Getting Started with Herb Gardening
By Marilyn Zink
The longer, brighter days of February make this an excellent time to start a herb garden - indoors.
These will be herbs you start from seed for transplant later in the garden. You can start them in six packs, individual pots or even leftover egg containers (not styrofoam). Use a loamy soil that has a loose, sandy texture. Loamy soils are dark in color, easy to work with and retain good moisture and plant nutrients. Herbs like well-drained soil so sand is important as they grow best in a sandy loam.
If the soil you have is quite dark and compact, (i.e, it stays clumped together when you squeeze it in your hand) add some sand, about 1 part sand to two parts of the soil. If the soil is too sandy, you want to add organic matter to it so it becomes richer. You can also add a light fertilizer and mix it into the soil, though many potting soils already come with the fertilizer.
Starting with good soil is really important to getting herbs started growing right. Once you have the soil in the pots, add the seeds and don’t push them too far into the dirt. If the seeds are quite small, you can attach them to tape and place in the soil with the seeds facing up. That way the roots will push through the tape and the leafy part will simply go up through the soil.
Place your pots in a sunny location - a southwest window is a good spot. Water them and keep them evenly moist. Make sure you have a drip tray to catch the run-off. It’s important not to over-water as herbs hate ‘wet feet.’ If the soil is too wet the seeds are more likely to rot than get growing. The soil should be damp, not soaking wet.
Keep an eye on the pot and when the herbs come up, be sure to rotate the pots every couple days so the plants get an even amount of light. Once the seeds have sprouted, you might also cover the pot with a plastic cover to keep the soil even warmer. Some potting trays come with this cover. Some even come with their own little heater if you are willing to spend the cash.
By the time it’s warm enough to garden outside, you should have a good supply of herb plants ready to go.
Marilyn Zink is the publisher.editor of The Herbal Collective magazine.
