Make a green space near the coast means considering species that are resistant to dry in direct sunlight and soil salinity. The elements with which to compare are just wind, salt, drought. The idea behind the project is to use plants that are in bloom almost all year round.
In the garden by the sea you can grow different varieties of herbs, such as the classic myrtle and rosemary, and other shrubs such as mastic, to grow in free form.
To lighten the stains green / dark green of the ever you can use the combination of plant leaf gray / silver as helichrysum or wormwood.
For beautiful blooms is the Centranthus declined in pink or white varieties, as well as Agapanthus, Convolvulus, or the classic wallflowers. The highlight: perfumes and fragrances for 11 months. The plants used to play 3 colors: white, pink, pale yellow. And the plan is to create a patch of tamarisk shrub windbreak. Under the foliage of this plant will have shrubs of various sizes to form a small mass of soft aspect: Westringia frutticosa, cistus creticus, lavender pink gear. These plants take up the same shade of pink racemes of tamarisk, which alternate in bloom. Another group of plants can be formed by evergreen Choisya ternata, the base of which develops a dense bush dotted with flowers colored pink. To give continuity to the project, sage jamensis, which completes the set. To give continuity to the project put small pillows green / gray, with pale yellow flowers of Santoline lindavica, scattered randomly.
Garden design outdoor furniture
Most often we deal with in every detail of furnishing our homes but often omit that of our garden, maybe buying outdoor furniture with little policy, resulting in a disorderly effect that turns out not to enhance the house where the garden is part .
As we remember the friends of Idea House, the decor of the garden is essential to realizing all of our homes: the garden is usually the first place that our guests see before coming into our house and somehow 'on Our business card, a nice garden, well maintained and designed, though small enhances any home, even the most common or simple.
As for the house, you must proceed in the same manner for the outdoor furniture: first it is important to choose what style we want to orient ourselves, and then considers the needs (such as furniture we need) and the needs of space (we need empty spaces where the little ones to play?). The choice of style would be important to do it even at the design stage of the garden: if we choose an oriental garden, plants and shrubs have included mild forms and here insert elements like oriental vases, small tables and chairs will be more immediate, and likewise in a Mediterranean garden with palms and olive trees will be easy to locate a hammock or try the contrast with modern lines.
However, as for the decor of the rooms of the house, the ideal would be to buy all furniture in the same material or different materials combine with harmony, according to the particular style and materials with which our house was built .
In a country house or a house, however old it is recommended to move towards components in iron, wood or rattan, and aluminum and plastic are fine in most modern homes, with the advantage of costing less (unless you orient the elements of pure design), being lighter than other materials and require little maintenance.
Remember, very often the rule is "less is more", then a few things, positioned in the right way in a mutual enhancement with the plants, and you're done!
As we remember the friends of Idea House, the decor of the garden is essential to realizing all of our homes: the garden is usually the first place that our guests see before coming into our house and somehow 'on Our business card, a nice garden, well maintained and designed, though small enhances any home, even the most common or simple.
As for the house, you must proceed in the same manner for the outdoor furniture: first it is important to choose what style we want to orient ourselves, and then considers the needs (such as furniture we need) and the needs of space (we need empty spaces where the little ones to play?). The choice of style would be important to do it even at the design stage of the garden: if we choose an oriental garden, plants and shrubs have included mild forms and here insert elements like oriental vases, small tables and chairs will be more immediate, and likewise in a Mediterranean garden with palms and olive trees will be easy to locate a hammock or try the contrast with modern lines.
However, as for the decor of the rooms of the house, the ideal would be to buy all furniture in the same material or different materials combine with harmony, according to the particular style and materials with which our house was built .
In a country house or a house, however old it is recommended to move towards components in iron, wood or rattan, and aluminum and plastic are fine in most modern homes, with the advantage of costing less (unless you orient the elements of pure design), being lighter than other materials and require little maintenance.
Remember, very often the rule is "less is more", then a few things, positioned in the right way in a mutual enhancement with the plants, and you're done!
Planning a flower garden design
Once you understand the basic types of plants, it will be much easier to
design a garden. Simply, you have to include a variety of plants that
blossom in different season. When a season ends for one species, there
should be another flower to take its place.
