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Herb Garden Design

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:58:34 GMT

Herb gardens are becoming increasingley popular due to the popularity of world cuisine such as Italian, Indian and Chinese food. This article gives you guidelines on herb garden design. The herb garden is functional in a number of different ways as it can provides us with an attractive focal point, a fragrant area, culinary ingredients for flavouring and medicinal ingredients for natural healing. The process of designing a herb garden should be a simple but considered affair. Factors we need to consider include:

Space available
Micro climate of the site
Which herbs we wish to grow
Aesthetic appeal
Grouping of plants
Closeness to the house / kitchen
Incorporation of 'non herbs' (if any)

Choosing a site for the herb garden

You may already have a site in mind for the herb garden, if so make sure you have taken into account the following factors:

Does the site receive adequate levels of sunshine - around 5 hours of direct sunlight a day is the minimum recommended. Is the soil well drained? Herbs don't like to have waterlogged roots so make sure the site is well drained for good herb growth. Is the site near the house (kitchen if growing culinary herbs)? You are more likely to use your herbs if you don't have to trek down the length of the garden to collect them.

Space required

If you are still happy with the proposed site after considering these factors then the next thing to consider is space required by the garden. This will of course depend on the number and types of plants that you want to grow. When choosing which herbs to grow then start off with ones that you know you are likely to use. If say you predominantly use Basil, Garlic and Parsley and little else in the way of herbs then you should allocated most of the space to these herbs. If you have spare room then you can try experimenting with growing some herbs you have never tried before or by experimenting with different varieties to see which varieties grow best in your herb garden.

Whilst most herbs will have good continued growth after harvesting some of their leaves some herbs such as Dill and Coriander are not so good at recovering and so may need discarding after a while with a new plant taking its place. Because of this extra space may be required if you require a continuous supply of these herbs as you will need plants at various stages in the plants life cycle (seed, mature seedling, harvestable plant) to ensure there is always a harvestable crop.

Grouping of plants

A traditional herb garden design will group plants depending on what type of herb they are. For instance you may have a block of garlic plants, a block of Basil plants and a block of Parsely plants. The blocks are often seperated by a divider such as bricks, wood or paths to help prevent one type of herb encroaching on another herbs space and outcompeting it. Some vigourous growing herbs such as Mint should be kept in their pots to prevent encroachment, with such potted herbs simply dig suitable holes in the appropriate section of the garden and place the pots directly into them so that the pot rim is level with the soil surface.

Visual appeal

This grouping gives the herb garden a more formal look and is aesthetically pleasing. If you wish for a more informal design then you can reduce the degree of grouping or use irregular shapes for the grouping blocks. The incorporation of some non-herbs such as flowers can help create more of a country cottage type herb garden. A focal point is often added in the centre of the herb garden. Items used for the focal point can sun dial, fountain (careful pre-planning needed for the water feed), bird bath or sculpture.

Accessibility of the herb garden

The herb garden design should take into account the accessibility of the herbs. In larger herb gardens small paths may be necessary so that you can reach the plants in the centre of the grouping blocks. Paths can also guide a user through a variety of fragrances produced by the herbs. A popular design resembles a cart-wheel with the wheel spokes translating into the garden paths. Gravel, brick or paving make good path material. A square design can be achieved by using 4 reclaimed railway sleepers as shown below. Here the different herb types are grouped in rows.

Indoor Herb Garden

Sun, 05 May 2013 21:30:39 GMT

Creating an indoor herb garden will

ensure a supply of fresh herbs all year round
create a pleasing visual and fragrant aspect to a room
save you money when compared to buying herbs in shops

There are also other advantages such as the virtual absence of garden pests such as slugs to worry about and the reduced need for consistent, careful monitoring due to a more stable growing environment.

Which room should you grow your herbs in?

The kitchen is a popular choice because it is convenient for when cooking. However the main deciding factor on the location of your indoor herb garden should be the light levels received by the room. Herbs like light and require a good deal of light for growth and so a south or west facing windowsill that receives at least 5 hours of sunlight a day should be chosen. If the room recieves direct light further into the room from the windowsill for the desired length of time then the garden can be situated further into the room.

If you do not have any windows that receive adequate amounts of light then you can grow herbs under grow lights. This obviously comes with the cost of setting up the lighting system and providing electricity to power the lights.

If located in the kitchen then make sure the herb garden isn't situated to near to your cooker as the resulting high temperatures can damage the plants and dry the soil out.

