How To Grow An Herb Garden

When I first started gardening and tried to growing herbs and vegetables in a small home garden.  It didn’t work 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 home-grown herbs. The Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Basil plants, and Oregano did great. They are also some of the easiest herbs to grow. While all the vegetables didn’t do so well. 

Not only are homegrown herbs a great option when you have limited space or small spaces to work with. They’re a good idea for starter plants since they are low maintenance.

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 tender 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 get started I believe.

The next year I decided to take a different route for my outdoor herb gardens… well, a few different routes, actually.  I found a few different ways to grow vegetables and ways for growing herbs and I decided to experiment with those.

I thought I would share my experimental journey with you, in case you’re having the same issues. As well as my easy herb garden ideas.

You might also like: 7 Herbs That Grow Well Together In Pots And Containers

How To Grow An Herb Garden

I have clay soil which is just not good for what I wanted to do – so, 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, in my first experiment, I thought it would be a good choice to have my own herb garden on the front porch.  Hubby does all of the cooking so I thought an herbal garden on the front porch was perfect.  He can just head out the front door and clip his different varieties of herbs when he’s ready to cook. 

Some people don’t know about all the different things you can make with your common herbs. Some of my favorites are herbal tea, pasta sauce, potato salad, salad dressings, and more…

For my herbal teas, I like to use dried leaves. My favorite natural herbal teas can even be started with black tea and green tea. You could also use your herbal plants for medicinal purposes since herbs have many health benefits and medicinal uses.

The Adams Manufacturing Deluxe Garden Planter is no longer available, but here are some other options at an affordable price:

Giantex Decorative Garden Planter

ACG-INC Elevated Raised Garden Bed Kit

Raised Garden Bed with Legs

I found this Adams Manufacturing Deluxe Garden 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 first few years everything was in a slightly raised bed and after standing on my head pulling weeds or checking plants for 10 minutes or so – I was 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 and not have dry soil.

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 plant 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 was a first for us, but, it went 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 actually a sun allergy from getting too much sun… 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.

You might also like: How To Dry Herbs, Freeze, And Preserve Garden Herbs To Use All Year

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 also learned in all my herb experiments is that 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 have researched these things more before I bought them!  I get so excited I just buy whatever they have!

You Can Plant A Variety Of Herbs, Such As:

• Lemon balm
• Lemon verbena also known as Aloysia triphylla
• Lemon thyme
• Bay laurel
• Italian parsley
• Fresh basil
• French tarragon

Growing your own herbs is an easy way to have a garden when you don’t have much space or enough space for larger plants. Plus, you’ll never overspend on all your different herbs at the grocery store again.

You can even bring your healthy plant herbs inside, which is an awesome way to have a kitchen herb garden. They will fit perfectly on your kitchen windowsill or any available indoor space.

Which is a great idea for when the colder months and winter months hit. Or maybe you don’t have a large garden or an outdoor space to work with.

A good rule of thumb is to make sure your herb plants have good drainage. You can do this by putting drainage holes at the bottom of the planter or bottom of the pot.

That way, excess water can get out so that you don’t have too much water so your plant roots don’t rot. While keeping good soil moisture in the surrounding soil.

Also, don’t forget that your culinary herbs, favorite herbs, or medicinal herbs need to be in a sunny spot to get hours of sunlight. A sunny windowsill or a grow light for your indoor herbs is a great way for your kitchen herbs to get full sun and hours of direct sunlight to achieve new growth.

You Might Also Like: What Vegetables Grow In Shade? No Sun? No Problem

Supplies You May Need For Herb Gardening:

• Mason jars
• A large pot
• Chalkboard paint
• Chalkboard labels
• Small clay pots
• Terra cotta pots
• Wood glue
• Slow-release organic fertilizer
• Soil discs
• Small containers
• Wicker planter
• Wooden planter
• Grow lights
• Plant markers
• Clay pots
• Drip trays
• Plastic pots
• A plant tag
• Organic matter such as Peat moss
• Reusable pots
• Window box
• Plant food
• Smart pots
• Small pots

Check out this video to learn about my culinary herb garden design and 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 own DIY herb garden.  Resistant to anything that new 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.

If you want to see more vegetable garden and herb gardening posts and how to’s click here <—

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If you need seeds, this is the company I use <--- and if you use code: farmer1 at checkout, you'll get 10% off your order!

You can also find gardening products I use in my videos here <---

I now have an Amazon Influencer’s storefront. I put the products I use, in my posts and Youtube Gardening videos, there. Shopping there is free and the site gets a percentage of sales. Thanks!

You can go to my storefront using this secure link <----

If you need seeds, this is the company I use <--- and if you use code: farmer1 at checkout, you'll get 10% off your order!