The days are getting warmer and here in Northern California spring has finally arrived. We are following the stay at home guidelines during the pandemic so the only trips away from home have been limited to grocery shopping once a week.
I was lucky to spy seed packets at the grocery store last week and tossed some in my cart.
A bad case of Spring fever along with gorgeous sunny weather; it’s the perfect time to head outside and get your hands dirty. This year is the perfect opportunity to give growing your favorite herbs from seed a try. One good thing about having to stay at home is having plenty of time to keep an eye on them to make sure they get off to a good start.
You don’t need a lot of space to grow an herb garden, a small clay pot will suffice. Pick a sunny location that is easy to get to so you can water containers regularly. Seedlings will need regular watering to get their roots going.
If you don’t have an outdoor space or if it’s still too cold outside to start seeds, you can easily grow herbs on a sunny windowsill inside. I have a collection of cuttings and plants in my kitchen window. Having them right by the kitchen sink makes it so easy to keep an eye on them and give them a drink of water.
If you are lucky enough to have an outdoor space, pick a sunny spot for your herb garden. Any spot close to your kitchen is ideal. It makes it convenient to snip a few fresh herb cuttings for a recipe.
Don’t spend a lot of money on fancy pots. Instead get creative and consider using items you already have on hand. I came across this rusty, crusty bucket in our shed. We used it to hold hot ashes from our old wood burning stove.
Drill a few holes in the bottom of a container for drainage.
Fill container with soil and plant seeds. Water in well and wait for the sun to work its magic. In several days you will have seedlings and be well on your way to a lovely little herb garden.
Basil – Day 5 
Basil – Day 8
The beauty of container gardening is being able to use unique planters that you can place anywhere and easily move around your yard.
Get creative with your containers! I love using clay pots for container gardening. They are inexpensive and look lovely with their soft terra cotta color and simple clean lines. But who says you have to use basic clay pots?
Instead of placing containers randomly around your yard, group containers together to create a vignette. Varying the heights of the containers is more visually appealing than a grouping of containers that are all the same size and height. Mix herbs with other perennials or annuals for a more interesting and pleasing display.
The same principles for creating vignettes inside your home can be applied to creating vignettes in your garden.
- The rule of three, or use an odd number of items
- Vary the height of items
- Stick to a cohesive color pallet
Adding an unexpected whimsical item to a garden vignette makes it fun and much more interesting.
So dig through your garage, the garden shed, go through some of your kids old toys, look at items with a different eye, and think about how you might be able to use them as decorative accents in your garden.
Watering cans make lovely planters.
Whether you use clay pots or get a little more creative, get yourself outside in the garden and get some dirt under your fingernails.
Herbs are some of the very easiest plants to start from seed and you will enjoy them for months to come as you take snippets for cooking. Nothing enhances the flavor of foods like fresh herbs.
Can’t find seeds or plants you love. May I recommend my favorite nursery, Green Acres? If you are lucky enough to live in the greater Sacramento, California area you really should check them out! A gardeners paradise!
I hope I inspired you to get outside and get planting!
Do you dig?
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