Outdoor Herb Garden
Growing herbs is a rewarding experience, being able to eat what you grow is amazing. That’s why you may want to consider having an outdoor herb garden.
If you have the space and inclination, the first option would be growing herbs in a dedicated herb garden. Alternatively, you could grow herbs in a raised bed or even amongst your trees and flowers. The variety of foliage, flowers and fragrances means herbs can be decorative as well as great to eat. Remember to grow your herbs near a footpath or with easy access so you can regularly pick and prune them.
Ideally herbs like a sunny location, out of the wind, with well-drained soil. If your soil is well-drained or you have clay soil then incorporating some coarse grit and organic matter like gipsum or compost to improve drainage is definitely recommended. Having a raised bed also can improve drainage.
If you don’t have full sun, parsley, mint, lemon balm, chives and chervil grow in shady, moist conditions.
10 Popular Herbs for Getting Started
Want to jump in and get started growing your herb garden, here are the 10 most popular herbs:
- Basil (full sun, grow as an annual over the summer months)
- Rosemary (sun, permanent shrub)
- Parsley (full sun, grow as an annual)
- Thyme (sun, perennial)
- Lemon balm (sun, perennial)
- Mint (part shade, perennial)
- Chives (sun, perennial)
- Rocket (sun, annual)
- Sage (sun, perennial)
- Bay (sun to part shade, can be grown in a pot)
How to Setup a Herb Garden Outdoors?
Like any other plant, a herb needs a proper area of planting, soil, water, and sunlight to grow well. Try out these steps to set up a herb garden outdoors:
Choose a Location: First, you must choose a location that gets direct sunlight for about 6 hours. Sunlight plays a major role in a herb’s growth. So, make sure you expose the plant with the necessary amount of sunlight. You should also select an area that’s easy to monitor from your room or home. That way, you could keep an eye on its progress.
Preparing the area: Next, prepare the planting area as per how you want to grow the herbs. If you are planting the herbs right in the ground, loosen up the soil a bit before starting. For planter boxes or containers, ensure that the area has good drainage. You can make holes on its bottom for the same.
Add Plants: Now, you can add the plants or herbs you want for the garden. If you are starting from bedding plants, make sure to dig the planting holes wider. There should be enough space for the herbs to grow properly.
Water them well: After planting the herbs, water them regularly. It’s important for the herbs to get at least an inch of water weekly during the growing season. So, try maintaining the same.
Soil for Outdoor Herb Gardens
Using a high quality potting mix or specialise mix for herbs and vegetables is recommended when growing herbs. Don’t use garden soil like topsoil or black earth. Whilst some herbs will tolerate a slightly acidic soil, the best pH-level for growing herbs is neutral to alkaline. If you have acidic soil, you can add some lime when prepping the planting area.
Recommended Herb Growing Accessories
Vertical Elevated Garden Bed Perfect for Herbs
Our vertical garden bed has five tiers plant boxes, each bottom of the box has two drainage hole, which can prevent plants or flowers from rot or over-drying. The garden bed has 4 wheels, so you could move it indoor or outdoor as you want.
Premium Organic Potting Natural Soil Mix
ALL-NATURAL MIX: Burpee Organic Premium Potting Mix is formulated with plant food & coconut coir to promote seed & root growth and healthy flower, vegetable & herb plants. OMRI Listed for organic use. This premium mix releases essential nutrients immediately.
Original Huge 8 Layers Herb Drying Rack
Each layer is 8 inches tall, with a 24-inch diameter giving you the functional freedom to lay those herbs on thick. Wide-area, breathable, polyester mesh layers provide the perfect ventilation for quick drying.