There are few hobbies out there that one can pursue that can give not only pleasure in its doing but also in its watching and eventually the eating! One of them is undoubtedly, herb gardening. So today I am going to share with you some herb garden information that I hope will stir you up to look at this topic more closely.

When you mention herb garden, immediately visions of the huge traditional Victorian kitchen garden comes to mind. But it would be hard pushed to find a herb garden today that will remotely resemble that vision. Today we are more likely than not to see an herb garden on the windowsill in the kitchen, o a small patch in a corner of the backyard or in pots placed around the house or on the patio outside. And why not? Surely the criteria are more personal than traditional.

An herb garden is usually popular because it supplies herbs that make our dinners taste better. For that, a plot measuring four feet by six feet would be sufficient to grow enough herbs for a small family. These so called culinary herbs are appreciated for the wonderful aromas that they produce. Yet at the same time they may also make excellent material for decorating purposes, or for that special brew that so relaxes us or for that tincture that puts us to sleep! You get the idea. Herb garden plants are indeed versatile.

Just like non-herb plants, herbs are of the annual and perennial varieties. It is best to grow a herb garden where the soil is well-drained and then improve this soil with some organic matter, especially where it is compressed and heavy. It will not however, be necessary to add a fertilizer.

Most herbs can be cultivated from seeds and it would be preferable to sow them in late winter into shallow trays of light and well-drained soil. Make sure that they are just below the surface and are not pressed down as herbs do not have deep roots. Just remember the general rule that "the finer the seed, the shallower it should be sown". You can then transplant the young plants when they are grown.

Although it is easy to grow herbs from seeds, some herb plants do not like being moved out into the garden. Such herbs should be planted straight into the outside garden from the very start. Examples of such herbs include the dill, the fennel, anise and the coriander plant.

Creating your own herb garden is simple and very rewarding, even if you have no idea where to start now. Do start by first understanding the herbs you wish to grow. Then you will know how to choose the right herbs for the right location and for your intended end use of your crops.

The one rule to remember in herb gardening is that whilst the annuals can stay indoors all year round, the perennials should be moved outdoors during summer. And they both need to be moved back indoors as soon as there are signs of frost or their foliage will drop.

But there are some herbs that are affected differently by frost. Herbs like tarragon, chives and mint, when exposed to light frost, will go into a time of inactivity before reviving into a period of fresh strong growth.

As it is beneficial to carry out pruning in a non-herb garden, so is it similarly helpful to prune the herb plants in your herb garden. Such a practise will encourage healthy growth in your plants. You can also promote plant growth by re-potting your plants yearly and by moving perennials outdoors in the summer.

One way to prune your herb garden plants will be to use as much of your herbs as often as you can, for your cooking, medicinal and other purposes. Can you see how a chore is turned into a rewarding experience?

Would you like to create your own herb garden now? For more and other free resource visit the Herb Gardening Site.