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Growing Herbs
Herbs, a natural companion
Flavorful herbs are an attractive, tasty
and aromatic addition to your container garden. Perfect for
salads, soups and other dishes, there's no substitute for
homegrown herbs. Plant a single herb in one pot, mix several
types in the same pot, or combine with vegetables.
Growing together
It's easy and convenient to grow herbs
and vegetables together in the same pot. Just be sure to match
plants with similar growing conditions and seasons. For example,
annual herbs like cilantro, dill or parsley get along well
with beets, carrots and radishes. Avoid overcrowding and place
herbs in front for easy picking.
Delicious choices
You can start most herbs from seed,
but for quicker results buy young herb transplants in 2-inch
nursery pots or cell-packs. Let your appetite be your guide
when choosing herbs. Fresh parsley, basil, thyme, and oregano
are basic in Italian dishes, while cilantro is a must for
Mexican cooking. Other cooking herbs like chives, dill, marjoram,
mint, sage, tarragon, or rosemary will enhance almost any
dish you prepare.
Herb basics
Most herbs thrive in the sun, although
a few such as basil and mint tolerate partial shade. Check
your sun loving herbs every day to make sure they're not dried
out. Water in the morning before the temperature rises, using
a nozzle with a fine spray to help keep soil from splashing
out of the pot. Fertilize herbs with a half-strength liquid
solution once a month through spring and summer.
Bugs?
Although container gardening eliminates
many problems with pests, they can still be a problem. Get
rid of most insects by simply spraying with a mild soap solution.
If you prefer to keep your herb garden organic, just grind
up one clove of garlic, add to one cup of water, strain and
spray on plants. Don't use pesticides on your tender herbs.
Harvesting
It's amazing how fast your garden of
seasonings go from pot to table. Snip off tender herb sprigs
as you need them, but never trim off more than a third of
the foliage at a time. Frequent snipping and pinching stimulates
dense, quick growth. Annual herbs like basil and dill should
be cut back several times during the growing season. Rosemary,
thyme and other woody perennial herbs should not be picked
during hot weather, while leafy evergreens such as oregano
and sage can be harvested year-around.
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