There are some great resources for buying your herb seeds on line or by mail. Some of these companies also have starter plants you can order during seasonal weather. These are companies which have been in business for many years. Their reputation has been built on supplying only the best herbs and plants to the customer. You can rest assured you will be completely satisfied with what you order from these companies.
This company has been in business since 1969. They specialize in herbs. Some of them are very hard to find. The fantastic thing about their catalog is it has uses for the herbs they sell. You can order plant plugs from this company, as well. I have personally ordered from them and have never had any problems. You can get carried away by the selection Richter's offers. There are also growing supplies and some awesome books available too.
This is another very good company. They offer a wonderful variety of seeds for the home gardener. Johnny's also caters to the commercial grower. They do carry a line of organic products for the garden. They do carry a good supply of seed starter supplies.
Sand Mountain offers an extensive list of herbs both for cooking and medicinal use. The list is long and covers everything. If you want a wide variety to choose from, then Sand Mountain is the place to go.
This company has one of the largest selections of herbs that I have ever seen besides Richter's. You can find the descriptions of the plants, the growing season, and the uses for all the herbs they carry. The catalog is full of information for the home grower. This is actually a wonderful catalog for the beginner herbalist.
There are times when the conditions we live in are just not right for growing every herb. This can cause for some disappointment but there is a solution. Many companies offer a wide variety of dried herbs to further enjoy your culinary experience.
You can order in bulk from some of the companies listed. Most of these companies also offer a variety of medicinal herbs as well as essential oils. There is a great demand for the herbs because of the herbal remedies now being made known to the public. People are finding herbs can replace some over the counter medications and are considered much safer than the actual medicines.
Here are just a few of the companies which offer quality dried herbs.
Established in 1973, this company is the leader in the industry for their selection of dried herbs. San Francisco Herb offers herbs for culinary, potpourri, and medicinal use. They have loose teas and packaged. There are spice blends for cooking, pickling, barbecuing, and all sorts of culinary experiences.
You can order bulk spices from Monterey Bay. There are supplies for potpourri as well. You can find many different teas and spices in the pages of their catalog. Among other things, this company also has storage jars to keep your dried herbs fresh.
This company offers herbs and spices from all around the world. They have seasonings and blends for every culinary taste. You can order anything from allspice to vanilla pods. The selection is actually a little overwhelming. If you cannot find it here, you most likely will not find it at all.
Friday 15 February 2008
Monday 4 February 2008
Herb Garden Planting & Propogating
There's not enough space here to be all-inclusive, but the tips below will give you a basic idea of what will be involved. As always, jot down questions and take them to your library, extension agent or trusted gardening expert.
Once you've selected your herbs and designed your garden, it's time to grow your garden! Don't start planting just yet though. While herbs are very easy to grow, they do require good drainage. Here is one way to test the drainage of your soil:
- Dig a hole the size of a gallon milk jug (in your target site).
- Fill with water, allow to drain, and immediately refill.
- If the water takes more than 8 hours to drain, the soil's drainage needs improvement. Here's one way you can do that:
Remove the soil to a depth of about 2 feet or so. Line the excavation with a
3-inch layer of crushed stone or similar material. Add to the soil you removed, either compost or sphagnum peat and sand. Refill the beds (a bit higher to allow for settling).
Another drainage problem solution is create raised beds for your herbs, using lumber, bricks or such. Railroad ties and other treated wood may leach creosote into your plants.
While most biennials are sown directly in the ground in late spring, after danger of frost has passed, most of the other herbs can be started indoors in seedling trays about 6 weeks before planting time. Once seedlings develop two pairs of true leaves, they are transplanted to individual containers and placed in a cold frame or protected area to allow for acclimation to the cooler temperatures.
When you transplant, dig the hole, loosen any roots on the plant that are tightly wound, and set the plant into the hole so that the plant is at the same level as it was in the pot. The soil should just reach the crown of the plant, the area between the roots and the stem. Firm the soil around the plant and water thoroughly.
Invasive herbs such as mints will take over your garden given half the chance. To contain these, plant them in large coffee can that have several punched into them just above their bottom rims. Clay pots also work. Sink these into the ground, and your other plants should be safe for several years.
Remember to mulch so that you don't have to spend much time weeding.
Go very easy on the fertilizer. Too much weakens the herbs' oils that provide the flavor, fragrance and other desirable qualities.
If the rainfall is insufficient, water with soaker hose or drip irrigation so that the water goes to the roots rather than encouraging the roots to stay near the surface. In general, herbs require only about 1 inch of water per week
As your herbs grow, various sizes of stakes will be needed. Choose colors that blend into the garden. Bamboo and small branches can be used. The least conspicuous support is a metal ring with a grid inside, supported by three stakes because the plant eventually covers this.
After two or three years, the perennials can be propagated by dividing large clumps and replanting. However, they can be also propagated by layering any time of the growing season. To layer, bend a young, low-growing stem to the ground, anchoring it there. Once new roots develop, cut the new plant from its parent. There are other layering methods too you can learn about through research. Propagating the herbs in your garden will save lots of money on new seeds or new plants.
Herb Garden Design
In this section, we'll discuss the various types of herb gardens and other optional homes for your herbs, and then leave you with some tips for planning and preparing the site.
One of the first things to decide upon when planning your herb garden is the
size. Plan for more space than you will initially use (those extra spaces can be mulched to inhibit weed growth) because you can save lots of money by going slowly -- propagating from seeds you collect from your mature plants, and using cuttings, division and layering. Also, as mentioned in Part 1, you may want to add different types of herbs later as your knowledge and interest grows.
Another thing to consider -- will you want strictly herbs in your herb garden?
