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Cultivating an organic home herb garden has many benefits and the best part about it is that its really easy to accomplish! Herbs serve many purposes in our lives and are predominantly known for their culinary and medicinal value. Specific herbs can help to treat colds, help to relax aching muscles and add flavor to some of your favorite dishes.

An herb in short is defined as a flowering plant. Herbs contain vitamins and minerals and are high quality food that has been on the planet earth since the beginning of times. Herbs are an absolute staple in many household that are aware of their powerful benefits. In some cultures herbs were valued so much that they were used as currency. Long ago our ancestors used herbs in special sacred ceremonies and these customs are still being carried out today amongst many cultures worldwide.

An organic herb garden can be grown both inside and outside. There are pros and cons to each which we will discuss here. When cultivating an herb garden indoors some advantages are that there is no weeding, your herbs can be grown all year round, and you will have easy access to your herbs right at fingertips. Some of the disadvantages of growing your herbs indoors are that your herbs can sometimes be less flavorful, not as much space and you will have lower yields.

Now we will discuss the advantages of growing your herbs outdoors. First, you will have higher yields, you will have more space to grow and your herbs will be more flavorful. The disadvantage to this approach is that weeding is required, you will have seasonal growing and having to deal with winterizing, and you will too have to go outside to access your herbs.

You can choose to grown your herbs in containers and have the best of both worlds. This will allow your herbs to spend time growing outdoors and when the temperature changes and gets cold you can transport your herbs indoors. When growing your herbs outdoors you need ensure that your herbs are in a good area to where they can receive a healthy amount of sunlight (at least four hours). When growing indoors you want to make sure the same principle applies and place your herbs in a widow sill or a very bright area so that they can perform at their best.

Although most herbs enjoy well-drained soil some do not and cannot tolerate it so be mindful of this when starting your garden and pay special attention to each herbs specific needs.

The amount of water your plant will need is determined by many things. To know if your herb plant needs water the simplest practice to adopt is to stick your finger in the soil and if it is moist your okay if not you need to water your plant. You may also use a soil moisture meter for more accuracy in determining when to water your plants.

If you over-water your plants they are not going to like it and you are going to have a problem on your hands. Over watering can cause root rot and mold. So, following the guidelines above will keep you safe and your plants happy.

Wishing you all the best!

Author: Janet Suzalski
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Believe it or not, planet earth is blessed with infinite number of herb garden plants with their magnificent set of miracle uses. In all probability, your head may reel from the very thought of choosing few herb garden plants for your herb gardens. This article is an effort to clear the clog by stating the factors that need to be considered for finalizing the finest herb garden plants.

Season Selections and Climate Considerations

Herbs thrive in tropical climates under lots of sun. Ensure that the climatic conditions are suitable for healthy growth of the herb plants. Most of the herbs have to be planted around spring and do not take kindly to frost but they thrive in summer. Keep in mind these factors while choosing the top picks of herb garden plants.

Location, Soil, and Ease of Growth

Sunlight is significant for the garden herbs to thrive and hence has to be seriously considered while choosing the best herb garden plants. Herb plants in general require 6 hours of sunlight everyday. Few herbs do not mind partial shade. Herbs can be grown indoors in pots or containers under constant conditions and need well drained soil to grow in. Most of the herbs are easy to grow while herbs like parsley and dill need more time and care.

Herb’s Raison d’etre

There should be a reason why the choicest of herb plants are occupying valuable space in your herb gardens. Basil, parsley, oregano, sage and chives add flavor to the food preparations and can be grown for their culinary uses while dill, caraway, and anise are known for their medicinal uses. Lavender, rosemary, and thyme add a dash of vibrant color, waft of scent to their surroundings, and can be used as perfumes and for ornamentation. Select those herb garden plants that are useful for you and your family in the long run.

There is a multitude of herb plants to choose from and almost all of them have lots of goodness in them to offer and each of them enrich our lives in some way or the other. Choose those that best suit your needs.

Author: Adam Johnsen
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There are a number of herbs that do quite well growing inside a home and there are a number of them that really do much better being grown outdoors. So in this article we will examine the characteristics of the best herbs for growing indoors. That way you’ll have a better understanding of what you want to grow before you head to the nursery or home center.