First of all, how much light you have? If your garden is located in an area that receives direct sunlight for some time, and the shadow for the rest of the time, the choices are almost endless flowers. Most of the flowers all over the world are more suitable for these half and half of lighting conditions. If your garden is very sunny, on the other hand, consider planting flowers that will not only enjoy the light, but can withstand the direct heat. Some flowers are sunflowers good strong sunlight (of course) and Daylilies. On the other hand, if your area is on the shady side, go for low-light flowers such as irises, lilies, tiger, or honeysuckle. These plants are more tolerant of the cooler temperature in the shade, and their process of photosynthesis is suitable for small amounts of sunlight.
What about soil? If you're planting in a rocky area, you may have some difficulty in reaching many plants to take root. The ideal soil for the flowers, of course, is black, dirt very well without rubble. If you live in an area where the soil has the texture of the sand, watching the flowers of native plants, those that are best suited for growing in the sand, like violets.
Now comes the fun part. Once you have an idea of what types of flowers you can grow, it's time to think about what types you want to grow. Test of extracting the garden on a sheet of paper, according to the various heights it is expected that the plants to reach. Try framing sunflowers with ground cover plants that bloom in the shade of taller plants around them. Pay attention to the colors of the flowers and arrange them so enjoyable. Use your imagination here, feel free to design a garden with a rigorous profile, only with blue and yellow flowers, or let your brain and racing yard in an explosion of color at random throughout the world. It 'to you.
Keep in mind that the first year of a flower garden is just the beginning. If you really want to enjoy your garden at the most, try to plant perennials that will return next season. That will give the plants a year to mature and gain strength, and with a little 'luck, you will be surprised each year with a flourishing flower garden that grows stronger and brighter as time goes by.
First of all, how much light you have? If your garden is located in an area that receives direct sunlight for some time, and the shadow for the rest of the time, the choices are almost endless flowers. Most of the flowers all over the world are more suitable for these half and half of lighting conditions. If your garden is very sunny, on the other hand, consider planting flowers that will not only enjoy the light, but can withstand the direct heat. Some flowers are sunflowers good strong sunlight (of course) and Daylilies. On the other hand, if your area is on the shady side, go for low-light flowers such as irises, lilies, tiger, or honeysuckle. These plants are more tolerant of the cooler temperature in the shade, and their process of photosynthesis is suitable for small amounts of sunlight.
What about soil? If you're planting in a rocky area, you may have some difficulty in reaching many plants to take root. The ideal soil for the flowers, of course, is black, dirt very well without rubble. If you live in an area where the soil has the texture of the sand, watching the flowers of native plants, those that are best suited for growing in the sand, like violets.
Now comes the fun part. Once you have an idea of what types of flowers you can grow, it's time to think about what types you want to grow. Test of extracting the garden on a sheet of paper, according to the various heights it is expected that the plants to reach. Try framing sunflowers with ground cover plants that bloom in the shade of taller plants around them. Pay attention to the colors of the flowers and arrange them so enjoyable. Use your imagination here, feel free to design a garden with a rigorous profile, only with blue and yellow flowers, or let your brain and racing yard in an explosion of color at random throughout the world. It 'to you.
Keep in mind that the first year of a flower garden is just the beginning. If you really want to enjoy your garden at the most, try to plant perennials that will return next season. That will give the plants a year to mature and gain strength, and with a little 'luck, you will be surprised each year with a flourishing flower garden that grows stronger and brighter as time goes by.
Garden design planning
Before you come up with the garden design. This is of extreme importance to determine which plants and trees used to obtain the desired effect.
Monitor at different times of day and year
1. How many hours of sun does the site receive?
2. What time of day it's sunny?
3. If exposure to the sun with the change of seasons? Do trees allow sun in spring and shade during the summer?
4. As is the ground, with regard to the pH and the consistency?
5. There are structures or large trees that can affect plant growth and selection?
6. There are no facilities nearby that you want to conceal?
7. Which plants are already growing there?
Do not you know what you want to use your garden, what is working and what resources they can devote to it. Now, what do you want to be like?
Formal or informal? Wild?
It should complement your home?
Want to flow with the natural landscape?
Do you favor soft pastels or bold tropical?
All these things may seem overwhelming, but you'll save a lot of time and a lot of money if you take this advice and you will find that each step becomes easier and more enjoyable. Plant selection should be one of the last things you feel, or you may be overwhelmed trying to create a garden design to accommodate the tens (or hundreds or even thousands) of plants you need.
