Thursday 21 May 2009

Herb seeds – Do You Recognize how to Get the Best from herb seed? Check this Out!

Herb seeds can provide you the best when you start to make your own herb garden. Most herb garden, either you make by buying a kit or scratching; need a different approach and treatment. You need to grow herb seeds to start the whole process of growing and creating herb garden. You can gain a cheap-price herb seeds if you purchase them at packets tahn purchase one by one in a local garden store.

once you attempt to purchase them, you will need to plant your herb seeds to get the plants to plant by themselves. This is the start, where the beginner needs making sure that they do the right process to obtain the best results.

Make Sure You Read the Instructions

Growing herb seeds is as important as planting bulbs or flowers. Both can work best if you follow the rules very carefully. You have to apply special approach and care for each herb because they are not the same. For example, basil can live well if you grow them in former spring – around March. Mint lives if you grow it slightly later.

It is the reason why you require to plant your herb seeds based on a timetable. Then you must plant each one in a different time and make sure you have sufficient room for the ones you will need to grow at a later date. Some herbs can be planted both indoors and outdoors, while others are much better planted indoors just because they aren’t strong enough. But if you don’t know this before you start growing your herb seeds, you can think that you aren’t expert at growing herb seeds. though you can blame the weather as it is not supporting.

Indoors or Outdoors?

It is commonly assumed that the growing conditions for each location are exactly the same. It is not true, since herb gardens work equally well indoors and outdoors. Some herb seeds grow much better when you plant them indoors, since the environments are much better. basically, they can still be planted outdoors but it will be longer for you to see it lives well.

In sum, read the rules carefully first just to make sure that you have successfully grow them in the correct time. You will not be disappointed at the result if you have done the instruction well. You will be very proud of what you have worked on your herb seeds after you follow all steps advised.

So, what are you waiting for? Find out more about herb seeds and have a thorough understanding about it by clicking the links here!

Thursday 14 May 2009

Simple Herbs to Grow in Your New Herb Garden

If you're a beginner when it comes to herb gardening, you might be worried about which types of herbs you should grow. There are many different herbs available, and some are more difficult to grow than others. However, there are a few varieties that are especially easy for beginners. These are generally more hardy plants that don't require a lot of fertilizer or special work.

Parsley - Parsley is a relatively hardy annual in zones 2-11. Both flat-leaf and curly varieties are easy to care for and grow very well without a lot of extra care. It can do well in full sun to light shade, and needs rich soil that is well-drained but moist. It doesn't do particularly well in heat.

Cilantro - Another simple herb to grow is cilantro. This is an annual herb that grows well both in the shade and the sun. You'll find that it is very easy to care for and it will do pretty well in just about any type of climate.

Chives - Chives are herbs that will grow in just about any conditions and almost any type of soil. In fact, they barely need any tending to grow. They prefer to have full sun on them, and rich soils make them do better; however, they survive just about anywhere. They have a wonderful flavor that is a bit like onions and they are tasty on baked potatoes.

Oregano - Oregano is a staple in most Italian cooking and is easy to grow. The leaves can be dried or they can be used fresh in any tomato dish. It is one of the easiest herbs to grow and can be grown in just about any area inside or outside. It should have soil that is well drained and also likes full sun, but it will even grow in soil that is rocky and poor.

Thyme - Thyme is a perennial herb. It is hardy in zones 4-6. It's a small, shrub-like herb that requires full sun and moist, well-drained soil. It is quite hardy in its standard zones, and doesn't require much care at all.

Basil - Basil in a warm-weather annual herb. It is hardy in most zones, but it requires hot, dry conditions to reach peak flavor. It needs full sun, and very rich, moist soil. The only major issues with growing basil are slugs and cool conditions. As long as basil has enough light and heat, and its soil is allowed to dry out between waterings, it usually requires little additional care.

Bay - While this is actually a shrub, bay is a great herb to start out with in your herb garden. It is a very hardy herb and does well in many zones. It needs soil that is rich and not overly wet. However, it does fairly well in most conditions. The best flavor from this herb comes when the leaves have been dried. So, you'll want to dry the leaves before you decide to use them.

Remember to be careful about the zones. Although many of these herbs are hardy, they do much better when kept to their hardiness zones. As long as you grow them in the zones in which they do best, most of these herbs will be very easy to care for, and shouldn't need a whole lot of extra work to take care of them. Herbs make a wonderful addition to any vegetable garden.

