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ENJOY HEALTHY FRESH TASTES FROM YOUR INDOOR HERB GARDEN
The advantages of an Indoor Herb Garden is fresh, healthly produce all the time. Propagating your own herbs is not only gratifying but also easy and less expensive. With the right soil and fertilizer you can create a healthy Garden. Indoor Herb Gardens are best placed in a warm, well lit spot near a window. The soil that you use is the most important, as it needs to retain plenty of moisture and drain well. The mixture used for the soil is half and half of compost and sandy loam; you could also replace the sandy loam with a shop bought potting mix.
Propagating your own herbs is gratifying, easy and less expensive. There are a few guidelines you should follow but the pleasure of knowing that you have grown these herbs is wonderful. Seeds can be planted in containers and then later transplanted or sown directly in the garden where you have chosen for them to grow. This decision can depend on several factors, for example the size of the seed, the difficulty of transplanting, and the weather conditions.
The best time to propagate herbs by root division is in the spring, when the new growth is beginning to appear. It is necessary to divide your perennials as it gives them a new lease of life and will prevent clumps from becoming far too big and straggly. Some plants can be easily propagated by mounding. The best time for this is in autumn where the plant is mounded over with soil and then shaken lightly to enable the soil to get down in between the branches. Mounding is a good method to use when trying to rejuvenate plants that have become leggy and bare at the base. Thyme, lavender, and rosemary are some of the plants that will benefit from this treatment.
Propagation of herbs by layering is similar to mounding; only the single stems are treated with this method. Pegs are required to hold the stem or the branches to the ground and all but the tips are covered with the soil. There are advantages to growing a plant from a cutting as you can get a clone. The most effective time of the day to take cuttings is early in the morning before the sun has made the plant soft and limp. Cuttings of deciduous plants are best done in the winter and late spring for non-deciduous plants. Before planting, dip cuttings in rooting hormone to encourage a successful strike. The best way to fertilize your new garden is with compost or an herbal spray, this should be the only nutrition your garden will ever need. A homemade fertilizer is compost that is made up of rotted organic ingredients. The advantages means you can enjoy the look and the taste of fresh herbs. For a healthy lifestyle you can always rely on fresh produce from your own home grown garden.
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