The weather outside is frightful, but winter meals containing fresh herbs are so delightful!

Gardeners know that there is simply no comparison between store bought produce and food plucked straight from the garden. Homegrown fruits, vegetables, and herbs are simply more flavorful and nutritious when picked at their peak of freshness and consumed right away. This is easily accomplished during the more temperate times of the year, but what about the Winter? In colder climates, fruits and vegetables are difficult to grow during the Winter months unless you have access to a heated greenhouse. Herbs, on the other hand, are easily grown indoors and can improve the taste of everything you cook all Winter long.

Let’s Begin

For the ambitious and experienced gardener, herbs may be started indoors from seed. However, along with the seed itself, you will require some familiarity with seed-starting procedures and have on-hand basic seed-starting supplies such as a heat mat, humidity dome, and grow light. A quicker and simpler way to initiate your fresh herb adventure is to select plants in pots, already established, from your local Master Nursery Garden Center. This is the easiest choice for the new gardener and will ensure the quickest results for all herb lovers.

Let’s Choose

Any herb that can be grown in the ground may also be grown in a container; however, some herbs are more easily cultivated indoors than others. Also, it is a good idea that you base your selection of herbs on those that you tend to use the most.

Our favorites include:

Basil • Chives • Marjoram • Mint • Oregano • Parsley • Rosemary • Sage • Thyme

Let’s Grow

To grow the healthiest, freshest, and most flavorful herbs indoors, consider…

Light

Select a sunny location, the brighter, the better. A south or southwest exposure is best as plants require at least 6 hours of sunlight a day to flourish. If this situation is not possible, you may want to add an indoor grow light to supplement the natural light.

Containers

While shopping for your herb starter plants, select the containers that you will transplant your new additions into. Each herb should have its own container and each container should have drainage holes. You may also want to base your choice of decorative containers on size, your décor, and personal aesthetics.

Soil

Pick up a bag of Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Potting Soil [Eastern & Midwestern Regions | Western Region], or, if you live on the West Coast, you may also choose Masters’ Pride Professional Potting Soil to use for transplanting your herbs into their new containers. Superior quality Master Nursery® potting soils have an advantage over garden soil, which can harbor pests and disease and is not suited for indoor use. Our potting soil mixes provide the perfect balance of natural and organic materials to enhance drainage, water retention, and fertility for growing healthy, tasty herbs.

Fertilizer

Plan to fertilize your herbs at planting time. Begin by mixing the recommended amount of Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Starter Food or Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® All Purpose Food into your potting soil when transplanting. These natural and organic, gentle formulas will ensure that your plants receive exactly what they need to get off to the best start possible.

Water

Some herbs will prefer more water than others. This is why it is best to plant each selection in its own separate container. When choosing a pot, keep in mind that a smaller pot will dry out sooner than a larger pot and, therefore, require more frequent watering. Clay pots, because they are porous, will dry out more quickly than plastic or ceramic. Check your herbs often and water as needed. It’s a good idea to give your herbs a quick monthly shower under the faucet to wash off normal household dust, too.

Let’s Harvest

When you are ready to enjoy your herbs, simply snip what you need. Cutting often will encourage a thicker and fuller plant.

Let’s Cook

Enjoy your indoor herbs to garnish your kitchen creations. Add them to soups, stews, salads, and all manner of Winter side dishes. So easy and so tasty! Bon appétit!

Are you ready to add new trees to your landscape? You don’t need to hire professionals to do the planting when you learn the basics of doing it the right way yourself.

Selecting a Tree

There are many things to consider when selecting a new tree for your landscape. Among those considerations are tree size, form, function, personal aesthetics, and pest & disease resistance. Contact your local Master Nursery Garden Center for assistance with selecting the perfect tree to meet your needs.

When to Plant

Trees may be planted any time of year that the ground is not frozen.

Soil Preparation

How quickly and how well a tree becomes established is affected by the amount of stress it is exposed to before and during planting. Minimizing plant stress is the goal of proper planting.

Soil preparation is the first and, by far, the most important step in new tree planting. This is accomplished by incorporating organic matter into the soil to improve aeration, assist in drainage of compacted soils, and improve soil nutrient-holding capacity. The perfect product for this is Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Soil Builder [Eastern & Midwestern Regions | Western Region].  Bumper Crop® Soil Builder is a soil-amending powerhouse including manure, worm castings, kelp meal, aged bark, and more!  There is simply no better way to get your tree off to a healthier start. Trees with a limited soil tolerance range may require additional additives to meet their constraints, but only if the soil has an inappropriate pH or is lacking in certain elements.

Dig a planting hole that is 50 percent wider but only as deep, or slightly less deep, than the plant’s existing root ball. Prepare the soil by mixing two-thirds existing native soil with one-third  Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Soil Builder.

Planting Container-Grown Trees

When you buy a young tree from a Master Nursery Garden Center, it may come potted. Remove the plant from that container gently, but without pulling on the delicate trunk or foliage. Squeezing the container all around can help loosen the root ball so it slides out more easily, or the container may be thin enough to cut away.

Because the plant was grown in a container, its roots may have been restricted by the shape of the pot. Loosen the roots all the way around, even on the bottom. Center the plant in the prepared hole, keeping it 1-3 inches above grade and the roots spread out.

Planting Field-Grown Trees

If you are transplanting a tree that has been field-grown, it will be balled and burlapped. Center the plant in the prepared hole, measuring to make sure that the top of the root ball will sit 1-3 inches above the grade once the hole is backfilled. Cut and remove all cords or twine from the root ball and trunk. Burlap should be loosened, pulled away from the trunk and left below the soil surface, in the hole. Remember to move trees carefully. Roll the root ball on its side and “steer” it into the hole with the trunk. Straighten the tree upright in the hole, checking it from different angles to be sure it is fully upright.

Completing the Planting

For both container-grown and balled and burlapped plant material, backfill the planting hole with your soil mix and pack firmly. Make a rim of soil around the plant to act as a “saucer” for holding water.

Water thoroughly, soaking slowly, and use a root stimulator fertilizer to provide good initial stimulus for the roots to grow and spread. We highly recommend Master Nursery® Bumper Crop® Starter Food formulated specifically to help newly transplanted plants develop strong roots for sustainable development. It is a superior blend of natural ingredients, rich in organic phosphate, to help trees develop a strong foundation for future growth.

Apply a 2-inch layer of mulch around your new planting, keeping an open space of 3 inches around the trunk or base of the plant to allow for air circulation.

Staking Newly Planted Trees

When newly planted, trees are not yet firmly established and may tip or lean as the soil settles. It’s a good idea to moor the tree with three wires secured to anchor stakes in firm ground (never into the root ball). Where the wires touch the tree, they should be covered with rubber hose to prevent damage. Make sure that the wires are slightly loose. This allows the tree to move slightly in the wind, helping roots to grow stronger. Remove stakes as soon as roots become established. This can be as soon as a few months, so check your tree frequently. Stakes should not be left in place any longer than one growing season.

It can seem intimidating to plant your own tree since it is a permanent investment in your landscape that you hope to enjoy for many years. By understanding planting basics, however, you can easily give every new tree a great start in its new home.