If you enjoy cooking even a little, then you know how much better things are with fresh herbs. I have had an herb garden for almost 20 years now – and can’t imagine not having fresh herbs at my fingertips. And best of all, you don’t need a plot of land to grow herbs. Herbs make great container gardens, are extremely easy to grow, and can be an attractive addition to any RV site.
Selecting a container
The only real criteria for selecting a container(s) for your herb garden is that it has adequate holes and drains well. As long as you can accomplish that, then let aesthetics be your guide. One unique container idea I’ve seen is to use a strawberry pot to grow a variety of herbs. Another is this stackable pot that I found at Sears that I really like for its versaility.
Soil
When you grow plants in containers, it’s important to provide them with a high quality potting soil that is loose and well drained. You can purchase a quality potting mix at any nursery or garden supply store.
What to plant
Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things when deciding what to plant. The only basic rules are to group your plants together based on similar water and sun requirements. Woody stem herbs like rosemary and thyme like to dry out between waterings, while tender, fleshy stem herbs like basil need frequent watering, particularly when grown in a container. My personal list of must-have herbs is: chives, rosemary, thyme, basil and parsley. A bonus for growing rosemary is that the woody stem makes a great skewer stick for shrimp!
Herb Care
All that is needed for healthy herbs is a good organic fertilizer, which can be mixed in with the potting mix prior to planting, proper watering, and frequent use or pruning. To promote fresh and vigorous growth, prune your herbs regularly. Besides, the whole point of having them is to use them. Apply fertilizers sparingly to herbs. Heavy applications will produce large plants, but the essential oils that produce their flavor and aroma will be greatly reduced. If your plants loose their color or look a little peeked during the growing season, apply an organic fertilizer, like fish emulsion, at half the recommended strength every few weeks.
And true to the adage that you are never too old to learn new things…I recently learned that I have been incorrectly harvesting my basil all these years. In order for your basil plant to flourish, you need to pick off whole stems, not just leaves. When picking basil, look down the stem until you see smaller leaves on either side of the stem. Pinch your stem off right above a set of those leaves. Those smaller leaves will become two new shoots where there was previously just one.
Happy gardening – RV style.
