Sowing and planting properly in the herb garden

Many common types of herbs can be taken home from any supermarket all year round. However, these plants have been grown in greenhouses for a short life on the windowsill and not hardened enough for a life in the garden. If you want to buy herbs for further cultivation outdoors, it is better to get the young plants in the nursery.

Spring is the best time to plant herbs.

Herbs should be planted outside in spring if possible. Most kinds are somewhat sensitive to cold, especially as they have often been cultivated in more warm regions. For these, a planting date after the Ice Saints is best suited. Robust perennial species such as mint or wormwood can also be planted in autumn, preferably between mid-September and mid-October.

  • Seed herbs – This is how it’s done

However, it is best to attract many types of herbs yourself by sowing them. All annual and biennial species can only be reproduced in this way anyway. Robust, cold-resistant varieties can be sown directly into the garden bed at their final location in spring. The optimum time for sowing depends on the type of herb and the climatic conditions in your region. It is usually between the end of March and the end of May. Prepare the bed carefully by loosening and possibly improving the soil, removing weeds and smoothing the surface. Do not spread the fine seeds too densely, otherwise you will have to thin out the seedlings after emergence.

prefer sensitive herbs on the windowsill

Sensitive types of herbs, on the other hand, should be preferred from February on the windowsill in the house. Use sowing soil and herb soil as substrate and ensure high humidity by covering the vessels with plastic hoods or foil. Place the seed in a bright, warm window and keep it evenly moist at all times. As soon as the first real leaves have formed after the cotyledons, the seedlings must be separated into larger pots. Now you don’t need to cover the plants any more, but you can slowly get them used to fresh air and outside temperatures instead.

  • Young plants put into herb bed

The young plants are planted outdoors only after the ice saints, i.e. in mid-May. Loosen the soil at least as deep as a spade and remove all weeds. After these preparatory measures, place the plantlets on the bed to check the correct spacing. Lift out the planting hole so that around two to three centimetres of space remain around the root ball. Now carry out a few more soil improvements if necessary. Then hold the plants in place, fill up the soil again and press the ball with your fingers. Finally, pour plenty of water so that the roots can grow more easily.

Hint

The plants must not stand lower in the bed than in the pot, otherwise they often care and do not really want to thrive.

Text: Garden.eco