Hassle free gardening with Herbs

Some gardeners have occasional spurts of enthusiasm in the garden, but are not particularly good at tending their gardens on a regular basis.

Does this sound like you? The good news is that there ARE plants that thrive under these conditions, especially certain varieties of herbs.

If correctly planted, many herbs will thrive if they are planted in full sun and only watered occasionally. Many of the herbs below are used to surviving in adverse conditions like the Karoo, or hillsides in the Mediterranean , where Rosemary and Fennel grow so wildly that they are regarded as weeds!

How to Plant Herbs :

• Find a small, sunny spot.
• Dig up the soil well, to a depth of about half a metre.
• Add organic manure and peanut shells to the soil. This adds to the organic content of the soil and improves drainage.
• Rake the area smooth and water well. Leave the soil to drain overnight.
• Before you plant the herbs, water them well in the seedling trays. Loosen the roots to encourage the growth of new roots.
• Place the herbs in holes prepared with fishmeal or bonemeal and firm the soil around each plant.
• Water the entire area well.

Once the herbs are established they are incredibly hardy plants and will thrive with the minimum of hassle. Simply water them well once every two weeks. Good low-maintenance herbs

Thyme thrives in almost any kind of soil. It loves the sun and needs very little water. Best of all is that the more you pick it, the more it grows. Thyme is excellent for cooking and medicinal uses.

Origanum grows into a hardy bush of about 60cm in height. Origanum is a staple in Italian cooking and adds wonderful flavour to pastas and pizzas.

Rosemary grows very easily in almost all conditions. It forms pretty purple flowers to add colour to your herb patch. Rosemary is used in various beauty treatments, as a stress relieving tonic, and is also indispensable in creating the perfect Sunday roast!

Fennel thrives in the sun, and can grow up to 150cm in height. Fennel tea (soak the leaves in boiling water and strain) is said to improve memory, aid digestion and help with weight loss.

Bulbinella grows in areas of the Karoo where nothing else will grow, so the chances of it dying in your garden are very small. The bulbinella plant has spiky leaves and forms beautiful orange or yellow flowers. The sap from the leaves of the bulbinella plant soothes irritated skin, mosquito bites, burns and almost any kind of skin ailment.
Feverfew is a hardy perennial bush that grows to a height of about a metre. It has bright green leaves and white daisy-like flowers. The leaves of the feverfew plant can be eaten to reduce migraines and fevers.