Knowing your planting zone
Before you buy that first plant, you know what your plant area. Without this knowledge, you may end up ordering all kinds of beautiful plants and shrubs that seek only to discover that they are suitable for your planting zone and die. Have you spent time and money unnecessarily. If you're buying from the catalog or online, every plant and seed catalog or online seller should view a map of the area of plant and each plant would have to show an indication of the areas in which this particular plant (or tree, etc.) thrive. You can also contact local garden clubs or your county agricultural Extension chair, with your questions about the suitability and care of plants for your particular area. This knowledge is of fundamental importance, above all if it is moved from one area to another. Not only save money but you avoid countless hours of frustrating work in your garden.
Keep in mind what your garden will be used for and when. This is important for planning your account. If you plan to entertain a lot and do not want to spend all summer renovation, look for lower maintenance plants that do not require constant deadheading and staking to look good, and if you sow the little, choose plants that bloom in their eye level, with interesting textures and scents and non-poisonous flowers and seeds.
Make a list of plants you like and group them by color, texture and shape - the triumvirate of garden design. They too feel the season of flowering and / or interest. Consider both flowers and leaves. There are plants more often bred with colorful foliage in the garden that will provide interest throughout the season.
Be sure to include some large anchor plants that look good all year. These are usually evergreen shrubs and often. Gardens small and medium enterprises can accommodate 1 or 2 trees or shrubs, but they are important to provide good bones of the garden and you want to choose wisely at the beginning. Trees and shrubs can be very difficult and heavy to move.
Plant the bulbs for added beauty
A wonderful way to use the lights is to naturalize daffodils in a woodland or group them for colorful accent around evergreen shrubs. Premium Dutch bulbs can be ordered online from trusted merchants and catalogers who will advise you on what is appropriate for your area.
Plan ahead when planting bulbs, that is, to plant spring flowering is in autumn. Follow the instructions that accompany your bulbs regarding depth (usually six inches) and fertilizer (there are special bulb fertilizers that should be placed in planting holes). An important reminder - again: Know your planting zone before ordering any bulbs. They all look so pretty in the catalogs, but what grows well in the Midwest, in most cases, does not grow in South Florida!
Monitor at different times of day and year
1. How many hours of sun does the site receive?
2. What time of day it's sunny?
3. If exposure to the sun with the change of seasons? Do trees allow sun in spring and shade during the summer?
4. As is the ground, with regard to the pH and the consistency?
5. There are structures or large trees that can affect plant growth and selection?
6. There are no facilities nearby that you want to conceal?
7. Which plants are already growing there?
Do not you know what you want to use your garden, what is working and what resources they can devote to it. Now, what do you want to be like?
Formal or informal? Wild?
It should complement your home?
Want to flow with the natural landscape?
Do you favor soft pastels or bold tropical?
All these things may seem overwhelming, but you'll save a lot of time and a lot of money if you take this advice and you will find that each step becomes easier and more enjoyable. Plant selection should be one of the last things you feel, or you may be overwhelmed trying to create a garden design to accommodate the tens (or hundreds or even thousands) of plants you need.
Knowing your planting zone
Before you buy that first plant, you know what your plant area. Without this knowledge, you may end up ordering all kinds of beautiful plants and shrubs that seek only to discover that they are suitable for your planting zone and die. Have you spent time and money unnecessarily. If you're buying from the catalog or online, every plant and seed catalog or online seller should view a map of the area of plant and each plant would have to show an indication of the areas in which this particular plant (or tree, etc.) thrive. You can also contact local garden clubs or your county agricultural Extension chair, with your questions about the suitability and care of plants for your particular area. This knowledge is of fundamental importance, above all if it is moved from one area to another. Not only save money but you avoid countless hours of frustrating work in your garden.
Keep in mind what your garden will be used for and when. This is important for planning your account. If you plan to entertain a lot and do not want to spend all summer renovation, look for lower maintenance plants that do not require constant deadheading and staking to look good, and if you sow the little, choose plants that bloom in their eye level, with interesting textures and scents and non-poisonous flowers and seeds.
Make a list of plants you like and group them by color, texture and shape - the triumvirate of garden design. They too feel the season of flowering and / or interest. Consider both flowers and leaves. There are plants more often bred with colorful foliage in the garden that will provide interest throughout the season.
