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If you enjoy cooking or gardening, or perhaps both, you should consider growing your own herbs at home.  There are literally hundreds of herbs that you can grow yourself.  Not only do fresh herbs make a wonderful addition to a kitchen garden, but they can also be attractive plants to weave in with other flowers, perennials, and bushes.

When considering what types of herbs to grow, first ask yourself which herbs you use the most in cooking.  Consult your recipe box; are there any particular herbs that you routinely buy fresh at the grocery store?  If so, these should be your first choices.  Also remember that fresh herbs will taste far better than dried seasonings purchased in little bottles.  While you may not care for the taste of dried dillweed, you may find that fresh dill is a real treat.  When it comes to growing herbs, don’t limit yourself.  They don’t require a lot of space, so start with a variety and see which ones you like best.

When it comes to homegrown herbs, parsley may be one of the most popular choices.  Parsley is routinely used in cooking, and freshly cut sprigs of parsley are also commonly used as a garnish to make a plated meal look more attractive.  Parsley is grown as an annual, so you’ll either have to start new seeds each year or buy young plants from a nursery.  There is a saying that parsley seeds must go to the devil and back seven times before they will germinate, simply meaning that if planted all at the same time, you’ll see germination from your other herb seeds long before parsley will finally appear.  Like many other herbs, parsley is a good choice for growing in containers, and it may be possible to overwinter plants indoors or in a greenhouse.

Chives are a wonderful, almost maintenance-free homegrown herb.  A perennial, they will not need to be restarted from one year to the next.  Get a good start of chives from a friend or neighbor, plant it in your garden, and they’ll keep coming back year after year.  Chives also boast attractive purple flowers that can be a nice addition to a flower garden.

Basil is favorite homegrown herb for anyone who loves Italian food.  If you grow tomatoes, you should grow basil, too, because tomatoes and basil go together like milk and cookies.  Basil is another annual that will need to be restarted each spring, but it can be easily grown indoors from seed and then transplanted into the garden once the soil is thoroughly warmed.  Be sure to keep basil pinched back regularly for full and productive plants.  And when you see flowers begin to appear, remove them quickly so that the plant does not go to seed.

Rosemary is a very attractive herb to grow, and in most areas it will grow as a perennial if treated with care for overwintering.  Rosemary is not easily grown from seed, so to get it started initially, buy a young plant from a nursery and transplant it into your garden or else find a friend who already has some and request a cutting.  Rosemary can be grown in containers, but it will need to be brought indoors for winter.

Mint is another favorite herb that can be used in cooking, dried to make teas, and even crushed and bottled for perfumes or to be sprinkled on clean clothes and sheets.  There are many varieties of mints to choose from.  Spearmint and peppermint are quite common.  For something more unique, try pineapple, apple, or chocolate mints.  Mint is a perennial, so there will be no need to replant in subsequent years.  Take caution, however, before letting mint loose in your garden.  Mint spreads rapidly by underground runners and can quickly overwhelm a garden.  Once mint has been planted in the ground, it can be nearly impossible to completely eradicate.  Mint does grow well in containers, however, and when watered thoroughly before a hard freeze, will overwinter quite well.

The herbs we’ve discussed are just a few choices.  Other possibilities for an herb garden might include tarragon, cilantro, dill, sage, lavender, bay, marjoram, thyme, and more.  Don’t limit yourself!  Herbs are fun and easy to grow, and they don’t require a lot of space in the garden.  Whether you’re an established cook or gardener, homegrown herbs are a wonderful addition to any kitchen garden.

If you’re one of the many Americans who will be cultivating a vegetable garden this year, one of the first decisions you’ll have to make is whether to grow your plants from seed or purchase transplants from a nursery.  In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons to both methods, and we’ll provide a basic how to guide for starting your own plants from seed.

There are two primary deciding factors in whether to start plants from seed.  The first is time.  Starting seeds certainly requires a larger investment in time and effort than purchasing transplants.  However, the knowledge that you have grown the plants yourself from their very inception is also quite rewarding.  The other primary consideration is cost.  Seeds are far more economical to purchase than young plants.  A packet of 50 or more seeds might cost you a few dollars.  Transplants, on the other hand, will cost you that same amount per plant.  In short, if you have the time and the inclination, growing your own plants from seed is a very rewarding and economical way to start a vegetable garden.

Most gardening experts will agree that the best method of starting seeds is in a greenhouse.  Greenhouses provide optimal conditions for germination and growing: long warm days and ample sunlight during times of year when it is still to cold to even consider planting outside.   Many hobby greenhouses also feature auto venting systems that help regulate the inside temperature.

If you’re not ready to invest in a large outdoor greenhouse, consider a smaller portable unit that can sit on a deck or patio.  There are also small indoor greenhouses available that occupy no more space than a shelf or tabletop, and these are ideal for the urban gardener who is limited on space.

It is possible, though sometimes more challenging, to start seeds indoors without the aid of a greenhouse.  A large sunny window facing south is ideal.  If you don’t have such a location, consider purchasing fluorescent light fixtures with full spectrum grow lights.  These can be suspended a few inches over young plants and set on timers to provide the necessary 14 hours of light per day.  Ideally, the daytime temperature should be approximately 75 degrees Fahrenheit and the nighttime temperature around 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.  If plants are in warmer temperatures all day and night, they will grow tall and soft, rather than the stock, robust transplants that are hardier for setting outdoors.

Seedlings also need plenty of moisture for germination and early growth.  Planting in a mixture that contains plenty of peat moss will aid in moisture retention.  In the early stages, before seeds have germinated, fill a spray bottle with water and use this to keep the soil moist.  This will prevent overwatering, which can cause seeds to dislodge and wash away.

The last important step in growing your own plants from seed is hardening off before transplanting outdoors.  Hardening off refers to the process of preparing plants for the rigors of growing outdoors.  Some gardeners harden off their seedlings by placing them outdoors on a deck or patio during favorable weather conditions for a week or so before transplanting is to occur.  Other methods of hardening off include lowering the temperature where the plants are located, watering only when plants show signs of wilting, and placing a fan nearby to blow a gentle breeze on the seedlings.

By following these tips, along with a good dose of patience, any gardener can successfully start their own vegetable plants from seed.  The process may be time consuming, but it is also very satisfying, and you’ll be rewarded with dozens of young plants at a fraction of the cost of purchasing them from a nursery or garden center.