How to Tame a Growing Herb Garden By Ned Marx At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

There is nothing more pleasing to look at than a full grown garden. However, you still have to moderate your growing herb garden. Here are some reasons why you need to taming and techniques for handling developed gardens.

Reasons why you need to modify your garden

You have to trim your garden so you can maintain the design and style of your garden. For cottage gardens, which are known for the rowdy growth of plants, they are still regularly trimmed so the herbs could be

Most perennials have expansive root growths. Even though you have provided sufficient spaces in between the plants, the perennials’ roots may absorb all the nutrients of the soil. Hence, your other mature plants are risked of dying.

Trimming your garden could be an advantage to you through minimizing costs for purchasing new plants. A fully developed sweet basil plant, reaching up to eighteen inches, could be divided into at least three new plants.

Some plants really need constant trimming to become healthier. The procedure allows the plants to give way to new growth – whether leaves, stems or roots.

Basic techniques in taming your garden

Trimming or pruning is the most common process you would have to do for matured plants. This could be done but cutting off dried leaves, leggy stems and over-expansive roots. Some herbs that need trimming are rosemary, varieties of mint, parsley and peonies.

You could replant and repot overgrown plants. Be sure that the divisions you made have each grown parts from roots to stem extensions and leaves. Do these activities during cool cloudy days. The roots of matured plants have gotten used to moist surroundings. Otherwise, place wet newspapers or any scrap paper on the roots of the plants to be replanted. Gently pull off the papers so the roots could be spread throughout its new soil.

Location switching is also good for balancing gardens. If you have much growth of indoor herbs, you could organize them to line outdoor garden beds. Most indoor herbs that are medicinal or aromatic are also suitable as ornamentals.

Harvesting and drying or freezing could be your direct usage of thick herb leaf growths. Harvesting herb leaves could be started six weeks after planting. When you have gathered enough leaves, you could prolong usage of those through drying or freezing. You could dry leaves by putting them inside Ziploc or paper bags with holes. Hang them in dry places with direct sunlight exposure. Leave them outside during the day, and take them in during nights. When indoor drying, expose them to bright lights. Drying may take 3 to 4 days depending on the herb type. You can use the dried leaves for at most 10 days without preservatives. Sometimes humidity brings out more flavors in the dried leaves.

Freezing on the other hand is for very short-term use. Put the leaves in sealed containers then place them inside the freezer for one to three days. The frozen leaves could be used for only three days as prolonged freezing can wilt them and lose flavor.

Give out plants to other people. You can trade your abundant herb plants with the new herb plants you wanted to acquire.

To tame your growing herb garden could open up possibilities of expanding your garden and techniques as well.

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