Tree Stump Home Herb Garden.

As we always say, you don’t need a garden to have a home herb garden. There are loads of items you can simply collect, bash around a little and create a perfect container for herbs to flourish in.

Like these cut tree stumps.

Simply draw a rough pencil line around the edge – the width you’d like the holes to be. You can also make different shapes like cutting a square or a rectangle into the circular tree stump.

Now, get your drill out and start drilling holes! You could also use a chisel and a wooden mallet – this takes way longer – but it’s very therapeutic as you sit there bashing away. A nice project for an upcoming holiday, perhaps.

Dig the holes quite deep so you can put enough potting soil into them. Remember, the water will seep out, but very slowly, so be mindful not to over water your tree stump herb pots. Otherwise you may need to drill a hole from the bottom so the water can run out more freely. (Herbs should always be watered lightly every 2 to 4 days).

Try and get stumps of various thicknesses and heights so you can create really interesting looking home herb garden pots that stand next to one another but are at various levels. You could even get stumps from different species of trees from your local tree feller to make the herb pots more interesting.

Then The Mustard Seeds Came.

Then there were seeds. Loads and loads of mustard seeds. From seeds to seeds we watched them grow. Our first mustard plant in our home herb garden.

The pods started turning green and then dried out. We were advised to break the pods open before they started opening by themselves. So we freed the seeds after the pods had turned brown after a few days – and there they were. Some were still green. Most were a beautiful mustard yellow.

Now we dry them out and crush them to make a fine garden-made mustard powder.

Our New Mustard Plant Pods.

So exciting! Our first mustard plant in our home herb garden is seeding. Never experienced this before. Watched it from the beginning. Planted the tiny seeds and it grew to creating beautiful yellow sphere flowers.

Then small pointy-ended pods starting sprouting directly off the stems. Little bumps starting forming inside the pods inside these and this is where, guessing from our side, the mustard seeds are being produced. Three different types of seeds can be produced – black, brown or white mustard seeds. All are bitter and only reveal their true flavour when they are crushed.

The small yellow blooms contain a mild, delicious mustardy flavour. These can be picked and sprinkled onto sandwiches or tossed into salads. (Young green leaves can also be added to salads).

Will keep you posted on when we open the mustard pods, which need to be picked before they open in late summer.

Basil on the Window Sill.

If you’ve ever planted Basil in your herb garden you’ll know by now, sadly, Basil withers and dies out Home herb gardens - basilvery quickly when the weather turns a little on the cold side. But, that shouldn’t stop you from growing one of the best herbs around.

During the winter months you should bring a Basil plant indoors – preferably on your window sill, right in the kitchen. In a pot, of course. Where you can quickly snip off a few leaves while cooking.

Great for pasta. Or tear them up and drop into your home garden fresh salads.

Bug Off Herbs.

Basil

Bugs running riot in your home herb garden? Leaving bite holes in the Basil and other herbs?

Don’t let the little critters get to you this time.

Make a quick homemade bug off mixture of 1 cup vinegar, 5lt water and a small squirt of Sunlight Lemon Scented Dishwashing Liquid. Pour this into a little squirt jar and spray this over all your herbs.

You could also give your home herb garden this treatment once a month – even if there aren’t any bugs in sight.

Over-watering Home Herb Gardens.

Home Herb Gardens RainToo much water is not good for home herb gardens. Nor is the cold. And as we go into winter we’re experiencing both at the moment. Herbs start wilting and the plant leaves begin to go yellow as the water levels increase.

An overload of water creates sloshy mud and the herb root system literally starts drowning – that’s why it is crucial that when you start planning and digging your home herb garden, make sure you have a good drainage system for your herbs’ roots.

Basil’s Comeback.

Home Herb Gardens - Basil in gardenAnd just like that the home herb garden can hardly contain the amount of basil as the herb plant sprouts it leaves and branches in and around all the other herbs.

A fair sprinkling of fertiliser and natural waters from the heavens – nothing gets a home herb garden growing quite like a good splattering of natural water from above. Basil is back!

Oregano Herbs Growing Crazy.

Herb Gardens - Oregano HerbOregano looking Lush in the Herb Garden.

Herb’s alive! Can’t actually believe how well the oregano is growing all of a sudden. It’s running wild in the garden. Rampant. Haven’t added any herb plant energy treats or root system boosters – just the usual good ol’ fashioned water twice a week and lots of loving for the herbs. Oregano leaves are looking healthy, green and sprightly. The stalks are trying to reach above and outdo one another. Now that’s exactly how oregano should be growing in a herb garden.

Snip Herb Blossoms.

Home Herb Garden - Snipped Herb FlowersOff You Go Herb Blossoms.

Yes, you almost feel guilty taking a pair of scissors to those beautiful, delicate little herb blossoms. But don’t. They don’t belong on the herb garden. Especially if your main purpose for having a herb garden is to cultivate strong, healthy herbs. Which it is.

The Reality About Herb Blossoms.

Herbs think their job is done once they have a strong root system and plenty of leaves. So, they get bored and want to produce something else – ’cause that’s what herbs do. Right, what’s the next thing on their production list? Flowers. Pretty little herb blossoms. But the plant wastes valuable energy making these flowers. By removing them, the herb goes back to manufacturing better, bigger and healthier herbs. Now that’s good for your home herb garden. But, before you throw them away, see what you can do with those snipped-off herb blossoms.

Herb Gardens Flowering.

Home Herb Garden - Thyme FloweringPretty Herb Flowers.

Herb gardens know exactly how to make you wait before their herbs flower and display a variety of attractive colours. They certainly don’t just simply share their delightful wares that easily. You’ve got to wait for it. Especially when planet earth’s weather pattern is slightly out of kilter and herb plants aren’t really sure if Spring has actually sprung. Or not.

Herbs Flower When Seasons Change.

Today’s seasons are all over the place. It’s rainy, then it’s hot. Then the weather is cold, then dry. Then the howling winds decide to roll in, then it’s boiling hot again. Then rain buckets down when we least expect it. A day can pass displaying all four seasons, confusing every herb plant in its wake.

Home Herb Garden - Sage FloweringSo we’ll be kind and forgive our little bundles of scented bloomers for being slightly confused about when to open their petals and reveal another one of their memorable sides.

Herbs Flower Quickly.

Always be aware, some herb plant flowering reveals are fleeting; so keep your eyes firmly peeled on your home herb garden.

Sadly, Herb Flowers Should Be Nipped In The Bud, Quickly.

Yes. Flowering herbs mean the herbs are spending energy on producing pretty flowers instead of spending energy on what they were made to produce – full-flavoured, great tasting herbs. So when the flowering starts, enjoy their beauty momentarily, get those garden gloves on, a pair of scissors in your hand and then snip, snip, snip… as a healthy herb garden shouldn’t have flowering herbs.

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