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What You Need To Know When Growing Kitchen Herbs
When it comes to growing kitchen herbs, it is a good idea to know as much as possible about the herbs. The more you know, the easier it will be to keep your plants growing healthy and strong. The better your herbs grow, the better they will taste when you use them in fresh and cooked dishes. The most common herbs grown in a kitchen herb garden are basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano and mint. While each of the herbs may have a preferred environment, there is a general environment that is conducive to all herbs growing well.
Most all kitchen herbs will taste better before they have flowered. While some herbs may be able to endure being pruned in order to grow, others will die. The herbs, which will be negatively affected by pruning, are chives and lavender. A better idea for these plants would be to remove the entire stem from the base stem. While there will no be a new growth from the plant, the plant will continue to grow. Plants like basil and thyme will grow better when pruned. The best part is you get to use the herbs in cooking every day. If you do not plan to use the herbs, pinch them instead. This will cause the plant to struggle against the pressure.
Many people want to plant every home plant in pure potting soil. The problem is herbs do not like the rich nutrient environment of the pure potting soil. They prefer soil that is lower, but not depleted, in nutrients than potting soil. In order to create the best soil for growing kitchen herbs, mix potting soil with sand and loose dirt from outside. This will create an environment, which will retain moisture, not water. Excessive water will simply drain to the bottom of the bed. In order to give the water somewhere to go, fill in the bottom of the bed with gravel. Use medium sized rocks in order to make sure the soil will not fill in the gaps.
Light is a very important aspect to growing any plant. Give your herb garden the ability to get at least 8 hours of sunlight every day. Keep a watchful eye on your herbs, and if you notice brown spots on the leaves, it means they are receiving too much sunlight. Use a shade to give less sunlight to your plants if you see this happening. If the leaves look dull green, it means they are not receiving enough sunlight. This happens often when they are grown in North facing windows. It is due to the fact they are not receiving any direct sunlight.
Wind is important in growing any plant and indoor plants are no exception. In order to give your plants the wind they desire, simply turn on a floor fan to low and direct it to the plants. If you have an oscillating fan, all the better. Oscillating keeps the herbs from being pushed constantly in one direction. The reason why the plants respond so well to the wind is because it boosts the energy they are getting as well as forces them to grow stronger in order to withstand the wind.
Kitchen herbs are tasty and pretty. They will respond to the love and attention you give them. When starting your own garden, make sure you are ready for the responsibility. This does not mean you have to sink all of your time into tending your garden. It should be fun and exciting rather than being a chore.
About the Author
Brian Chamberlain has been an Herb Garden enthusiast for many years. For more great information on growing kitchen herbs, visit his site at: http://www.secretsofaherbgarden.com While you are there don’t forget to sign up for his FREE 10 part Secrets of a Herb Garden Mini-Course.
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