Herbs for growing in your home must meet a few basic criteria. First, they should be plants that you can easily control their size. For instance, Rosemary tends to become a large bush quite quickly, so unless you have a substantial amount of space and a large pot, it might over take your kitchen in a hurry. Other plants like sage and thyme do quite well in pots and are easy to keep trimmed back to a manageable size.

Next, herbs for growing inside your home should be those that don’t require full sunlight. Plants that require partial shade can do well inside homes. If you have a window sill or growing window where you can set your pots, these plants should do well. However, if you don’t it doesn’t mean that you can’t grow herbs in your home. It just means that you need to supplement your plants light with a grow light. While some grow lights can be very expensive, a halogen light bulb will do just as well and is available for a low cost at most discount stores and home centers.

When planting herbs for growing inside your home, you need to be sure that they are planted in high quality potting soil. This is not the time to skimp on a cheap soil. The soil should drain well to avoid drowning your tender herbs. Many of the premium brands of soil contain plant food, fertilizer and other beneficial ingredients to help plants grow well and maintain the ideal pH.

Planting herbs for growing in pots in your home should be done with careful thought toward their planting and watering conditions. Some plants such as Marjoram, Oregano and Thyme need to become completely dry between watering to avoid over watering them. These herbs do best in a Mediterranean climate, so somewhere warmer and dryer is better for them. In the same respect, herbs like Mint and Rosemary like moister conditions and shouldn’t be allowed to dry out.

So what are the best herbs for growing inside your home? Well the answer is ANY herbs can be grown inside as long as you take care to give your plants all the essential things that they need. Herb plants do a great job of not only livening up your home and providing cleaner air, as all plants do, they do double duty of adding great fragrance and flavor to meals as well. So before you think it’s too much work to grow herbs indoors, take some of these conditions into account and then choose a few herbs to give it a try. You won’t be sorry.

Author: Patrick E McTigue
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Are you wondering about the best way to grow your herb garden? The benefits of growing herbs in pots are many. Growing herbs can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. Read on to find out the easiest way to grow your herbs to perfection.

Because many herbs like to grow in warm secluded areas, planting your herbs in pots creates easy mobility for you to be able to accomplish their desired location. A lot of restaurants and hotels have their own potted herb garden in secluded areas where they can make sure that they have herbs constantly on demand. And it’s just as possible for you to do the same! You will need to make a little bit of an initial investment, but the process of growing your own herbs in pots is well worth the time and effort spent. Your culinary masterpieces will be infinitely more tasty with fresh, home grown herbs adding flavor and spice. Follow the helpful tips below to make progress on your path to creating a healthy herb garden:

Choose an area where you will find really great sunlight. Find out how much sunlight your herb plants will need. You have to remember that most herbs will prefer to have certain amounts of sunlight and water on them. There are herbs like basil and rosemary that will grow very easily in the least amount of sunlight possible.

Water your plants with the proper amount of water for each herb. Some like dryer soil and some more moist. So do some more research on the herbs that you are choosing to plant.

If you are really determined to grow herbs and live in a climate that doesn’t have adequate sunlight, you can also purchase supplemental lighting in the form of fluorescent lighting that can help to ensure that you have a healthy growing plants.

The type of soil that you are planting your herbs into is also important. Please remember that most of these plants are placed in sandy and well drained soil that just ensures that their roots do not rot. You can also easily use sandy soil with grouting along the base to make sure that your pot is well drained and kept clear of all water accumulation, because water accumulation can be quite devastating.

The top 3 herbs that are easy to grow in pots are:

Basil, used to flavor most Italian dishes, does well in pots because it requires an adequate amount of sunlight. This can be accomplished even indoors with the mobility abilities of being planted in a pot.

Sage, used to flavor soups and for roasts that use pork meat, is an easy to grow herb. Because it’s important to not over water sage, this herb does well in pots where the chances of water accumulation are lowered.

Cilantro, used in many Mexican dishes, is a flavorful herb that is prone to leaf damage if not properly cared for. By having the plant visible, indoors, in a pot, the plucking of its leaves can be done on a regular basis to prevent it from seeding and flowering.

We hope these simple tips have helped you to find the right plants for growing in your potted herb garden. If you are not really sure of how to go about it, then keep in mind that you can get all the information that you want by searching on the internet or by asking the local gardeners. You may make mistakes at first, and that’s okay. Another benefit of growing herbs in pots is having them indoors and visible so that you know as soon as the condition of your plant is not doing favorably. A quick fix of proper sunlight or water or leaf plucking will have you on the right garden path in no time!

