Fast lifestyle and the glamour of artifical things had made us more fanciful to the artifical product. But slowly the fancies faded away and we followed the steps of our ancestors and also developed the theory of herbal garden. People were dependant to a large extent on herbal remedies and so they have started growing herb garden of their own. Herb garden can be grown both indoor and outdoor. Outdoor Herb garden can contain any variety of herbs but here we are discussing mainly about kitchen herb garden.Herb garden Planning
While planning about herb garden the first thing to consider is the area. The number of herbs you want to sow depend on the size of your herb garden. The standard size of a kitchen garden is 20 by 4 feet.
Nourishing and developing the soil
The drainage facility needs good care if you are growing a kitchen herb garden. If the drainage facility is not good then modify it. Remove the soil from the place where you want the plants to grow. You have to remove 15 - 18 inch soil from the ground. In the scraped of place give a 3 inch layering of crushed stone or any other similar material. Before putting back the soil to the scraped off area blend it with some compost or sphagnum peat. Fill the soil back to the height of refilling should be higher than the original level.
Growing kitchen herb garden doesn't require fertile soil. Excessive fertile soil produces more leaves then flavor. Chervil, fennel, lovage, and summer savory are some of the plants, which require little fertilizer. A large amount of peat or compost should be blended per 100 square feet so that the quality of soil develops and the moisture of the soil is retained.
Sowing outdoor Herbs
Kitchen herbs like mint need to be sowed in a container. Dig as many holes as you can above the bottom range for adequate drainage. Soak this container under the soil. This will restrict the growth of the plant. A drain tile, clay pot, or cement block also can be used as a container. Herbs those are grown in containers, window boxes, or hanging baskets needs special attention on watering.
Cutting and dividing herb plants
Cutting and dividing the herb plants are necessary for the breeding of certain herbs. When seeds take time to sprout out then cut the herbal plant from where the seeds are taken and sown. Even some herbs branches can be cut and planted somewhere to multiply the plants. Tarragon, chives, and mint needs division of the braches to breed while lavender breeds offspring sprout from seed.
Picking Herbal leaves and seeds
Herbal leaves can be plucked as soon as the plant has enough leaves for healthy growth. Pluck the leaves after the dew disappears but before the sun is too hot so that the oil content remains intact. For winter pick the leaves before the flower buds bloom. The seeds should be plucked when the color changes from green to gray. Wash the leaves and seeds and drain them thoroughly before drying.
