Common Herb Gardening Plants – Basil, Dill and Lavender
It doesn’t matter of you are a novice or an expert at gardening, it is still considerably easy to start a herb garden. It is not only a fragrant addition to your home but it will definitely come in handy for many of your kitchen needs. Herbs are essential in making holistic cures and preventive measures for slight illnesses. Herbs also give depths to the flavor of your cooking. Herbs are also hearty and stalwart plants but you should pay attention to the specific care needed for specific herbs.
Basil – This herb is one of the most commonly grown and is highly regarded by herb garden enthusiasts all over the world. The Basil herb grows well in climates of low humidity and fertile soil. Spring is the perfect season to start growing the Basil plant, but only after all threats of frost have been alleviated as this plant is highly sensitive to cold temperatures and may become damaged if exposed.
When planting Basil, it is important to remember to place each plant about twelve inches apart. This way, it will let each plant gain access to adequate water, enabling it to grow into a healthy plant. It takes approximately six weeks for the Basil to sprout leaves that are suitable for collection and use. When the harvesting is done, a proper drying method will result in a flavorful dried herb that can be used in a wide variety of recipes to tantalize your taste buds. This robust herb would have grown to approximately one or two feet tall and sprouted deep green or even purplish leaves with small white flowers during warm summer months.
Dill – Nothing could be simpler than growing the tasty herb Dill. A handful of seeds tossed into your garden will produce stalks that reach anywhere from two to four feet in height. This particular herb is an excellent addition to many recipes and adds a beautiful display to your garden. Dill plant stalks produce a cluster of lavish yellow flowers combined with unique feather like, blue-green leaves.
The Dill plant is a sun loving plant, so areas with full access to sunlight will ensure a thriving plant. A distance of eight to ten inches between plants is the best way to ensure a hardy crop. After planting, it is important to go back in a couple of weeks when the plants have grown about an inch in height and thin out the area around each plant. This process will ensure that each plant receives its required amount of nutrients from the soil as well as ensuring each plant is exposed to sufficient sunlight.
The Dill plant is useful in many ways. The beautiful bright yellow flowers make an excellent tool for decorating while the seeds and leaves are the perfect addition to dips and salads. You can harvest the flowers when they are in full bloom and use them as part of your fresh flower or dried flower arrangements. After the yellow blooms have blossomed for approximately two weeks, you can then harvest the Dill seeds. A good way is to trim the flowers and dry them upside down, while suspended over a plate or a piece of paper. Such a method lets the seeds fall, ready for collection for other uses. Finally, crumbling the dried leaves is another way to add the distinct taste of Dill to any cherished recipe.
Lavender – One of the most beautiful and fragrant herbs is Lavender. This aromatic plant makes for a wonderful ground cover for any herb or flower garden as it produces delicate pink and purple flowers nestled on very tall stalks. Lavender is a plant that grows all year round and is at its optimum during the warm summer months. Lavender is frequently a major ingredient in aromatherapy, soap making and potpourri mixes.
This hardy herb is easy to grow, however if choosing to start from seed form, may require a little extra work and TLC. A good way to cultivate this herb is to get fresh plants or root cuttings from a nursery near you. Such plants grow well in sunny areas with alkaline rich soil that is not water logged. As the winter months approach, the beauty of these plants will fade, however, during the next spring and summer seasons these plants will return more hardy and lush then the last.
Each of these herbs are a delectable treat offered by nature. Growing such herbs is relatively simple and they have many uses, having them in your collection will add to the fragrance and pleasure of gardening,.
Moses Wright is a gardening enthusiast. He set up this site to provide fellow gardening enthusiast with bonsai gardening tips and herbs gardening tips. You can find more free resources on landscaping and gardening on his site.
