Grow your own garden herbs in a few easy steps

You don't have to have a big garden to grow your own fresh herbs. For those who live in apartments, don't have a backyard, or only like to garden small-scale, most herbs can be grown in ceramic planters.

If that's good news, you'll like what Master Gardener and ACHS Senior Vice President Erika Yigzaw had to say Saturday, May 9, at the ACHS From Your Garden to Your Kitchen Open House.

Although each herb is different, most are fairly easy to grow and use at home. There are just a few key things to remember. 1. Unless otherwise specified, herbs like full sun. 2. Herbs potted into planters should be watered about once a day. 3. Don't over water. As a general rule, water herbs so that the soil remains moist approx. one inch from the top.

Once your herbs are potted, what can you use them for? Most easily, herbs can be used on a meal-by-meal basis and either cooked into hot foods or eaten raw in salads. You can also use fresh herbs to make your own herbal teas and infused oils for cooking and/or body care, as well as herbal medicine infusions and tinctures.

Click here to download free information about making your own herbal remedies, herbal teas, and organic gardening.

Additional tips for growing your own herbs include:

• When planting in peet pots, break up the peet and roots before planting.
  
• Do not plant above the base of the plant. Adding a top layer of soil can cause fungus.
  
• To keep bugs from your plants, include a decoy plant in your garden like artichoke.
  
• Before harvesting, find out the best method for that herb (for example, rosemary likes to be plucked, but peppermint can be snipped).
  

Click here for more information about dried herbs and herbal medicine classes.