Growing your own herb garden can be rewarding in many ways. You can enjoy the relaxation of gardening and reap the various benefits of what you grow. The problem is, many people simply don't know how, or fear that it entails too much work or expense. In this article, I will guide you, step-by-step, through the process of easily and inexpensively growing your own herbs.

Early in the Spring, or even late in Winter, take some time to decide what your own needs are. Do you want herbs purely for medicinal purposes, craft uses, or are you more interested in cooking with the fruits of your labor? With pen in hand and a small notebook, make a list of the herbs you would like to grow. You may want to go through a book such as "Rodale's Encyclopedia of Herbs."

After you've made a list, see if you can determine what herbs will grow in your area. Many of the more common herbs, such as basil or sage, will grow just about anywhere, but there's always a chance you chose a plant that just cannot thrive in your climate or "zone." Check in books, look at seed packets, call local nurseries, or check with your local County Extension service if you can't find the information anywhere else.

Going through catalogs is also a fun way to plan and learn. I know many people who love looking through their catalogs throughout the year; they dream of the green, fertile garden they'll have in the Spring. It also seems to bring a touch of warmth to the cold days of late Winter when we're all getting cabin fever and longing for the sun. Some good catalogs to send for come from:

Gurney's Seed and Nursery Co.
110 Capital Street
Yankton, SD 57079

W. Atlee Burpee Co.
300 Park Ave.
Warminster, PA 18974

George W. Park Seed Co.
P.O. Box 31
Greenwood, SC 29647

Nichols Garden Nursery
1190 North Pacific Highway
Albany, Oregon 97321-4580

Richters Herbs
Goodwood LOC 1A0
Ontario, Canada

All this brings us to another consideration -- where to grow your herbs. Are you ready to invest the time necessary to have an outdoor herb garden, or would you rather grow a few choice plants indoors? If you choose to have a mini-garden indoors, a warm window with good Southern exposure is a good choice, and you might even consider installing a special plant window for this purpose. There are plant windows available at larger hardware stores for around $200 - 400 and they are easy to install.

In Part 2 - Set it up and plant it!