Herb gardening has become a popular past time for both novice and seasoned gardeners. Property curated herb gardens can be used to create medicinal treatments, all natural beauty products, or seasoning for cooking. No matter what the reason may be for growing herbs, nurturing and maintaining this type of garden can sometimes be a challenge. Knowing some of the most common mistakes that gardeners face with their herbs can help you be aware of the typical pitfalls and challenges that may surprise you along the way, and help you create a healthy, thriving herb garden to call your own.
Developing a Plan
A successful herb garden is a well planned out garden. One of the biggest mistakes that gardeners make is that they don’t start their garden with a plan. Determine the type of herb garden you want to have and make certain you have the right location for it in place to grow your herbs. These herb gardens need to get around four-six hours of sun every day.
Buying the Right Herbs
Many new gardeners buy herbs without considering care or asking any questions first. Caring for herbs is often different than caring for other plants and can be a challenge even to seasoned gardeners. Make your list of essential herbs, usually 10 or less for a standard size garden, and head to a local nursery to purchase. Make sure you let these professionals know your plan so they can help you.
Planting the Herbs
Many times herb gardens fail because they were planted incorrectly. First, the soil, whether in the ground or in a container, needs to have compost and bone heal in it. Before planting each herb, the roots need to be properly watered.
Understanding Proper Herb Maintenance
Herb gardens need the right fertilizer and need proper care on a routine basis. This means watering, pruning, and feeding your herbs. Make sure that you have all of the details for what each herb needs so you can develop a routine maintenance plan.
Dealing With Pest Issues
Along with poor maintenance, one of the biggest issues that gardeners face when maintaining their herbs is pest issues. Many times, herbs will attract pests, such as beetles and snails. However, spraying them with toxic chemicals will kill the herb entirely as they are more sensitive than other plants.
There are some homemade solutions you can use to keep pests at bay, such as:
White Vinegar– This is a treatment that will ward off all types of pests without damaging the herbs and can easily be sprayed directly on problem areas.
Rosemary– This small plant can be a great addition to your herb garden and can still act as an all-natural repellent.
Dishwashing Liquid Mix– A combination of one teaspoon dishwashing liquid, one cup vegetable oil, and two parts water can be used to get rid of common pests like mites and scales that attack herb gardens.
If these all-natural pesticides don’t work, you will want to call a local pest professional. Pests are the number one killer of herbs, but store bought toxic pesticides can be just as harmful. A local pest professional can help you determine a safe, natural, yet effective pest control solution that will keep pests away from your herbs.
