i would like to have an herb garden but don't know what time a year is best for them in Colorado....and how to start them.
I use it when I make homemade salsa, or when baking tilapia or cod with some garlic, lime, and salt and pepper. Basil- Basil is a medium sized leafy plant. It is great dried and crushed, or fresh. I use it when making spaghetti sauce, or I put the whole raw leaves in salads. Chives- Chives are long tubular green plants, that have a light onion flavor. I use them on twice baked potatoes a lot. Dill- Dill is a leafy green plant that has a distinct flavor. Use it for pickling cucumbers, I put it in salad, and for omelettes also.
The best time to start any garden is in the spring or early summer, after the last frost. What you can do now is start planning. Figure out what you want to grow in the garden (type and number of plants), and how much space you will need for what you want. You should keep your annuals (like basil) in a separate bed from the perennials, so you won't disturb the roots of your perennials when you pull out the dead annuals. The folks at your local garden center should be able to help you pick out which herbs would do best in your area. In the spring, you can either start seed in small pots and then plant them out (which is more work but you get a lot of plants out of one seed packet) or you can buy started plants in small pots at the garden center. This is faster but more expensive, and you may not be able to find all the plants you want available as starts. Good luck!
Well, are you planning on an indoor or outdoor garden? based on what I read, (1st link, it's a little outdated) it certainly looks like herb gardening in Colorado can be pretty hard. But you can always try, you know. Just be patient! And from an experienced gardener to a newbie, I think you should try the Indoor type first. Start with something simple. You could try basil. You can grow it inside and just make sure it gets sunlight a lot (not a problem in Colorado, right?) and just read and read and read about indoor gardening. Herb gardening can be tough at first. So I suggest getting a book or something. check this one, it's the first book I bought. check the 2nd link below they have some very good articles and the book is pretty cheap, just $14 something.
