Herb Garden
It would be the best way to get fresh and tasty herbs when you have your own herbal garden. When we talk about the herbal garden, it does not mean that you cannot plant the herbal plant in the container or a pot. The herbal plants are not selective plants and most of the herbal plants are easy to grow. These plants are generally nurtured by the nature and you do not have to even pay much attention to them. When you grow your own herb garden, you should make sure that the plants are free from harmful sprays and pesticides. So, you just have to get the desired seeds and start planting as per the simple herb gardening guide.
Planting Herbal Plants
You actually don’t have to look for a large garden space for your herb garden, as a small collection of containers would also make a perfect garden. You can use old watering cans, jars or hanging baskets as you just have to make sure that the herbs receive enough water and there is a drainage hole in the pot. Apart from this, you should also make sure that the container will be able to hold the herbal plant when it grows. There are a few plants that usually grow taller, so you can find an appropriate container for every type of herbal plant. The container should also be raised a bit as it would ensure proper drainage.
Soil and Care for Herbal Plants
As herbal plants are generally wild plants, most of them would be easy to grow and not demand a rich soil. However, if you prefer placing the plant in a container, then you can gather some regular garden soil for the plant. In order to protect your herbal plant, you can place the pot in a sheltered place that receives sunlight. Most of the herbs would grow well with plenty of sunlight and thrive on a well drained soil.
Gathering and Drying the Plants
The time just before the plants start flowering, you can start gathering them. This is actually the time when the plants have the strongest flavor and aroma. Apart from this, the aerial part of the herb should also be gathered, and should be totally dry when it is in. So, it means that you can pick them on a sunny morning. In order to store the herbs, you will have to dry them. This can be done by spreading the gathered herbs on the windowpane to dry in airy place without direct sunlight. You can also tie them in loose bundles and just hang them with a beam. However, you also have to option to dry them in an oven with very low heat.
Storing the Herbal Plant
When it comes to storing the plants, it is important that you store them in an airtight container which can preferably be a glass jar and far from direct sunlight. You can also label the jar as you write the date on it. The herbal plant would usually last for nearly six months. You should remember not to expose them to direct sunlight or moisture for they would lose their property.