Fresh herbs all year round - no problem with a herb bed. We show what you should consider when creating your herb bed.
Many herbs can be wonderfully cultivated not only in pots, but also in the garden bed. In order for the herbs to thrive, you should consider a few aspects when planning the herb bed. Overwintering some species also poses a special challenge. We will explain what you need to consider when selecting, arranging, cultivating and caring for herbs in the garden bed.
First you should think about which herbs you want to grow. After all, every herb has different demands on the soil and the lighting conditions, which should be taken into account when planning the herb bed.
Location and location for the perfect herb bed
Herbs from the south, such as rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) or Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), usually prefer a sunny, rather dry location. Many local herbs, including mint (Mentha) and chives (Allium schoenoprasum), on the other hand, prefer a shady or semi-shady place. Therefore, they can also be planted under a tree or in places that are not suitable for Mediterranean herbs. Even if many native herbs are adapted to the cooler weather conditions here, the herb bed should be sheltered from the wind. A free space next to the house, for example, is a good idea, but in snowy locations the herb bed should be out of the reach of roof avalanches so that the perennial herbs are not damaged.
Preparing the ground for a herb bed
After selecting the right location, the soil is prepared. It is best to dig up the bed in late autumn and remove the weeds. The ground can then rest during the winter months. You can also take advantage of frost, which "blows up" larger clods of earth into small crumbs over the winter. This saves you having to chop it up in the spring. Prefer many herbswell-drained, poor soils. Loamy and heavily compacted soils should therefore be enriched with sand. On the other hand, if the soil is very sandy and permeable, it can be improved with high-quality gardening soil. In addition, special herb soils are commercially available, which can be used primarily for planting in pots or boxes, but can also be used to enrich the garden soil. The incorporation of organic materials, such as compost, can also improve the soil structure and promote soil life.
Selection for the herb bed
The selection of herbs should primarily depend on their use. There is a large selection of kitchen and tea herbs. Some plants are also very decorative or smell particularly good. The wide range of exotic herbs does not necessarily make the selection any easier.
Which herbs are suitable for a herb bed?
There are a variety of herbs that are suitable for planting in the garden bed. A basic distinction is made between annual and perennial herbs. Most of our herbs are perennial and even survive not too cold winters outside. They will sprout again next spring. Well-known representatives of perennial herbs are thyme, oregano (Origanum vulgare), sage (Salvia officinalis), chives, fennel (Foeniculum vulgare ), mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) and savory (Satureja hortensis ).
Annual herbs, on the other hand, only flower for one summer and die off after seed formation. That is why they have to be sown anew every year. However, some species are only short-lived here due to the lack of winter hardiness. Annual herbs include, for example, dill (Anethum graveolens), chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), borage (Borago officinalis ) and nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus). Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) and chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) are biennial, which means they only flower in the second year and then die off if you keep them hasn't harvested already.
Another selection criterion can be the sensitivity to frost. Some Mediterranean herbs are not hardy here. Basil, lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora), rosemary and laurel (Laurus nobilis) should be overwintered indoors and are therefore only suitable for the herb bed to a limited extent.
Tip: You can find an overview of local wild herbs in our special article.
Which herbs go well together?
From a work point of view, it can make sense to plant annuals and perennials separately. However, it is much more important to pay attention to whether the neighboring cultivation of herbs is possible due to growth-inhibiting intolerances and the increased susceptibility to diseases. The most tolerable type of annual herb is probably basil. Among the perennial herbs, for example, savory, oregano and sage go very well together.
The site conditions also give an indication of which herbs go well together. Savory, rosemary , basil, lavender (Lavendula angustifolia), oregano, sage or thyme, for example, prefer sunny locations and poor soils due to their Mediterranean roots without waterlogging. Herbs such as watercress (Nasturtium officinale), dill, parsley, chives, lovage (Levisticum officinale), peppermint (Menthax piperita) and chamomile are not permanently dependent on sunshine. In contrast to the Mediterranean herbs, they also prefer humus-rich, nutrient-rich and slightly moist soil.
More details on the question “Which herbs go well together?” can be found here in our special article.
What do you have to consider when buying herbs?
Many garden centers offer a large selection of different herbs, especially in spring. If you don't have any experience in growing herbs, you can also get very good advice there. If you want a quick harvest, you should buy young plants. Growing herbs from seeds is also possible, but takes a little more time and work.
Make sure you only buy he althy and vigorous plants with as many branches as possible. In addition, the pots should already be well rooted. Leaves should be a fresh green color and free from fungus and pests.
Planting a herb bed: Instructions
After the subsoil has been loosened up with a suitable substrate, you can start planting in the herb bed from mid-May. The pots of young herbs are often already heavily rooted, so they should be used as soon as possible after purchase. Dig a hole of sufficient depth with a hand shovel. The base of the plant should be up after wateringground level. Remove the plant from the pot and, if necessary, loosen the root ball with your fingers. The plant can then be placed in the hole and filled with loose soil. Gently press down the soil and provide the plant with sufficient water.