Author: Arthur McLay
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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If you’re fond of being able to have herbs at anytime of the year from your home herb garden then you’ll appreciate the importance of correctly harvesting them so as to enjoy the fresh herbs in your meals or other medicinal or aromatic uses.

However, at times, you may need to preserve the herbs for later use.

Harvesting the herbs in your home herb garden requires following some guidelines of botanical nature. Professional practices include selecting best time to harvest by employing careful crop preparation techniques.

Keeping in view the type, size and strength of the existing herb, the crop is prepared. Preferably, to protect the drying out of essential oils of the herbs, the morning time is selected.

You can utilize a small portion of the existing plant, up till its foliage, for harvesting the new crop.  

For future use, the herbs can be stored by following simple steps.

The process of drying the herb, followed by either freezing it or preserving it using a special preparation of salt or vinegar that’s employed. 

Drying an herb is easy, first by making the cut, then bundle it in smaller groups and place them inside, away from sunlight. Herbs wrapped in wax paper, can be kept in the freezer to preserve them for a long time. 

Of course, the real enjoyment comes from consuming the fresh herbs from your home herb garden. As a precautionary measure, clean the herbs in running water before using them for culinary purposes. This will protect you from any infection or health problem.

Author: Bob Mayard
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The hard work of herb gardening has been completed. You tended your herbs and watched them grow into mature, useful plants. Now the fun begins as you get to use your herbs from your home herb garden. It is a little more complicated than buying a little jar off the supermarket shelf, but it is infinitely more satisfying as well.

Of course you will have to harvest the herbs so that you can use them. Be sure that you pick them at the most opportune time, when it is neither too hot nor too windy. In that way they will have the highest concentration of essential oils. A morning that is dry and calm will be to your advantage for harvesting because fewer oils are produced on humid or wet days. When you harvest you will not take the whole plant but will take a portion of the growth. Do this on a mild day in the middle of summer, after the dew has dried but before the flowers have opened.

Check for pests and damage on your crop before harvesting, and only take about one third of the plant. The remaining foliage will allow the herbs to grow again. They may surprise you and be an even more attractive plant when they do. At the time of harvest you can choose to use fresh herbs or you can preserve the fruits of your herb gardening labours. Herbs can be dried, frozen, or preserved in a medium and stored in bottles and jars. One method of drying is to make bundles of a few stems, stripping the lower part and tying several together. Hang these bundles upside down, in a brown paper bag or in the open air. You can also place individual leaves on a cookie sheet or tray and dry the leaves in doors, or out doors, in a dehydrator, or microwave, or oven. When completely dry cut them into small pieces, seal in a container and freeze them. They can be frozen in a small amount of water in ice cube trays as well. Preserving fresh herbs in a medium like salt, vinegar or oil is also a possibility. Once you have dried your herbs in salt, sift out the dry brown herbs and store that seasoned salt for later use. If you choose to pack the herbs in jars and cover them with vinegar, or oil, they will need to be refrigerated until you use them.

You will also use your herbs fresh from the garden. Be sure they are clean when you do. Place your herbs in a bowl or basin filled with cool water. Use two tablespoons of salt for about a gallon of water. Salt drives insects away but does not harm the plant for your use. Your salad spinner is the quickest way to quickly dry your freshly washed greens. Enjoy using your fresh herbs in all the traditional ways.

Author: Tony R Stevens
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Herbs are those plants that are gift wrapped personally by God and sent from heaven to enrich our lives on earth. They add flavor to our dishes, heal our various ailments, spread color and cheer around us with their presence in our homes, and soothe our souls with their scent and aroma. Growing herb garden plants in our homes can be the most pleasurable experience of our lives, second only to using them in our food preparations.

Herb garden plants are best classified into annuals, biennials, and perennials based on their life cycle – time taken to mature and perish. The climatic conditions and the environment they grow in also influence their growth patterns. Knowing the classification of the herb you wish to plant in your garden is crucial to provide adequately for its healthy growth.

Annual herb garden plants are those that take one season/year to complete their life cycle from a seed to a plant bearing fruits and foliage, giving seeds for regrowth and finally their demise. Basil is the most popular annual herb without which any garden is incomplete. It thrives in warmer climates and is grows best as potted plants in cooler climates. Some of the other annuals you can consider for your garden are Cayenne, Aloe Vera, Chamomile, Coriander, Dill, Garlic, and Savory.

