7 tips that you should follow when growing your own herbs

Herb gardening is a good starting point for newbies wanting to try their hand at gardening, for apartment dwellers with limited amounts of space, and even for seasoned gardeners. Herbs are easy to grow indoors or out and require little space. In the kitchen, a little harvest will go a long way.
If you're looking to get started with an herb garden, it's important to keep these tips in mind.
1. Start with good potting soil
If you're going to grow your herbs in containers, it's best to start with fresh, high-quality potting soil formulated for containers. Over time, plants will deplete nutrients from the soil, so you should use new soil whenever filling containers. Potting soil will not compact the way garden soil does, allowing water and nutrients to reach the root zone of the plants.
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2. Let roots breathe
Plants need water, yes, but it's important that the soil surrounding the roots isn't too soggy. If it's completely waterlogged, the roots can't access oxygen they need from the soil. Make sure containers have good drainage so water doesn't sit in the bottom of the pot. Some people add rocks or gravel to the bottom of their containers to facilitate drainage.
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3. Feed them
All plants need a constant source of nutrients for optimum growth. This is especially important for fast-growing herbs grown in containers. Apply a light, all-purpose fertilizer per the instructions, making sure to water it into the soil and not apply it to the leaves.
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4. Soak up the sun
Most herbs and vegetables need a minimum of four to six hours of sunlight during the day to grow well. If growing plants indoors, windows facing south or southwest will receive the most natural light during the day. Kitchen windowsills are optimum spots if they receive enough sun.
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5. Protect from the cold
Herbs prefer the same temperatures humans do. They grow best when it's 65–70 degrees Fahrenheit, which is why they grow so well indoors. Some will tolerate cooler conditions at night if they're grown in windowsills as long as leaves don't touch the cold glass. When temperatures outside start to dip below 60 degrees, it's time to bring your herbs inside where it's warmer.
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6. Harvest from the top
When harvesting most herbs, it's important to remove no more than the top third of the plant. This will leave plenty of leaves to help the plant regenerate itself. Use sharp, clean scissors or gardening shears to clip stems just above a node where leaves sprout from the stem.
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7. Start plants from cuttings
Many herbs can be grown from seeds, or you can buy new plants from a nursery or garden center. But it's cheaper and quicker to take cuttings from plants you already own and grow new herbs from the cuttings. Learning Herbs provides excellent step-by-step instructions on how to grow herbs from cuttings.
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