Potted herbs are a great addition to your yard or even the interior of your home. A potted herb garden can supply your family with fresh herbs regardless of your living situation as long as you have some form of light for your garden. If your herbs are inside your home, a sunny window or a grow light work perfectly. With a little planning and work, you can have a beautiful potted herb garden to accent any space using the tips provided below.
Get creative with pots
Get creative when you choose pots for your herb garden. While you can buy beautiful pots that fit your style at your local garden center, sometimes the best pots for your potted herb garden use a little creativity. Teapots and teacups make beautiful pots for smaller or grassy herbs that don’t need a lot of room for their roots. Galvanized tubs make beautiful large pots for growing multiple herbs together.
Plant to impress
Plant to impress when choosing your herbs. Look for herbs that will work well in your kitchen while adding style and a pop of color to your potted garden. Flowering herbs like lemon balm and chives can be a beautiful addition. Larger pots can grow bushy herbs like lavender with its delicate and fragrant purple blooms that will attract the eye wherever you place it.
Have some fun
Have a little fun and add decorations to your potted herb garden. Just like a full-size outdoor garden, you can have fun by tucking away little treasures in your potted herb garden to catch the eye. Small fairy garden items from your local dollar or craft store are a great option. you could even get crafty and make your own cute plant markers and painted stones to add to your potted herbs.
Use accents
Use accents around your pots to make them stand out. Small potted plants can be placed inside lanterns and birdcages to enhance your decor. This is a great way to spice up more ordinary leafy green herbs to add a touch of style.
I hope these ideas will help to inspire you to plant a beautiful and practical potted herb garden! I love that each of these ideas can be done on a budget by either purchasing cheap items or with items you already own!
Herbs are great plants to grow in your garden or home. They add flavor to food and leave your home smelling great. Growing your own herbs can be a bit stressful for new gardeners but the truth is some herbs are so easy to grow they make the perfect plants for beginner and not so green thumb gardeners. These are some of the easiest herbs to grow.
CHIVES
Chives are a great herb for even the newest of gardeners. This hardy plant can hold up well if forgotten for a while. You can choose onion or garlic varieties to accent your cooking or grow both. The delicate flowers add a great pop of color for this grassy herb.
MINT
Mint is a favorite herb for new gardeners. It holds up well as part of your potted herb garden out outside. Mint thrives even if you forget to water it from to time and is perfect for cooling summer drinks and sweet desserts.
BASIL
Basil is a great herb when you need an easy to grow plant for your collection. Basil can grow well in the garden or a sunny window and is very versatile in the kitchen. Basil comes in a large variety of flavors allowing you to customize your garden to fit your needs.
ROSEMARY
Rosemary is an easy to grow herb that leaves a fresh scent. It can grow well potted making it a great option for adding a delicate grassy green to your potted herb garden. Rosemary is very useful in the kitchen for savory dishes. If you are a less than mindful gardener this herb will do just fine with a bit of neglect.
GERANIUM
Scented Geraniums make a great option for growing at home. Scented Geraniums come in a variety of scents in everything from floral to chocolate. Choose a variety that will accent your space and help build the beautiful herb garden of your dreams.
“Burpee Home Gardens presents “Garden Fresh” – an insightful yet fun vegetable gardening guide that answers your questions on everything from what to grow, to how much and when. This companion offers ideas, inspirations, and the support you need to explore – and succeed at – the world of home vegetable gardening.”
Garden season is off to a strong start! If you planted any herbs this year, you may already be seeing an abundance of the tasty things since they can grow with a vengeance. Wondering what you can do with all the herbs you have without letting them go to waste? This post should definitely help you decide what to do with them!
Using herbs in your home is a wonderful way to incorporate not only the beauty they provide but the health benefits. You can use them for so many things. From making potpourri and sachets to making herbal remedies and of course cooking.
If you are new to using them and need a little help, here are 10 tips to help you dry and store herbs that will make it easier on you and help prevent you from ending up with non-usable product.
