Growing basil indoors is a simple and obvious way to enjoy basil all year round. But even though basil remains one of the easier herbs, others are not so successful. And if you’re one of them, here are some common growing mistakes that could be the reason why your plant is not thriving as it should be.

1. A windowsill might be the perfect place to grow it indoors. But many tend to overlook that cold drafts come from the window especially during cool season. Basil is very sensitive to cold.

Solution: Move basil to a warmer place in the room during evenings, when cold drafts are likely to come.

2. Stale air or thick air, which is prevalent in enclosed areas, is also not good for growing basil. It needs light, circulating air.

Solution: Provide good ventilation by running a slow-moving fan where you place your basil.

3. Basil enjoys lots of light, six to eight hours a day. Again, windowsill is the obvious place to get lots of light inside the house. However, the direction in which the window is facing dictates how much light is available. South-facing windows receive the highest amount of sunlight, East and West, moderate sun and North, low sun.

4. There is also such a thing as exposing your basil to too much sun. This happens when you left your basil baking under the sun for more than eight hours a day.

Solution: Avoid this by placing basil in a partly shaded area after it has been exposed to the sun for six hours.

5. A well-draining soil is just as important as a rich soil.

Solution: Add a layer of gravel to the bottom of your growing pot to ensure proper soil drainage. This is of course, after you’ve made sure that you have adequate drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.

6. Like with the sun, there is also such a thing as over-watering. And this is the most common crime committed against herbs like basil.

Solution: Water only when the soil feels dry to the touch. The best way to water is by immersing it in a tub full of water, up to the brim of the pot. If pot is too big, just pour water at the base of the plant. Avoid sprinkling water over the plant.

7. Flowers are supposed to be good right? Well, not exactly for your basil. Once they bloom, they will begin to seed and seeding is fulfilling it’s life ultimate purpose. After that, it will stop growing leaves and will eventually die. Also, once basil starts to bloom, its flavor weakens.

Solution: This isn’t really a problem if you’re goal is to produce basil seeds. But if you hadn’t have enough of your basil and still wants to enjoy using the herb, pinch off all its flowers. This will trick the plants that it’s job is not yet done and will keep on growing leaves. On some instances, you may have to wait for a week before its flavor returns. Pruning leaves while deadheading will be help encourage it to grow more leaves and develop a strong flavor faster.

If you have more than basil leaves that you need, you can store them for future use. Check this post on how to harvest and preserve herbs for some tips on how you can store your basil herbs. Or check out this link if you want more in-depth information on how you can grow basically any herbs.

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Lavender herb is famous for its scent and I love it especially when it’s coming from my own home herb garden. It is often used for perfumes, lotions, essential and massage oils, potpourri and other fragrant products. It’s also known to have a calming and sleep-inducing effect, whether drank as a tea or as an aromatherapy product used during bedtime.

It is difficult to grow lavender from seed, if you want to grow one in your garden. It is usually easier if you grow this from plant cuttings or root divisions, and plant in a moist and well-drained soil. Although they love sun as a matured plant, young lavender needs protection from the sun before the time that it’s ok to transfer it to the garden. Don’t overwater, lavender doesn’t like too much water. During the first year and when the first blooms are shooting off, cut the flower shoots to encourage it to become more bushy. Once it reached is mature stage, regular pruning and deadheading will keep it growing nicely. Harvest lavender during its peak season, usually at the end of summer.

Three most popular varieties of Lavender herb are the English, Spanish and French Lavender:

English Lavender, botanically known as Lavendula angustifolia, is the most popular lavender variety. This is what you’ll normally see in photos. The herb plant grows up to three feet tall and produces purplish blooms. Although, there are other sub-varieties that are smaller and comes in different colors such as white, pink, and blue-lavender. English lavender has a very strong fragrance and is most commonly used in many aromatherapy products.

Spanish Lavender, botanically known as Lavendula stoechus, is a smaller variety that grows to one and a half to two feet. This variety grows best in humid and warm regions and produces pine-cone –shaped flowers in deep purple. Bees love Spanish Lavender and it is said that ancient Greeks and Romans used Spanish Lavenders for their baths.

French Lavender, botanically known as Lavendula dententa, is a cousin of English Lavender, although its flowers have a milder scent and the colors are not as vivid. This herb also grows to three feet in height and you can distinguish it from the other Lavenders by its serrated leaves. It’s popularly used as a decorative plant in landscaping.

