Create a herb snail in 10 minutes: Tips

A herb snail looks good and offers optimal conditions for various herbs. We show how to properly build and apply a herb spiral.

Like its big brother, the raised bed, the herb spiral has been one of the garden trends of recent years. The "normal" herb garden has been a must in every home garden for hundreds of years, after all it supplies the kitchen with aromatic spices. The herb spiral makes it even easier to plant delicious herbs in your own garden: its height makes working easier on the back and at the same time offers space for many different herbs with different location requirements. Here you can find out how easy it is to build such a herb spiral.

Grow a true variety of spices in the smallest of spaces? This only works with the herb snail. The small spiral has long since found its way into many gardens and makes work in the herb bed easier. The herb snail is as versatile as the herbs that live in it. Whether made of stones, metal or concrete - there are thousands of variations for a herb spiral, which not only shines with great plants, but also with their appearance. We also recommend kits made of plastic, because they can be assembled quickly and easily even by amateurs.

Materials for a Herb Snail

Building a herb snail is child's play and you don't need much to do it. Basically all you need is:

• Kit for a herb spiral (plastic)
• Basic raised bed filling
• Herbal Soil
• Various Herbs

Build the basic structure of the herb snail

Before you set up the herb spiral, you must first find the right place. Since most herbs are real sun worshipers and love warmth and light, a location in full sun is recommended. The snail should open to the south. This is the only way to guarantee that all herbs get a suitable climate zone.

Once the right place has been found, the herb snail can be set up. Thanks to the modular system made of plasticLuckily, this job is child's play: first unroll the plastic and shape it into a snail shape. You will find pre-drilled holes in the front section of the herb spiral and at the very end. Align the herb spiral so that the holes are on top of each other and fix the whole thing with screws and nuts. It is important that the herb snail does not have a sharp angle at the end, but a curvature - so twist the end in such a way that the outside is attached to the outside.

Building up the herb spiral:

1. Set up the herb spiral in full sun
2. Helix should open to the south
3. Roll out the kit and screw in the rear end a little
4. Connect the spiral to itself with screws in the pre-drilled holes

Fill the herb snail: how and with what?

To ensure that the herbs are supplied according to their needs, the herb spiral should not be filled with just any soil. Instead, it's good practice to use two different layers of soil. First, fill the spiral with a layer of basic raised bed filling about 50 cm high (the height may drop slightly towards the end). The special mix of bark mulch and wood chips ensures that drainage is improved and there is no waterlogging in the bed. The rest of the spiral is now filled with herbal soil, which offers perfect conditions for the new plants. In this way, the nutrient content and pH value are tailored to the young herbs, which makes it easier for the plants to start a new life.

Summary of filling the herb spiral:

1. Fill the soil in two layers
2. 50 cm raised bed base filling for good drainage
3. Fill up the rest with herbal soil

Create herb snail: planting plan

Finally we can plant - but which plant goes where? In fact, there is a very clear order in the herbal spiral that ensures optimal growth. The herbal spiral can be roughly divided into three climate zones: There is an upper, a middle and a lower area. In the upper areanot only is it the sunniest and warmest, but the risk of waterlogging is also lowest. Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), thyme (Thymus) and oregano (Origanum vulgare) are particularly happy about this ). In the middle area, on the other hand, it is neither particularly dry nor particularly humid, which is why basil (Ocimum basilicum) and sage (Salvia) feel very comfortable here. The water from the two upper areas flows down through the spiral shape, so that it is the wettest here. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), but also chives (Allium schoenoprasum), peppermint (Mentha) are particularly happy about this place x piperita) and our parsley (Petroselinum crispum).

Summary of planting herb snails:

1. A herb spiral can be divided into different climate zones
2. Mediterranean herbs grow best above
3. Basil and sage feel good in the middle area
4. Herbs grow at the bottom that need a little more water

Tip: Another way to grow herbs is with a pallet herb bed.

Benefits of Herb Snails

If you think of the advantages of a herbal spiral, the first thing that comes to mind is the back-friendly work. Above all, the upper area with the Mediterranean herbs allows you to garden standing up. But the herb spiral has even more advantages: thanks to the special shape of the snail, significantly more herbs can be grown in a smaller space - perfect for small gardens. In addition, there are different wet zones for the different herbs, since the water runs off better through the slope. The tip of the herb spiral is dry and offers space for plants that are sensitive to moisture, while the lower areas are suitable for herbs that tolerate a little more moisture.

The last two advantages also lie in the diversity of the herb snails. In this way, the plants can protect each other from annoying pests: thyme and rosemary deter slugs with their scent, while sage helps against aphids and marjoram repels ants. But while pests flee, the herb spiral is a real paradise for bees. The flowers ofaromatic herbs attract bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects and help them find new food.

Benefits of a Herb Snail:

1. Back-friendly work (in part)
2. More herbs in a small space
3. Different humidity zones
4. Pests are deterred
5. Attracting beneficial insects

Here you can find out how to create a classic herb bed.

There is a general guide to planting herbs in our special article.