Grow Your Own Herbs

Grow your own herbs organically

Why grow your own herbs organically? I choose this method out of respect for the environment and because I want to work in harmony with nature. If garden soil is enriched regularly, with compost which has been recycled from the home and garden, food is provided for the plants without the need for chemical fertilisers.

Organically grown herbs attract a vast array of wildlife to the garden. These birds, bees, butterflies and other insects will ensure pollination and this in turn will increase your yield. You can then enjoy using your herbs in the knowledge that they are free from pesticides and high in nutrients. If you, as I do, choose to grow your own herbs to make remedies to treat common ailments then you will want to know that they are free of chemical pollutants.

Prepare your ground

If you have a large plot or are starting a new garden to grow your own herbs, you may want to consider a tiller or cultivator. These machines make light work of breaking ground, whether for new plots or for preparing an area for planting. They can even plough furrows for planting potatoes or onions and have numerous other uses around the garden. A Tiller can make gardening  easier and save you time!

When planning a new herb garden the first thing to look at is the soil. Pick some up and feel it! If you squeeze it and it stays in a clump you have a clay soil, if it is light and stony and contains pieces of chalk you have a chalk soil, if it is gritty you have a sandy soil and if it is rich and crumbly it is a loam – often considered the best soil for growing herbs. You can buy a testing kit from a garden centre to check the pH value, which will give you an idea of which herbs will grow well in your garden.


Decide which herbs to grow. Look at the amount of sunshine the bed will get. If it is in full sun you may wish to consider some of the Mediterranean herbs. They also like free draining soil so if yours is not, you will want to add grit when preparing the bed. If the bed is in partial shade, marigolds, chervil, coriander and dill are some of the herbs you can grow.

You may want to consider raised beds for growing your own herbs. This method allows you to choose your working height and prevents soil compaction as it eliminates the need for treading on the soil. Raised bed kits are available to buy or you can make your own from timber. If you choose to make your own be sure to choose untreated wood so that you do not have a problem with chemicals leaching out into your organic soil!


The next thing to do is prepare your herb bed. Start by digging out weeds, if you have them, making sure that you get out all the roots. I use a border fork and spade for this job as they are smaller and I tend to plant things close together to make the most of the space! If you do this early in Spring it is a good idea to cover the bed with black plastic sheeting to exclude light so that no weeds will grow and the soil will be warmed up before you are ready to plant.


When you are ready to plant, your next decision will be whether to grow herbs from seed or buy ready grown small plants to put into your bed. Growing from seed is easy and satisfying but needs space. If you don’t have a greenhouse or some sunny window ledges indoors then you may decide to put in small plants when all danger of frost has passed. Take care to ensure that the seed or plants are organic to maintain a truly organic herb garden.


Now that you are ready to grow your own herbs see the Kitchen Garden page for the next step.