I Love Herb(s)

I love Herb...Herbs...imagine a breathy "H" to make that seem funnier. A little culinary humor never hurts.I happen to like gardening.  It makes me feel relaxed and, oh yeah, I also like getting my hands dirty!

Spring is  a great time to decide to dive into herb gardening.  It's super-easy, pretty cheap to get started and can really enhance the ambiance of your porch or patio.  Let's check out the  "why" & the "how" of herb gardening:

Why herbs?  They're good for you, tasty, smell nice, easy, look good in your yard/patio - yep, that about covers it.  It's also more cost effective to grow your own - i.e. you save money!   Herbs have many health benefits, perhaps some arguably, but they have been known to help:

• symptoms of menopause
• arthritis
• asthma
• headaches
• allergies
• anxiety
• depression
• fatigue

The list is rather endless, not to mention the benefits to your food.  I can't tell you what a kitchen diva I feel like when I go out to my patio and snip off fresh herbs to add to whatever I'm cooking.  I actually dry my herbs and save them for later, as well as give them to friends as gifts(and they think that's really cool).  Fresh herbs make your food taste so good - there is a big difference in the herbs in the store and the ones grown by your hands in your yard/porch or window sill (yes, this is absolutely possible).

On to the how, in the condensed version:

Let's start small and then you can go crazy from there.  You will need:

• 3 pots, about 10-12" in diameter.  Terra cotta, plastic (preferably from recycled source), or the more expensive ceramic
• Potting soil, preferably organic.  You are growing something you will be eating; you don;t want any contaminants in it
• 3 herbs of your choice, either seedlings (organic is better) or grow from seeds (this method is best started inside, like right now)

Your herbs, whether on a window sill, in the yard, or on your porch should be placed in the South, Southeast or East direction to get the best light.  Western exposure is a strong light (too much sun) and can often be too harsh, but it's not a deal breaker.  Plant, place, water.  I could go on & on about particulars, but at this point, you would be doing yourself a favor by getting on an herb forum/get a book to get the best result for whatever herbs you choose.  Water every few days, harvest often (after they have grown to a decent size plant) and enjoy!  herb gardening is a great way to re-connect with the earth, be healthy and save money. What more could a B.A.B.E want?