Create a herb garden: ideas and tips to make your garden a success

image showing gloves, watering can and a variety of herbs and plants including Sage, oregano, basil and thyme — Sage, oregano, basil or thyme – fresh herbs are a must.

Do you want to create your own herb garden? In this article, we’ll show you how and give you plenty of pointers to get going. Which herbs work well together and which ones kill each other off? With our guide, your herb garden is sure to be a success, whether you plant it on your balcony or in the garden. Now you’ll never have to go without basil, sage your other favourite herbs throughout the year.

Plant herbs in the garden, on the balcony and on your window sill

To make your herb garden a success, you first need to find your herbs a sunny spot. This will make the herbs more fragrant and enhance their natural essential oils. Is your balcony usually in the shade? No problem! You can still have a herb garden and your herbs will still taste good – the flavours will just be a little less intense than if you’d grown your herbs in direct sunlight. Herb gardens work everywhere!

Planter or balcony? What are the different ways to plant a herb garden?

Even a small balcony will make a perfect home for your herb garden.
A raised planter has the advantage that you can easily pick your herbs while standing.
You’ll need more space for a herb spiral, but they are also very decorative.

Which herbs work well together?

Mediterranean herbs like marjoram, thyme, sage, oregano and rosemary love direct sunlight and shallow soil. They shouldn’t be planted next to basil or chives, as these prefer looser, damper soil. Chives, dill and parsley are classic kitchen herbs and work really well together. Meanwhile, herbs like lovage, tarragon and peppermint should ideally be planted alone, as they have very long roots and will deprive other plants of nutrients.

Sage and oregano are excellent together.
Basil is ideal for growing in a plant pot – which also helps to prevent snails from eating all of its leaves!

HERB GARDENING 101

· Herbs need lots of sunlight
· The best time to plant your herb garden is spring or autumn
· It’s better to buy your herbs from a gardening centre – supermarket herbs often shrink or die after you pick them
· Regularly loosen the soil so that more water reaches the roots
· Water your herbs daily, especially in summer, but take care not to let them become waterlogged
· Hardy herbs for winter include chives, thyme, tarragon, chamomile, fennel, wild garlic, sage, peppermint and oregano
· Non-hardy herbs include rosemary, bay, stevia and lemon verbena
· We believe that chemical fertilisers have no place in a herb garden – after all, you want to enjoy your food without any worry or concern.

Buy or grow?

We recommend sowing annual plants like dill or basil between March and April. Once the seedlings have sprouted a second pair of leaves, you can plant them out. This means carefully removing the plants from the soil, separating them out and planting them in their future homes. Young perennial herbs can be bought from a gardening centre. Sage, thyme and other herbs like rosemary, tarragon and lavender are hard to cultivate and buying them can save you a lot of time!

A few more herb garden hacks:

· Spray your herbs with horsetail stock every two weeks to repel pests.

· If you want to overwinter your plants without repotting them, grow them directly in pots or buckets. That way, you can simply bring them into the warm when it’s frosty!

· Always let part of the plant flower. This attracts insects, which will protect your plant against pests while also pollinating your herbs for an even bigger herb garden next year.