Getting herbs ready for drying
But first, here’s the two step process to get your herbs ready for drying:
Step 1: Gather your herbs. The best time to do this, is in the morning before the sun is shining on them. It’s also best to pick the herbs before the plants start to flower.
Step 2: Wash your herbs and pat them dry with a towel. Or, if your herbs look pretty clean, you can just shake them gently to get rid of any dust or dirt. At this point, you can also pick off any leaves that are yellowed, spotted, or discolored.
Now on to the drying and storing tips:
1. Find a nice, dark place to dry them.
They will need good ventilation and air, but if they are exposed to too much light, they will dry out too quickly and can become too brittle and fall apart too fast on you. You can use a fan on a low setting or put them near the air conditioning vent for the ventilation, but just not in a window. Another suggestion for location is to place them in an attic type space if you have it. The top of the refrigerator works too, if you are limited on space and just drying a few. Or on the top of a water heater. Those closets make a good ventilated place most of the time.
2. If possible, use drying screens to lay them on.
The drying screens will catch the smaller, loose pieces if they lose any and they get good air flow from both sides this way, which is ideal. Using the screens for thicker herbs, like rosemary that are more woody in nature, is perfect.
3. Hang them upside down, in bunches
Hanging them upside down, in bunches is another alternative to the flat screens. Use a rubber band around the stems and keep the bunches fairly small. The thicker they are, the longer they will take to totally dry. The ones in the center can still be damp, even when the ones on the outside look fully dried. Thicker herbs, like lavender for example, can take a couple of weeks to totally dry.
4. Using an oven to dry them will speed the process.
Put them on a baking sheet and set the temperature as low as your oven will go. You will need to move them and turn them every so often to keep them drying evenly, so the best way is to set the timer for about 30-40 minutes and then flip them when it goes off. Repeat until you feel they are dry enough, which may take up to 6 hours, but could be done in 3.
5. Use a food dehydrator.
A food dehydrator is especially beneficial if you tend to grow a lot of herbs. It’s even great for drying other produce like tomatoes, apples, pears, bananas and so much more. Dehydrators are great because the trays allow for great airflow that results in an even drying without overheating ensuring the perfect long-lasting dried herbs.
6. When storing them, avoid letting them get dusty.
One way to do this is to use a paper bag hanging over them, when they are in bunches, with the stems poking out of one end. Or if they are loose, use a thinner weight cardboard box, and punch holes in it. Cut flaps in the sides to help air flow and ventilation but folded in enough to cover and keep off the dust particles.
7. Use airtight containers.
For storing your herbs, you can use airtight containers, like glass jars with seals, similar to a mason jar or ones that have the locking lid and rubber seals. Make sure the containers are very clean and sterile. Any other chemical residue can contaminate the herbs and affect their scent and health benefits.
8. Freeze them.
You can also freeze herbs as an option for storage instead of glass jars. Use Ziploc bags that have a tight seal, and be sure to push out all the air before sealing them tight.
9. Storing for culinary use.
For herbs that are for cooking and culinary uses, crush the herbs well before storing. For herbs that will be used for teas, use the whole leaf and any blooms and do not crush them.
10. Create flavored oils
Another great option for storing herbs is to create flavored oils for cooking! Place your desired herbs in a glass jar that has a good seal, cover them completely with olive oil and keep them stored in a dark place. The herbs will infuse the oil with delicious flavors, creating a perfect addition to your dish.
I’m pretty certain that these tips will help you use up your abundance of herbs that you will see this year! I’d love to know how you use the herbs that you grow. Let me know in the comments!
Spring is here, which means it’s the perfect time to start thinking about planting a garden! There are so many wonderful reasons to grow a garden. Whether you want fresh produce, a little exercise, or just a relaxing way to spend your time, it’s a win all around.
If you’ve never planted a garden before, there’s no better time to begin than right now.
Need a little extra motivation? Here are 20 reasons to plant a garden and you will discover just how rewarding it can be. Trust me, it offers so much more than just fresh tomatoes. Let’s dive in!
1. You can enjoy chemical free food.
When you grow a garden, you can enjoy produce that is grown without chemicals or pesticides if you choose. It’s a great way to know what is in your food so you can enjoy safe and natural food choices.
