Herb gardening is very simple. You do not need to be a gardening expert or have acres of land to start growing your herbs. Herb gardening comes with many advantages; the main one is having fresh herbs to season your dishes. Even if you don’t need a lot of knowledge to start herb gardening, there are some mistakes that you will want to avoid.
Do not worry; I am here to show you the most common mistakes to be aware of to ensure that your herbs are growing to their fullest.
Water Correctly
Some people forget to water their herbs, but like any other plant, herbs need water to survive. Over-watering or under-watering is possible, so you want to water your plant the required amount.
Signs you are over-watering your plants include: the leaves become yellow and begin to fall, the stem is not as strong as it was, and it starts to seem lifeless even after watering.
To avoid excess water, make sure your container is well-drained. See if your herbs need water, and avoid watering too often. The soil preserves moisture typically, so it does not need water every morning and evening.
Prune Aggressively
Many new gardeners are afraid of pruning. Cutting one inch or two off their plants may make their heartache. I have been in those situations but believe me, this is the best thing to help your plant grow.
When it comes to pruning, it’s pretty simple; for plants like basil, you may use your fingernails to prune, but when it comes to plants like rosemary, you may want to use pruning shears. Pinch on the stem approximately two-inch, above new growing leaves. You may start pruning when the plant is 10 cm long.
Flowers
One of the worst things that could happen to you is when your plant starts to develop flowers. It’s not a good idea to let your herbs flower. If you find out that your herb is starting to bloom, I recommend you pinch away that part.
Some plants like basil lose some of their flavors when they flower, but it is up to you. You may want to do some research according to the plant that you have.
Planting mint
If you are new, I shall warn you that mint is challenging to deal with. If you have different herb species, you do not want to share their container with mint. Mint will take over the other plant and kill them.
Mint spreads very quickly, so you want to plant it in the corner of your yard, wherever it is rocky. It will surely grow well there, or if you do not want to find yourself with a big bush of mint taking over your yard, you can still plant it in a container ALONE. Do not plant mint with other plants.
Wrong placement
It would be best if you found the right place to plant your herbs. Wrong placement will kill them over time. This is not unique to herbs, all plants need to be in the right environment to bloom. Research your plants, if you want to be able to provide for them.
Some plants prefer full sun, while others love the shade. Even though they will grow, they won’t flourish as they should. Make sure you pick the correct container too.
The above tips will help your herbs grow to their full capacity, and you will be able to enjoy all the benefits. But do not worry, if you made a few mistakes, it is not that serious. Let us know in the comment if you were making some of those mistakes.