Most herbs have similar growing requirements which can be summarised as good light levels and a well drained fertiles soil.

Which herbs should you grow in your indoor garden?

Herbs can be used for their culinary, healing or fragrant qualities and the choice of herbs you grow will be down to personal preference. Popular choices are Basil, Parsely, chives, rosemary, Dill, Mint and Thyme. Colour may also be a consideration you take into account if you are interested in the aesthetic aspect, try purple leaved Basil instead of the more common green leafed varieties. Your indoor herb garden can consist of a number of small pots with one herb in each pot or it may be one large container with multiple plants in. Keeping plants in seperate pots can help to prevent problems of one herb out competing another herb and so prevent 'spreading' out across the garden. Mint should definitely be potted seperately as it will spread at a rapid rate.

When selecting herb seeds try to look for varieties that are more suited to indoor gardening due to their compact growth nature. The smaller the plants are, the more you will be able to grow. You can also limit the plants size by reducing the size of the pots that they grow in. Pots with about a 15cm diameter are well suited to indoor herb gardening, choosing pots much smaller than this will mean that you will be harvesting the plant before it has reached a stage in its development where it is capable of coping with the shock and producing new growth resulting in weak and unproductive plants. Your pots should also have adequate drainage holes and these should be covered with a broken pot piece to ensure good drainage.

If growing from seed then you can start your seedlings of in a seed tray and then transfer into your pots or you can sow a number of seeds directly in a pot and then remove (thin) all but the strongest seedling after a few weeks growth.

If transferring potted herbs bought from a garden centre or a supermarket then fill the pot with soil. Place the plastic pot (with plant in) into your 'final' pot and fill the final pot with compost up to the rim of the plastic pot. Remove the plastic pot, remove the plant along with all the soil in the plastic pot and then place in the hole left in the 'final' pot. The plant should now sit snugly in the final pot with its roots well protected by additional compost. If you have an outdoor herb garden you can transfer plants indoors over the cold seasons to extend their life.

Make sure to water your herb garden regularly. Pots can be placed on some kind of drip tray to prevent messy windowsills or damage to other household surfaces.

Preserving Storing Herbs

Sun, 05 May 2013 21:31:01 GMT

Most people prefer to use fresh herbs in their cooking but sometimes a herb cannot be grown all year round and so storing herbs is necessary. Sometimes there may be an abundance of a herb crop within a short period of time that means there is excess supply so again storage is necessary.

Herbs tend to retain more of their flavour when they are stored 'whole'. The stored herbs can then be broken / ground up with a pestle and mortar before use to release their flavours and aromas. This is especially true of herb seeds such as Coriander seed which should be stored in their whole form and then ground up for use in cooking.

Herbs can be stored and preserved in a number of ways.

Freezing herbs

A relatively new method of storing herbs is freezing them. Many prefer this to drying herbs as more flavour can be preserved by freezing. To freeze your herbs you can adopt one of two methods. Firstly for leafy herbs such as Basil, Parsley, Dill or Chives you can simply rinse and then place straight into freezer bags or other suitable storage in the freezer. Some herbs may require blanching in boiling water for a minute before cooling the herbs in very cold water before transferring to the freezer.

An alternative method of freezing herbs that is becoming increasingley popular is to chop / cut the herbs into small pieces and place in the cells of ice cube trays. Top up the cells with clean cold water and then place in the freezer as you would normal ice cubes. When you want to use the herbs in cooking simply pop out a herb-cube and drop it into your sauce.

Drying Herbs

Drying herbs is the traditional method of preserving and storing herbs that has been used all over the world for centuries. The herbs should be dry and brittle, leave should crumble easily.

To retain as much flavour and fragrance as possible dryed herbs should be stored in airtight containers in a cool, dark place.

You can dry herbs by a number of different methods but each method will require the herbs to be prepared prior to drying. To prepare your herbs for drying you should

remove any soil still attached to the stems
rinse the herbs in cold water to remove any insects or dirt.
Remove any flowering stems along with their flowers
Gently pat off any excess water with a paper towel

The herbs are now ready for drying.

Air drying herbs

Tye the stems in bunches and then hang the bunches upside down. Because the bunches are upside down the herb oils that provide a lot of the herbs flavour and fragrance will travel down the stems and into the leaves. After about two weeks of hanging the leaves should be dry and brittle to the touch. Firmly run your fingers along the stems and the leaves should fall off easily. Collect the leaves and place in your airtight storage container.

