Bountiful Herbs

Have a more respectful look at herbs. They are very versatile in use - for flavouring food, curing ailments and even ridding your home of insects in a natural manner.

Every home should at least have a small garden of herbs. And you don't need green fingers to cultivate these amazing little plants. They are of the easiest and most rewarding things to grow. Do it correctly and you can enjoy their lovely flavours and aromas all year round.

The ideal site for a herb garden is a sunny, open but yet sheltered spot with well-drained, fertile soil. Ideally herbs need about four to seven hours of direct sun per day, although they will grow well even if they get less. The soil must have good drainage and poor sandy soil is preferred but there are those herbs which would tolerate wet clay conditions.

Most herbs can be grown successfully from seed but there are some that require vegetative propagation such as mint and French tarragon. When planting seedlings, prepare the ground well - remove weeds, fork in organic matter such as compost and rake the soil so that the bed is level.

Before transplanting herbs out of their nursery pots into the ground, water the pots well because a dry root ball is difficult to wet thoroughly once it is in the ground. Because many nursery pots are small, herbs tend to become root-bound. To encourage new root growth gently loosen the root ball before planting. Pinch out the tips of shrubby herbs, like thyme, to encourage bushy growth. Add some bone meal or fishmeal at the bottom of each planting hole.

After planting, firm the soil gently around the plant and water thoroughly to settle the soil and give the herb a good start. Pruning is essential to encourage healthy, bushy growth. Remove dead leaves and flowers on a regular basis.

Happy gardening and remember to only pick what you will use for a specific day as herbs tend to lose their aromatic qualities when stored for too long.