Other tips:

Commercial lavender are labeled as true lavender, spike lavender and lavandin:

• True lavender has crooked stems, short and narrow leaves, and barrel-shaped flowers. This is the most fragrant type and is commonly used for aromatherapy.
• Spike lavender is the bushy type and grows spike. This yields the highest amounts of essential oils.
• Lavandin is a cross of true and spike lavenders. It has vibrantly colored flowers and is often used as part of decorative accents or potpourris.

If you want more information on lavender and how to grow each types, click here.

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Growing parsley in your home ensures you of fresh and flavorful harvest of  leaves that you can use right away. This herb has been used all throughout history as both a culinary and medicinal herb. Although we normally thought of it as a food garnish, the uses and benefits of parsley certainly puts it as one of the most valuable herb you can grow in your garden, in the ground or in containers. Plus its foliage, apart from being attractive, is also very aromatic and will definitely complement your home herb garden.

THE BENEFITS

During earlier times, it is a common practice to chew on parsley after every meal to remove bad odors in the mouth caused by strong flavors such as garlic. But it doesn’t just prevent bad breath, parsley is also rich in Vitamin C, three times more than oranges, and is often used to as an alternative medicine for bleeding gums and loose teeth.

It is also referred to as a cure-all herb by ancient Greeks and was used for almost all kinds of ailments and diseases such as kidney and bladder stones, rheumatoid arthritis, menstrual and hormonal imbalances, stomachaches and even as an antidote for poison.

Although most of these practices have survived modern times, we mainly use parsley for flavoring meat, fish, soups and salads.

GROWING PARSLEY

There are three things that the parsley herb loves and will guarantee a bountiful produce:

1. Good and moist soil. Parsley can tolerate most soil types but it thrives best in a rich organic soil that doesn’t dry out too often. It will also help if the soil’s pH ranges between 6.0 and 7.0.
2. Full sun. Parsley needs full sun but can still grow well in a partly shaded area as long as it’s sitting on a good soil and stays warm.
3. Organic liquid fertilizer. To replenish the soil’s nutrients, an organic liquid fertilizer especially the ones rich in nitrogen is best applier regularly to give you a lush and healthy foliage.

If you decide to grow parsley from seed, which is the harder route, make sure to soak the seeds overnight before sowing them. It is best to sow them in early spring as it takes a while before the seeds germinate, usually a month after sowing. It will also do good if you apply bonemeal  to the top layer of the soil after you’ve planted them.

For growing parsley in containers, pick a container deep enough to allow the main roots to grow their full length. Fertilize regularly with a light organic liquid fertilizer to keep the potting soil rich in organic matter. You may also grow parsley indoors provided that you expose the plant to a full sun for six to seven hours everday.

Parsley is not prone to pests and disease especially when grown in pots. But to be sure that your parsley will thrive anywhere–indoors, outdoors, in container, in the ground–for more complete information on growing herbs, check this out.

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You may want to grow herbs for a lot of reasons. And indeed, I can tell you that home herb garden is wonderful addition to your home and your backyard. With its wide array of uses and applications, you know you’re in for a potful of benefits. Also, the very idea of keeping and nurturing herbs creates an image of a healthy home. Now, who wouldn’t want to have that.

We all strive to make our homes beautiful and pleasant to live in. And every bit, whether it’s a herb plant, or a nice furniture, or a functional home gadget, contributes to this goal. What’s important is that we must make sure that whatever we put inside our homes creates a harmony within us-ourselves and our family, our community, and our environment as a whole.

Herbs, Home and Garden Ideas:
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Soil pH and Compost

As you may be aware, some plants do better in acidic soils, while others require neutral to base settings. While you are choosing herbs to plant in your garden, you should pay careful attention to their pH needs. It is also very important to test several areas in your garden in order to find out the pH of each spot. Chances are, you will be very surprised to find a wide range of pH levels in various areas. You should also perform this test each time you turn over the soil in the garden in order to make sure that the soil composition remains the same.

How to perform soil testing?

Soil testing is done in a laboratory where they measure the pH and other mineral and chemical components of the soil. All you need to do is obtain a soil sample that you can submit for testing. The key thing in obtaining a soil sample is to get soil where your plants will be planted and where the roots will actually grow. This means that you need to get soil from the subsoil layer. There are kits available for this procedure but you can also make one. You can use an old  PVC pipe or any hollow tube about 1 to 2 inches in diameter for this purpose. You may want to make an opening on the side of the tube to make it easier to remove the soil later on.