Dehydrator machine

You can use a dehydrator to dry your herbs. Simply place the herbs on one of your dehydrators trays and follow the machines instructions. You can turn the stems over to help achieve an even drying process. Dehydrators use electric heat to gently dry the produce but they don't 'cook' the produce unlike the microwave method outlined below. Dehydrators are useful for drying all sorts of produce, not just herbs.

Microwave

This is a quick fix if you can't air dry your herbs but is recommended only if there is no other option as you are actually cooking the herbs. You can dry herbs in the microwave by placing them between two layers of kitchen towel in the microwave and then microwaving on a LOW setting for around 3 minutes. You can turn check the drying progress and turn the towel over after 2 minutes.

Choosing Greenhouse

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:42:27 GMT

The first question to think of when choosing a green house is what do I want to grow in it? The answer to this question will help you make decisions on many of questions that you will need to answer when deciding on buying a new green house.

The types of plants and the seasons you want to grow these plants in will effect the amount of space, required light levels, temperature and humidity levels that the green house must be capable of achieving in order to promote healthy plant growth. If you are a keen vegetable gardener then you will want to be able to grow produce in your green house all year round and so will need the maximum light levels possible in the winter. If on the other hand you are simply using the green house for propagation and germination then the maximum light levels may not be so important.

The next thing to assess is the required size and position of the green house. Green house size will be influenced by a number of factors including budget, plant types, number of plants, workspace required and building planning regulations. Many sure that you choose a green house that has the capacity to hold more plants than you currently would want to put in as over time you will find many more uses for your green house than you originally thought possible.

Choosing a site for the green house is vital as it will effect the type and levels of climatic exposure the green house receives. Some plants require at least 6 hours of sunlight a day to develop properly and so the level of light / shade the site will receive is an essential part of siting a green house. Remember that the sun will be lower in the sky in winter and this will most likely effect the amount of shade the site receives. The site also influences how much exposure to wind the green house experiences. Higher exposure can lead to increased heating requirements and thus can affect the long term expense of the green house.

The green house should be situated on a stable site so that the foundations for the green house are solid. Try not to locate the green house in areas where cold, damp air will collect such as in dips or low lying areas of the garden.

What shape do you want your green house to be? Again this will depend on the types of plants you are growing, how you want them arranged, do you require the green house to be connected to your house or a wall to provide insulation and extra heat to the greenhouse.

The shape of the green house can also determine how efficiently a certain site is used. How easy must it be for you to reach all parts of the green house without bending over too much or having to kneel down.

The shape of the green house can also significantly impact on the visual appeal and this can be an important consideration for some, especially for green houses that will be visible from the house or the main seating area in the garden.

Greenhouse materials

The construction materials to be considered when choosing a green house can be split into 3 main areas.

The green house frame which is normally constructed of either wood or aluminium although plastic is increasingly being used.
The glazing which is either glass or some form of plastic.
The flooring / foundations which can be made from gravel / concrete / wood.
Hopefully this article has provided you with the key considerations that you must think about when choosing a green house and also links to more detailed information should you want to look at the selection criteria in more detail.

Lean to Green Houses

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:42:27 GMT

Lean to Green Houses take their name from their structural design. In essence a lean to green house 'leans' against an existing solid wall and so only has one side and two ends. They differ from conservatories in the fact that they do not normally have a 'door' that connects the house to the green house space and they do not tend to be double-glazed. Because of this lean to green houses are generally cheaper than conservatories.

Advantages of the lean to

Lean to green houses have been popular for many years for a number of reasons. When choosing a green house the shape of the structure will be influenced by a number of requirements, one of them being space. Lean to green houses generally take less space than their rectangular counterparts and they can make best use of small spaces. The depth of the lean to can however be as large as you want it to be so a lean to green house does not necessarily have to mean reduced space for plants.

Another advantage of the lean to green house is that they can maintain a more consistent temperature than stand alone green houses due to the fact that one side of the green house is a solid wall. This solid wall acts as a heat sink and in the day the wall absorbs heat which is then slowly released from the wall into the green house at night time. This slow release of heat can help maintain a more consistent temperature.

The fact that the wall is solid also means that the green house is less prone to heat loss due to loss of heat through the greenhouse glazing or from wind exposure. If the solid wall belongs to a house that is heated this will also help raise the temperature as the heat from within the house will pass through the wall into the green house.

