This industry could boast of its immediate and across the board growth. Private homes, associations, large-scale and small-scale farms, virtual communities – all these have jumped in the wagon to grow herbs for assorted reasons.

Private herb growing

Herb gardens now adorn both indoor and outdoor spaces of most homes. A lot of small household have at least six herbs growing in small pots, which are strategically placed in indoor spaces - nearby window and door openings, and outdoor spaces - rooftop and porch areas. Other homes that have wide stretches of lawn and backyard spaces engage into high-maintenance gardening styles – potager or kitchen herb garden which could be classified into different styles, the elaborately patterned knot garden or the rustic freestyle cottage garden.

These home gardens also differ in which herbs are grown. Most have perennials for medicinal purposes. A lot have annuals for culinary purposes. Either purpose includes the aesthetic and ornamental value of herb plants.

Green Associations

These associations have participation ranging from holistic medical practitioners, botanical council members, herb growers at home and from commercial producers/farmers, to landscapists. In the USA alone, there are over fifty national associations with satellite offices spread generously among fifty states and sister cities in other countries.

These associations are formed to popularize the use of herbs as integrated in current lifestyles. The growers' association are the most popular ones, which are also trade groups for private and commercial markets. Other associations include conservation of native herbs, scientific research and education about how herbs could be sustained for future uses and proving the medicinal qualities of herbs.

Virtual spaces for herb growing

Technology has paved a way for this cause to become widely held and spread. There are plenty of different websites that host a diverse assortment of giving out information about the herb industry.

HerbWorld Online, from the Herb Growing and Marketing Network, is one website that hosts web links focusing on herbs. Its main page called HerbNET gives a selection of twenty three venues dedicated to herbs. They also have a search engine of their own that will help you narrow down your search for herb topics.

This site includes links to herb online magazines; green associations; herb fast facts; herb trading; online shops and links for gardening reference books; herbal and herb gardening products; services like herbal retreats, spas, yoga centers and vegetarian restaurants, among others.

There also other websites offering online blogs for people growing herb garden plants. A lot of virtual communities have established networks which provide quick helpful tips for beginners, reviews of gardening tools, and exchange of any information about herbs. Some of these virtual communities have become actual clubs where herb enthusiasts meet and trade herb growing secrets.

The growing herb industry would not desist as it apparently augments the campaign for improving the earth’s condition and helps human lives to be healthier.

All plants need three main things in order to grow successfully; sunlight, soil and water.  Herbs are no exception.All plants need sunlight, but most herbs will only thrive if they have at least 8 hours of sunight per day.Since herbs need plenty of sunlight, the best place indoors is a room with a west or south facing window.  Different types of herbs have different light requirements but, for the most part, all need a sunny location.  Some home herb growers supplement the light source with “grow lamps” or fluorescent lamps.  Herbs also need a well drained, not too rich soil to grow in.For well drained soil for container herbs, you can add two parts potting soil with one part sand or perlite.  You will also need about an inch of gravel at the bottom of each pot to ensure that the plant has good drainage.You can enrich the soil in indoor herb pots by adding one teaspoon of lime per 5 inch pot.Herbs grown in pots need enough water but not too much.Keep your plants moist by adding a liitle water to the pebbles and occasionally misting your herbs.  Since they are being grown in containers they do need to have more water then herbs that are grown in a garden but, you should avoid getting the roots of the herbs drenched or soggy.

An advantage to growing herbs in a container is that you have the freedom to move them about as you please.You can keep your annual herbs indoors all year, but perennials are best taken outdoors during the summer.  Although all herbs should be brought inside before the first frost in order to avoid the loss of foliage.  This rule is over looked when it comes to mint, chives, and tarragon.These herbs go into a resting period then firmer, fresh growth appears after being introduced to a light frost.

While most herbs can be grown in containers, some will grow better than others.  Mint is an herb that needs to be contained or it will take over the garden.Indoor herb gardens are generally fairly easy to maintain.  It keeps the herbs handy and within reach anytime you need them for cooking.You should be able to keep your herb plants healthy by following the tips above.  You should also include periodic light feeding and yearly repotting for optimum health of the herbs.  You will also have to remember to replant annuals each year and move perennials outdoors when needed.And, pick your herbs as often as you like and harvest them on occasion.  It is no secret that pruning plants encourages new growth.This is also true for herbs.  So use your home grown herbs in your recipes, store them and give them away to friends.     

