Though culinary or herbs are easily found in conventional grocery stores, it can be frustrating with how quickly they turn bad, no matter how much research you put into the proper way to store them period for many people, this ignites a desire to create their culinary herb garden at home, whether indoors or outdoors. Culinary herbs are easy to cultivate outdoors, and many of them can thrive even through the winter, depending on where you live. They can also become invasive, which leaves many gardeners no other choice but to grow them in container gardens.
No matter which route you take or the style you choose to plant your culinary herbs, there are important tips to make sure they thrive and taste delicious. Keep reading for those tips, you may learn some tricks along the way that will prove invaluable to helping you add the intense flavor and nutritional benefits these herbs provide.
Opt for Outdoors
Whenever possible, you want to grow your culinary herbs outdoors in the ground or in containers. Traditional homes are too dry inside, which can make your herbs susceptible to pests and disease, proving outdoors is best. Additionally, herbs require direct sunlight every day for at least 6 hours, so you need an unobstructed south-facing window in your home to ensure that your plants get enough light. Of course, if you do not have the space to grow herbs outdoors, there are indoor options in which you can invest.
Herb Garden Seed Kits
As mentioned earlier, herb gardens thrive best outside, but for various reasons, this isn’t possible for people who still need fresh herbs at home. Investing in an herb garden indoor kit helps you grow your culinary herbs indoors and allows you to enjoy them year-long instead of waiting on seasons with your outdoor garden. The best thing about these kits is they take little prior knowledge to be able to cultivate beautiful herb gardens that provide a bounty that not only rivals but sometimes surpasses even the most well-tended outdoor gardens.
Learn How to Trim
If you want your herb plants to provide you with foliage all year long, you can’t just chop it whenever you want. These plants grow gradually, and they’re all so delicate, so the amounts you take from them will affect the amount the plant grows and the plant’s health. Culinary herbs benefit from shaping and attention to cultivate a more robust plant, and while every herb is different, a true green thumb knows to never let its herbs flower.
Snipping a bloom as soon as you see them is also essential. All plants, not just herbs, put a vast majority (if not most) of their energy into producing blooms. By staving off and trimming blooms, your plant can focus on becoming heartier and larger, producing more herbs you can use in your cooking.
Start From Plants
It takes more than beginner’s luck to successfully cultivate culinary herbs from seeds, so if this is your first go-around growing an herb garden, it’s better to start from plants. While it can be tempting to purchase your culinary herb plants from Big Box hardware stores, a local nursery will provide you with healthier plants setting you up for success for an herb garden that keeps giving year after year. If you want to try your hand with seeds, you’ll want to invest in an indoor growing kit or a light setup at the minimum.
Culinary herbs are delicate and require a lot of TLC when growing from the seed stage, so know your limits and educate yourself on the different plants and what they need. There are other essentials, like investing in the highest quality soil, fertilizing when necessary, and knowing which herbs to plant together and which herbs our best not to grow alongside each other. When cared for properly, herb gardens can grow quickly and be expansive, which may not bother you outdoors, but if you’re going the route of a container garden, you’ll need to pay attention.
Culinary herbs make a delicious and nutritious addition to dishes. Whether you consider yourself a home chef or someone who gets by throwing dishes together, they benefit everyone. Start cultivating your culinary herb garden today and see how much better you and your family eat!
