Tuesday 3 January 2012

Proven Techniques for Your Herb Gardening

By Antoine D Olivero

Herb gardens are very common these days because they are so easily grown. There is a myriad of herbs to pick depending on the use you need it for; possibly for cooking purposes, aroma therapy or its healing powers. The herbs you will grow will likely depend on not just the use you intend for them, but also the weather in your area. Below, you will discover some suggestions that could be useful for getting your herb garden off to a good start.

If you don't have a lot of space, or if you want the simplest type of garden to maintain, a container herb garden is probably your best choice. There are many advantages to container gardening. It's convenient if you have to move your plants around in case the weather changes. It's much easier to control pests when you plant in containers. You can also keep your plants separated so they don't interfere with each other. You can choose any type of container you want, whether it's a traditional pot used for planting or something you've redesigned for this purpose. Containers can be made from almost any material, such as plastic, wood or ceramic. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that if you plan to move your containers around, it's best not to choose a very heavy material.

In recent years, many gardeners have discovered hydroponic herb gardening. You don't need any soil to grow a hydroponic herb garden. The types of maintenance you have to deal with when you have a "normal" garden, such as weeds and pests, aren't an issue with a hydroponic garden. A nice bonus with hydroponic gardening, since it is inside your home, is the fact that it doesn't matter what the weather is doing outside. Higher power consumption is one of the main drawbacks when using hydroponic gardening. Ultra violet lights are necessary for hydroponic gardening, and this can cause your power bill to be more than you're used to. Nonetheless, hydroponic gardening is the method of choice for a lot of people due to the convenience. You may want to learn more about hydroponic gardening to see if it interests you.

When it comes to pests, very few gardeners are immune from having to tackle this problem It might be hard to decide which kind of pests are the most irritating. Those that want your herbs for lunch, or the insects, like aphids, that attack the plants themselves. A good method to help protect your herbs is by planting a few of the herbs that are abhorrent to insects. Thyme is great for repelling cabbage root fly, carrot fly, and the bean beetle. Don't forget to plant some lavender. It will help protect your other herbs from moths and smells wonderful. Insects will be less of a problem if you include these natural insect repellent herbs in your garden. You can find many more if you search online. A fence may be necessary if your pets, or those of your neighbors, raid your garden. The larger "critters" have been known to totally destroy an herb garden in one rampage. This is why you must ensure that they cannot gain access to your garden.

An herb garden is one of the best choices for anyone who wants a simple and practical type of garden. It can be fun as well as useful, and it can even save you money. The spices and herbs you grow will taste much fresher than ones you find on the shelf at the store. Keep these ideas in mind when you start your herb garden, and you'll soon have a hobby you can enjoy for the rest of your life!


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