Landscaping and Gardening

Enhance The Flavor Of Food & Enjoy A Culinary Herb Garden
If you're a chef extraordinaire, or if you just enjoy cooking, it's likely you've considered growing a culinary herb garden in your backyard. Offering fresh flavor and natural enrichment to food, herbs not only enhance meals but also provide pleasant aromas. Aside from the health benefits involved, growing an herb garden can actually prove to be an enjoyable pastime.

Tip 1:
Determine the Size of Your Herb GardenYou'd be surprised just how many herbs exist in the world. While an herb garden can be a fun (and flavorsome) project, a little planning goes a long way. Do you desire a small herb garden that consists of popular culinary herbs, or would you like to grow an extensive herb garden that includes both culinary and aromatic herbs?

There are three types of herbs:

Annuals

Biennials

Perennials
Although you can combine herbs in an herb garden, some herbs grow better if separated. For instance, herbs that are overbearing should not be planted next to delicate herbs. When herb gardening, some herbs require certain soil conditions, water requirements and amounts of sun/shade exposure. As a result, you will want your herbs to grow well in a similar environment. In addition to planning how big your garden will be and which herbs you plan to grow, it's important to plan the location of your herb garden. If most of your herbs require a lot of sunlight, then find an area in your yard that receives a great deal of sun.

Herb Garden Tip 2:
Ensure a Good Drainage System
- The most desired type of garden, a perennial herb garden blooms every season once established. Examples include English thyme, Greek oregano, French tarragon, garlic chives, lavender, garden sage and lemon balm. - An herb garden with biennial herbs develops leaves in the first growing season, flowers and seed in the second season, and then dies. Examples include parsley and caraway. - An herb garden with annual herbs lives for only one growing season and then dies. Examples include cilantro, basil, dill and coriander. Herbs do not grow well in wet soil. An herb garden requires an adequate drainage system and somewhat fertile soil to flourish. In order to optimize drainage in an herb garden, insert a 3-inch layer of compressed stone into the soil (about 15-18 inches deep). Then return the soil on top of the layer, blending it with compost and sand, and fill this top soil higher than its original level to allow for some settling. Soil that is excessively fertile produces extreme amounts of poor plant growth; however, you do not need to add too much fertilizer to the soil either. As long as the soil is moderately fertile, your herb garden will thrive.

Herb Garden Tip 3:
Regular Care & Maintenance
Just like any other garden, herb gardening requires frequent care. Once your herbs have been planted, apply compost or fertilizer to them whenever necessary. Mulch also helps the soil to preserve moisture and prevent weed growth. What's more, proper hydration is essential to a successful herb garden. After your culinary herb garden is established, you can begin implementing them into your cooking. When you notice a big difference in the taste of food, you'll soon be hooked on herbs. With health benefits, flavor enhancement characteristics and aromatic qualities, an herb garden is well worth the work.

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