Starting an Apartment Herb Garden

Most people don’t think about a garden is possible when they live in an apartment. Having a green thumb is not a required because setting up a herb garden is fairly easy.  Although the appeal of lush bushes and sprawling vines of seems out of reach for most apartment residents, healthy herb gardens are a possibility. Herbs take up a small space because a little goes a long way. Instead of handfuls of chives going to waste in those little plastic packages, you can just snip off what you need for your next fresh vegetable dip to amaze your friends on board game night.  

1. Location and sunlight – Many apartments offer you a patio or balcony. This is the ideal spot for your herb garden, provided the light is right. If your patio or balcony is in the shade all day, it’s maybe not going work. Most plants are ok with about 6 hours in the sun or less. 

2. Purchase your supplies – You can start buying your pots and gardening gear at any time of the year…look for sales! However, you don’t want to plant your herbs until it won’t frost again. As for other supplies, think about the planters you want to use. Several pots? Some long planters that attach to the railing? It’s tempting to choose what is prettiest, but this is the time to choose what is most sensible, and what works best for space, and sunlight situation. Finally, good potting soil and a garden spade.

3. Purchase your plants – I recommend that you start with seedlings. Why? Purchasing seedling is the easiest route and you have a better chance of them surviving and thriving.  You can purchase these from a local big box hardware store to even the local nursery. Make sure to save the tags that come in the plants. It contains vital information including planting depth and distance from other plants, water recommendations, and sunlight requirements. 

4. Plant – You want to make sure that your plants are firmly planted from the beginning. Place soil in whichever pot or container you choose, leaving wells for the new plants. Make sure you leave enough space between each well because the roots will spread over the course of the summer. Never grab your plant by the leaves, so you keep the roots intact. Grab your plant by the stems and slowly remove it from the pot in which you bought it. Loosen it with your hands a little, if the root ball is in one huge clump. This helps the roots settle in the soil. You need to fill the space around the well and the roots with more soil. Then just pat down lightly. Water your plant, and you are good to go. 

5. Maintenance – make sure you do your research on how to harvest your herbs for apartment use. You will learn things like cutting basil by the stem and not by the leaf. For oregano, a new sprout will form at the cut site making the plant fuller throughout the summer. Even though you might not use an herb right away, you need to keep the plant a manageable size. Finally research methods of preserving herbs. 


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May 31
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