How to Start an Herb Garden
Just over a year ago on Christmas day, I gave birth to my baby boy. From then until early March, I was pretty much house ridden. Breastfeeding a newborn coupled with a terrible Michigan winter basically relegated me to the house. But between the endless feedings and loads of laundry, I dreamt of spring. The sun would shine again, the baby and I would take walks around the neighborhood, and I would start a vegetable garden in my new yard. But by the time spring arrived, I was headed back to work, and reality kicked in. I didn’t have time for leisurely midday walks or a vegetable garden. Adjusting to being a working mom with a new baby was a new type of job, one that left time for little else.
But with time I got back into the swing of my old habits. I began visiting my favorite open-air market on the weekends as I had pre-baby, only now with a 15 pound, sometimes screaming, little boy strapped to my chest. On one of these visits, I passed a merchant selling potted herbs and small plants for two dollars apiece, and wandered over. With only a little convincing, I decided to buy one of each of the potted herbs, take them home, and create my first herb garden. My plans for a spectacular vegetable garden morphed a bit, just as the rest of my life had.
And to be totally honest, I had no idea how to start an herb garden. I just knew that hey, this guy was selling these plants for a bargain, I have a window box on the side of my garage, and it would be really cool to have my own sustainable source of herbs in lieu of continually buying them from the grocery store. After some heavy Internet browsing, I planted a garden that lasted well into fall, and yielded an unexpected amount of herbs. I’m excited to share my experiences, and maybe convince you to do the same!