So just who are all these new gardeners? “The demographics of today’s food gardening households include a broad cross-section of the U.S. population. There are few other outdoor activities where virtually every demographic group is so well represented, no matter what their age, education, income, marital status, household size, gender, or regional location,” concludes the NGA report. The food gardening experience is enjoyed primarily by women (54%), those ages 45+ (68%), college students (43%) and married couples with no children at home (67%). The gardeners are pretty evenly spread across the South, Midwest, West and Northeast. Those making $35,000 – $49,999 in household income are the most common gardening group (24%), although many who make over $75,000 (22%), under $35,000 (21%) and between $50,000 and $74,999 (16%) are also represented.

Most households spent about on seeds, soil, garden supplies and garden tools this year, but their produce savings totaled over 0! Home gardeners in 36 million households grew vegetables (23%), herbs (12%), fruit trees (10%) and berries (6%). Vegetable growers spent about to get started, while fruit tree owners spent , herb growers spent and berry growers spent . All in all, .4 billion went toward vegetable gardening spending, 8 million toward fruit trees, 8 million toward berry growing and 1 million toward herb growing. Truly, these industries are growing in America.

The National Gardening Association wondered, “Just what type of food gardens do Americans have?” Are they big sprawling acres of produce or are they little windowsill boxes of herbs? The study found that half of all home gardeners grow food in containers, as well as growing food in the ground. The overwhelming majority of households (91%) grow food at their own home, while another 2 million grow at a friend, relative or neighbor’s house, and another 1 million grow in a community garden. The average garden size was about 600 square-feet, although 57% had gardens of 100 square-feet or less. The National Gardening Association invites all these new growers to visit their website at www.garden.org to learn gardening information, receive gardening advice and gain valuable home vegetable gardening tips.

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When considering the soil, herbs need a soil that is well drained but not too rich. Add two parts of sterilized potting soil with one part coarse sand or perlite for herbs that are grown in containers. To ensure adequate drainage, place about an inch of sand aat the base of your containers. Indoor herbs like to be given with a teaspoon a lime (per 5 inch pot) to help sweeten the soil.
For more visit our blog: Herb Gardens Blog

Herbs grown in pots also need water. By spraying them with mist, it will wet the pebbles and leaves and help them in humid conditions. Since they are being grown in containers they do need to have more water than herbs that are grown in a garden but, you should avoid getting the roots of the herbs drenched or soggy. An advantage to growing herbs in a container is that you have the freedom to move them about as you please.

It is ok to leave annual herbs indoors all the time but it is recommended to place perennial herbs outside during the summer. Although all herbs should be brought inside before the first frost in order to avoid the loss of foliage. This rule is overlooked when it comes to mint, chives, and tarragon. That is because these herbs will become dormant in a light frost leading to a healthier growth afterward. You can grow all herbs in pots but some will probably do better than others. Mint can get out of hand if left to it’s own devices and is better contained.  

On the whole it is quite easy to manage an indoor herb garden. It keeps the herbs handy and within reach anytime you need them for cooking. And the information above should enable you to keep a healthy herb plant. It’s also a good idea to repot your herbs once a year and give a light feed every so often. You will also have to remember to replant annuals each year and move perennials outdoors when needed. Make use of them as much as possible and harvest them on occasion. By regularly pruning plants you will stimulate new growth. Herbs are no exception. So use them in your recipes, store them and give them away to friends! Click here for more: Herb Garden Guide

All plants need three main things in order to grow successfully; sunlight, soil and water.  And this includes herbs.

Sunlight is key to growing any type of plant including herbs whether they are grown indoors or in a garden.  To grow herbs in pots, you should place herbs grown in a kitchen or any other room in a south or west facing window to get the best kind of sunlight.  Different types of herbs have different light requirements but, for the most part, all need a sunny location.  Some indoor herb growers supplement their light source with “grow lamps” or fluorescent lamps.

A well-drained, not too rich soil is what herbs need to grow in.  Add two parts of sterilized potting soil with one part coarse sand or perlite for herbs that are grown in containers.  You will also need about an inch of gravel at the bottom of each pot to ensure that the plant has good drainage.  Herbs grown in pots indoors can also be fertilized with one teaspoon of lime per 5-inch pot to ensure that the soil is rich enough for the herbs.