2. You know where your food comes from.
Do you really know where your food comes from when you buy it from a grocery store? When you garden, you know exactly where it comes from because you grow it and pick it yourself.
3. Children will enjoy assisting with gardening tasks.
Children love digging in the dirt, and will enjoy helping you with your gardening tasks. They can pull weeds, plant seeds, and even help pick the harvest when you have a backyard garden.
4. Your meals will be made with the freshest produce around.
Do you love fresh soups and salads? When you grow your own garden, you will have the freshest produce choices around. Enjoy fresh recipes each night thanks to your garden. Who wouldn’t love that?
5. Gardens bring about beautiful wildlife.
You will notice that gardens bring all sorts of wildlife to the yard. This means hummingbirds, bees and butterflies especially. It is fun seeing all the colors, sights, and sounds come to your yard as they investigate your plantings and take sips from your plants.
6. Gardens provide a chance to meet your neighbors.
When you grow a garden, you spend more time outdoors. This might mean being more visible to your neighbors and striking up a conversation or two. You might even find another neighbor who gardens, and get the chance to trade produce or plant starts.
7. You can assist people in need with your produce.
Chances are you will grow more produce than you need. You can always donate your extra produce to local soup kitchens or shelters where they can serve it to people in need. That’s a great reason to plant a garden!
8. Gardening tasks provide exercise.
Digging, weeding, watering, and planting can all provide some amazing exercise. If you need to be more physically active, gardening is a great way to do it.
9. Gardening provides quiet time for reflection.
Many gardeners love planting a garden because it provides them some time for reflection and meditation. If you need a little down time in your life, gardening may provide the perfect opportunity.
10. Gardening provides a chance to learn something new about nature.
When you grow a garden, it gives you the chance to learn new things about the plants you are growing. We are never too old to learn, and gardening gives the opportunity to let that happen!
11. You can enjoy active and fun gardening communities.
Online, you will find many active gardening groups, where gardeners exchange tips and tricks of the trade. You might also find local gardening groups, perfect for making friends and learning more.
12. You will always have fresh flowers for your home.
You don’t have to grow vegetables to have a garden! Enjoy fresh flowers in every room of your house when you grow a flower garden. Picking your own flowers each day will be fun and add so much color to your décor.
13. Gardening provides inexpensive gifts for family and friends.
Gardens provide the materials you need to make homemade jams, salsa, and so many other homemade gifts. This is a great way to provide inexpensive gifts for family and friends.
14. Gardening provides aromatherapy.
The smells of a garden can help you feel more relaxed and at ease. Forget lighting a candle for aromatherapy, just go to the garden.
15. Gardening is inexpensive.
You don’t need to be rich to plant a garden. Most of the items you need can be found around the house or even at your local dollar store. Seeds, soil, and pots can be found for cheap, which means you can grow so much food for less.
16. You can save money on your weekly grocery bill.
When you grow your own food, you will be saving heaps of money on your weekly grocery bill. You can grow items like tomatoes and cucumbers at pennies per pound, which is way less than most markets.
17. A garden can be an extension of your home.
A garden can feel like another room of your home. Place a small bistro table and chair in your garden so you can enjoy dinner or drinks in it.
18. Fresh food can be grown well into the Fall months.
Some plants can thrive well into the cool months. This means eating fresh and saving money even as winter approaches.
19. Gardens add curb appeal.
A garden can make your landscaping look nicer and add some curb appeal to those passing by.
20. Gardening helps the planet.
Flowers in your garden can help bees and butterflies pollinate our planet and keep it looking lush and beautiful!
In the end, planting a garden is about so much more than what you grow, it’s about how it makes you feel. From the satisfaction of nurturing something from seed to harvest, to the simple joy of stepping outside and seeing your hard work come to life, gardening offers rewards that go far beyond the surface.
Whether you start small with a few pots or go all in with a full backyard garden, every effort counts. So grab your tools, get your hands a little dirty, and give it a try. You might discover a new favorite way to save money, reduce stress, and enjoy the little moments of everyday life.
