How to Start an Herb Garden for a Day Care Playground

Determine how many five-inch pots will fit on the shelving system you have chosen. Remember that some herbs get bushy so allow six inches of space around each pot.

Decide which herbs to grow. All culinary herbs are safe and do not present a threat if eaten, so they make the best choice for a day care environment. Choose from basil, chives, cilantro, coriander, dill, fennel, garlic, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon and thyme.

Choose where to put your shelving system. Keep in mind herbs need six to eight hours of sunshine a day. Firmly anchor the shelving system to a building or tree so if one of the children climbs up the shelves the shelving system cannot tip over on them.

Start any herbs that you plan to grow from seed inside under a growing light one to four weeks before you are planning to start your outdoor garden. Germination time varies with the type of herb; information about individual herbs may be found on the seed packets. Once the germination time is complete, purchase any additional herb plants you want to include in your garden.

Put pebbles in the bottom of your pots to allow adequate drainage. Add potting soil and the plant, leaving one inch of head space at the top of the container. Water the herbs generously after transplanting to the pots.

Move plants around on the shelves as they grow to ensure larger plants are not blocking the sunlight from the smaller plants. This is another advantage to having a container garden versus planting directly in the ground.