Growing your own garden herbs from the comfort of your own garden is environmentally friendly, inexpensive, easy to do and something that children can also get involved with! In this article, we explain why you should consider growing your own produce, the benefits associated, the various types of herbs you can grow, when to plant and much more.

5 Benefits of growing your own garden herbs

Herbs are used in our everyday lives from teas to culinary uses, and whilst most of us may buy our weekly requirements from the local supermarket, there are actually many benefits to growing your own.

 

1. The freshest harvests

What can be better than harvesting your herbs when they are at the pinnacle of freshness and full of flavor, terpenes, flavonoids and antioxidant properties? Growing your own herbs at home means you will be walking distance from a wide selection of culinary or medicinal herb plants, allowing you to have the freshness of produce possible!

 

2. Practicality and convenience

If your goal is to be self-reliant and produce enough vegetables and herbs every year to keep your kitchen and household well supplied, then the main benefit of growing your own herbs and spices is a practicality and convenience value. You will be able to save time, money and trips to the local supermarket when you have your own garden herb patch.

 

3. Pesticide free

When you are in charge of growing your own herbs, you will be able to decide if you want to keep them chemical and pesticide free. Anything you will use for tea or culinary purposes should always be toxin and pesticide free, which is why growing your own will give you that peace of mind and ensure you are using the cleanest organic products available.

 

4. Organic produce

One of the best things about gardening and growing your own herbs, is the fact you can use top quality soil full of nutrients and beneficial microorganisms. This will result in the herbs you produce being supermarket quality organic grade produce, and is also environmentally friendly and sustainable.

 

5. Saves you money!

Everyone loves to save money and cut costs if they can, and when growing your own herbs at home, you will be able to reduce your shopping bills, resulting in an annual saving. You may not think buying cooking herbs costs much, but it all adds up, so save yourself some money and trips to the local shop.

The different types of herbs you can grow at home

If you are growing to be self-reliant and sustainable, or simply growing herbs for fun and to enjoy all the wonderful aromas and terpenes present in your garden, then below is a list of all the easy to grow herbs you can start with at home.

● Basil
● Parsley
● Coriander,
● Thyme
● Oregano
● Rosemary
● Sage
● Dill
● Chives
● Mint
● Lavender
● Chamomile

What time of the year can I grow garden herbs outside?

The most important thing to know when growing herbs at home is to keep the environmental conditions warm. Herbs are delicate and will need to grow during Spring time and early Summer. During this time of year, the temperature and humidity levels will be optimal for herbs to start growing, thanks to the warm and humid weather.

Can I grow garden herbs in a greenhouse or windowsill?

You certainly can, and you do not need a lot of space to do so. Planting herbs on your windowsill is an excellent way to make their most out of your outdoor space and ensure the plants receive as much sunlight as possible.

 

Planting herbs inside a greenhouse or plastic covered mini greenhouse, will produce the best results and will also keep the herb plants protected from the cold temperatures, chilly wind, insects or animals.

When to harvest your garden herbs.

So you have patiently watched your herbs growing over the seasons and are now ready to harvest them. The best way to decide if your herbs are ready or not to harvest is to use the following criteria, which will allow the herbs to contain the most essential oils, flavor and aroma profile.

 

Leaf size

How small or large the leaf size is of the herbs will be an indicator. You can harvest the leaves, however they should encourage new growth to develop, so it is important to pull the leaf away from a set of other leaves.

 

Aroma

Terpenes are responsible for the aroma and therapeutic effects of herb plants. Smelling the herbs will be the easiest way to identify if they are peak terpene development or perhaps need more time to develop the essential oils and plant essence.

 

Freshness

The fresher your herbs then the more they will express their true full potential. Herbs contain flavonoids and antioxidant properties that diminish the longer harvested crops are left unused.
Freshness plays a massive role in the final quality of the produce, especially when cooking.

How and with what to feed aromatic plants - ATAMI’s best fertilizers for garden herbs:

Atami has several products that will help you nourish your plants, giving them everything they need to grow green and quick, as well as aromatic!

 

For your home herb growing or garden, you’re sure to be looking for something simple to use, organic and convenient. Well, at Atami, we’ve got it. The 4-pack of the new VGN line features two base nutrients, a flowering product and an organic Calmag.

 

With the VGN line, you not only nourish your plants, but also the microorganisms in the soil, ensuring healthy and flavourful plants. In addition, they are certified organic by the Control Union so you can be sure to use it in all your preparations!

● The two base nutrients; VGN 5-2-2 and VGN 2-2-4, are combinable and, depending on the needs of your plants, you can adjust the dosages so that they are not lacking in anything.

 

● With VGN 1-4-4, you will provide your plant with extra phosphorus and potassium, two elements that have proven to be key in the production of sugars and energy, and that help to improve the organoleptic properties of the harvest. Phosphorus in particular is a key component of terpene precursors. Terpenes are the molecules responsible for the aroma of plants.

 

● Finally, VGN CALMAG is an organic calcium and magnesium supplement. Calcium and magnesium are essential for an optimal growth as they have essential roles in the formation of cell walls and the absorption of light energy. So if plants are lacking in either of these two nutrients, yields will be worse. This supplement is especially useful when growing with soft tap water, or rain water, or when using coco substrates.

Pest and pathogen control

There is nothing worse than noticing your precious lush green herb plants have little holes in the leaves, or the tips have been chewed off overnight. Panic can set in, and you may think it is just a matter of time until the insect damage gets out of control. There are several ways to resolve insect problems without the use of chemical agents.

Natural predators insects

Ladybirds: These innocent looking insects do an incredible job of protecting plants from insects such as spider mites, aphids, and other soft bodied insects.

 

Lacewings: Another great assistant to have in the garden, as these will go after pesky caterpillars, aphids and other insects.

Organic spray solutions

Nettle / Ortega tea: Aerobic ferments made from nettle tea is an excellent way to spray your herbs and protect them from insects, larvae and provide nutrients at the same time.

 

Neem oil: Made using oil from the neem tree known for its insect repellent properties, neem oil can be sprayed on the tops and undersides of your herbs to keep eggs and larvae populations at bay.

 

Soapy mix: Making a mild solution of soapy water to spray herbs can be a highly effective way to prevent insect damage and keep the plants clean of pathogens and eggs.

Other ways to protect when growing outdoors

Eggs shells: Snails and slugs will come out during the nighttime and feast on your healthy herb plants, and leave behind a trail of slime and destruction! One easy way to deal with this pesky invader is to use dried eggshells broken into small shards.

 

Copper wire: Snails and slugs do not like copper and, when in contact with it, will receive a shock and quickly evade from the area. Copper wire placed on the floor and wrapped around the side of pots is one practical and cheap way to solve slug and snail attacks.

 

Netting: Netting will certainly help stop birds, cats and other animals from bothering your herb patch. If the netting mesh is fine enough, then you will be able to defend against slugs, snails and grasshoppers.

Conclusion

Setting aside a small corner of your garden, or even a bright area of your kitchen to keep aromatic herbs at hand, is a great idea. This will not only improve your dishes, but also your mood, enjoying something that you have grown yourself, and in a very simple way with Atami’s advice and products.

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