If your children are like most, they probably love pizza. What they may not realize, however, is that children can have a hand in making that pizza even better. Let your children create a pizza herb pot and watch their interest in gardening and cooking soar!
Herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow, especially for a beginner. You don’t need a large plot of land to create an herb garden; in fact, you can grow a number of herbs in clay pots. This will enable you to plant related herbs for each different type of cuisine you enjoy. Herb pots can also be grown on patios, porches, or even fire escapes – any place you have a sunny spot will do.
Since pizza is such a mainstay of the American diet, you may want to create an herb pot that grows the herbs you need for pizza. But which herbs would you grow in a pizza herb pot? You may want to plant basil, oregano, thyme, sage, and even cilantro. Here are the steps for making this herb pot -you can choose any other cuisine by changing the herbs being planted:
* Find a spot to place your herb pot that will receive at least five hours of sunlight each day. Place the herb pot on a saucer.
* Pick a large container, one that’s at least 20 inches in diameter. You can choose a plastic or clay pot that has a drainage hole to ensure the herbs don’t remain too wet. Some pots may have been glazed with leaded glaze; it would be best to avoid using this type to ensure you don’t transfer lead to the plants.
* Put a little bit of gravel into the bottom of the pot and covering the drainage hole. Doing this will keep the dirt in and allow the excess water to be released. After you have the gravel in the bottom, you’ll want to fill the container about two thirds of the way full. Sterilized potting soil is best to use.
* Go to your local garden center or home improvement center. Choose the plants you want and then place them in the pot, tallest growing plants in the center, and then placing the shorter plants around it.
* As you plant each individual herb, loosen the dirt around the roots and then put the plant into the soil. Cover the roots with more soil and then continue to the next plant. By the time the planter is full, you should have about two inches of space to the top of the planter. Be sure to water them in by adding plenty of water, although you don’t want water to stand in the planter or the saucer underneath it.
Instead of watering your plants each day, poke your finger into the dirt when you notice the top of the soil looking dry. If the soil is dry up to an inch below the top, it’s time to water your pizza herb garden. In a couple of weeks you can start harvesting your herbs. By carefully cutting the leaves and not pulling the plants out, your herb garden should produce fresh herbs for your home-made pizza all year long.
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