Starting an Herb Garden

Looking for a fun way to get into gardening, a way to spice up your cooking or a new hobby? A great way to do all three is starting an herb garden! An herb garden is on the low maintenance end of gardening which makes it great for beginners or to do with the kids. Kids will love to watch the herbs grow and help put them to use! Here are a few helpful tips to get you started.

Where to plant your garden
The nice thing about an herb garden is that you don’t need a lot of room to plant one- you don’t even need an actual garden bed. One of the easiest ways to plants herbs is to use mason jars! You can plant them in your mason jars and stick them in the window, this is especially nice if you live in an apartment and don’t have a patio or garden. You can also plant herbs in hanging baskets, flower pots or of course a garden bed.

DIY Herb garden out of a wood pallet:

  • Gather your materials: Wood pallet, 2 wood planks the length of your pallet, 1 wood plank the width of your pallet, plywood the same size as your pallet, weed cloth, soil, herb starts or seeds. Optional: paint and wood stain
  • Drill your wood planks that equal the length and the width of your pallet on the sides of your pallet to create a durable frame with one of the short ends of the pallet exposed at the top
  • Optional: sand and stain your pallet to your desired color
  • Use scissors to measure weed cloth to fit the size of your pallet, cut the correct amount then staple to the back. Then cover with a piece of plywood that is sized to match the pallet and drill in securely.
  • Then turn your pallet over, fill with dirt and plant your herbs between the slats!

What to plant
Depending on what you like to eat the most is where this decision will mainly come from. Another thing to consider is where your herb garden is going to be – inside/outside, direct light/shade, cold/warm weather. Make sure to read the package your seeds come in or do a quick Google search. Some good herbs for your garden are: basil, mint, lavender, rosemary, and many more (these are just my favorites!).

How to use the herbs
There are so many creative ways you can use your herbs. In my house, we eat a lot of Italian food- therefor basil is a must for my caprese (not to mention one of the most delicious smells). Mint is also another really fun herb to grow and add into your beverages or desserts. A nice cold mojito with fresh mint always hits the spot on a nice summer day! Herbs are not only good for using in food/drinks. There are so many ways you can infuse herbs into things like candles, bath salts, and many other body products. It is a fun hobby to do, fun to use and smells delicious when it is freshly picked from your garden!
No more purchasing over priced herbs at the grocery store. Next time you need to add a little pizzazz to your dinner, you can just walk over to your personal herb garden and “shop” there. Gardening is not only fun but so rewarding. Once you have mastered your herb garden, next step is growing your own fruits and veggies!