Herb Growth and Care - Part 3
Welcome back for the third installment of Herb Growth and Care! Today we’ll be discussing how to maintain your plants’ health!
Learn your plants’ needs
Difficulty: Easy
Really the best way to find out what care your herbs and plants need is to Google it! Some plants need more or less water, more or less sunlight, etc.
It may help to write down some quick notes in a notebook for each herb. Some important info to look for is: how moist should the soil be / how often should I water it, how many hours of sun does it need, what kind of light does it need (direct / indirect / shade).
Usually, you don’t have to follow those instructions exactly, but knowing roughly what your plants need will allow you to group them by similarities and make caring for them easier.
Knowing when to water: the best way to gauge how moist the soil of your plant is by sticking your finger in about half an inch / two centimeters.
if your herb likes moist soil, then this soil should be damp at all times
if your herb likes less water, then you should wait for this soil to become dry between waterings
Knowing where to put your herbs:
if your herb likes direct sunlight, it will be best to plant your herb outdoors in a sunny area
if your herb likes indirect sunlight, the you can plant it in a shady area outdoors, or indoors by a very sunny window
if your plants like shade (not many herbs do, this mostly applies to some houseplants), then place them indoors where they won’t be directly hit by sunlight coming in form doors/windows
Signs of distress and solutions:
Over-watering: droopy leaves, yellow leave, leaves that are limp, rotting roots; let the soil dry out between waterings
Under-watering: brown leaves or leaf tips, leaves feel burnt, crispy, or dry like paper; water more frequently or water until it drips out the bottom during each watering
Pests or infections: brown spots, holes, small insects; remove infected leaves, gently rinse the plant with water (in the shower or with a garden hose outside), or remove insects with a cotton swab with alcohol on it
Too little sunlight: smaller new growth, pale leaves, excess shedding of leave; move to a location with more sunlight, like a south facing window, or into direct light outdoors
Too much sunlight: pale or yellow leaves, brown tips or edges; move indoors or to a north or east facing window
General tips:
Rotate your plants if possible
Purchase a misting bottle (you can find plastic ones for a dollar or two in most gardening sections)
Some plants/herbs are toxic to pets, check to make sure they are safe
Easy indoor herbs: basil, parsley, dill, mint, chives, cilantro
Easy outdoor herbs: sage, thyme, oregano, lavender, rosemary
Talk to your plants, thank them for providing beauty, magic, and fresh air
If a plant suddenly dies, it’s possible that it absorbed a curse aimed at you or someone in your household
Learn to propagate your plants (see Part 2)
Fertilize your plants with crushed eggshells once every spring (wash, dry, and finely crush shells before mixing into soil)
Do not harvest more than one third of your herbs at a time
How to dry your herbs
Trim flowers off your herbs, they absorb nutrience
[Part 1 - Seeds] [Part 2 - Cuttings] [Part 3 - You are here] [All parts]