Herbs grown in pots also need water.  Misting the plants and moistening the pebbles will help to keep the herbs within humid conditions.  Since they are being grown in containers they do need to have more water than herbs that are grown in a garden but, you should avoid getting the roots of the herbs drenched or soggy.

The freedom to move the herb is one advantage in growing herbs in pots.  Annual herbs can spend all of their time indoors but, perennial herbs do better if they were to be placed outside during the summer.  To avoid the loss of their foliage however, herbs should be placed indoors before the first snow.

This rule is overlooked when it comes to mint, chives, and tarragon.  After experiencing their first frost, they go into hibernation to form a firmer and fresher growth.

All herbs will grow in containers but only a few of them will survive.  Mint can take over the garden if it is not properly contained.

Over all it is fairly easy to grow herbs in pots and maintain an indoor herb garden.  Anytime you need them for cooking, an indoor garden makes the herbs handy and just within reach.

You will be able to grow your herbs and ensure a healthy plant with the tips listed above.

You should also include periodic light feeding and yearly repotting for optimum health of the herbs.  Remember to replant annuals each year and move perennials outdoors when needed.  You can harvest your herbs occasionally and use them as much as you want to.  Pruning plants does encourage new growth.  This rule also applies to herbs.  Grow herbs in pots, store them, give them away to friends, and most of all, use them in your cooking.

Buy Non-Hybrid Heirloom Seeds for healthy, good tasting, and continuous harvesting of your favorite herbs for many years to come.

For Food Storage Secrets for All you favorite herbs, click here.

Annuals like basil, cilantro, and summer savory will not survive a frost.  each year, these types of herbs need to be planted from a seed or a young herb plant.  Perennials like sage and winter savory can survive colder temperatures and will return year after year.  Herb garden plants that grow leaves in their first growing season, flowers and seed in the second, then die. are called biennials.

Biennial herb garden plants like parsley, angelica, or caraway should be sown in late spring directly into the garden.  You should first work the soil by making it into a fine texture and making it slightly wet.  Then the seeds should be sown in shallow rows making the soil firm on top of them.  Fine seeds can be planted in a mixture of sand which will allow them to spread more evenly.  You can also cover the bed with wet burlap or paper in order to keep the soil moist during germination.

Herbs are also grouped into the categories for which they are used.  perhaps the most useful to herb growers are culinary herb garden plants.  There is a wide range of uses for herbs in cooking.  Because of their strong flavors, herbs like chives, thyme, basil, sage, savory, and marjoram are generally used in small quantities to add flavor to different types of food.  A very famous herb that is used mostly as decoration is parsley.

Aromatic herbs have pleasant smelling flowers or foliage.  Oils from aromatic herbs like loyage, mint, and rosemary can be used to make different types of perfumes, toilet water, or other various scents.  Parts of aromatic herb garden plants used intact can also be used in the home to scent linens or clothing.  They can also be dried and made into potpourri which will enable them to be able to retain their aroma for a long period of time.  Lavender and lemon verbena are great herbs to use for potpourri.

Some herbs are also used for medicinal purposes.  For centuries herbs have been thought to have the ability to cure the body.  Present medical knowledge recognizes that some herb garden plants are beneficial to one’s health, others are overrated.  Herbs used for medicinal purposes should be used carefully.  Some herbs are harmless but others can be dangerous if eaten.

Some herbs are not used for their flavor, power to heal or fragrance.  Some herbs are also used for their beauty.  Ornamental herb garden plants have brightly colored flowers and foliage.  Many of them come in white or light-colored flowers like valerian which has delicate  crimson flowers, and borage and chicory which has attractive blue flowers.

While herbs can be categorized into these different categories of uses, many herbs have multiple purposes.  Mint may also be used as insect repellent or as flavor enhancer.  Whatever the reason you have an interest in herbs, by understanding herb garden plants you are able to pick the herbs that will be most useful to you.

Buy Non-Hybrid Heirloom Seeds for healthy, good tasting, and continuous harvesting of your favorite herbs for many years to come.

For Food Storage Secrets for All you favorite herbs, click here.