Common Herb Gardening Plants - Basil, Dill and Lavender

Whether you are a beginner or an accomplished gardener, creating an herb garden is one of the easiest ways to enhance your love of nature. Having an herb garden is not only a beautiful and aromatic addition to any home garden; it is also a helpful and practical idea as well. For centuries, these delectable treats of nature have been fundamental in creating natural, holistic remedies for minor to severe ailments. In addition to their medicinal value, herbs have also been instrumental in creating some of the world's most flavorful cuisine. While these plants are known for being hardy, it is important to note each specific plant requires its own special recipe of care.

Basil - This herb is one of the most commonly grown and is highly regarded by herb garden enthusiasts all over the world. The Basil plant is best suited for growth in dry air and rich warm soil. Spring is the perfect season to start growing the Basil plant, but only after all threats of frost have been alleviated as this plant is highly sensitive to cold temperatures and may become damaged if exposed.

When planting Basil, it is important to remember to place each plant about twelve inches apart. This process, will allow each plant a sufficient amount of irrigation to thrive and mature into a beautiful plant. After planting the Basil plants, it will take about six weeks to produce mature leaves that are ready for harvesting. When the harvesting is done, a proper drying method will result in a flavorful dried herb that can be used in a wide variety of recipes to tantalize your taste buds. By the time it is mid-summer, this hardy plant should produce deep green or purple leaves in combination with a beautiful white flower displayed on stalks about one to two feet high.

Dill - Nothing could be simpler than growing the tasty herb Dill. A handful of seeds tossed into your garden will produce stalks that reach anywhere from two to four feet in height. This particular herb is an excellent addition to many recipes and adds a beautiful display to your garden. Dill plant stalks produce a cluster of lavish yellow flowers combined with unique feather like, blue-green leaves.

The Dill plant is a sun loving plant, so areas with full access to sunlight will ensure a thriving plant. A distance of eight to ten inches between plants is the best way to ensure a hardy crop. After planting, it is important to go back in a couple of weeks when the plants have grown about an inch in height and thin out the area around each plant. This process will ensure that each plant receives its required amount of nutrients from the soil as well as ensuring each plant is exposed to sufficient sunlight.

The Dill plant is useful in many ways. The beautiful bright yellow flowers make an excellent tool for decorating while the seeds and leaves are the perfect addition to dips and salads. When the flowers are in full bloom, you can collect them for adding fresh flowers to your home or dry them to make a lavish dried flower arrangement. After the yellow blooms have blossomed for approximately two weeks, you can then harvest the Dill seeds. The best way to do this is to cut the flowers and hang them upside down over a piece of paper or plate. This process will allow the seeds to fall and be collected for use. Finally, crumbling the dried leaves is another way to add the distinct taste of Dill to any cherished recipe.

Lavender - One of the most beautiful and fragrant herbs is Lavender. This aromatic plant makes for a wonderful ground cover for any herb or flower garden as it produces delicate pink and purple flowers nestled on very tall stalks. Lavender is a perennial plant and is at its peak in the mid-summer months. Commonly, Lavender is used in aroma therapy, sachets, soaps and potpourri.

This hardy herb is easy to grow, however if choosing to start from seed form, may require a little extra work and TLC. The best way to introduce this plant into your garden is through fresh plants or root cuttings from your local gardening center. These plants enjoy plenty of sunlight and dry, well drained and alkaline rich soil. As the winter months approach, the beauty of these plants will fade, however, during the next spring and summer seasons these plants will return more hardy and lush then the last.

Each of these herbs are a delectable treat offered by nature. With simple care and many uses for their beauty and taste, adding these herbs to any garden is sure to be an aromatic and pleasurable experience.

Author: Moses Wright

Moses Wright loves to work in his garden. He started this site to help fellow garden enthusiast with gardening tips whenever possible. You can find more free resources on landscaping and gardening on his site: http://www.homelyfamily.com/

Keywords :herb gardening, herd garden care, Basil herb gardening, Dill herb gardening, Lavender herb gardening

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