Biennial herb garden plants are those that take two (bi) seasons to complete their life cycle, maturing with fruits and foliage and later dying in the second season. Parsley and Caraway are classic examples of biennials. Caraway is much easy to germinate than parsley and is best sown in clumps outdoors itself to catch lot of sun, as it does not benefit from transplant. Parsley is predominantly used in cooking and is known for its medicinal uses. It takes well to transplanting so it is mostly sown in pots indoors and then shifted outdoors as seedlings to avoid intense summer heat especially in warmer climates.

Perennial herb garden plants are those that grow through (per) the years (ennials) and do not require to be planted every season. It is a relief to plant once and let it grow for several years. Fennel, Lavender, Sage, Thyme, Oregano, Rosemary, and Mint are excellent examples of perennials. Sage and thyme are fantastic fillers around other herb garden plants and thyme is planted along pathways as it permeates lovely scent when stepped on. Mint and Lavender spread like wildfire and need large space to grow making it essential to find ways to contain them. Perennials are pure delight as decorations around the house.

Getting an insight into the various herb garden plants is an essential requirement to become a proud owner of a magnificent and equally functional herb garden.

Author: Adam Johnsen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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A number of people are choosing to grow herbs in their own space for the purpose of earning profits. You can start it as a business as growing an herb garden requires a minimum amount of investment. You can also save a lot of money by starting out with a good herb garden kit. Besides reading this article, by looking at garden websites on the internet or by paying a visit to various herb gardens you will also get some ideas and become more inspired. It can be a good business venture if you opt for marketing herbs in their fresh or dried form or by featuring them in recipes, foods, oils, dressings and massage oil. It is moderately simple to grow herb gardens and obtain assistance by reading supportive materials.

Initially you need to purchase seedlings. You do not need to continue with this practice as the knowledge of growing herbs from seeds will assist you in harvesting your own seeds subsequently. You will end up with a number of new plants from one herb plant that will definitely be an addition to your inventory. You can keep on expanding your herb garden with no further investments in the future. It also becomes possible for you to market the whole plant after a span of some months. You will even get to the point where you are in a position to form your own distinct personalized herb kits. You will also be able to make deliveries of freshly cut herbs on receiving volume orders from your acquaintances which can be a great source of income for you.

It will be easy for you to process your herb harvest which can be sold in an instant. You can carry out the marketing of dry herbs in decorative jars to generate revenue. Also you can grow herbs like thyme, garlic and cilantro or fresh coriander to form exclusive types of herbal vinegars or oils for salad dressings that can be appreciated by those with finer tastes. You can also grow basil, mint and oregano to create herb sachets that are full of aromatic potpourri. You can keep this type of product in storage for a half of a year which is sufficient time to sell the goods. Additionally you will save a lot of money by giving these herbal products as gifts on special occasions. This, in a way, also creates awareness about your product among friends and relatives and serves as a form of advertising for you. You must be careful to label your products nicely and include the necessary information so that people can reach you to place orders.

It is quite possible to get huge profits from herb gardens in comparison to a vegetable garden. It can lead to making a lot of money by growing herbs in a little plot of earth. This is because fresh herbs and spices are always in great demand. The best herbs to grow to make profits are parsley, oregano, dill, sage, tarragon, basil, rosemary and mint. Good contact with various local restaurants also helps in increasing profits as they are in constant need of fresh supplies of these popular herbs. If you are able to produce good quality herbs and you manage to set up a good reputation in the market you will have a wonderful, joyous and profitable career.

Author: Jackson Woods
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Herbs are such versatile plants and the amazing thing is that they do not require intensive maintenance. Growing herbs in pots also means that you can extend the lifespan of your herbs by bringing them indoors when it gets too cold outside. Most herbs do well in containers and can be moved around your indoor or outdoor garden easily if you wanted to!

Some of my favourite herbs to grow in pots are basil, chives, oregano, parsley and rosemary.

If you have decided that you want to grow your herbs in pots, then you must first select and prepare your container. In addition to pots, you might like to be creative and grow your herbs in any receptacle you fancy…an old bucket, a hanging basket, an old watering can…use your imagination. If your container is large enough, you may want to plant some of the herbs together. The important things to consider are that the container must contain enough soil and has drainage holes for excess water to run out. It is wise that the drainage holes are not too large to minimise soil loss. If the container that you have chosen is lacking in drainage holes, then you will have to create some.