Many herbs are beautiful in early summer but rather scraggly looking for the rest of the season. So if appearance is important, you can intersperse the herbs with other plants.
The herb garden may be as formal or informal as you like. Below is a small sampling of options (for thousands of visuals, search Google Images):
Formal Herb Gardens are composed of a series of well-balanced, but not identical, beds. The herbs, often grown in rows, are arranged by height, foliage color, and/or use. Wide paths separate the beds, creating a sense of spaciousness. Statuary, topiaries and container-grown plants appoint these gardens.
Here are two examples of formal gardens:
Circular: This is sectioned like a pie, with each slice filled with herbs and separated by a pathway (made of anything from brick to gravel). A sundial, statue, water fountain or other focal point stands in the center.
Knot: Carried over from the 16th century, the plants (usually herbs) create intricate, geometric designs within a square or rectangle knot. Compact, low-growing herbs work best.
Informal options include:
Kitchen garden: This is generally a small garden with culinary herbs grown within a convenient distance from the kitchen. The kitchen garden may include other herbs as well, such as for teas and extracts.
Container Garden: This is a good option when yard space is limited (or the home is only temporary). The herbs can be grown in a variety of containers arranged in an attractive display on a patio, deck, walkway or balcony.
Landscape Enhancement: Herbs can be used as attractive and fragrant groundcovers, and taller herbs can be arranged with various plants.
Raised Beds: This is a great option when there's poor drainage, but as you will see in Part 3, it's not the only option. Raised beds can be created to be very attractive.
When considering how you will grow your herbs, keep these facts in mind:
Contrasting textures, colors, shades and shapes creates an intriguing effect,
although just as with interior design, this is not necessary for an attractive arrangement.
Edging the herb garden adds definition, making the garden look like it belongs
in the landscape.
A bench, sundial, or other object can add an attractive focal point that creates a unified effect.
Since the afternoon sun is strongest, most herbs in northern climates will appreciate exposure to afternoon sun, while in the south, most herbs benefit afternoon shade.
The site must be well drained. If it's not, you will need to use either raised beds or replace about 2 feet of soil with organic matter (more on this in Part 3).
Annual herbs often require more water than perennial herbs; watering will be easier if you group plants accordingly.
Now that you have lots to think about, it's time to start jotting down your ideas and researching the herbs you want. Once you've decided on the type of herb garden you want, sketch it out on paper. Using abbreviations, pencil in what will go where while taking into consideration the design elements and growing requirements mentioned above, as well as staging (shorter plants in front, taller towards the back), grouping of plants (such as by watering, sun or shade requirements), color and succession of flowering.
One of the first things to decide upon when planning your herb garden is the
size. Plan for more space than you will initially use (those extra spaces can be mulched to inhibit weed growth) because you can save lots of money by going slowly -- propagating from seeds you collect from your mature plants, and using cuttings, division and layering. Also, as mentioned in Part 1, you may want to add different types of herbs later as your knowledge and interest grows.
Another thing to consider -- will you want strictly herbs in your herb garden?
Many herbs are beautiful in early summer but rather scraggly looking for the rest of the season. So if appearance is important, you can intersperse the herbs with other plants.
The herb garden may be as formal or informal as you like. Below is a small sampling of options (for thousands of visuals, search Google Images):
Formal Herb Gardens are composed of a series of well-balanced, but not identical, beds. The herbs, often grown in rows, are arranged by height, foliage color, and/or use. Wide paths separate the beds, creating a sense of spaciousness. Statuary, topiaries and container-grown plants appoint these gardens.
Here are two examples of formal gardens:
Circular: This is sectioned like a pie, with each slice filled with herbs and separated by a pathway (made of anything from brick to gravel). A sundial, statue, water fountain or other focal point stands in the center.
Knot: Carried over from the 16th century, the plants (usually herbs) create intricate, geometric designs within a square or rectangle knot. Compact, low-growing herbs work best.
Informal options include:
Kitchen garden: This is generally a small garden with culinary herbs grown within a convenient distance from the kitchen. The kitchen garden may include other herbs as well, such as for teas and extracts.
Container Garden: This is a good option when yard space is limited (or the home is only temporary). The herbs can be grown in a variety of containers arranged in an attractive display on a patio, deck, walkway or balcony.
Landscape Enhancement: Herbs can be used as attractive and fragrant groundcovers, and taller herbs can be arranged with various plants.
Raised Beds: This is a great option when there's poor drainage, but as you will see in Part 3, it's not the only option. Raised beds can be created to be very attractive.
When considering how you will grow your herbs, keep these facts in mind:
Contrasting textures, colors, shades and shapes creates an intriguing effect,
although just as with interior design, this is not necessary for an attractive arrangement.
Edging the herb garden adds definition, making the garden look like it belongs
in the landscape.
A bench, sundial, or other object can add an attractive focal point that creates a unified effect.
Since the afternoon sun is strongest, most herbs in northern climates will appreciate exposure to afternoon sun, while in the south, most herbs benefit afternoon shade.
The site must be well drained. If it's not, you will need to use either raised beds or replace about 2 feet of soil with organic matter (more on this in Part 3).
Annual herbs often require more water than perennial herbs; watering will be easier if you group plants accordingly.
Now that you have lots to think about, it's time to start jotting down your ideas and researching the herbs you want. Once you've decided on the type of herb garden you want, sketch it out on paper. Using abbreviations, pencil in what will go where while taking into consideration the design elements and growing requirements mentioned above, as well as staging (shorter plants in front, taller towards the back), grouping of plants (such as by watering, sun or shade requirements), color and succession of flowering.
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