Dug a little in the area where you’re going to obtain samples to remove the top soil and push the tube to at least 12 inches deep into the soil. Then pull the tube out and take out the soil inside the tube. Repeat the procedure until you have about 2 cups of soil. If you have a large garden, you may want to take samples from different areas to have a more accurate measurement for the entire garden.

Check your local extension office for listing of laboratories where you can mail your soil samples. Some state university extension offices also offer soil testing and testing kits.

It is also very important to make sure that you can add compost to the soil instead of conventional fertilizers. You will find that compost is much safer. It will also help to increase nutrient levels in the soil for a much longer period of time than regular fertilizers. As may be expected, you should make sure that you have a suitable pail that can be used for this purpose.

Water Retention and Drainage

Even though you may be interested in having a wide range of herbs in your garden, you will find that many of them have special water and drainage needs. Therefore, you should also evaluate the soil for clay content and water retention capacities. From there, you can prepare certain areas by adding peat moss to break up clay. You can also use other additives that will improve drainage. If you group plants together that have similar water needs, it will be much easier to alter the soil in certain areas for each plant type.

Lighting and Temperature

In general, you will be well served by choosing a location that has some shelter, as well as a few spots where there is plenty of sunlight. This will provide you with plenty of choices when it comes to the placement of herbs according to their lighting and temperature needs. In some cases, you may want also want to make sure that you have room for cold frames, or other heat retaining devices that will make it easier to extend the growing season.

When you want to grow enough herbs for daily use, plus store away extra quantities, it may be of some help to use an outdoor garden. Unfortunately, if you do not pay enough attention to preparing the soil before planting, you may find that your herbs will not grow as well as you expected. At the same time, if the soil is not balanced properly, you will notice that these problems get worse year after year.

See here for a more complete information on how to grow herbs into a beautiful, bountiful and fresh herb garden.

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If you love the taste and scent of Rosemary herb, then you are sure to enjoy growing this particular herb. Fortunately, you will find that this particular herb adapts easily to indoor growing conditions as well as outdoor ones. In fact, you may find that it is one of the easiest herbs to grow and maintain on a regular basis.

Choosing the Best Strain

Today, there are several different strains of the Rosemary herb. You can purchase seeds or plants that will grow over six inches tall, as well as ones that barely reach one inch in height. Typically, larger plants will produce more potent tasting herbs. On the other hand, if you are looking for a wider variety of flower colors, smaller varieties of Rosemary may be more amenable to your needs. As may be expected, you can always purchase more than one strain, and then use each one according to your purposes. No doubt you will love being able to watch riots of light blue, pink, and deep blue Rosemary in your outdoor garden.

Soil and Water Considerations

Unlike many other herbs, Rosemary does well in sandy soil. In fact, if you buy a mix used for cactus, you will only need to add a bit of pearlite to create the perfect mix. As with any other drought resistant plant, you may need some practice in order to ensure that you do not over water this plant. It is also very important to make sure that the soil has good drainage. If you are going to use clay pots, you should check the moisture level of the soil on a regular basis in order to make sure that water is not being wicked through the sides.

Preventing Predator Spoilage

There is no question that Rosemary will attract all kinds of animals. Therefore, if you are planning on having this particular herb growing in an outdoor setting, it may help to mix it in with other plants that repel animals. For example, you may want to surround Rosemary with tomato plants. It may also be of some help to use chemical animal repellents if you notice that your plants are being chewed up or trampled. Depending on the size of the plants and their location, you may also want to put a small fence around them. Unfortunately, this will not be of much help when it comes to controlling insects. If you have to manage this type of issue, mixing Rosemary with chrysanthemums may be of some help.

Even though Rosemary can be fun to grow and work with, you will still need to make sure that each plant has an optimal growing environment. In many cases, you will find that the growing conditions for Rosemary are bit different from other herbs. (Click here to know my secrets in growing rosemary herbs). That said, if you can manage to create small pockets of suitable soil, you will be well on your way to enjoying this beautiful and tasty herb for years to come. As may be expected, if you also need to find a way to control predators, you can do some research on methods that will be effective.

