Beginner Herb Gardening Made EASY
Learn the biggest mistakes beginners make with basil, mint, parsley, and container herbs -- plus the simple fixes that actually work.
Hello!
If you've ever bought basil, parsley, or mint only to watch it slowly die on your windowsill.. you're not alone. Most beginner herb problems actually come down to a few simple mistakes that are easy to fix once you know what to look for.
5 reasons your herbs keep dying in pots..
1. Your Soil Is Too Dense
Roots need room to grow and if the wrong soil is used.. say "garden soil" as oppose to "potting soil", your plants are going to struggle. Roots need airflow and they won't get that with soggy soil. And don't think about using topsoil either. A good reliable potting mix is from Happy Frog. Never ever go cheapo on your soil. Rule numero 1 in gardening.
2. You're Overwatering
I've done this more times than I can count when I first started gardening. Super simple solution, take your finger and insert it into the soil about an inch in, it doesn't have to be wet but as long as it's moist to the touch, you're fine to leave it another day without water.
BUT, if you're really unsure, I also got this cool water probe that helped me out in the beginning when I lost my brain cells and couldn't decide if it was actually moist or not.
3. Your Herbs Need More Sun Than You Think
Herbs generally need MINIMUM 4 hours of sun. If you can make it to 6 hours, that's solid. If you're putting them near a window make sure its bright and direct.
A few signs to notice when they're not getting enough sun is they'll start to lean more towards one side. They're basically telling you to give them more sun and you should do so. If it's impossible to do so, turn the pot every other day to center it out.
4. Your Pots Don't Have Drainage
Listen, I don't know who is out there selling planters with no drainage hole at the bottom. That seems like a set up for straight failure. Just kidding I defenetly know, ahem.. Home Goods! Not all of them but some.
Anyways, if your plant can't drain out the excess water your giving them, they will evidently.. drown and die. No really.. kinda. Their roots will rot and won't be able to intake nutrients and water properly.
Just make sure your pot has a drainage hole. Always.
5. Store Bought Herbs Need Repotting FAST.
I cannot stress this enough, please don't leave them in the same pot you bought your plant in. It will 9/10 die. If you look at the root ball, they're usually crowded and in a cry for help. Repot them with "Potting mix" and a size pot bigger than what you got it in.
Not to mention most store bought herb pots come with more than one stem aka more than one plant in the pot. So if you're feeling confident, separate the stems and pot them each in their own pots. Now, you have plants that won't compete for light or nutrients or space. They will be happy now that they will have wiggle room to grow to their full potential in their new pot.
Healthy Herbs Start With Healthy Soil
Learn how I use worm composting to create healthier container gardens.
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