Herb Gardens – Lessen your Stress with your Personal Creating Herb Gardens

You can gain much positive effects by creating herb gardens. You can breathe awonderful aroma when other smells mixed up and caught by your nose. Herb gardens give also a source of fresh that immediately and constantly blow you everytime you need. And you need to know that you will not find difficulty in grown herb gardens.

Well, you have to make a decision first where you are going to create your personal herb gardens. You can create them indoors or outdoors. If you choose indoors, that is okay. But if you have a big size of garden, outdoor can be a good option to make herb gardens.


When do You Begin?

The right place to begin is by taking a look around to see where herb gardens could possibly be created. If your space is samll, why don’t you create more than one and make each one smaller? You can even apply window boxes to grow herb gardens straight outside your kitchen window. This is ideal and has the benefit because it’s not only being close to the place where you cook, but it also gives you a wonderful aroma anytime you open your kitchen window.

You are able make herb gardens in regular flower beds, but you must also be aware that some herbs can spread further and become more aggressive than others. For instance, mint is especially constans and should always be grown away from any other seeds. So, if you want to put it in a bed, make sure that you grow it inside a pot and sink the pot into the land first. By doing this, you will prevent it from choking other plants and make it stay it within its own small area.

Choosing Your Herbs

There are a lot of varieties of options when it comes to fix what your herb gardens are going to consist. strive to do some research to know which herbs you like and which ones are the most supple as well.

Parsley, Chives, and Mints are good staples that you must get in your herb gardens. They have a special hue and form that differ from other herbs that tend to be all green hue. That is why you have to learn how to mix them best, so you can find them in pretty apperance every time. For instance, it’s better for you to place Chives that are tall and straight at the back. after all, if you have been very expert with herb gardens, you can absolutely make the prettiest herb gardens on your own.

Does that answer your question? For further explanation about herb gardens you can find the complete guide here!

Sunday 10 May 2009

Herb seeds – Do You Recognize how to obtain the ideal result from herb seed?

Herb seeds are able provide you the best once you begin to make your own herb garden. Most herb garden, either you create by purchasing a kit or scratching; need a different approach and treatment. You need to grow herb seeds to start the all process of growing and making herb garden. You are able gain a cheap-price herb seeds if you purchase them at packets rather than buy one by one in a local garden store.

when you try to buy them, you will require to plant your herb seeds to obtain the plants to grow by themselves. This is the start, where the beginner needs making sure that they do the right process to obtain the best results.

Make Sure You Read the Instructions

Planting herb seeds is as essential as planting bulbs or flowers. Both can work best if you follow the rules very carefully. You have to apply special approach and care for each herb because they are different. For example, basil can grow well if you grow them in early spring – around March. Mint lives if you grow it slightly later.

It is the reason why you require to grow your herb seeds based on a timetable. Then you must plant each one in a different time and make sure you have enough room for the ones you will need to plant at a later date. Some herbs can be planted both indoors and outdoors, while others are much better planted indoors just because they aren’t strong enough. But if you don’t know this before you start growing your herb seeds, you can suppose that you aren’t expert at planting herb seeds. Even though you can blame the climate as it is not supporting.

Indoors or Outdoors?

It is generally though that the growing conditions for each location are exactly not different. It is not true, because herb gardens work equally well indoors and outdoors. Some herb seeds live much better when you grow them indoors, since the environments are much better. Actually, they can still be grown outdoors but it may take longer for you to see it grows well.

In sum, read the rules carefully first just to make sure that you have successfully plant them in the right time. You will not be disappointed at the result if you have followed the instruction well. You will be very proud of what you have worked on your herb seeds after you follow all rules suggested.

So, what are you waiting for? Find out more about herb seeds and have a thorough understanding about it by clicking the links here!

Saturday 9 May 2009

How to Grow An Herbal Garden

If you like to cook, even occasionally, having a few organic, fresh and flavorful herbs growing in your kitchen is a real plus. And, it saves money. Fresh herbs in a small packet from the grocery store can cost several dollars. And usually, unless you really like the taste of certain herbs in your food, most of the packet wilts or gets dried out. There is a way to have great and really fresh herbs right in your kitchen.

