This DIY Outdoor Herb Garden is easy enough for the first time gardener, and doesn’t need an actual “garden” to grow into a summer-long supply of fresh herbs!
As someone who loves to cook and bake, I have dozens of recipes calling for “fresh” herbs. My usual go-to here is using the dried store-bought stuff or buying pre-packaged whole leaf herbs at the grocery store. This season I decided I was going to try this easy DIY outdoor herb garden for myself, and had so much fun putting it together!
This easy window frame herb garden is both functional… and beautiful!
Can be done from start to finish in a day or two (so I don’t lose motivation, which totally happens)
Has a completely handmade look
Is fun and has a lasting result!
This easy DIY outdoor herb garden checks off all the boxes. From going to the greenhouse to pick the perfect plants, to finding the perfect old farmhouse window online, to getting the whole family involved (keep reading), this was so fun!
This can go from just an old window to an herb garden in 5 SIMPLE STEPS!
STEP 1: Find an old window. The more character – the better!
I went straight to Facebook Marketplace for this find – and within a matter of minutes found the perfect one! I typed in “six pane antique window” and went local in my search and was tickled pink when this one was a 15-minute drive away! My family jumped in our truck and that evening we were off to pick it up! I snagged it for $25!
If you have a local antique store or flea market – these would be great avenues to check out as well, but searching online is the way to go if you want to find exactly what you want in a short amount of time.
STEP 2: If it has glass, get rid of it.
If you were lucky enough to find a window with the frame only, then you get to skip this step!
I was a bit concerned about how to get rid of the glass… but for once I let my hubby take the reigns and trusted him. He simply chiseled out the caulking on one side of the window and most of the panes just fell out. Don’t worry – some of the glass may break, but just chip away until the glass is all removed! In just a short time, the window is ready for the next step!
STEP 3: Add chicken wire.
I purchased one roll of chicken wire at Lowe’s for about $18.00. It was a large roll, so I have plenty left for another outdoor project!
My daughter was a huge help on this part! We first measured the width and length needed to cover all the panes. My daughter got to work with the wire cutters and cut the wire to fit. This is a bit time consuming – cutting every wire – but she actually enjoyed it and this kept her occupied on an outdoor project… what a win for this mom!
My hubby stapled the chicken wire to the back side of the window and we were good to go!
STEP 4: Attach the terra cotta pots to the chicken wire with more wire.
Terra cotta pots work great for this easy DIY outdoor herb garden because they have a drainage hole in the bottom and are lightweight and pretty durable. I got these from Lowe’s for $.98 a piece!
Using the wire that was holding the roll of chicken wire together, I made some 6-inch pieces and thread it up through the drainage hole then through the chicken wire, twisting together in the back to hold the pots onto the window. My best advice: Make sure the wire is not threaded above the lip of the pot so you can’t see it!
STEP 5: Plant your herbs and label!
This is the fun part! Plant your herbs in the pots and water them.
Don’t like the store tags they come with? There are many fun options to printing labels online! I first tried Etsy.com, which had some cute options, but most were fairly more money than I wanted to spend, so I did my own and LOVE how they turned out! I bought these chalkboard labels attached to mini clothespins at Hobby Lobby for $3.99 and used chalkboard pens to mark the labels. They work great!
Total cost: Approximately $60.00, including the herbs!
Next time I make one of our favorite recipes, I’ll be ready with our fresh herbs! They smell amazing and I am loving watching them thrive in our easy DIY outdoor herb garden!
Which herbs are easiest for kids to grow? The easiest herbs to grow are perennial herbs you can buy in pots – these include rosemary, mint, chives and oregano. Chives are also easy to grow from seed (see below) and one of the fastest-growing herbs is cress.
Plant short, shade-tolerant plants beneath taller, bushy plants. When you mix sun-loving plants, put tall ones at the north end of the plot and small ones at the south end, so all will get needed sun. Plant herbs throughout the garden, especially basil, mint, sage, and dill. EXCEPTION: Keep dill away from carrots.
Herbs such as dill, cilantro, and basil are easy to grow from seed. Lavender, rosemary, sage, and thyme are easily grown from purchased plants. “Mint and oregano are easy to divide, so ask a fellow gardener for a start of their plant,” Fishburn says.
In fact, lavender is the most difficult herb to keep alive, with 10,400 plant parents in need of help every month. Basil, mint and rosemary also come close behind, followed by popular herbs such as coriander, dill and parsley.
Some of the most well-known perennial herbs are thyme, oregano (Origanum vulgare), sage (Salvia officinalis), chives, fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) and savory (Satureja hortensis).
Most herbs need a fair amount of sunlight. As long as an herb is growing in a space where it gets at least 4 hours of sunlight a day, it will most likely do well. Most can tolerate much more sunlight, though, with herbs like rosemary, lavender and basil thriving in full sun (6 – 8 hours a day).
Most herbs thrive in full sun in a sheltered position. You can grow herbs indoors on the windowsill, in pots outdoors or straight in the ground. Sow seeds of annual herbs like basil and coriander every couple of weeks to provide you with fresh leaves throughout summer.
Generally, herbs need full sun, but some will survive on as little as 2 hours of good sun a day. Mediterranean herbs like lavender, rosemary and thyme require more sun. Softer, green herbs like parsley, lemon balm and mint will take less sun.
If you plan to grow and maintain your kitchen herb garden indoors, you can start at any time of the year. But if you're thinking about creating a little herb corner in your garden or outdoor planter, then the best time to start planting herbs is spring, once the danger of frost has passed.
You can start seeds indoors before the season's last frost. Outdoors, most herb seeds will need soil temps in the 60s and 70s to germinate, Some, like basil, won't tolerate cold at all, so you will need to wait until all danger of frost has passed before planting either basil seeds or seedlings outdoors.
Additionally, as soil conditions allow, you can sow seed of chervil, coriander and dill, directly into the soil outdoors from March onwards. Cuttings of some herbs such as bay, marjoram, mint, rosemary, sage, tarragon and thyme can be taken from late summer to early autumn.
Many herbs are easy to grow from seed. You can start seeds two ways: Start them indoors and transplant them into permanent spots when they're large enough. Sow seeds directly into garden beds or containers when the temperatures are warm enough.
Introduction: My name is Eusebia Nader, I am a encouraging, brainy, lively, nice, famous, healthy, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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