Wednesday, September 8, 2010

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Title: Learn About Herb Gardening - Get The Natural Facts!

Author: Robert Mosse

Article:
One of the most appealing things anyone will learn about herb
gardening is how relaxing and simple growing herbs can be.
Discovering all the wonderful, various herbs and what they do is
a captivating pastime, and can be quite beneficial. You can use
herbs for cooking, as medicinal aids such as topical dressings
or healthy teas, or simply for decorative plants in the garden.

There are so many herb plants to choose from, it can be a bit
daunting to the beginning herb gardener. A good source of
information that you probably have is your cookbook, which often
devotes a chapter or two to the uses of different herbs as
flavorings and accents.

Planting a Basic Herb Garden

Get acquainted with herb gardening by growing herbs you think
you'll use, plus throw in one or two that sound interesting to
you. Herb gardens can range in size from small containers to
vast outdoor gardens.

To best learn herb gardening, start simple with a small, sunny
plot, or use a clay pot filled with potting soil.

The Two Big Needs that herbs have are:

- lots of sun, and

- well-drained soil.

Most herbs have a preference of full or partial sun, and the
seed package or nursery will have this information clearly
stated. Most herbs will not do well in very wet soil, and
watering about every 2-3 days is usually sufficient. Raised
garden beds are a good fit for herb gardens. They have excellent
drainage and can be easily arranged for proper sunlight.

When planting herb seeds, cover them lightly with soil, and
don't plant the seeds too deep. A good rule of thumb with herb
gardening is "the smaller the seed, the shallower you sow." If
you are using young herb plants already started in growing
trays, simply transplant them into your pots or garden bed.
Sometimes the plants in the trays are dry; if so, water them
first before planting them.

Finally, remember that annual herbs (herb plants which only grow
for one season and then die) and perennial herbs (herb plants
which will return the following year) do best when planted
separately. This avoids disrupting the perennial plants' roots
when it is time to dig out the dead annuals. It also prevents
leaving dead root pieces behind which can contribute to fungus
growth.

Grow Fresh Herbs for Cooking

Cooking with fresh herbs from your garden is a wonderful
experience. To get started, here are gardening tips for two
well-known herbs that are great for beginning herb gardeners.

Sweet Basil -- Sweet basil leaves are good in salads, and are a
main flavoring ingredient in tomato dishes such as spaghetti and
marinara sauce. In the northern climates, basil is usually grown
as an annual plant. In milder climates, sweet basil will return
each year on its own, and therefore is considered a perennial
plant.

The sweet basil herb is a pleasure to grow because it thrives in
average soil, and likes sun or partial shade. Sow the seeds
after danger of frost is over, or start them indoors about eight
weeks before growing season and then transplant them outside.
You can also purchase ready-to-grow starter plants from
nurseries and through catalogs.

It's easy to promote the bushiness of the basil plant leaves by
pinching and clipping the herb throughout the summer. Use the
leaves fresh during the summer growth months, and in the fall,
dry the leaves and store them for use during the winter.

Garlic -- Garlic is full of minerals and nutrients, and is known
to have great medicinal properties. It is a staple in every
chef's kitchen for cooking dishes from chicken and pasta to
seafood and vegetables. We've all seen garlic bulbs at the
grocery store... but did you know that one simple garlic bulb
has enough cloves to begin a garden full of garlic plants?
Here's what you do:

When spring arrives and the weather has begun to turn warm,
prepare a small garden bed in a sunny spot. Take the cloves and
place them, pointy side up, in the soil. Plant them in clusters,
or rows, and put a light layer of topsoil over them with some
compost mixed in. When fall arrives, lift the garlic bulbs out
of their bed.

Dry the garlic by slicing the bulbs into thin slices and placing
them on a rack at room temperature. You can also store the bulbs
by braiding the stalks and hanging the garlic in a dark, cool
space. You may also freeze the entire garlic bulb!

Learn about herb gardening with these herbs, and then begin to
branch out with more. In the meantime, you'll add wonderful
flavors to your recipes, and mouthwatering aromas in the
kitchen!

About the author:
Robert Mosse is a garden and lawn care specialist and author of
the "Easy" Lawn and Gardening Book Series. Find out more about
<a
href="http://www.lawn-and-gardening-tips.com/herb-garden.html">he
rb gardening</a> - and get Robert's free Guide for 101 Gardening
Tips.

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