Be sure to include some large anchor plants that look good all year. These are usually evergreen shrubs and often. Gardens small and medium enterprises can accommodate 1 or 2 trees or shrubs, but they are important to provide good bones of the garden and you want to choose wisely at the beginning. Trees and shrubs can be very difficult and heavy to move.
Plant the bulbs for added beauty
A wonderful way to use the lights is to naturalize daffodils in a woodland or group them for colorful accent around evergreen shrubs. Premium Dutch bulbs can be ordered online from trusted merchants and catalogers who will advise you on what is appropriate for your area.
Plan ahead when planting bulbs, that is, to plant spring flowering is in autumn. Follow the instructions that accompany your bulbs regarding depth (usually six inches) and fertilizer (there are special bulb fertilizers that should be placed in planting holes). An important reminder - again: Know your planting zone before ordering any bulbs. They all look so pretty in the catalogs, but what grows well in the Midwest, in most cases, does not grow in South Florida!
Summer Garden Planning
Some plants like a lot of sun while some will get killed by it. Depending on where you live, then the amount of sun that gets to your Summer garden may vary widely. You can also create micro-climate zones in your garden.
There are several things you should ask yourself when planning your summer garden. Each of these things to some extent determine the type of summer garden your lawn will be. First of all, the amount of space on your lawn do not want your summer garden to occupy and in general terms how big is that space. Most of us live in houses that have woefully inadequate lawn space these days. For this reason it is important to have a realistic view of how much of that first real estate you are willing to commit to the summer garden.
Once you have determined how much space you are willing to commit to your garden you need to decide the position. The location is important to know before starting the planning stage as it will be necessary to plan based on the position. You must be able to answer the following questions about his position. How much sunlight reaches this position on an average day? It is a position which is generally wet or dry in general? And because indirect sunlight is this section of the lawn to see on a given day? These are questions that are important because, in general, to determine what type of plants your garden will be able to accommodate. It also requires some knowledge 'of the territory as well. Level E ', rocky or muddy? These things have a different effect, but in the depths of the type of garden that can be grown and measures should be taken to run a summer garden in this particular position.
The next question you must ask and answer before moving on to the stage of planning and buying is the amount of time, on average, you spend your summer garden on a given day? Gardens often require curtains and you should be willing to spend some 'time to keep your garden in good condition although some are definitely better than others. You must have a realistic idea of how much time each day or week that you are willing to devote to making your garden can be a beautiful sanctuary in mind before deciding on the types of plants and flowers that fill the summer garden.
You should also have in mind the type of summer garden you want to create as well. Want a vegetable garden, flower garden, or just want to add a little 'green on the lawn? Want to add a water feature or have a living?
When planning your summer garden you should consider all these things and more. Another thing you want to keep in mind is the local climate. And 'moderate, dry, wet in the morning, cool or many? These things will also have a significant enough effect on the best type of garden that is suitable for your current situation.
Planning a garden is much more than walking out and pointing and grunting. There is a large amount of work that goes into planning a successful summer garden. Asking the right questions is a good place to start the process. Once you have the answers is the time to begin the most exciting aspects of planning a summer garden, how to use the land plants and selecting your lawn will soon call home. Just remember to pay attention to detail ahead of time will save a lot of wasted time and money later.
There are several things you should ask yourself when planning your summer garden. Each of these things to some extent determine the type of summer garden your lawn will be. First of all, the amount of space on your lawn do not want your summer garden to occupy and in general terms how big is that space. Most of us live in houses that have woefully inadequate lawn space these days. For this reason it is important to have a realistic view of how much of that first real estate you are willing to commit to the summer garden.
Once you have determined how much space you are willing to commit to your garden you need to decide the position. The location is important to know before starting the planning stage as it will be necessary to plan based on the position. You must be able to answer the following questions about his position. How much sunlight reaches this position on an average day? It is a position which is generally wet or dry in general? And because indirect sunlight is this section of the lawn to see on a given day? These are questions that are important because, in general, to determine what type of plants your garden will be able to accommodate. It also requires some knowledge 'of the territory as well. Level E ', rocky or muddy? These things have a different effect, but in the depths of the type of garden that can be grown and measures should be taken to run a summer garden in this particular position.
