Herb garden growing tips for new gardeners

Herb Garden

I love having our own herb garden close to the kitchen. Here are some handy tips for creating your own herb garden in a GreenSmart pot.

Most herbs require minimum fertility and are simple to grow.

As herbs vary in their original country of origin, it is best to group together herbs that require similar conditions and watering requirements. So if you don’t want to have a separate pot for each herb then make up a set of herb gardens that share common conditions. Herbs grown in pots can be shifted around to suit growing conditions at different times of year.

 

Mediterranean climate herb garden

Tarragon, Lavender, Marjoram, Oregano, Pineapple Sage, Rosemary, Rue, Sage, Thyme.

These herbs like moderate soil fertility: they thrive in mushroom compost or surface mulch. They like extremely well drained soil so avoid over watering.

 

Herbs that like warm, wet conditions

Lemon Balm, Lemon Grass, Lovage, Mints, Sorrel, Water Cress, Ginger.

These herbs will not flourish if allowed to dry out; especially in summer. The soil should drain well without being water logged.

Mints and Water Cress perform best in wet conditions.

 

 

Vegetable-style herb garden

Eg. Basil, Chicory, Chives, Coriander, Endive, Fennel, Garlic, Horseradish, Land Cress, Lovage, Parsley, Rocket, Salad Burnet, Shallots.

 

herb garden basil

 

These vegetable-style herbs require fertile soil: use organic or complete fertilisers with processed chicken manure high in nitrogen at rates recommended for vegetables. Keep this herb garden well watered in summer.

Herbs that can be grown from cuttings.

Rosemary, Myrtle, Oregano, Lemon verbena, Wormwood, Curry leaf, Scented Geraniums, Thyme varieties, Marjoram, French tarragon. Here are some suggestions from Uncle Wiki about growing herb cuttings.

www.wikihow.com/Grow-Herbs-From-Cuttings

Here are some tips for a few specific plants in your herb garden.

Basil

For best results, basil requires six to eight hours of sunshine each day. They love heat .Keep picking regularly to avoid the plants bolting to seed.Since basil is a tender annual it will not survive the winter. For more details about growing basil go to:

growgoodnz.co.nz/growing-basil-in-potswww-growgoodnz-co-nz/

Chives

Chives are perennials that can be grown all year round in most NZ gardening climates. In winter chives will die back, but grow again the following spring. They are best in garden soil condition of a pH between 6.0 to 7.0. An area with full sun is best, but this plant will also tolerate a shade area. Over-fertilizing can be detrimental to chives.

Like many herbs, slower more compact growth leads to stronger flavours and healthier plants.

Harvest the taller outer-edge leaves and work inward with scissors, leaving 4-5 cm above the soil. Do not plant chives near onions because onion fly attacks them.

Avoid the plants being damaged by frosts so it is advisable to put the container close to the walls of the house during winter months.

 

Coriander

coriander for herb garden Auckland

Coriander is a staple in Asian and Mexican dishes, and the leaves make a great pesto. But it’s tricky to grow. When the weather is dry or very hot, it rapidly goes to seed – sometimes before enough leaves are produced to flavour even one meal. On the plus side, the seeds can be used to season dishes. And if you let the seed-headed plant die off in your garden you’ll find new coriander seedlings popping up everywhere.

Don’t buy seedlings. Coriander doesn’t like being moved. It is best to sow seeds where you want them to grow. Keep the seeds covered until shoots appear in 10 to 14 days. If planting in summer, ensure that the plants are in a cooler spot.

Tip: For a lush crop, sow the seeds thickly in a container and help them along with fortnightly doses of high-nitrogen liquid fertiliser – or simply add a handful of sheep pellets to the potting mix. If you make sure the plants have enough water and harvest the leaves regularly, you’ll have plenty of coriander for weeks.

Lemongrass

is an annual that requires warm and humid conditions, full sunlight and plenty of moisture.

It grows in clumps and has a fragrant lemon scent and delicate flavour, but it does not have the tartness of lemon.

Here is more detailed information.

growgoodnz.co.nz/growing-lemongrass/

 

close up of base of growing lemongrass

cut the stalks just above ground level

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