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Grow Your Own Herbs... And Share the Magic With Your Kids
There’s nothing nicer than your own fresh herbs to add to summer salads and stir-fries. Herbs are very easy to grow from seed, especially in summer when they are quick to germinate. They can be grown indoors and out so the choice of where to plant them is a personal choice. And it’s such fun when your kids help planting as well – this gardening project could turn into a family fun day spent together, while the little ones are learning about herbs and nature.
Many people prefer to grow their herbs in their kitchen where they can be easily accessed during cooking. You can buy herbs as seedlings at any nursery or garden centre, or you can choose to start your plants from seeds.
Simply buy herb plants like parsley, basil, and thyme in potted plants, and move them to a small plot of soil or a windowsill herb garden. You’ll be able to use the leaves immediately, and the plants will keep growing all summer long, providing you with fresh herbs for all your cooking.
Starting with Seeds
If you are starting from seeds, just about any small container will do. Many stores that carry garden supplies will have specific containers or even kits you can buy, complete with seeds and soil. These kits are good in that they are designed as a mini greenhouse. They are to be kept in a sunny area, covered with a clear, plastic lid that retains moisture. Otherwise, purchase individual containers, fill with a soil, preferably one with fertilizer, and plant your seeds that way.
The necessary nutrient levels are relative to the soil type and the crop being grown. Although different herbs have varying requirements, the soil test institution calculates an optimum average for fertilizer and lime recommendations.
If you will be planting outdoor, consider adding organic matter to the soil. Organic matter is material that was once living but is now dead and decaying. You can use such materials as ground corncobs, sawdust, bark chips, straw, hay, grass clippings, and cover crops to serve as organic matter. Your own compost pile can supply you with excellent organic matter to enrich the soil.
Each spring, as you prepare the garden for planting, incorporate organic matter into the soil by tilling or turning it under with a spade. If non-composted materials are used, the microorganisms that break down the materials will use nitrogen from the soil. To compensate for this nitrogen loss, increase the amount of nitrogen fertilizer that you incorporate into the soil.
Once the soil is ready, plant the seeds of your favourite herbs. The garden-fresh flavours of thyme, basil, savoury, oregano, and marjoram are incomparable. You can also grow gourmet varieties of these classics -- lemon thyme, cinnamon basil, and Sicilian oregano, for example -- to add to your cooking pleasure. But there is a tip: Plant more parsley, dill, and fennel than you think you will use to attract swallowtail butterflies. The beauty of the butterflies and fun of watching the caterpillars develop can be worth the foliage they eat.
Carefully fill each of the flowerpots with the seed compost right to the top. Firm down gently.
Sow the seeds onto the compost surface. Spread them out evenly so that they cover the whole area, this will provide a good crop of herbs in each pot.
Cover over with a thin layer of seed compost.
Place the pots inside the windowsill planter. Label each pot and water gently with tepid water.
Keep in a warm light place for the seeds to germinate. Harvest individual leaves when they are large enough to handle.
Caring for Your Growing Herbs
The most important thing during your seed or seedlings development is to keep the soil moist at all times, especially when grown indoors in containers. You should also add fertilizer to these indoor herbs as when they are watered, nutrients leak out of the soil. Herbs need lots of sunshine too. The perfect place for herbs in the kitchen is on a windowsill that gets plenty of sunlight. The same rule applies for outdoor herbs.
If you don't have a place in your yard specifically set aside for herbs, they can be grown alongside other vegetables or flowers, but they must have full sunlight. These herbs will also need regular watering as well as fertilizer. Organic compost or manure can also be used to ensure healthy, thriving plants. Off you grow.
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