The next question you must ask and answer before moving on to the stage of planning and buying is the amount of time, on average, you spend your summer garden on a given day? Gardens often require curtains and you should be willing to spend some 'time to keep your garden in good condition although some are definitely better than others. You must have a realistic idea of how much time each day or week that you are willing to devote to making your garden can be a beautiful sanctuary in mind before deciding on the types of plants and flowers that fill the summer garden.
You should also have in mind the type of summer garden you want to create as well. Want a vegetable garden, flower garden, or just want to add a little 'green on the lawn? Want to add a water feature or have a living?
When planning your summer garden you should consider all these things and more. Another thing you want to keep in mind is the local climate. And 'moderate, dry, wet in the morning, cool or many? These things will also have a significant enough effect on the best type of garden that is suitable for your current situation.
Planning a garden is much more than walking out and pointing and grunting. There is a large amount of work that goes into planning a successful summer garden. Asking the right questions is a good place to start the process. Once you have the answers is the time to begin the most exciting aspects of planning a summer garden, how to use the land plants and selecting your lawn will soon call home. Just remember to pay attention to detail ahead of time will save a lot of wasted time and money later.
How to Preparing Healthy Soil
Nothing can thwart the most gung-ho gardener's efforts worse than soil that is not adequate for the plants you are attempting to grow. The good news is that this doesn't have to be the end of your efforts. With just a bit of work you can reach the perfect mix of sand, silt and clay in your garden soil and your plants will be bigger, stronger and more productive than the rest of your block all season long.
If you’re getting ready to go on a new garden venture, you need to prepare
your soil to ideally house your plants. The best thing you can do in the
soil preparation process is to reach the perfect mixture of sand, silt,
and clay. Preferably there would be 40 percent sand, 40 percent silt, and
20 percent clay. There are several tests used by experienced gardeners to
tell whether the soil has a good composition. First you can compress it in
your hand. If it doesn’t hold its shape and crumbles without any outside
force, your sand ratio is probably a little high. If you poke the
compressed ball with your finger and it doesn’t fall apart easily, your
soil contains too much clay.
If you’re still not sure about the content of your soil, you can separate
each ingredient by using this simple method. Put a cup or two of dirt into
a jar of water. Shake the water up until the soil is suspended, then let
it set until you see it separate into 3 separate layers. The top layer is
clay, the next is silt, and on the bottom is sand. You should be able to
judge the presence of each component within your dirt, and act accordingly.
After you’ve analyzed the content of your soil, if you decide that it is
low on a certain ingredient then you should definitely do something to fix
it. If dealing with too much silt or sand, it’s best to add some peat moss
or compost. If you’ve got too much clay, add a mixture of peat moss and
sand. The peat moss, when moistens, helps for the new ingredient to
infiltrate the mixture better. If you can’t seem to manage to attain a
proper mixture, just head down to your local gardening store. You should
be able to find some kind of product to aid you.
The water content of the soil is another important thing to consider when
preparing for your garden. If your garden is at the bottom of an incline,
it is most likely going to absorb too much water and drown out the plants.
If this is the case, you should probably elevate your garden a few inches
(4 or 5) over the rest of the ground. This will allow for more drainage
and less saturation.
Adding nutrients to your soil is also a vital part of the process, as most
urban soils have little to no nutrients already in them naturally. One to
two weeks prior to planting, you should add a good amount of fertilizer to
your garden. Mix it in really well and let it sit for a while. Once you
have done this, your soil will be completely ready for whatever seeds you
may plant in it.
Once your seeds are planted, you still want to pay attention to the soil.
The first few weeks, the seeds are desperately using up all the nutrients
around them to sprout into a real plant. If they run out of food, how are
they supposed to grow? About a week after planting, you should add the
same amount of fertilizer that you added before. After this you should
continue to use fertilizer, but not as often. If you add a tiny bit every
couple of weeks, that should be plenty to keep your garden thriving.
Basically, the entire process of soil care can be compressed into just
several steps… ensure the makeup of the soil is satisfactory, make sure
you have proper drainage in your garden, add fertilizer before and after
planting, then add fertilizer regularly after that. Follow these simple
steps, and you’ll have a plethora of healthy plants in no time. And if you
need any more details on an individual step, just go to your local nursery
and enquire there. Most of the employees will be more than happy to give
you advice.
