Fresh herbs from your own pot are simply wonderful for salads, pesto or sauces. Spring and summer cooking in particular is a real sensory rush, in which the aromas of basil, thyme and co. play an important role. If you grow your own herbs, you always know what you are putting in your food - you can't get more organic than that. The great thing is that, apart from the sunless winter months, you can grow your own herbs all year round. 6 steps to your own herb garden.
Read also: Herbal cures - nature can be so effective
Planting herbs: Filling a container for the herbs
First of all, you need a planter or planting tray with potting compost. This is usually low in nutrients. Fill the soil evenly.
Sowing herb seeds
Spread the herb seeds evenly over the soil, leaving enough space between them (important for growth). Then cover the seeds thinly with soil, press them down evenly and moisten the soil with water.
Cover the planting tray
Now cover the planting container with a hood and place it in a warm place (approx. 20 degrees) - the seeds need this temperature to germinate. Make sure that the soil is slightly moist and does not dry out.
Hooray - the first seedlings
Depending on the variety, it takes around 14 days for the first seedlings to appear. Now the planter needs to be moved to a bright location. But be careful: do not expose the tender seedlings to direct sunlight! The cover still serves its purpose.
Now it's time to repot
If you kept the distance well at the beginning and want the herbs to continue growing in the previous container, then you don't need to do anything. Otherwise, remove individual plants as soon as they have green leaves and repot them. Please keep the soil moist.
Caring for herbs properly
You can now fertilize your herbs regularly with herb fertilizer, for example. Make sure you use it correctly according to the instructions on the packaging. Important: Whether, how much and which fertilizer you use depends largely on which herbs you have planted, whether they remain in a pot on the balcony or are planted in the garden. As a general rule, herbs like slightly moist soil, so don't let them dry out and don't drown them with water.
Recipes with herbs
Herb roast
Herb prawns
Olive and herb sticks
Marinated oven-baked salmon with herb vinaigrette
Vegetable pancakes with herb quark
Bread with herb butter
Date: 05.05.2020
Author: Tanja Seiffert