Basic Herb Gardening Tips
Author: LeeDobbins. Total views: 8 Word Count: 563
Herbs can be hardy plants. They are capable of doing well in poor soil, do not require very much fertilizer if any, often insect repellent, and do not need regular pruning. For these reasons, herbs can be great starter plants for new gardeners. The following are some basic herb gardening tips to get you started:
Having the right tools once you plan what types of herbs you will grow is very important. Many times a small shovel or spade will do just fine. Cuttings from herbs do not require a large hole, and seeds should be kept near the surface. New seeds using compacted soil can take just a fork or spike to aerate. Soil with good drainage is a must as most herbs do not like soil that is too wet.
Intermittent pruning is helpful in optimizing herb growth. A pair of quality pruning shears is a necessity, as ordinary scissors that work well for smaller, more flexible materials, will not work as swiftly or easily as a pair of pruning shears when it comes to woody stems and other jobs.
A fine watering can may prove indispensable to your herb garden depending on your arrangements. Some prefer to pour water out a one inch opening which is just right for some plants. But for herbs, which require less water, one of the most basic herb gardening tips is that you can avoid the most common mistake of over watering by using sprinklers, the type of watering can punched with a number of small holes designed to easily control the amount of water to be given.
For a container garden a watering can is adequate, but if you possess a larger plot of earth it is a good idea to purchase some kind of watering system, preferably an automatic one. A simple drip or soaker system is relatively inexpensive, although your climate may require replacement occasionally, and is easy to set up and maintain.
Soaker hoses are a convenient tool that can be spread across even larger areas (say 20' x 30') in under an hour; simply create an arrangement snug to the plants and anchor it to the ground with plastic or metal spikes. When winter arrives, be sure to store your hoses. Harsh cold weather elements will clog and rot hoses after just a few seasons.
A wheelbarrow is one of the most useful accessories to your garden; it is handy for transporting weeds and moving garden cuttings from place to place as you carry out maintenance tasks- that way everything is in one place when it comes to bagging cuttings at the end of the day.
After planting, a 3-4 inch thick pile of mulch can be applied around the base of the plant. Mulch, which can be made from a combination of wood chips, bark, leaves, gravel, or even shredded newspapers, will not only minimize weeding later but also helps enhance soil fertility. It is just necessary, however, to leave about an inch in diameter of space around the base when applying mulch so as to avoid any excess buildup of moisture and heat that may cause unnecessary damage to the plant.
As you can see, these basic herb gardening tips are not difficult at all. Purchasing some good quality tools to use as well as some seeds is a fine beginning point. Then you'll need to find a spot of nice soil and start planting!
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To get more basic herb gardening tips including tips on growing herbs in containers and drying herbs, please visit http://basicherbgardeningtips.com/
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