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As you may be aware, some herbs are more potent when they are dried out or placed in oil suspensions. Therefore, if you plan on growing a home herb garden, it will also be of some help to know more about harvesting herbs.  Even though different herbs will require different types of preparations, you can still keep some basic guidelines in mind.  Depending on the amount of room you have available, and the herbs in question, you can easily create simple harvesting setups as well as more elaborate ones.

Consider a situation where you have an indoor garden that includes basil, oregano, and parsley.  Chances are, you will often want to use the parsley and basil fresh. Under these circumstances, all you will really need to do is pick a few leaves from each plant and use them as you prepare your meals.  That said, you should also pay attention to the size and age of the leaves in order to gain the best flavor.  If you find that you have extra leaves, it may be of some benefit to dry them out and use them at a later date.

Individuals that love oregano can tell you that it has the best flavor after drying.  Therefore, you will need to find some way to dry the leaves out regardless of the time of year. While many cultures simply dry herbs in the sun, you may not have enough light or heat at certain times of the year to take advantage of this method. On the other hand, you may find food dehydrators will be of some help. If you do some research, you can easily find an appliance that will not take up much room in your kitchen.

During the process of harvesting herbs, you may also want to think about preparing them for future use. Among other things, you may want to place lavender in with other aromatic herbs in order to make potpourri. Regardless of whether you store these herbs in sachets and plastic containers, they will be all ready for use whenever you need them. Once herbs are dried out, it will also be an ideal time to place edible ones in tea bags.

If you are planning to use herbs in oil suspensions, you will need to know which ones require fresh placement, as well as ones that need to be dried out or cooked first. Ideally, you should always make sure that the oils are prepared in rooms with the proper lighting and temperature requirements. While it may take a bit of extra work to produce quality oils, you will never regret making the effort. In some cases, good oils can last for years on end without spoiling.

As you learn more about growing your own herbs, you will most likely want to learn more about different harvesting methods. Ideally, you should do everything possible to ensure that you can preserve extra herbs for later use. No matter whether you choose oils, drying, or other types of preservation, you can always look forward to having plenty of herbs on hand for medicinal use, food flavoring, and household maintenance.

For more information on how to properly harvest and store herbs, and possibly make money if you have more than enough harvest for the season, check this out.

Reverse Osmosis

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If you’re interested to know how to grow herbs but you do not have much room to create a regular garden, you can still place planters around your doorway, and other areas. For the most part, apartment dwellers, as well as individuals with small yards may find this method more suitable than trying to create an indoor home herb garden. As long as you select planters that will be suitable for each herb type, you should be able to enjoy plenty of fresh seasoning once the plants mature.

Water Drainage

For the most part, you will find that outdoor planters are fairly large. That said, you should still be careful to select a planter that conforms to the basic root shape of the herbs in question. If you are going to plant herbs with large, or deep roots, it will not be of much use to select a shallow planter. Typically, these plants will do better in rounded planters that have a deep curve to them.

Chances are, if you study outdoor planters, you will find that very few have drainage holes. As water collects in the deeper areas of the planter, it can wreak absolute havoc. In some cases, you may want to select planters that are easy to drill holes in. It may also be of some help to make sure that you line the bottom of these planters with gravel and sand. At the very least, this will help keep an even balance to the moisture levels in different parts of the planter.

Heat Retention

Today, you will find an endless number of plastic planters. Depending on the color, some of them may retain heat at excessive levels. For example, if you place a black planter in direct sunlight, it will absorb heat instead of repel it. Under these conditions, plant roots can burn or become dehydrated. Before you purchase more than one planter, you should at least make sure that it will not retain heat and cause damage to plants. If you are having problems choosing between a planter that you can drill holes in, and one that may retain heat, you are better off choosing a planter that will not retain excessive heat.

Managing Lighting and Rain

In general, you can place planters in almost any outdoor location with a minimal amount of difficult. On the other hand, if you have a rainstorm, it can easily cause the planter to overflow with water. As you may be aware, most herbs do not grow well in mud. At the same time, if herbs receive too much sunlight, it can dry out the soil and cause other problems. Aside from putting planters in sheltered locations, you can also make use of umbrellas and other types of covering. While you may have to install and remove them as the day progresses, you can still enjoy watching your herbs flourish.

