Make a kitchen herb garden | Make a kitchen herb garden | | <img alt="" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/PublishingImages/Make%20A%20Kitchen%20Herb%20Garden%20Header.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | <div class="ExternalClass975272FECDB94281968DCC6547679DE1"><p>Herbs add flavor to food, but they also look and smell beautiful. Here is a step by step guide to creating a healthy herb garden.</p></div> | <h2 class="sectHeading">Start at the beginning</h2><p>
<b>You will need:</b></p><ul><li>a spot that gets a few hours of direct sunlight;</li><li>pots or other small containers;</li><li>potting soil (preferably organic); and</li><li>herb seeds (or seedlings) – choose herbs that you’ll enjoy using in your cooking.</li></ul><p>
<b>Step 1:</b> Soak your seeds in water and place them between wet paper towels for about four hours before planting.</p><p>
<b>Step 2:</b> Put about 2.5 cm of gravel at the bottom of the pot for drainage, before filling your pots with potting soil.</p><p>
<b>Step 3:</b> Get planting.</p><p>
If you are planting seeds sprinkle them over the soil and cover with another 5 to 10 mm of soil.</p><p>
If you are planting seedlings dig a small hole and cover the roots with soil.</p><p>
If you are planting more than one seed or seedling in the same container plant them a few centimetres away from each other to allow growing space.</p><p>
If you are mixing herbs in a container separate the perennials (seasonal growers) from the annuals (grow all year round) – this makes maintaining and replanting easier in coming years.</p><div class="notification with-heading dark-copy pink bg-light-grey"><div class="graphic with-border">
<i class="info toptip"></i> </div><div class="desc"><h4>Top tip</h4><p>Label your herbs so you know what’s been planted where. Simply stick flags into the soil after planting each seed or seedling.</p></div></div><p>
<b>Step 4:</b> Get watering.</p><p>If you are planting seeds keep containers in a warm place once you have watered them thoroughly. Once the seeds have started sprouting, you can move them to the windowsill for direct sunlight.</p><p>
If you are planting seedlings simply water and leave them on the windowsill.</p><div class="notification with-heading dark-copy pink bg-light-grey"><div class="graphic with-border">
<i class="info toptip"></i> </div><div class="desc"><h4>Top tip</h4><p>Watering deeply every few days is better than a light watering every day. Your soil should always be moist to the touch.</p></div></div><p>
<b>Step 5:</b> Take 15 minutes every day to look after your herbs and trim them – this creates space and encourages new growth.</p><p>
<b>Step 6:</b> Harvest the outer sections first and allow the herbs to continue growing.</p><p>
<b>Step 7:</b> Continue to feed the soil by adding a bit of compost or mulch on top. You may even prefer to replace the soil completely each year.</p><h2 class="sectHeading">What herbs to plant</h2><p>Fresh herbs at the tips of your fingers! Here are some of our tips on what to grow and when.</p><div class="mobile-scroll"><table style="width:716px;">
<caption><b>Perennials – grow year after year</b></caption>
<thead><tr><th>
<b>Example</b></th><th>
<b>Great for</b></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Chives</td><td>salads, sauces, fish, vegetables</td></tr><tr><td>Oregano</td><td>pasta sauces, chicken, salad dressing</td></tr><tr><td>Sage</td><td>stuffing, pork, duck, blend into cheeses</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="1">Rosemary</td><td rowspan="1">meat, especially lamb </td></tr><tr><td rowspan="1">Thyme</td><td rowspan="1">fish and poultry, vegetables</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
<div class="mobile-scroll"><table style="width:716px;">
<caption><b>Annuals – last about a year</b></caption>
<thead><tr><th>
<b>Example</b></th><th>
<b>Great for</b></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Basil</td><td>pesto, sauces, chicken, Mediterranean dishes</td></tr><tr><td>Parsley</td><td>salads, vegetables, breads, soup, pasta</td></tr></tbody></table></div>
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Happy planting!</p> | | GP0|#65b17009-e52d-4463-9af8-a62208fc6777;L0|#065b17009-e52d-4463-9af8-a62208fc6777|Make a kitchen herb garden;GTSet|#ef3a64a2-d764-44bc-9d69-3a63d3fadea1;GPP|#630f1ce3-4d76-4447-85fb-0afef5f00698;GPP|#39d66b11-2134-4df5-8360-0bc5e66e8f4f;GPP|#245ec7aa-a528-4cd3-bcac-597c292db711 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | A guide to planting your first kitchen herb garden. | |