How To Choose Effective Herb Garden Kits

STOP! Read this before you go out and buy that new and expensive greenhouse as a start to your herb growing activities.

Obtaining herb gardening equipment is the first step to growing herbs successfully.  Many questions arise from new projects; examining herb garden kits from your local nurseryman will fill in the blanks arising from questions you may have on the subject of growing herbs.

Initial equipment recommendations:

A set of good miniature garden tools.
A miniature garden tool set is very useful, as you will be working with small seedlings and do not wish to damage them with large utensils. Also good for making seed drills, pricking out and gently raking soil over newly planted seeds. Small and compact is indeed a good general specification for any herb garden kits or accessories you should be buying – great for small spaces or apartments.

Some sort of dome/humidifier for seedlings.
I made the mistake of using a Salton hot tray dome as a sort of arboretum. It was working great until my wife found out. (Yes, the experiment was worth the bruises) You can easily make one with with heavy clear plastic over a metal frame. There are some very good commercial models with a heated tray, but they are a bit expensive for start ups. Whichever route you choose for obtaining a dome, you will find it a very useful tool for propagating in winter and planting out in Spring. Just be careful of your timing.

A variety of seeds.
Make sure that your nurseryman's recommendations for localised herb garden kits contain a good variety of herb seeds. This will give you the option of experimenting to discover which herbs thrive in your own garden environment.

A hand held misting pump.
these are a useful addition to herb garden kits inasmuch as they help you to maintain moisture without creating a swamp.

A shallow tray - dimensions 36 ins. by 12 ins. (910 X 300mm)
Plastic or metal. Invaluable for controlled sowing. Put a drip feeder in for a few minutes daily for gentle effective watering.

A herb growing kit which may include all or some of the above.

Becoming knowledgeable about herbs and being able to grow any kind of herb in your garden brings a great sense of achievement. Unfortunately, it is only in the dictionary that success comes before work and a good way to learn is through herb garden kits where the learning curve is short circuited and you are left with the enjoyment of the herbs.  Once you get to know the herbs you are growing a little bit more, you will discover your favourites and concentrate on these herbs. At this stage you are well on your way to becoming an expert on herbs and will probably go back to your nurseryman with a more specific shopping list.

So don’t sweat it, buy a small compact kit with the basics and work up from there.