|
A basic herb garden is a useful addition to any gardener’s vegetable garden. Herbs provide spice and variety to dishes and can also be used in home remedies and for medicinal uses. Herbs can be planted in your garden or in containers on your deck or patio. Once established, most herb plants are low maintenance and will thrive without a lot of attention. Like most plants, herbs vary in type from warm weather to cool weather plants. When to plant herbs depends on the type of herb and your local environment.
Hardy herb plants tolerate and thrive in cooler weather. Some examples of cool weather herb plants are parsley, dill and chives. These types of herbs will grow and produce their best crops before the full heat of summer. It is best to plant these types in early to mid spring after the last frost. For most of the middle United States, early to mid-May is the best time. Check with your county extension agent for the dates of the last expected frost in your area.
Tender herb plants are generally those that originated in warm weather climates and need full sun and warm temperatures to thrive and produce. Oregano, rosemary, and thyme are all examples of herb plants that prefer these weather conditions. Late spring to early summer is when to plant these herbs. They will then have time to produce a crop for your use throughout the summer. You can also plant these herbs later in the year, but they will most likely not produce much of a crop until the following year.
If you want to get a head start on the growing season, plant the herbs inside in pots and then transplant them outside at the appropriate time. When to plant herbs inside depends on when you’ll be setting them out. As a general rule, your seeds will need approximately six weeks to reach the point to where they can be planted outside. Simply count backwards from when you’ll be setting them outside to determine when to start your inside pots. You can even leave them in the pots for use as a container garden on your deck or patio. Just make sure that the pot is big enough to allow the plant to grow and thrive. It will get root-bound and eventually die if you force it to live in those tiny little pots you purchase seedling plants in.
Herbs are a lovely and welcome addition to the garden. They provide flavor to meals and are useful in home remedies. With care and planning, your herbs can thrive in a backyard plot or in container gardens. Always check planting instructions and your local weather conditions for the best time to plant herbs. Avoid planting under extreme weather conditions such as heat, moisture, and wind. Your herbs will re-pay you with added spice in the garden and on your table.
|
Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
Get all the facts about When To Plant Herbs and organic gardening at GreenThumbArticles.com!
Didn't really find what you were looking for?
|
|
|
| |
|
|
![[Valid RSS feed]](images/rss.gif "Subscribe to our XML Feed for RSS")
(Read 500+ times)
