DIY: An Easy Herb Garden In a Strawberry Pot!

This week's tip is a fun and creative way of organizing your herbs so they're in one convenient and gloriously fragrant place.  A 'strawberry pot' is one of those big pots that are studded with ledges around the side of the surface.

Before you get started, however, sit down and put together a list of what you'll need.  Start with the strawberry pot, of course, (and the bigger the better).  You'll also need a high-quality potting soil (not dirt - potting soil has better drainage, which is important in container gardening).  You'll also need enough gravel to place at the bottom of the container, also for drainage.  You may want to pick up a piece of lawn fabric as well, to place over the gravel so it doesn't mix into the soil.

Next, you'll have to decide what herbs to use.  You can plant whatever combination you want, although be careful of mint:  it's invasive and could take over the entire container.  

Popular choices include: 

• thyme, 
• chives, 
• dill, 
• basil, 
• oregano, 
• parsley, 
• cilantro. 

There are many different varieties of the plants listed above - have fun experimenting!  Plant your favorite herb in the top hole where it has more room to grow.

As a final DIY hack:  You can install your own inexpensive drip irrigation system in a strawberry pot with a simple 20oz. plastic bottle.  Poke some small holes in the bottom of the bottle so that water just drips out when filled.  Situate the bottle so that merely the cap is above the surface of the soil - remove the cap and fill in the morning to add water throughout the day!