Not everyone is born with a green thumb, and gardening isn’t always easy. Luckily, planting an herb garden planter box is as simple as it gets, and no matter what color your thumb is, you can have beautiful herbs in no time with a bit of effort and a few helpful suggestions.
In this article, we provide you with some tips and tricks from the professionals, giving you information that, when done right, will help you get the best herb planter box possible.
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7 Pro Tips for Planting an Herb Garden Planter Box
Whether you want to put an herb garden planter box in your home or on your back porch, we have some of the best tips and tricks to help you do it successfully.
Here are seven things to consider when putting together your planter box. Each tip gives you the information essential to producing the best possible herbs you will have access to all year long.
1. Pick the Best Herbs for Your Planter
The first thing you need to do is choose the best herbs for your specific garden. Find the options that will grow well in your location, whether indoor or outdoor, and the herbs your family will use most often.
If you plan on growing herbs in the same soil, make sure you purchase herbs that can successfully grow together.
Types of herbs for planter boxes (will grow well together indoors or out):
- Thyme
- Mint
- Lemongrass
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Oregano
Other types of herbs you can plant in your planter box:
- Basil
- Cilantro
- Chives
- French tarragon
- Parsley
- Dill
2. Be Careful When Watering
To grow a healthy fresh herb garden, providing plenty of water makes a huge difference. Like most vegetation, herbs need freshwater frequently to thrive.
For the most part, you should water your herb garden about once a week, soaking the soil and keeping it moist. You may need to add a little more water during the summer months or use a water bottle to spray a mist over them, keeping them hydrated.
3. Provide Adequate Drainage
While you must provide plenty of water to your indoor herb garden to grow healthy, green, and robust plants, too much of a good thing is going to hurt rather than help.
If you do not put plenty of drainage holes in your planter, the water can pool at the bottom, suffocating or drowning the roots, leading to root rot and killing your plant quickly.
Root rot happens when the plant’s roots die from a lack of oxygen. Eventually, those roots rot away and develop mold, which travels up the plant.
4. Choose the Best Type of Soil
When building a successful fresh herb planter box, you don’t want to collect dirt from the backyard. Most of the dirt found in your lawn will not provide your plants with the nutrients they need to thrive.
The best soil to use when creating an herb garden is potting mix. This soil is full of vitamins and minerals and is lighter than other soils, making it great for aeration and drainage.
5. Provide Adequate Lighting
Herbs require natural lighting, and giving them exposure to this for six to eight hours a day will provide you with the best growth.
Place your herb garden box directly in front of a window, on your porch, or in an outdoor space where they get plenty of sunlight.
If you are growing your herbs indoors and don’t have a space that offers adequate sunlight, purchase a fluorescent light to hang above the box.
6. Give Your Herbs Their Own Space
If you are planting your favorite herbs in the same soil, make sure each plant has plenty of room to grow. Some herbs, like mint, stretch their roots and take up tons of space in the box.
If your plants do not have enough space, they will become overcrowded and eventually stop growing.
If you are planting herbs that don’t necessarily play well together, you need to give them their own pot to give them breathing room.
7. Harvest Your Herbs (You Earned It!)
Not only do your sauces, meats, and dressings benefit from harvesting your fresh herbs, but so do the plants themselves. If done correctly, plucking the leaves from your herb plant promotes healthy new growth.
The best thing about having your very own herb garden is that you can snip a piece off whenever you need it, giving you access to fresh ingredients for delicious dishes.
Tips for harvesting:
- Only pick herbs when they are dry
- Be very gentle so you do not bruise the plant
- For big harvests, research the best way to go about the process so you don’t harm your plants
Did You Know?
Herbs are great plants to grow inside your home and out. There are many benefits to herbs that you might have never heard about.
- Freshly picked herbs begin to lose their flavor within 30 minutes to an hour after being picked.
- Growing your favorite herbs will save you money on your grocery bill. You could be spending up to $10 on one ounce of dried herbs.
- Herbs grow year-round and often produce colorful, beautiful flowers, making them a lovely decor item.
- Herbs provide many health benefits to the body, including preventing or managing diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Most also provide anti-inflammatory properties and help lower cholesterol.
- Herbs are easy to grow and require little maintenance.
- If you do not have enough room in your home to space your garden out horizontally, you can purchase (or build) a vertical garden.
Summing Things Up
You don’t need a green thumb to grow a healthy herb garden planter box. As long as you follow these simple tips and give your garden a little love and attention, you will have access to luscious herbs all year round.
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