Tending plants and maintaining your green house can be made easier by choosing a lean to because it is a lot easier to supply water, electricity and gas to a structure that is right next to the house. It means you don't have to trek off down the garden in the freezing winter or keep running up and down to fill the watering can.

Before you buy - points to assess

When deciding on whether a lean to green house is right for your garden you need to firstly assess the aspect of the wall that you plan to erect the lean to against. Ideally the wall will be south facing as this is the aspect that will receive maximum sunlight. If the wall is south facing long edge of the lean to will be parallel to the wall.

If the wall is not south facing and light levels are important to the types of plants you grow then you should at least consider alternative green house positions / structure types before deciding on a lean to.

Do the materials of the lean to fit in with the materials your house in constructed of? Don't let your lean to detract from the experience of enjoying the rest of your house and garden.

Lean to's can get very hot during the summer months as they have fewer walls for ventilation points and enabling a well-distributed circulation of air. Because of this they can be more suited to over wintering plants and extending early / late growing seasons rather than mid summer use.

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Thu, 02 May 2013 11:42:27 GMT

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Write for us

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:42:27 GMT

Guest post author guidelines

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Thu, 02 May 2013 11:42:27 GMT

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Thu, 02 May 2013 11:42:27 GMT

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Improving the soil

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:42:27 GMT

Many gardens do not have a great soil that a wide variety of plants will thrive in. Because of this you will most likely need to improve the quality of your soil. What do we mean when we talk about improving the soil?

Soil improvement is based upon 2 main ideas, 1) improving the structure of the soil so its water retention properties and oxygen content are improved and 2) improving the nutrient content of the soil so the plants have access to the nutrients they require for strong growth.

If we improve the structure of the soil then oxygen will be able to enter the soil. Oxygen is required by plant roots and without it the plant will die.

Clay Soils

Clay soils tend to have very small particle sizes which bind together tightly and therefore little oxygen is found inbetween the soil particles. Because the particles are closely bound water tends to drain poorly from clay soils. The end result is that clay soils tend to be waterlogged and lacking in oxygen. If the plants roots don’t have access to oxygen the plant will die.

Sandy soils

Sandy soils have very particles in them and this means the gaps between particles is much larger than the gaps between clay particles. Because sandy soils have large air pockets in these gaps water drains very quickly out of them and so they need watering far more frequently than loam or clay soils. Sandy soils have sufficient oxygen levels in them.

How to improve the soil

So what steps can we take to improve the quality of our soil?

Improving soil structure

To improve soil structure we add and incorporate organic matter into the soil. Organic matter is normally added in the form of well rotted organic manure or garden / shop bought compost. Making your own garden compost is the most cost effective way of obtaining organic matter for improving your soil. Other forms of organic matter that slowly break down to be incorporated into the soil are bark chipping mulches that can double up as weed suppressants.

The compost or manure is dug into the soil and the organic matter helps the water retention properties of the soil as it acts like a sponge drawing water into it without making the soil waterlogged. As well as helping the water retention properties of the soil the organic matter binds to the tiny clay particles and creates larger particles. The effect of these larger particle sizes is that the available air pockets and therefore oxygen in the soil increase so the plant roots will benefit from improved soil aeration.

When organic matter is used as a mulch your friends the garden worms will pull the organic matter down into the soil and help improve the soil structure and aeration.

Digging the soil also helps improve soil structure as it reduces soil compaction, improves aeration and soil drainage and makes it easier for plant roots to penetrate into the soil.

Improving Soil nutrient contents

Plants are like all humans. Without the availability of food and water they will die and with inadequate levels of nutrition they will have reduced growth and be more susceptible to disease and environmental stresses.

As well as its main benefit of improving the soil structure organic matter benefits the soil in another way as it is slowly broken down by soil bacteria and this process releases nutrients into the soil that are then made available to the plant. It is important to note however that the amount of nutrients released by the breakdown of organic matter is not sufficient for getting the soil to have the level of nutrients we want the soil to have.

To improve the quality and quantity of ‘food’ that is available to the plants we must first feed the soil. When we talk about feeding the soil we are talking about adding fertilisers to the soil. There are many forms of soil fertilisers including organic and non organic. An example of an organic fertiliser is seaweed extract, this is frequently used by organic vegetable gardeners as they believe the nutrients is contains are taken in by the vegetable plants and help to improve the taste of the vegetables.