbs that you can choose from. Dill, lavender, mint and sage are a few such herbs. Additionally, some herbs will prosper in a variety of containers. For example, basil can grow in an old teapot and rosemary can be successful in a coffee can.
The most important item to consider are your seeds; seeds must be of good quality and in good condition- remember like any organic substance they are subject to decay. Airborne spores may also contaminate seeds, and oxygen reacts with compounds in the seed. Safeguard against problems with your seeds by following the freshness dates on packages and avoid using any damp packages.
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 enters our homes in different angles based on our geographic location. In most areas of the Northern Hemisphere the sunlight enters from the south. Plants that need maximum or full sun exposure should be placed in the southern areas of your home. Plants that need partial shade should be place in the northern areas of your home or in shady areas.
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.
It is important to remember that moist does not necessarily mean wet. In order to tell the moistness of the soil, press your thumb into it. Moist soil will be more springy than dry soil. Another way to check is to insert a toothpick or moisture gage into the soil. The moisture gage will give you a more accurate reading.
Some thoughtful planning prior to planting, will enable you to have a container herb garden that is easier to grow and maintain.
About the Author
Please visit http://basicherbgardeningtips.com/ where you can learn about different types of herbs and find out more about growing a herb container garden.
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