Gardening Supplies UK

Herb gardening is an ever-popular pastime, and it’s easy to see why. Herbs are easy to grow, have immense value as culinary and sometimes medicinal plants, and can be grown indoors or out. They can look pretty and smell delightful when growing. Few of us who grow herbs can resist rubbing the leaves between our fingers now and then and inhaling the scent.

There are many different varieties of herbs available to grow, but there are certain ones that are nearly always a staple part of herb gardening. These include basil, chives, mint, thyme, rosemary and parsley. Dill is another popular herb, as are sage and oregano. Coriander is a must for lovers of curries, and if you like to be trendy add peppery rocket to your list of must-have herbs. Chervil and sorrel add delicate flavours to a dish, but can be hard to find fresh in a shop – another good reason to grow your own. In fact, if you often buy herbs, you’ll find that growing your own is infinitely cheaper. You can dry them and store in jars, or remove leaves from stalks and freeze them in bags or ice cube trays.

You can buy herbs as seeds, and most are easy to grow from scratch, with a few exceptions. If you want a head start, go to your local nursery and buy them in pots. I always buy rosemary as a growing plant, having had no luck growing it from seeds or cuttings. The other advantage to buying herbs as little plants, although more expensive, is that if you are new to herb gardening you can pick out those that you like the look or aroma of. Plus you get growing tips on the attached labels.

Like with any other type of cultivation, herb gardening is about giving each plant what it needs. On the whole, they are robust plants, but there are a few ways you can make sure they thrive. In the case of basil, a frost-free, warm environment is best. Sage and thyme enjoy full sun; parsley prefers a little bit of shade. Mint need to be planted in a pot otherwise it runs rampant. Chives benefit from being divided up every two or three years. Most herbs prefer a well-drained, not too wet soil.

So, if you plan to take up herb gardening, start with the basics and gradually add more herbs as you go to suit your tastes and needs. You’ll quickly become addicted!

Posted on April 15th, 2008 by gardeningsuppliesuk
Filed under: Articles, Hints & Tips