If you’re getting ready to go on a new garden venture, you need to prepare
your soil to ideally house your plants. The best thing you can do in the
soil preparation process is to reach the perfect mixture of sand, silt,
and clay. Preferably there would be 40 percent sand, 40 percent silt, and
20 percent clay. There are several tests used by experienced gardeners to
tell whether the soil has a good composition. First you can compress it in
your hand. If it doesn’t hold its shape and crumbles without any outside
force, your sand ratio is probably a little high. If you poke the
compressed ball with your finger and it doesn’t fall apart easily, your
soil contains too much clay.
If you’re still not sure about the content of your soil, you can separate
each ingredient by using this simple method. Put a cup or two of dirt into
a jar of water. Shake the water up until the soil is suspended, then let
it set until you see it separate into 3 separate layers. The top layer is
clay, the next is silt, and on the bottom is sand. You should be able to
judge the presence of each component within your dirt, and act accordingly.
After you’ve analyzed the content of your soil, if you decide that it is
low on a certain ingredient then you should definitely do something to fix
it. If dealing with too much silt or sand, it’s best to add some peat moss
or compost. If you’ve got too much clay, add a mixture of peat moss and
sand. The peat moss, when moistens, helps for the new ingredient to
infiltrate the mixture better. If you can’t seem to manage to attain a
proper mixture, just head down to your local gardening store. You should
be able to find some kind of product to aid you.
The water content of the soil is another important thing to consider when
preparing for your garden. If your garden is at the bottom of an incline,
it is most likely going to absorb too much water and drown out the plants.
If this is the case, you should probably elevate your garden a few inches
(4 or 5) over the rest of the ground. This will allow for more drainage
and less saturation.
Adding nutrients to your soil is also a vital part of the process, as most
urban soils have little to no nutrients already in them naturally. One to
two weeks prior to planting, you should add a good amount of fertilizer to
your garden. Mix it in really well and let it sit for a while. Once you
have done this, your soil will be completely ready for whatever seeds you
may plant in it.
Once your seeds are planted, you still want to pay attention to the soil.
The first few weeks, the seeds are desperately using up all the nutrients
around them to sprout into a real plant. If they run out of food, how are
they supposed to grow? About a week after planting, you should add the
same amount of fertilizer that you added before. After this you should
continue to use fertilizer, but not as often. If you add a tiny bit every
couple of weeks, that should be plenty to keep your garden thriving.
Basically, the entire process of soil care can be compressed into just
several steps… ensure the makeup of the soil is satisfactory, make sure
you have proper drainage in your garden, add fertilizer before and after
planting, then add fertilizer regularly after that. Follow these simple
steps, and you’ll have a plethora of healthy plants in no time. And if you
need any more details on an individual step, just go to your local nursery
and enquire there. Most of the employees will be more than happy to give
you advice.
Tips for Growing Your Own Herbs
Knowing which type of garden you want is very important because it will become part of how you will grow your herbs. This will also help you understand fully whether you can establish an outdoor garden in your house or simply use some containers because of lack of space.
If you’re not the type of person that wants to spend their time managing
an elaborate fruit or vegetable garden, you might consider planting and
maintaining an herb garden. While the product might not seem as
significant, you’ll still enjoy the constant availability of fresh,
delicious herbs to flavor your meals with.
First you’ll want to choose the herbs that you’ll plant. You might have a
hard time doing this because of the huge scope of herbs available. But the
best way to choose is to do what I did; just look at what you have in your
kitchen. By planting your own collection of these herbs, you can save
money on buying them from the grocery store while having the added benefit
of freshness. Some of the herbs you might start with include rosemary,
sage, basil, dill, mint, chives, and parsley among others.
When choosing an area to put your herb garden, you should remember that
the soil should have extremely good drainage. If the dirt gets watered and
stays completely saturated, you have no chance of ever growing a healthy
plant. One of the best ways to fix the drainage problem is to dig a foot
deep in the soil, and put a layer of crushed rocks down before replacing
all the soil. This will allow all that water to escape, thus saving your
plants.
When you are ready to begin planting herbs, you might be tempted to buy
the more expensive plants from the store. However, with herbs it is much
easier to grow them from seed than it is with other plants. Therefore you
can save a bundle of money by sticking with seed packets. Some herbs grow
at a dangerously fast rate. For example, if you plant a mint plant in an
open space then it will take over your entire garden in a matter of days.
