What Are The Benefits Of Making Herb Gardens Outdoors?

There are lots of benefits to having herb gardens. They can create a wonderful aroma when all the different smells mix together and catch your nose as you walk past; they give you an instant and ongoing source of fresh herbs to use whenever you need them; and they are also relatively easy to grow. But if herb gardens are your cup of tea, you will need to decide whether you want one indoors or outdoors. Indoor ones are good, but if you have a reasonable size garden then having herb gardens outdoors can be your best choice.

When do You Begin?

The best place to start is by having a look round to see where herb gardens could be created. If space is short, why not have more than one and make each individual one smaller? You can even use window boxes to grow herb gardens right outside your kitchen window. This is ideal and has the advantage of not only being close to the place where you do all your cooking, but it gives you a wonderful aroma every time you open your kitchen window too.

You can create herb gardens in regular flower beds, but you should be aware that some herbs can spread further than others, and are more aggressive as a result. For example, mint is particularly invasive and should always be planted away from any other plants which it could end up taking over. For this reason, if you want to put it in a bed, make sure you plant it inside a pot and sink the pot into the ground first. This will prevent it from strangling other plants and keep it contained within its own small area.

Choosing Your Herbs

There are a wide variety of choices when it comes to deciding what your herb gardens are going to contain. Do some research to see which herbs you tend to like and which ones are the most versatile as well.

Parsley is always a good staple item to have in herb gardens, as are chives and mint. While all herbs tend to be much the same shade of green, they all have their own shape so it's good to choose a mixture that looks good when they grow together as well. Chives are tall and straight so they are good to position right at the back. With practice you will be able to grow herb gardens that look as well as taste fantastic.

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Garden Outdoor Q&A

Re: starting an outdoor kitchen herb garden in one container. How big of a pot would I need?

I 'd like to plant about 5-6 different herbs. And what about depth of the pot? By the way, I live in Michigan (zone 5).

At least a 24 inch pot. Not only do the herbs need to spread their roots, but anything smaller will dry out so fast. You'll be watering 3 times a day.

This is about herb pots: http://www.ehow.com/how_2253456_plant-bbq-garden.html

Does anyone have experience of keeping deer out of the garden by playing a radio, or using special reflectors?

We are infested with deer and can't fence. I want to decide whether to buy an outdoor radio specially to deter the deer. I have been told that some highways use reflectors successfully to keep deer off roads at night. Any other suggestions welcome: we are desperate!

This sounds wierd, but I swear it works. Deer will stay away if they smell a predator. So the dog hair idea is good, but most people groom their dogs, so this is less effective. Wolf Urine-- very smelly and lasts a long time. Some hunting stores carry sanitized packs of it. Or get it free if you have a local zoo with wolves. Call your DNR if you don't believe me. This will also drive away rabbits, squirrals, etc.