Important Tips on Using Herbs from Your Home Herb Garden
It is not easy to grow your own herb plants in your home garden because this requires you a lot of effort for the herbs to grow and flourish. But if you really take time to care for the herbs, they will also give a lot of advantages because they have so many uses.
Proper season and timing is a very important factor in harvesting your own herbs. Herbs are best harvested during dry season because fewer oils are produced by the herbs during wet season. In harvesting, inspect for those damaged leaves and insects penetrating the plant. You should also get only a part of the plant and not the entire of it if you plan to harvest the herb. Remember not to take more than one third of the foliage of the plant because they need a huge amount of foliage to re-grow well. Upon harvesting the herbs, it does not mean that you have to use them at once but you can preserve them, keep it in the refrigerator for future use.
As I have said earlier, harvested herbs do not need to used immediately but you can preserve them for future use. There are three ways in preserving a certain herb. One is by drying. To dry herbs you only need six to twelve stems to bundle together and without any foliage near the base of the stems. You can also dry leaves by using a screen or a rack to placed the leaves. Obligate yourself to turn the herbs you are drying every now and then for a proper drying. Some growers use dehydrators, ovens but these are less effective in drying. Another way of preserving is freezing. This is a simple way because you just have to cut the herbs into pieces, placed on a baking paper, put it in the refrigerator and once they are frozen, you can place them together in a bag and let it store for future use. Last way of preserving is by using a medium may it be a salt or vinegar. How is this done? Chop herbs and placed it in a container covered with vinegar and keep it for few months. On the other hand, you can also use flavored vinegar by alternating herbs onto it and if they are already dry, separate the brown herb from the salt and keep it in an airtight container.
Some owners of herb use the herbs directly after it has been harvested. But be careful when preparing fresh herbs because insects might be present in any of their part. Wash it carefully with cool water and two tablespoons of salt because the salt will drive the insects away without damaging the herb.
As a golden rule from using herbs from the home herb garden; different types of herbs for many different uses have to be examined. Each different type of herb in the home herb garden has its own list of instructions on how to use, harvest, and chop them. Make sure to research the specific type of herb you are dealing with in your home herb garden to use it correctly.
Jack Grant is an herb garden lover and cultivated his passion in Italy. Get the secrets on how to cultivate your own Home Herb Garden and get FREE tips. Click here.
Avoiding Pests and Choosing the Right Soil When Growing Herbs
Whether you are growing herbs outdoors or in a container garden, good soil is one of the most fundamental conditions for encouraging healthy plants. While the sun is important for the energy they need for growth and reproduction, these chemical reactions can only occur with components from the soil. For this reason, it is important to grow your herbs in soil which provides all the necessary nutrients.
Water content, nitrogen and phosphorus content, alkalinity, and acidity, are all factors controlled by the soil in which your herbs are planted. Keeping all of these at the right level is one of the most important things you can do to help your herbs thrive. You should do some research on your herbs to find out the necessary soil levels.
In container gardens, all of these levels are up to you to completely control. In outdoor settings, nature provides some help, but you should still monitor these levels to ensure optimum herb growth.
Different herbs have different requirements. For example, lavender grows best in dry, alkaline soil with good drainage. Sage can get root rot if you keep the soil too moist. Nurseries or garden centers can help you determine your herbs’ needs and find soil that will help your herbs achieve maximum growth.
Soil is usually categorized as sandy, clay-like, or somewhere in between. Soil with a clay component retains water, while sandy soil provides good drainage. Most herbs require something in the middle of these two extremes. The addition of good compost can help you achieve the right balance, but you should understand your herbs’ specific requirements to choose the right soil.
When growing herbs, you also need to watch for pests. These include flying bugs as well as bugs in the soil, which is yet another reason to monitor your soil conditions. However, herbs can also help keep some pests from attacking your other plants. For example, planting herbs can help deter aphids that may be attracted to the scent of roses and certain vegetables. Chives, mint, basil, and cilantro also help control pests. For example, basil can keep tomato hornworm from ruining your tomatoes.
However, you should be aware that some herbs attract pests. Dill and yarrow can attract wasps, but keep some species of beetles away. Tomato hornworms attack dill, but this can keep them away from your tomatoes.
If you are growing herbs but want to avoid pests, you may want to consider a neem oil as a natural pesticide or insecticide. However, keep in mind that if you plan to use your herbs for culinary uses, you should avoid pesticides if possible.
Growing herbs does not have to be difficult. However, if you want healthy plants, watch for pests and provide the right soil type for your herbs.
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