Herb Gardening Tips For Beginners

by: LeeDobbins
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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.

If you do not have a pair of nice pruning shears then you should invest in a pair for your herb garden. Ordinary scissors are not an alternative for pruning shears. Occasionally, herbs need to be pruned and pruning shears are the only thing that can cut through thick stems.

A watering can is a good choice to irrigate your container garden; some have a single spout, and others a sort of sprinkler head over the nozzle. One of our basic herb gardening tips is that herbs require less water than most plants and root rot is a common result of over watering.

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.

Wheelbarrows are very helpful garden tools. They help you transport seedlings to your garden that need to be transplanted. Many people put the weeds that they pull into a wheel barrow because this is easier than picking up all those pulled weeds off of the ground and makes it easier to cart them away.

After planting, a 3-4 inch thick pile of mulch can be applied around the base of the plant. Mulch, which can be made from a combination of wood chips, bark, leaves, gravel, or even shredded newspapers, will not only minimize weeding later but also helps enhance soil fertility. It is just necessary, however, to leave about an inch in diameter of space around the base when applying mulch so as to avoid any excess buildup of moisture and heat that may cause unnecessary damage to the plant.

It is not hard to follow these basic herb gardening tips. All you need are a few quality tools, some seed packets, and a plot of ground with good soil to create an excellent herb garden.