INTRODUCTION Medicine, aromatics, flavor, and more. The plants we identify as herbs have so much to give. They offer substances to heal the body, living fragrance, and a harvest of tastes for cooking. The colors and textures of herbs mingled in the landscape may also invite pollinators into the garden. No other group of plants offers as much diversity as herbs. Their usefulness—both in the garden and in our lives—is clear. My goal in this book is to introduce you to an abundant choice of herbs both historical and modern to grow for their varied usefulness as I show you how to create and care for exciting container herb gardens. Choosing the Right Pot for Herbs Choosing the right container is as important as selecting the plants to grow in it. What is the best container for growing herbs? There are really no set rules on the type of container to use. You can grow herbs in almost anything that holds soil and allows water to drain away. The best choice comes down to what works for you and for the plant. Find your container and pick a them —or maybe the other way around, gather herbs you want to grow and search for containers that suit them. Many container shapes, sizes, and materials are available to gardeners. Let’s explore some of them. The Perfect Place for Growing Herbs Container gardening is all about the versatility to grow herbs wherever you have room: on a balcony, a patio, a rooftop, or the steps to your porch. You can position big or small container plantings to take advantage of the available space, make them easily accessible for harvest, and give the herbs their best growing conditions. Where is your perfect place to grow herbs? Take a walk around and assess potential spaces for container gardens. Think about accessibility for watering, tending, trimming, and harvesting. There might be room to tuck something into an existing garden, or you could mount a window box on the house. Indoor herb gardens are particularly convenient to access. Floor space a premium? Try a living wall. As you consider all the possibilities, take into account what a container herb garden needs to grow well. Container Garden Design Herb gardens in containers, whether big or small, can create visual impact. They can accent a home, add color, or set a mood for a theme garden. You can place them where they are visible from a daily living space, such as a living room or dining room. Well positioned window boxes add interest to the outside of the house and give those inside a premium view of birds and insects. Living walls can serve as privacy screens or provide camouflage for ugly walls. Think of your container as a garden in itself and consider how that garden looks year round as part of the décor where you set it. Maybe it is twenty containers to rim a large balcony or rooftop garden, or a single basil plant in a sunny kitchen window; it is all visual, and this is your chance to express creativity. Below are tips for using container color and style to your advantage, for composing pots that command attention, and for arranging pots in an eye-catching design. Culinary Delights Packaged and processed herbs will never compare to the garden-fresh ones you grow. Adding culinary herbs to container gardens gives you flavor with no limits. Love basil? Grow multiple pots and sow successive crops to have this aromatic, colorful annual throughout the warm growing season. Place a pot near the kitchen door to quickly access fresh leaves as the pasta sauce simmers on the stove. Culinary herbs also add beauty to containers. Variegated mint in a large pot in the midst of a culinary herb garden will add color throughout the season as edibles are harvested. The texture of chives and parsley will stand out when combined with other culinary herbs in containers. Many of the herbs photographed and featured here are encouraged by cutting. The more you snip, the more you stimulate new growth. More growth, more herbal flavor, more to cook with! Herbal Beverages Like herbs used in cooking and baking, those that can be used in hot and cold beverages are as beautiful as they are edible. The two container projects in this chapter offer herbal selections for teas and cocktails. Healing Herbs I am fascinated by the history of herbs and their uses. I like reading about the origins of their names and how humans use them to care for each other. It seems that whatever the ailment, there was a plant to cure it. Long before we had a chance to walk the aisles of a drugstore, the garden was the apothecary—a poultice of this, a tincture of that … something for everyone. And since antiquity, aromatic plant essences have been understood to have beneficial effects on mental and emotional health. You can grow herbs in containers for medicinal and aromatherapeutic uses, bringing a healing garden within easy reach Natural Beauty and Housekeeping I have found that one of the easiest ways to explore the use of herbs is to make natural skin and home care products. You can use the healing properties of plants for topical skin care. Heal a burn, soften dry hands, soothe irritated skin, and get rid of puffy bags under your eyes—all by simply harvesting and using herbs you can grow in your garden. Herbs from the garden can also replace an array of household cleaning products available in the store to scrub, polish, and scour. It is mindboggling what chemicals are introduced into a daily routine by these products. If you or someone living in your home has sensitivities or you simply want to have safer and natural cleaning and skin care products, turn to herbs in containers. Herbs for Pollinators Propagation, simply put, is a way to get more plants. You might already be familiar with the basic methods: seeds, division, cuttings, and layering. How you propagate for container gardens is no different, but how you want your planted creations to look might dictate the best method. Larger rooted cuttings and divided plants give quick gratification. A planned supply of fillers and blooming annuals through the season is easy to start from seed. Propagating herbs yourself is an economical way to maintain an abundance of choices and a steady supply of plants to keep potted gardens full while you continue to harvest Filling and Maintaining the Pots Bountiful container herb gardens depend on getting your pots off to a good start. Many herb plants are available at local garden stores and farmers markets. Soil mixes are also available at nurseries and garden shops, or you can make your own. Once you have your herbs planted, knowing how to care for and harvest from them will ensure that they live long, happy lives. Growing New Herbs: Propagation Propagation, simply put, is a way to get more plants. You might already be familiar with the basic methods: seeds, division, cuttings, and layering. How you propagate for container gardens is no different, but how you want your planted creations to look might dictate the best method. Larger rooted cuttings and divided plants give quick gratification. A planned supply of fillers and blooming annuals through the season is easy to start from seed. Propagating herbs yourself is an economical way to maintain an abundance of choices and a steady supply of plants to keep potted gardens full while you continue to harvest
✔ Author(s): Sue Goetz
✔ Title: Complete Container Herb Gardening: Design and Grow Beautiful, Bountiful Herb-Filled Pots
✔ Rating : 4.7 out of 5 base on (107 reviews)
✔ ISBN-10: 0760367795
✔ ISBN-13: 9780760367797
✔ Language: English
✔ Format ebook: PDF, EPUB, Kindle, Audio, HTML and MOBI
✔ Device compatibles: Android, iOS, PC and Amazon Kindle
Readers' opinions about Complete Container Herb Gardening by Sue Goetz
Elaine Leonard
The plot twists were executed masterfully. I was left gasping at every unexpected turn, and the suspense kept me on edge throughout. Bravo to the author for keeping me guessing.
Daphne Garner
I couldn't stop raving about this book to my friends and family. It's a literary gem that deserves all the praise. I can't wait to dive into more works by this talented author.
Aileen Menzie
The plot was so well-paced that I lost track of time while reading. I was completely immersed in the story, eagerly turning the pages to uncover the next twist.