Now you will have to fill your pot with a good potting mix (2/3 full) and place your herb into the chosen pot. If you are planting more than one herb in your container, make sure that you do not overfill it with too many herbs. Too many herbs in one container will mean that each herb may not get sufficient nutrients. Also make sure that your taller herbs are placed in the center and the smaller ones around the edge of the container. Make sure that the root balls of your herbs are sitting comfortably in the container before topping up the soil to just below the rim of the container. You will need to firm the soil gently and then water the herbs thoroughly.

Herbs grown in containers need a little extra care because there is a tendency for them to dry out faster than those planted in the ground. However, do not overwater them either as they do not appreciate their roots overly wet! In summer especially, you need to regularly check the soil of your potted herbs.

It will be a good idea to feed your herbs occasionally (especially if you have a few of them growing in one container). I like to use organic fertilizers as I find that the artificial ones can cause your herbs to grow too quickly and cause them to lose flavor. However, do not over feed them… less is more! Pruning your herbs often stimulates and promotes fresh and vigorous growth. So use your herbs as often and as much as you want. Harvest them in the morning after the dew has dried off. This is when their oils and fragrances at their peak.

What if you want to bring some of your perennial potted herbs inside so that you can enjoy them all year round? Before your herbs can make their way into your home, they need to be acclimatized. The ideal time to bring your herbs indoors is before the first frost. You will need to transition them slowly by bringing them indoors for a couple of hours daily for a week and then slowly increasing the time they spend indoors. Do this for a couple of weeks or more. You will need to do this to help them get used to the changes in the temperature and light.

Growing herbs in pots in your kitchen is a wonderful way to ensure that you have all your favourite herbs that you use in your cooking and what a bonus it is to also have them within fingers reach!

Author: Jaime Wade
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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After the hard, but rewarding work of raising your own herbs, it is time to use them. It will be a bit of work to make the most complete use of your harvest from your home herb garden. Use proper timing and gain a bountiful harvest from your herb garden. An ideal day to pick your herbs is in the middle of summer on a morning that is neither wet nor windy.

Wind and heat will rob your herbs of their essential oils, and wet weather causes them to produce fewer of their fragrant oils. Leave your herbs growing, but selectively remove a portion of the growth, leaving at least two thirds of the foliage. Do this when the dew has evaporated but before the flowers have opened. Leaving a healthy amount of leaves lets the plant re-grow for another harvest. It may be that you will want to preserve the herbs you harvest now, for use at a later time. As you are picking, look the plant over carefully for insect damage.

Traditionally there have been three ways that are used to preserve herbs. Herbs can be dried, frozen, or packed in a medium such as vinegar or salt. Dry your herbs by putting several stems together in a bundle, twelve or fewer should be enough. Remove leaves from the ends of the stems and tie the bundle of stems with string. Hang this cluster of herb stems upside down in a cool location out of direct sun. Another approach would be to place individual leaves on a screen. You will need to turn them often so they dry evenly. Home herbalists also use ovens, microwaves and dehydrators to dry their herbs. Purists prefer more traditional ways.

Freezing herbs is not hard, either. Snip the herbs into small pieces, about one quarter of an inch in size. Put them on a wax paper lined cookie tray and freeze. Once they are frozen store them in a freezer bag. Using a medium is one more way to preserve your herbs. Popular vinegars with chopped mint or basil or tarragon are wonderful to season things with. Herbs stored this way will be good to use for several months. Make layers of herbs alternating with layers of salt to preserve your herbs in salt. Once the fresh herbs have dried completely you may separate the browned herb from the salt and store the flavoured salt in an airtight container.

Herbs are excellent to use fresh from the garden. Be certain to wash and clean your herbs before using them in recipes. One method is to place them in a bowl filled with cool water, or for a large quantity use the sink. Use a moderate amount of salt, for instance two tablespoons, in the water to force the insects to abandon the plant. A salad spinner is a great way to dry your washed herbs. There a many different herbs, with various uses. With some study and research you can learn the best ways to harvest, use and store your herbs. Some herbs need to be chopped or minced in different ways than some others. It only takes a little research to learn how to use herbs correctly.

Author: Tony R Stevens
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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