Growing herbs in your own garden

The garden exhibit at the Zoo features a variety of different plants. The horticulture staff is in the garden all day long to discuss gardening with exhibit visitors.  For those interested in gardening, we recommend coming at 11:00 A.M. when the daily garden talks are held. Just last weekend the gardeners gave a special presentation on herbs and herb preservation.  follow this link for specific topics and dates: http://bit.ly/n9bNin  In addition to the help provided by gardeners at these sessions, here are some helpful hints for starting your own outdoor herb garden:

Although, exact requirements vary by plant, go to this link to find some general guidelines about herb gardens: http://www.herbgardeningguru.com/

Step 1: Select the herbs for your garden:

Different herbs require different amounts of sunlight for optimal growth. For example, unlike most herbs that grow best in the sunlight, angelica, woodruff, and cicely grow best when partially shaded from the sun.

Step 2: Make a plan for your garden:

Once you have determined which herbs to grow and how many you wish to grow, you can start to plan out the space of the garden. Before you actually start to plant your herbs, map the garden out on paper. To have a garden with a good variety of herbs, make sure the garden is in a location that receives at least six hours of sunlight each day. Group the herbs that grow best in the shade together in a shady region of the garden plot.

Step 3: Plant the herbs in adequate soil:

Herbs need to have soil that drains well. Improve the drainage in the garden by using organic matter, such as compost. The soil should have a neutral pH level.

Step 4: Apply proper amounts of fertilizer:

Apply fertilizer to the soil, but not too much. If excess fertilizer is used, the herbs will show more growth. However, the excess fertilizer will make the herbs less flavorful.

Step 5: Prepare the garden bed:

To prepare the garden bed, dig into the soil and add organic matter at all levels so that it can reach the roots of the plants. Get rid of any stones are large clumps that you may find in the soil. Finish off by leveling off the soil with a rake.

Try it out and let us know how it goes!