Last year I came to the conclusion that I am just not capable of successfully growing herbs outside. I let them wilt, over-water them, get shaded out by tall tomatoes, go to flower, etc. I’m just not advanced enough with my garden skills, and/or, I’m lazy.
However, I’ve long felt that the most cost-effective, money-saving item to grow are herbs. Nothing elevates a meal like fresh herbs, and buying them at the store can be shockingly pricey (I’m looking at you, tiny clam shells of sage for $2.99!).
Enter the Aerogarden. Last Christmas I received the nine pod garden, and I’m on my third round of herbs and veggies. My first garden was a lot of trial and error. I learned that I should only plant dill when I have a lot of ideas for it and that growing two tomato plants at a time was just too overwhelming for the other plants. My second garden I learned I don’t love Thai basil. The licorice taste is too strong for me and I was overwhelmed with how much it produced.
Enter my fall garden. I’m trying purple hot peppers and golden tomatoes on the ends, and have only my favorite herbs growing, like Italian basil, thyme, chives, savory, and parsley. I left two spots open on each side next to the veggies. I’ve found that the vegetable plants grow tall and shade out anything too close to them.
An added bonus of the garden’s grow light is the help it provides to my surrounding house plants. I have a lot of house plants, and sometimes they need a little extra help to get back on track. Presently, my lemon tree has some new growth, thanks to some concentrated time near the light.