The best way to proceed when planting herbs:
- Dig planting hole
- Remove the plant from the pot and loosen the root ball
- Insert and fill with soil
- Press gently
- Water sufficiently
Suggestions for arranging a herb bed
There are different ways to arrange the herbs in a bed. Geometric beds, for example, are relatively easy to care for. The herbs can be placed in groups and surrounded by low hedges of bushy herbs such as lavender or fences. Arranging the herbs neatly and perhaps even labeling them will make it easier to find each species. Good accessibility through cleverly laid out paths also makes it easier to care for and harvest the herbs.
However, when arranging them, note that not every herb grows well in every location. Tall plants (fennel, mugwort, wormwood) should be placed in the middle or in the background. Drought-loving herbs (thyme, rosemary, savory) can be planted at the edge. Rampant plants (mint, lemon balm) should be planted in separate areas or provided with a root barrier. Of course, you can also dedicate your herb bed to a theme. How about, for example, a fragrant aroma garden, a culinary kitchen herb bed or a colorful tea herb garden.
Maintain herb bed
Most herbs are relatively easy to care for. As in the vegetable patch, the weeds should be weeded regularly. If it is hot, you should also water it. A mulch layer of grass clippings can reduce evaporation. In addition, the soil should be loosened up a little from time to time. For plants that like warmth, such as lavender, thyme or savory, a layer of gravel or grit (about 2 cm high) can also be applied.
You can work some compost into the soil in spring to ensure that your herbs are adequately supplied with nutrients. ARegular pruning of the herbs also ensures dense growth and the reproduction of young, tender leaves. Fortunately, herbs rarely get sick and attract relatively few insect pests. Be careful not to use chemical pesticides if the leaves are going to be eaten soon. It is best to remove affected shoots with pruning shears. When fertilizing, rely primarily on organic long-term fertilizers such as our Plantura organic universal fertilizer.
Winter herb bed
Perennial herbs need special measures so that they survive the winter undamaged and can sprout again in the spring. Overwintering native herbs is usually unproblematic, whereas Mediterranean herbs have somewhat higher requirements.
Before the first snowfall, you should loosen the soil well, if necessary, you can also work in some compost. In addition, the herbs should be cut back and covered with pine greens. Herbs that are sensitive to cold, such as lemon verbena, can be covered with straw or garden fleece. Herbs that grow in pots are brought indoors. They can be overwintered in a bright place at about 5 °C on the windowsill or in the stairwell. However, darker, cool rooms offer the advantage that the herbs shed their leaves by themselves and thus the risk of rot is reduced. Don't forget to water the potted plants from time to time to keep the herbs from drying out.
Summary: create a herb bed
- First select and arrange herbs according to site requirements
- Buy young plants or seeds depending on the time available
- Dig up the bed in autumn and improve it with sand and garden soil
- Care for the bed after planting: weed, mulch and water
- Prune herbs before winter and cover with pine greens; overwinter non-hardy species indoors
Alternatives to the herb bed
In addition to the classic herb bed in the garden, there are also various other options for growing herbs. We will introduce you to some of them.
Herb raised bed, herb spiral and herb snail
If you prefer raised beds, you can also grow a wide variety of herbs in them. The optimal location of the raised bed depends on the requirements of the herbs that are planted in it. Mediterranean herbsneed a sunny spot, while other herbs do well in partial shade. Since most species do not have very deep roots, a height of around 50 cm is usually sufficient for a raised bed of herbs. Here we explain how to properly plant a raised herb bed.
The herb spiral, also known as the herb snail, is a modern, space-saving form of herb garden. For this purpose, a more or less large mound of earth is laid out in a spiral or snail shape. The hilly shape offers different habitats for the plants. Moisture-loving herbs such as mint, parsley or chives find a good place at the bottom. Thyme or Thymus (Thymus pulegioides) feel very comfortable at the top of the spiral. You can plant mint, cress and chives on the shady north side and Mediterranean herbs such as sage, rosemary and lavender thrive on the sunny south side. Here we show how you can easily create your own herb snail in the garden in just ten minutes.
Cultivation of herbs in pots for balconies, terraces and windowsills
If you don't want to do without fresh, aromatic herbs in the kitchen in winter, you can also plant herbs in pots. Chives and parsley, for example, are wonderful for cultivation on the windowsill. A layer of gravel or shards of pottery under the substrate ensures that the irrigation water in the pot can drain off well and that there is no waterlogging.
If you have enough space, you can also cultivate herbs in tubs or flower boxes. It should be determined beforehand whether the orientation of the balcony or terrace corresponds to the location requirements of the plants. The use of a suitable substrate and the size of the planters are at least as important for the success of the cultivation. Dill and lovage, for example, have very deep roots and need a correspondingly high container. Particularly deep-rooted plants or plants with a pronounced root system, such as tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) or wormwood, are not suitable for growing on the balcony or terrace.
You can find more tips for planting herbs on the windowsill, on the balcony and in the bed here.
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