Pick two of your favorite or useful herbs - basil and flat leaf (also called Italian) parsley are very common. Buy two packages only of organic seeds - these will grow and last you all summer. If they don't, you can always buy a few more packets. If you have some clay pots you aren't using (quite small), you can put a bit of soil in those and put the pots in a plastic tray in your kitchen window. Small pots dry out quickly in a sunny window so be sure and keep them watered, and check daily for moisture content. Too dry and the herbs won't grow, or they'll die. Too moist and you'll have soggy roots and then the plants will also die. And probably smell bad, as well.

A fantastic and eco-friendly way to go here is to rinse out vegetable cans, make sure the lips are smooth, punch holes in the bottom with a screwdriver and hammer, then fill with soil. After you line them up on the drip tray, in your window by a light source, moisten the soil and plant the herb seeds. Seed germination varies so don't worry of your parsley grows before your basil or vice versa. Let children help as they love this sort of thing and it shows them how to recycle in a very practical way.

If you have an outdoor garden as well and even one tomato plant (you know how prolific they are) you can make a fantastic and super simple pasta sauce by using your own organic tomatoes and your own organic herbs. If you grow them, you know where your vegetables have been - and if you pick them immediately to cook or eat - how incredibly fresh is that, and tasteful, and not wasteful because you only pick what you are going to use right away. Cook a flavorful wheat or non-wheat pasta, and sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese on top (if you eat animal products) and the kids will be clamoring for more.

Eat well and be safe.

Fay Porinsky is a retail saleswoman who has 20 years of experience buying and selling cutting edge health products. She has particular experience helping her customers stay healthy with the aid of an herbal Vaporizer, and is an avid user of the Volcano Vaporizer herself.

Tuesday 5 May 2009

Simple Herbs to Grow in Your New Herb Garden

If you're a beginner when it comes to herb gardening, you might be worried about which types of herbs you should grow. There are many different herbs available, and some are more difficult to grow than others. However, there are a few varieties that are especially easy for beginners. These are generally more hardy plants that don't require a lot of fertilizer or special work.

Parsley - Parsley is easy to grow and has many uses. While it is a popular garnish found in many dishes, it is also excellent for curing bad breath. You can grow curly leaf and flat leaf parsley easily, and they grow wonderfully without you having to give them a whole lot of care. They do well in light shade and full sun, and they prefer moist, rich soil. Parsley doesn't do overly well in the heat, however.

Cilantro - Another simple herb to grow is cilantro. This is an annual herb that grows well both in the shade and the sun. You'll find that it is very easy to care for and it will do pretty well in just about any type of climate.

Chives - Chives are herbs that will grow in just about any conditions and almost any type of soil. In fact, they barely need any tending to grow. They prefer to have full sun on them, and rich soils make them do better. Chives have a wonderful flavor that is a bit like onions, and are excellent as a topping for baked potatoes. You can use them in a variety of different ways either dried or fresh.

Oregano - Oregano is a staple in most Italian cooking and is easy to grow. The leaves can be dried or they can be used fresh in any tomato dish. It is one of the easiest herbs to grow and can be grown in just about any area inside or outside. It should have soil that is well drained and also likes full sun, but it will even grow in soil that is rocky and poor.

Thyme - This is an herb that is perennial. It is very hardy and grows into a plant that is much like a shrub. It requires soil that is well drained but moist and prefers to be in the full sun. There is very little care to worry about when growing thyme.

Basil - Basil is another annual herb that does well in warm weather. It grows well in many places, but for the best flavor, it needs to have conditions that are hot and dry. The soil should be very rich and a bit moist and it should be kept in full sun. It's important that you make sure that basil gets plenty of heat and light and between watering it the basil should have time to dry out.

Bay - Although it is a type of shrub, this is actually a very good herb for beginners to grow. It's hardy in zones 8-11, and is remarkably hardy in those zones. It needs full sun to light shade, and rich, well-drained soil. It will tolerate variations in conditions rather well. Just remember, bay leaves reach their full flavor when dry, so be sure to press them between layers of paper towels inside heavy books for a few weeks before you use them.

Herbs are not difficult to grow, and they can be a great addition to your vegetable garden. Start with one or two easy herbs and gradually build up your herb garden. Make sure you pay attention to the climate they prefer. While they may be hardy and grow in a variety of places, they'll do the best when you keep them in a suitable climate. Once you have tried fresh herbs in your food, you will wonder how you ever got along without them.

