Planting an herb garden is a rewarding project that can be completed
quickly by following these easy steps:

Create a pattern for the designated planting area. Stake the area and
attach strings to the stakes to form the pattern. Copy the design in
the soil with a trowel, then remove the strings and dig a furrow for
the design.

Space the herbs one foot apart to allow for growth. Dig holes twice
the size of the root balls, but don't plant the herbs so deeply that
their crowns are covered. Before planting, tease apart the root
balls: this will aid in the plants' growth. Place each plant in a
hole and tamp in place.

Water thoroughly until the plant is established. Be careful not to
overwater the plants past this point, however, or root rot may
result. (Herbs are quite drought-tolerant once established.) The herb
garden should be fully established in about one year and will last
for many years.


Kitchen Herb Garden

If you don't have available yard or garden space, you can plant a
kitchen herb garden . An ideal location would be a few steps from
your kitchen, but any spot that gets about six hours of sun a day is
good. Herbs can be added to any garden, and perennial herbs provide
years of fresh herbs. By planting herbs that are most often used in
cooking, you can pick what you need all summer:

Basil ('Purple Ruffles' is a good selection if you want purple
foliage with lots of texture; 'Dani', if you want lemon-scented
basil.)
Sage ('Tricolor' has variegated foliage.)
Oregano
Common thyme
Sweet marjoram
Lavender
Rosemary
Parsley
Chives
Cilantro

To prepare your area for planting, loosen the soil. If the soil is
compacted or consists of heavy clay, improve drainage by adding some
compost, peat moss or coarse sand. Work the material into the top
foot of soil before you plant. Follow these planting guidelines for a
successful herb garden:

Plant early in the morning or late in the afternoon to prevent the
transplants from wilting in the midday sun.

Dig each planting hole to about twice the width of the root ball of
the new plant .
Space herbs about 18 inches apart to give them room to spread out and
grow.
Place taller herbs, like sage, rosemary and marjoram, towards the
back of the garden. Parsley and cilantro are good for the front.

For accents of color in your herb garden, add flowering plants like
zinnias and salvia.

Plant perennials on one side and annuals on the other for easier
replanting next year.

Give the new transplants plenty of water. Once established, make sure
your herbs get an inch of water each week throughout the growing
season.

Begin harvesting from the herbs as soon as they are mature, but take
only a little bit each time you harvest. If you remove more than a
third of the plant at one time , it takes longer to recover and
produce new foliage.

To promote branching, keep the tops of the plants pinched back in
early summer . With judicious picking, most herbs can be harvested
for several months. Fresh herbs taste best when harvested in the
morning. Also, herbs are most flavorful if harvested before they
bloom.


Andrew Pacholyk,  LMT, MT-BC, CA
Peacefulmind.com