How to Make Potting Soil for Herbs — 5 Simple Steps
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Having your own herbs to use in the kitchen is a great way of making meals better and showing a bit of love to those who’ll be enjoying them. Add in the fact that growing herbs is fun, and it’s easily a winning combination for everyone involved. Unfortunately, not everyone has a green thumb. Some of us need a little help when it comes to growing things, including herbs.
One of the most important parts of having a successful herb garden at home is using the right potting soil. A great potting mix for herbs should hold moisture, be fluffy, and give the plants the right balance of all the things it needs. More often than not, making your own potting soil for the herbs you’re growing is the best way to be successful. Here’s a step-by-step guide for making potting soil for herbs that will help your herbs grow and give them what they need to flourish.
Before You Start
Before you jump into making your potting soil, there are a few things you need to do ahead of time to prepare for a successful herb garden. Let’s take a look at a few things you should consider before you get started.
Choose the Right Container
A container for herbs can be creative, but there are a few requirements you should keep in mind. First off, your container needs to drain well. Choose one that has adequate holes in the bottom since most herbs enjoy quick-draining soil. Terra cotta is a good choice considering it is also naturally wicking.
You also need to keep size in mind. If a container is too big, your herbs will work themselves too hard trying to produce roots. If the container is too small, especially if you grow a variety of herbs in one pot, they could become root bound and not produce as they should. Find the happy medium for the herbs you’re planning to grow.
Sun and Light
Light requirement for herbs is a crucial part of the process. Most herb varieties need around 6 hours of sunlight per day. Before you make your potting soil and do the planting, choose the best location for your container. Fluorescent lights can also be used if needed to supplement light needs. Keep light requirements in mind when choosing which herbs you will grow. It isn’t good to have plants with different light requirements in the same container.
The 5 Steps on How to Make Potting Soil for Herbs
1. Choose a Work Area
The first step in making your own potting soil, or tackling any DIY project, should always be choosing a safe work area. Keep in mind, making potting soil can get messy. Choose an area where you have enough room to work and won’t destroy anything if you make a mess. If need be, lay down old newspapers or sheets to protect the area.
2. Gather All Your Tools
Of course, tools will be needed. Here are a few things you should have on standby for this project:
- A container to hold your potting soil mix
- Gloves
- Measuring cup
- Hand shovel
3. Gather the Needed Ingredients
The ingredients you’ll need to make this potting soil mix for herbs include:
- Coconut coir or peat moss (your choice)
- Compost
- Perlite
- Topsoil
4. Mix the Ingredients
In your chosen container, add the following:
- 1 part coconut coir or peat moss
- 1 part compost
- 1 part perlite
- 1 part topsoil
The amount needed will be determined by the size of your herb garden. You can adjust accordingly. Once in the mixing container, mix well using the shovel.
5. Add to Your Herb Pot
Once you’ve mixed all the parts required for your potting mix, simply add it to the container you’ve chosen to house your herbs. Now, you’re ready to start growing your own fresh herbs at home.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, making a potting mix for your herbs is easy and very beneficial to your plants. In only a few steps you can be on your way to having a successful herb garden that you can share with family and friends. Hopefully, this simple guide can help you on your way, whether you have a green thumb or not.
Featured Image Credit: MAD.vertise, Shutterstock
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