Saturday 21 March 2009

Simple Herbs to Grow in Your New Herb Garden

By Sarah Duke

Article: If you're a beginner when it comes to herb gardening, you might be worried about which types of herbs you should grow. There are many different herbs available, and some are more difficult to grow than others. There are a few types of herbs that are especially easy to grow for beginners. These are generally more hardy plants that don't require a lot of fertilizer or special work.

Parsley - Parsley is easy to grow and has many uses. While it is a popular garnish found in many dishes, it is also excellent for curing bad breath. You can grow curly leaf and flat leaf parsley easily, and they grow wonderfully without you having to give them a whole lot of care. They do well in light shade and full sun, and they prefer moist, rich soil. Parsley doesn't do overly well in the heat, however.

Cilantro - Another simple herb to grow is cilantro. This is an annual herb that grows well both in the shade and the sun. You'll find that it is very easy to care for and it will do pretty well in just about any type of climate.

Chives - Chives are herbs that will grow in just about any conditions and almost any type of soil. In fact, they barely need any tending to grow. They prefer to have full sun on them, and rich soils make them do better; however, they survive just about anywhere. They have a wonderful flavor that is a bit like onions and they are tasty on baked potatoes.

Oregano - Oregano is a staple in most Italian cooking and is easy to grow. The leaves can be dried or they can be used fresh in any tomato dish. It is one of the easiest herbs to grow and can be grown in just about any area inside or outside. It should have soil that is well drained and also likes full sun, but it will even grow in soil that is rocky and poor.

Thyme - This is an herb that is perennial and easy to care for. It is very hardy and grows into a plant that is much like a shrub. It prefers a lot of sun and a warm climate to grow well, along with well drained but moist soil. If you are growing thyme in the house, you should make sure that you put the plant near the window so it gets the most sunlight.

Basil - Basil is another annual herb that does well in warm weather. It grows well in many places, but for the best flavor, it needs to have conditions that are hot and dry. The soil should be very rich and a bit moist and it should be kept in full sun. It's important that you make sure that basil gets plenty of heat and light and between watering it the basil should have time to dry out.

Bay - Although it is a type of shrub, this is actually a very good herb for beginners to grow. It's hardy in zones 8-11, and is remarkably hardy in those zones. It needs full sun to light shade, and rich, well-drained soil. It will tolerate variations in conditions rather well. Just remember, bay leaves reach their full flavor when dry, so be sure to press them between layers of paper towels inside heavy books for a few weeks before you use them.

Remember to be careful about the zones. Although many of these herbs are hardy, they do much better when kept to their hardiness zones. As long as you grow them in the zones in which they do best, most of these herbs will be very easy to care for, and shouldn't need a whole lot of extra work to take care of them.

The benefits of a vegetable garden can't be beat. Fresh produce and exercise too! Visit The Vegetable Patch for advice on getting started with a vegetable garden.

Saturday 21 February 2009

An Herbal Gardening How To Guide

by Rachel Ray

Herbs have been around forever it seems and serve different kinds of purposes. Herbs have been used to treat illness, maladies, and flavor cooking as well as being used in many craft type projects. Interested in starting your own herb garden? Here are a few pointers on how to start an herb garden.

Plan your garden. Consider the herbs you want to plant. Think about their types. Would you like annuals, biennials or perennials? Are you wanting certain plants for cooking, or another purpose?

How much space will they occupy when they are full grown? You can purchase a book or go to the library that can give you the right information on what specific plant's requirements for each variety. You can also check out a gardening book or catalog or the nursery you purchase plants from to give you that information. You'll want to look at sunlight needs as well.

Time to draw out your plan on paper. Some suggestions would be to separate the annuals from the perennials. The reason for this is at the end of the season you can easily pull up the annuals without disturbing the perennials and make planting annuals next season easier. Sometimes you can plant the perennials on the perimeter of the garden, or in a section by their lonesome.

Another factor to consider is to plant the tall ones towards the back and the shorter ones in front. Give your plants plenty of space to grow and also find out their sunlight requirements and make adjustments accordingly. Properly positioning will help you in this department.

