My Herb Garden So Far ☀️🪴
My dreams of having a home herb garden are finally coming to fruition.
I would say I have a medium green thumb. I’ve kept plants alive and I’ve also killed my fair share.
More specifically, I’ve somehow managed to kill every herb I’ve brought home from the grocery store, so deciding to start from seeds and commit to the full growing process took me a while.
This season, though, I feel ready. Maybe getting the puppy kickstarted something in me.
The idea actually started in the middle of winter. I was at Dollar Tree and saw how cheap the seeds were, and I could immediately picture a summer with fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables growing at home. I didn’t act on it right away, but it stuck with me.
planning + starting
After doing some research, I decided to wait until closer to March to buy what I needed. I knew I could start earlier by growing seedlings indoors, and I ended up doing that mostly out of excitement.
At Walmart, I found a seedling starter set for about $10. It came with 16 small soil starters and a plastic lid to keep humidity in, which seemed promising.
Around the same time, I decided I wanted to use organic seeds. Since I was putting in the effort to grow everything myself, it didn’t make sense to skip that part. I ordered from SeedGeeks on Etsy, and so far I’ve had a really good experience.
Almost every seed has sprouted, to the point where I’ve learned not to overseed because it starts to feel wasteful.
what I chose to grow
To keep things realistic, I made a list of foods I eat often and looked for overlap between what I use regularly and what grows well in my area.
I also had to consider space. My porch is about 6’x6’. It’s south-facing, which helps, but there’s still limited room since each plant needs its own space and sunlight.
I ended up choosing:
cilantro
opal basil (purple)
parsley
dill
lettuce
mint
rosemary
thyme
For soil, I used Expert Gardener Organic Garden Soil with earthworm castings (peat-free). Drainage was really important to me because I’ve had issues with root rot in the past, and this soil has been a lot better.
what I’ve learned so far
When I first planted the seeds in the starter pods, I followed the packet instructions and planted them about ¼”–½” deep.
As they started growing, I noticed the stems were getting long and weak above the soil, and some would wilt and die.
Since then, I’ve started planting seeds a bit deeper, closer to 1”–1½”, and that’s helped a lot. The seedlings seem stronger and more stable.
I also didn’t notice a major difference between using the starter pods and planting directly into pots. Next time, I’d probably just plant straight into the pots. The starter trays are helpful if you’re tight on indoor space, but replanting has been a little tricky for me. I’ve lost a couple during that process, so I know there’s still something to learn there.
how it’s going
Overall, I’m really happy with how it’s going so far.
Each time I plant something new, I feel like I understand a little more about what it needs. It’s interesting because every plant is a little different. Thinking of them that way has made the process more enjoyable instead of frustrating.
what’s next
Next, I want to start adding some vegetables:
Black Krim tomatoes
jalapeños
serranos or shishitos
tomatillo (toma verde)
lemon cucumber
raspberry bush
Persian lime tree
I’m not in a rush though. I want to feel confident with the herbs first before adding more.
Tomatoes and peppers don’t really fruit until later in the summer anyway, which takes some pressure off and makes the whole process feel less overwhelming.
