
Image by Cathy Stanley-Erickson, Flickr
Having a herb garden is a great way to ensure you have the freshest ingredients ready to use whenever you need. They also look great, give off wonderful, fresh fragrances, and are easy to maintain — perfect for even the most inexperienced of gardeners.
The main concern when deciding to grow your own herb garden, especially as a novice, is knowing when is the best time to sow. These change depending on the plant; making a chart of the herbs and their seasons is a good way to keep track.
But since there are so many, we’ve decided to narrow it down to the ten most common herbs used in cooking. Click to view a larger image.
Note
Basil is best planted in September. October - December is the best time to transplant seedlings.
Mint is best planted in August and September. Seedlings are best transplanted during October and November.
Thyme is best planted in August. October and November are the best time to transplant seedlings.
Watch out for some of the most
common mistakes beginners make when planting their first herb garden. You'd want to start simple, taking care to know exactly the kind of care each different herb requires. This will usually be written on the labels on seed packets, and with seedlings.

Image by Quinn Dombrowski - quinnanya, Flickr
Experienced gardeners would recommend starting with basil, as it is one of the easiest to plant and maintain. It is immediately obvious if you're not watering enough, by the way it wilts, but it will quickly bounce back once you do water it. You can also root basil, by cutting a sprig and soaking the stem in water until roots grow, and growing from the cutting rather than seeds.
Once you get the hang of basil, you can move onto other, more temperamental herbs.
Do you have your own herb garden? Have any tips for people looking to start their own? Share them with us today!
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