If you would rather keep herbs out of your garden (and some are quite invasive) you could have herb pots. These are large containers with three or more outlets for the herbs. Fill the pot up to the first outlet and plant it before continuing on with the filling and planting process. Usually, the herb that requires the most water is planted in the bottom hole, while the variety that requires the least, goes in the highest hole. Use a great quality potting soil and make sure it has proper drainage.

You can design your garden in a creative manner. Try using a wooden ladder or wagon wheel and lay on top of the garden. Then plant your plants in between the sections for a square or circular division and interesting look.

It's important to factor in the needs of each variety of plant. Many need alkaline soil conditions, so if you need to add any special additives you'll already have that information on hand. If you start your own seeds, be sure to read the packet on the seeds as to water, temperature requirements, as well as when it's safe to plant them in the spring.

Herbs can be very easy to grow on your own. Give each plant it's basic requirements in regards to sunlight, proper drainage, moisture and fertile soil and you're bound to get a great harvest.

You'll also want to consider what you plan to do with the harvest. Will you cook them fresh? Freeze or preserve them in some other way? You'll discover that you have some favorites each year and which ones didn't perform as you would have hoped.

About the Author:


Saturday 14 February 2009

UK Readers - free herb seeds

Click here to visit Unwins I've just heard that Unwins are offering a free packet of herb seeds with every seed order. Now is a great time to stock up on seeds as it's just coming into planting season, particularly if you have a greenhouse. You can also start them off indoors on a windowsill.

Unwins have a great selection of seeds to choose from. Hurry over and grab your free herbs!

Wednesday 4 February 2009

Growing Your Own Herbs-Start A Herb Garden

If you're not the type of person that wants to spend their time managing an elaborate fruit or vegetable garden, you might consider planting and maintaining an herb garden. While the product might not seem as significant, you'll still enjoy the constant availability of fresh, delicious herbs to flavor your meals with.

First you'll want to choose the herbs that you'll plant. You might have a hard time doing this because of the huge scope of herbs available. But the best way to choose is to do what I did; just look at what you have in your kitchen.

By planting your own collection of these herbs, you can save money on buying them from the grocery store while having the added benefit of freshness. Some of the herbs you might start with include rosemary, sage, basil, dill, mint, chives, and parsley among others.

When choosing an area to put your herb garden, you should remember that the soil should have extremely good drainage. If the dirt gets watered and stays completely saturated, you have no chance of ever growing a healthy plant.

One of the best ways to fix the drainage problem is to dig a foot deep in the soil, and put a layer of crushed rocks down before replacing all the soil. This will allow all that water to escape, thus saving your plants.

When you are ready to begin planting herbs, you might be tempted to buy the more expensive plants from the store. However, with herbs it is much easier to grow them from seed than it is with other plants.

Therefore you can save a bundle of money by sticking with seed packets. Some herbs grow at a dangerously fast rate. For example, if you plant a mint plant in an open space then it will take over your entire garden in a matter of days.

The best way to prevent this problem is to plant the more aggressive plants in pots (with holes in the bottom to allow drainage, of course).

When it comes time to harvest the herbs you have labored so hard over, it can be fatal to your plant to take off too much. If your plant isn't well established, it isn't healthy to take any leaves at all, even if it looks like its not using them.

You should wait until your plant has been well established for at least several months before taking off any leaves. This wait will definitely be worth it, because by growing unabated your plant will produce healthily for years to come.

Once you've harvested your delicious home grown herbs, you'll want to use them in cooking. Why else would you have grown them? Well first the process begins with drying them out.

This is easily achieved by placing them on a cookie sheet and baking hem 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 to 4 hours. After they're sufficiently dried to be used in cooking, you can consult the nearest cookbook for instructions on using them to effectively flavor a dish.

If you want to store your herbs for later usage, you should keep them in a plastic or glass container. Paper or cardboard will not work, because it will absorb the taste of the herbs. During the first few days of storage, you should regularly check the container and see if any moisture has accumulated.

If it has, you must remove all the herbs and re-dry them. If moisture is left from the first drying process, it will encourage mildew while you store your herbs. Nobody likes mildew.

So if you enjoy herbs or gardening, or both, then you should probably consider setting up an herb garden. It might require a little bit of work at first to set it up for optimal drainage, and pick what herbs you want to grow. But after the initial hassle, it's just a matter of harvesting and drying all your favorite herbs.

You can learn how to grow herbs and how to plant herbs. Starting your own herb garden is easy.