A container herb garden, which is simply growing herbs in pots or containers, is one of the most versatile forms of gardening due to the adaptability of growing herbs in pots or containers or even on a trellis and the fact that they are mobile. Almost all plants can be grown in containers or pots. Your herb plants will thrive as your container herb garden can be placed where the growing conditions are most advantageous for the herbs being grown. During inclement weather the containers can be moved to a protected area or indoors.
A Container Herb garden is perfect for the person with limited space and also for anyone who wants to dress up an area whether for convenience such as culinary herbs in containers or to add value to the landscape as ornamental and aromatic herbs in containers. My Mother is one of the most creative gardeners I know. No one tops Mom when it comes to her creativity with her container herb garden. She is always adding to or removing from the containers and moving them around to showcase different ones and to create the perfect vignette for the landscape. If she doesn’t like how one herb is performing with the others or would like a different combination, the herbs are easily taken out of one container and planted in another container. When the container is initially planted using the correct method it is easy to make changes to it later. Mom has a foolproof method that is easy to follow. Here we will cover planting several herbs in one container. Your container herb garden can consist of one container of herbs or several containers.
Supplies Needed for Container Herb Garden: Ideas for Containers or Pots: traditional flower pots, planters, kettles, teapots, shoes, boots, seashells, milk cartons, pop bottles, tree stumps, wagons, wheelbarrows. Anything that will hold potting soil or a potting medium can be used.
Steps to Creating a Container Herb Garden:
* Container or pot
* Gardening Trowel
* Gardening Pruners or Shears
* Drill
* Gravel or small rocks
* Mesh screen, pantyhose, nylons, or something similar
* Potting Soil or potting medium or a good soil full of organic matter
* Disposal Diaper or a ‘Soil Moist’ product
* Herb Plants
* Fertilizer unless it is in your potting medium
* Water
* Plant dollies for large containers
* Saucers or something for the container or pot to sit on
Ideas for Containers or Pots: traditional flower pots, planters, kettles, teapots, shoes, boots, seashells, milk cartons, pop bottles, tree stumps, wagons, wheelbarrows. Anything that will hold potting soil or a potting medium can be used.
Steps to Creating a Container Herb Garden:
1. Select a container large enough to hold the herbs to be planted.
2. The container should have drainage holes in the bottom of it. If not drill several holes in the bottom.
3. Place the mesh screen over the holes. If using a basket with several holes in it, line the basket with the mesh. This will prevent unwanted insects and slugs from getting into your container through the holes but will still allow drainage.
4. If you can’t drill holes in the container then place gravel or small rocks in the bottom for drainage.
5. If you are using a disposal diaper, open it up and lay it out flat in the bottom of the container. The padding has polymers in it, which will help the soil retain the moisture.
6. Place the potting soil or medium in the container.
7. If not using the diaper, then mix a little soil moist into the potting medium. This also has polymers in it, which will help the soil retain the moisture.
8. If using a granular fertilizer, add it now and mix into the potting soil.
9. Gently water the potting soil or medium.
10. Before planting the herbs, set them in the container and arrange them until you have the arrangement that you like.
11. As you plant them one by one, gently remove the herb plants from their containers.
12. If the roots are root bound, gently slice through them with a pruning shears.
13. If not root bound; very gently disturb the soil around the roots..
14. If there is any dead growth on the plants remove it.
15. Place the plant in the potting soil.
16. Gently water it.
17. Firmly place the soil around the plant.
18. Finish planting the herb plants.
19. If using a water soluble fertilizer mix it into the water and water the plants.
20. Once the potting soil has settled, it should be about 1 inch below the rim of the container, top the potting soil off with mulch.
A few tips for creating a container herb garden:
* Select herb plants with have similar requirements
* Shade Plants
* Sun plants.
* Water loving Plants
* Low water requirement plants
* Culinary Herbs
Wasn’t that easy to do! Don’t limit yourself to one container, do as many as you want, perhaps mixing in other plants for variety. You may want to do several theme herb containers and have several pots to make up your Container Herb Garden. The above directions will work with any plants for any kind of container garden. You can find out more about Container Herb Gardening here, plus there is a video to watch. Have fun and be creative with all of your gardening!
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