How To Grow An Herb Garden! Growing Fresh Herbs Is Simple And Healthy!

How To Grow An Herb Garden

In the past few years I have tried to grow vegetables and herbs in a small home garden.  It hasn’t worked well, at all.  I began to feel like gardening and landscaping were not for me! 

But, the one thing I seemed to do well in all this was growing fresh herbs.  The Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, and Oregano did great, while all the vegetables didn’t do so well. 

That’s why I decided to do an outdoor herb garden and skip whatever is in my soil that isn’t working and find the best soil for herbs and plant an herb garden in a stand alone planter.  This herb garden idea, with all of the ups and downs I have had, is the best way to go I believe.

This year I decided to take a different route… well, a few different routes actually.  I found a few different ways to grow vegetables and herbs and I decided to experiment with those.

I thought I would share my experimental journey with you, in case you are having the same issues.

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I think my soil is just not good – so, this year I tried to avoid it at all costs.  I used various other ways of growing and those are what I am calling my experiments.

So,  my first experiment is an herb garden for the front porch.  Hubby does all of the cooking so I thought an herb garden on the front porch was perfect.  He can just head out the front door and clip his herbs when he’s ready to cook.  So far, it is working great!

I found this planter on Amazon, it had great reviews and I saw people growing all sorts of things in it.  I also loved that it had a shelf underneath for me to store other things or add potted plants, too.

Another feature I was looking for was something that I didn’t have to bend down to work in/with.  The last few years everything has been in a slightly raised bed and after standing on my head pulling weeds or checking plants for 10 minutes or so – I am over it!  lol My back doesn’t do so well.  This planter fit that bill, too!

I, of course, was also looking for something that didn’t break the bank.  I knew whatever I bought would have to last for years, too, but, I didn’t want to pay a ton up front for that.

When I grabbed this it was on sale for $25.  So, that seemed reasonable, and I have to say worth every penny.  I do love it and it looks as though it will last forever.

It was super simple to set up and it has a drain hole and plug in the center of the box.  I love the shelf on the bottom, too – I don’t have a lot of places to store my ever growing stock of gardening supplies, so this is super handy.

I used Miracle Grow Garden Soil and added mulch on top to help keep the soil moist.

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I have a local nursery right across the street that I can walk to and I buy most of my seedlings there.  I have found the local nursery’s are much less expensive than a large or nationwide nursery. 

I can pick up somewhere around 20 seedlings and pay less than $20.  I pay much more at other places.  So, look for a smaller local nursery and help out a small business, too.

I planted Parsley which is a first for us, but, it is going very well.  Side Note:  I found out last year I was allergic to Cilantro – I can eat it, but, to touch it made me itch like crazy.  This year I found out that Parsley is from the same family so it makes me itch if I touch it, too.  I use gloves when I am working with it or around it. 

Side Note: This past year I found out it’s a sun allergy… who knew? The Dr apparently. She said it would happen at the beginning of each year and I should wear sunscreen or keep my arms covered… It makes me itch something fierce and causes a rash that ends up as sores on my arms if I scratch… ugh. So,I bought spray sunscreen and made sure I used it on my arms every time I walked out the door to the garden and it worked.

In fact, when Cilantro “goes to seed” (which means it begins to produce flowers), it also then produces Coriander – which is also called Chinese Parsley.

I also planted 2 of each of Italian Oregano and German Thyme.  then for fun on the end I planted Lavender and Chocolate Mint.  I have no idea what to do with either – other than I have been told Chocolate Mint makes a nice hot tea. 

What I have found out also is that Chocolate Mint RUNS – it wants to take over the entire planter.  I am steering it (with some twine) toward the porch railing to have it fall over.  I really should research these things more before I buy them!  I get so excited I just buy whatever they have!

Check out this video to learn more:

We’ll talk more about it in my next few “experiments” posts when we get to the veggies, but, try and look for resistant types of plants when you’re planning your garden.  Resistant to anything that plants are prone to in your area. 

That is on my list for next year.  I want to find plants resistant to molds and mildews, that seems to be an issue I have each year.

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