The best way to prevent this problem is to plant the more aggressive
plants in pots (with holes in the bottom to allow drainage, of course).
When it comes time to harvest the herbs you have labored so hard over, it
can be fatal to your plant to take off too much. If your plant isn’t well
established, it isn’t healthy to take any leaves at all, even if it looks
like its not using them. You should wait until your plant has been well
established for at least several months before taking off any leaves. This
wait will definitely be worth it, because by growing unabated your plant
will produce healthily for years to come.
Once you’ve harvested your delicious home grown herbs, you’ll want to use
them in cooking. Why else would you have grown them? Well first the
process begins with drying them out. This is easily achieved by placing
them on a cookie sheet and baking them 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 to 4
hours. After they’re sufficiently dried to be used in cooking, you can
consult the nearest cookbook for instructions on using them to effectively
flavor a dish.
If you want to store your herbs for later usage, you should keep them in a
plastic or glass container. Paper or cardboard will not work, because it
will absorb the taste of the herbs. During the first few days of storage,
you should regularly check the container and see if any moisture has
accumulated. If it has, you must remove all the herbs and re-dry them. If
moisture is left from the first drying process, it will encourage mildew
while you store your herbs. Nobody likes mildew.
So if you enjoy herbs or gardening, or both, then you should probably
consider setting up an herb garden. It might require a little bit of work
at first to set it up for optimal drainage, and pick what herbs you want
to grow. But after the initial hassle, it’s just a matter of harvesting
and drying all your favorite herbs.
If you’re not the type of person that wants to spend their time managing
an elaborate fruit or vegetable garden, you might consider planting and
maintaining an herb garden. While the product might not seem as
significant, you’ll still enjoy the constant availability of fresh,
delicious herbs to flavor your meals with.
First you’ll want to choose the herbs that you’ll plant. You might have a
hard time doing this because of the huge scope of herbs available. But the
best way to choose is to do what I did; just look at what you have in your
kitchen. By planting your own collection of these herbs, you can save
money on buying them from the grocery store while having the added benefit
of freshness. Some of the herbs you might start with include rosemary,
sage, basil, dill, mint, chives, and parsley among others.
When choosing an area to put your herb garden, you should remember that
the soil should have extremely good drainage. If the dirt gets watered and
stays completely saturated, you have no chance of ever growing a healthy
plant. One of the best ways to fix the drainage problem is to dig a foot
deep in the soil, and put a layer of crushed rocks down before replacing
all the soil. This will allow all that water to escape, thus saving your
plants.
When you are ready to begin planting herbs, you might be tempted to buy
the more expensive plants from the store. However, with herbs it is much
easier to grow them from seed than it is with other plants. Therefore you
can save a bundle of money by sticking with seed packets. Some herbs grow
at a dangerously fast rate. For example, if you plant a mint plant in an
open space then it will take over your entire garden in a matter of days.
The best way to prevent this problem is to plant the more aggressive
plants in pots (with holes in the bottom to allow drainage, of course).
When it comes time to harvest the herbs you have labored so hard over, it
can be fatal to your plant to take off too much. If your plant isn’t well
established, it isn’t healthy to take any leaves at all, even if it looks
like its not using them. You should wait until your plant has been well
established for at least several months before taking off any leaves. This
wait will definitely be worth it, because by growing unabated your plant
will produce healthily for years to come.
Once you’ve harvested your delicious home grown herbs, you’ll want to use
them in cooking. Why else would you have grown them? Well first the
process begins with drying them out. This is easily achieved by placing
them on a cookie sheet and baking them 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 to 4
hours. After they’re sufficiently dried to be used in cooking, you can
consult the nearest cookbook for instructions on using them to effectively
flavor a dish.
If you want to store your herbs for later usage, you should keep them in a
plastic or glass container. Paper or cardboard will not work, because it
will absorb the taste of the herbs. During the first few days of storage,
you should regularly check the container and see if any moisture has
accumulated. If it has, you must remove all the herbs and re-dry them. If
moisture is left from the first drying process, it will encourage mildew
while you store your herbs. Nobody likes mildew.
So if you enjoy herbs or gardening, or both, then you should probably
consider setting up an herb garden. It might require a little bit of work
at first to set it up for optimal drainage, and pick what herbs you want
to grow. But after the initial hassle, it’s just a matter of harvesting
and drying all your favorite herbs.
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