If you are interested in growing herbs, there is nothing quite like having a riot of them growing in outdoor planters. As long as you take a few precautions, you can look forward to an herbal selection that will easily match what you could plant in a traditional garden. You may even decide that outdoor planters will be an ideal place to grow vegetables that can be paired up with fresh herbs. And to ensure that you’ll grow any herbs successfully in outdoor planters, check this out: the best and easiest-to-follow information about growing herbs practically anywhere.

Reverse Osmosis

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Antiseptic and Antibacterial Properties

As you may be aware, MRSA and other serious infections are rapidly evolving to the point where modern antibiotics cannot control them. On the other hand, MRSA and many other germs cannot survive in the presence of Oregano. Therefore, if you are concerned about certain types of infections diseases in your home, it may be best to see if you can create a cleansing solution that includes Oregano. Depending on the situation, you may find that using plant stems will be a bit more effective than using the leaves.

Treating Stomach and other Complaints

Many people that enjoy the flavor associated with Oregano may already be aware that it helps alleviate upset stomachs and nausea. It can also be useful if you have intestinal parasites or the flu. Typically, oregano oil capsules and pills can be used to manage these issues with a minimal amount of difficulty. Even if you do not consume Oregano with your food, you can also make a mild tea that includes this herb.

You may also find that regular consumption of Oregano will help control coughing. Some women also find that Oregano tea can help manage issues associated with menstruation. That said, if you have health problems, you should see your doctor first, rather than ignore symptoms that may need to be addressed in other ways.

Managing Insomnia

Before you drink Oregano tea, it is important to realize that it can act as a strong sedative. As may be expected, if you have insomnia, it may be of some help to try Oregano tea before bedtime. You should be very careful about the infusion amount in order to avoid taking too much. Similar to other types of sleep aides, overdosing can be dangerous, and perhaps fatal.

Today, many people are just beginning to find out that herbs have more useful medicinal properties than a number of commercial medicines. At the same time, growing herbs tends to be much cheaper, and more enjoyable than buying them. Under these circumstances, it should come as no surprise that researchers are discovering all kinds of valuable medicinal uses for Oregano. If you love this particular spice, you will be well served by trying to grow some in your own home. As with many other herbs, it tends to be fairly prolific, and easy to grow once you meet a few basic environmental conditions.

If you’re seriously interested in knowing how to grow oregano and other herbs at home including some garden gnomes, the information given here are truly valuable and will take away all the guesswork in herb gardening. Check it out.

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There is nothing quite like fresh basil, parsley, and oregano for seasoning sauces, meats, and other foods. Even if you purchase fresh herbs from the supermarket, they will never have the aroma and full flavor associated with herbs that are picked just a few moments before you use them. That said, if you do not have much room outdoors, you may find it impossible to have a full scale home herb garden. Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to grow herbs right in your own backyard. This is my home herb garden how to:

Choosing the Best Planters

If you are planning on growing different types of herbs in planters, you should find out how tall each one will get, as well as the type of root system they will develop. In general, if a plant is going to have a shallow root system, it will not make much sense to purchase a planter that is tall and narrow. While it may take a bit of extra effort to find a planter with the correct dimensions, it will be well worth your effort. Among other things, when you have a planter that is suitable based on root size, you will reduce the risk of overwatering and underwatering.

Lighting Management

There is nothing worse than trying to start an herb garden without knowing which plants do better in sunlight, and which ones prefer the shade. For the most part, if you try to put all your herbs on one sunny windowsill, you may find that shade loving plants will no do as well as expected. That said, once you know more about the lighting requirements for each herb species, you can use them to decorate various rooms in your home. When combined with attractive planters, you will have beautiful, as well as tasty conversation pieces.

Your Indoor Hydroponic Garden

Today, hydroponic gardening enables millions of people to have perfect gardens without taking up valuable space outdoors. In many cases, herbs are easy to grow and use for practice when getting started with this type of gardening. Chances are, you will be amazed at the quality and quantity of herbs that can be produced using this method.

No matter how you look at it, cultivating a spectacular home herb garden can be fun as well as useful. Once you begin to enjoy the flavor associated with freshly grown herbs, you will most likely wonder if you can duplicate your success by growing other fruits and vegetables. Even though you may start with traditional planters for your indoor herb garden, you should seriously consider working with hydroponics. At the very least, if you decide that you also want to grow tomatoes, peppers, and other vegetables indoors, you will find it easier to manage using this type of planting system.

Hope you learn from this herb garden how to! If you want more information on herb gardening and if you’re interested to know how I grow my own spectacular herb gardens, click here.

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