Herb gardening is gaining in popularity everyday. Gardeners are discovering that herbs are easy to grow and require much less maintenance than vegetable or flower gardens. They are also finding that herbs offer such a variety of plants with so many different uses that the herb gardener has a gold mine of exciting options to choose from and is tempted to buy herb garden happiness.
You may ask - exactly what are these amazing plants. They are defined as a plant that does not form woody tissue - ergo the term "herbaceous." In common usage the word herb is ascribed to any plant that manifests the qualities attributed to herbs. That can include trees, vines, shrubs and even such plants as algae, lichens, fungi, ferns and mosses.
The relationship of man and herbs go back a long way. Every civilization and society have utilized herbs since man began cooking food. And their herbs were used for many other uses besides flavoring food. They contributed a great deal to man down through the ages.
In addition to their most well known use in culinary applications herbs have several other valuable uses such as fragrances, medicinal aids, ornamental plants and industrial products like dyes. So you can see that herbs are more than just flavors for your favorite Italian dish.
Choosing to grow herbs is an exciting prospect considering their relationship with mankind and the wide variety of uses and things they can produce for the gardener. Successfully cultivating herbs is easy if you know how to do it. A good way for the beginning herb gardener to start is with the help of a herb garden kit.
The two main considerations in establishing a herb garden are lighting and drainage. Herb plants need plenty of sunshine. Ten to twelve hours per day are recommended but plants can survive with at least four to six hours per day. The other important factor in growing herbs is drainage. If the soil stays wet the herb plant will not do well and will probably die. Herb plants do not like "wet feet." These are important but not overwhelming obstacles to overcome for the experienced gardener.
Another attractive feature of herb plants is that they can do well both indoors and outdoors.
The beginning herb gardener can shorten the learning curve dramatically by utilizing a herb garden kit. This is a package with all the components needed to grow herbs. They vary somewhat from different suppliers in what is offered but generally they come with everything a gardener needs to cultivate herbs. They generally include the soil, containers, seed and instructions. Kits are a good way to get started and become familiar with the growing process. Later as the experience and confidence level grows the gardener can move on to more ambitious herb gardens.
