Fresh Tips to Start a Thriving Outdoor Herb Garden

Summer is in full swing for gardeners across the country. Many of these gardeners are exploring outdoor gardening for the first time and aren’t sure where to get started. Picking plants can feel intimidating and overwhelming. Wandering the local garden store looking at seeds packets and trying to figure out what to grow takes hours. But gardening is supposed to help curb stress, not create it. The easy solution for anyone getting started or those who are unsure of their outdoor gardening abilities is to plant an herb garden.

Did you know that many herbs are considered weeds? Because of this, they’re one of the easiest plants to grow as you venture into the world of outdoor gardening. Growing a few herbs on your windowsill over the last year has been fun and exciting—we love fresh cilantro as much as anyone. But an indoor herb garden limits how much you can grow. This is why it’s time for all indoor growers to venture outside to start a killer outdoor herb garden with Cratejoy .

Benefits of Outdoor Herb Gardens

Yes, outdoor herb gardens are super cool and give you fresh herbs to use all of the time. But that’s not all they’re good for! Unlike your houseplants, outdoor herb gardens will get plenty of direct sunlight and give you a good excuse to spend some of your own time outside. Hours of sun for you and your new plants will nurture and grow your green thumb .

Many herb plants can also impact your whole garden setup! Plants like chamomile, coriander, and lavender have fragrant smells and blooming florals that will attract butterflies and bees, which will also help pollinate the other plants you have in your backyard. They can also deter the bugs that you don’t want. For example, lemon balm and lemongrass are natural mosquito repellents.

The most obvious benefit of herb gardening is that there are always homegrown herbs available to you. Once you’ve had fresh oregano in your pasta, you’ll never go back to dehydrated herbs. Don’t even get us started on fresh dill—and you’ll never have to buy the overpriced packs of it from the grocery store again. That’s the ultimate win/win of having your own herb garden.

Getting Started With Your Garden Setup

The first step for a successful outdoor herb garden is to find the brightest spot in your outdoor area. Once you’ve found that perfectly sunny spot, it’s time to get your garden setup together.

Because many herbs are weeds (and tend to grow like it), it’s best to plant them in a container garden, raised beds, or even outdoor pots with drainage holes. If you decide to plant your herbs along your fence line or in your yard, be prepared to smell chives every time you mow your lawn.

After you’ve ordered your garden bed or built one DIY style, it’s time to get soil from your local garden store or nursery. If you’ve opted to plant your herbs in pots, you should pick up potting soil. If you’ve opted for raised gardens or a container garden, you should get garden soil instead. Both options will be a mixture of compost, mulch, and dirt which your herbs will love. The two different soil options aren’t all that different but are carefully formulated to ensure you’ve got good drainage depending on your plants’ chosen home.

Cratejoy Tip

Container gardening is easiest for perennial herbs so that the containers can be moved depending on the season. Summer’s full sun is only good for a handful of herbs, but in the winter and early spring you’ll want to relocate your plants to those bright sunny areas.

Growing Your Herbs

Next, you’ll need to acquire your outdoor herb garden’s most important asset—the herbs! With Cratejoy, this part is a breeze. The garden subscription box options for seed packets and live plants are endless. You’ll never have to stress about what you’re going to plant next, which are perennial or annual herbs, or if you’re planting your herbs in the right season.

The plant experts who carefully curate these subscriptions have you covered. In fact, most of them will ask about your garden, the hours of sunlight, and your location to ensure that the gardening tools and seeds they send you will be perfect for your unique garden.

Once you’ve received your monthly subscription of seeds and plants, it’s time to start planting your outdoor herb garden. Herbs can grow pretty quickly, so make sure that you give them room to breathe by spacing seeds at least four inches apart. If they can handle being closer together, your Cratejoy shipments will tell you that.

Cratejoy Outdoor Garden Tip

Although you should water your garden every day, no herbs are the same and each will prefer different amounts of water. Pay careful attention to the instructions that you receive in your monthly subscription box. They’ll tell you how much water is too much, and how much water is just right.

Enjoy

The easiest and final step is to enjoy the fruits of your herb garden labors. Herbs can be harvested throughout their growing season, so pop outside with garden shears regularly to snip and use your fresh herbs. Pesto! You’ve done it! Give yourself a high five and celebrate your successful herb gardening. Then, prep the area for your next Cratejoy garden subscription box .