How to Make Your Own Herb Garden

You hear that you need to eat more fresh and organic greens everywhere, but it can be hard to find them outside of Whole Foods.  Unless they are sitting right on your windowsill in the form of an herb garden!  Fresh basil, parsley, or thyme are useful in so many different ways.  Not only will they add major flavor to your pasta, salad and other dishes, it’s also super healthy and can liven up your kitchen!  A green thumb is not necessary to grow your own fresh herbs, just these few tips…

Give your herbs a kick start!  Instead of trying to grow herbs from seeds, start with seedlings.  It will make the process so much faster, easier, and more fruitful! Find your herbs a patch of sun.  Light is plant food, so it’s very important that your herbs get plenty of light!  Here in Texas the high heat can be too much for many herbs though, so keeping them indoors might actually be the better option.

Water frequently, but not too much.  Like the mist at the produce section in the grocery store!  An easy way to get the right amount of moisture is to water a bit every day, but make sure your pot has drainage, AKA holes in the bottom of the pot for extra water to leak out.  Another way to simplify this potentially trick process is to…

Start with basil.  Basil is not only one of the most delicious herbs, it’s also one of the most easy to grow!  It will let you know when it is not getting enough water by its wilting appearance, but will also quickly perk back up when you water it.  Basil also grows fairly quickly, so you can reap the benefits of your garden quickly and make a delicious Caprese salad with your basil!

Gardening can be tricky, so be sure to ask your local green thumb for more detailed tips but trust me, with a little practice you will be plucking your very own fresh greens in no time!  Happy gardening!

Photo Credit:  homeherbgardens.wordpress.com