10 Reasons Your Herb Garden Is Dying (Slideshow)

Plants and herbs are like people trying to survive a dreary winter. They crave sunlight. When you start your herb garden, look at the labels and research your plants. See if they need full sun and if so, plant them somewhere that they'll have access to at least six hours of sunlight a day.

The flip side of the previous problem is too much sun. Imagine planting something and then sitting it under an incredibly hot sun lamp for hours and hours. It can fry the plant. Water adequately and read your labels, checking to see exactly how much sun your plant requires per day before planting it somewhere in full sun. 

Plants get thirsty, like everyone else. And if you plant them in the sun, where they need to soak up the rays, the soil will dry up rather quickly. Be sure to water them often, so they can get a nice drink. To check if they are moist enough, stick your finger in the pot. If there is dry dirt an inch below, it's time to water.

On the opposite end of not enough water is giving too much water. Herbs are delicate, they need monitoring and TLC. Water them so the soil is damp all the way through, not soaking wet. And if there are no drainage holes in your pots, water less at a time but more frequently.  

When you start herb gardening, it can be really challenging to prune, only because pruning means cutting back. It seems counterintuitive to cut back an herb you are trying to grow. But cutting back early and often will only allow your herbs to grow more. You need to prune so that your herbs don't grow straight up, becoming tall and top-heavy. 

Healthy herbs start from the soil up. In order to have good, hearty herbs, you need to use vibrant soil, filled with nutrients. Give your plants a dose of great soil or some organic compost and they'll sprout fast and quick. 

Starting from seed kind of sucks, to put it bluntly. Seedlings are delicate and fickle. If you start from seed, you are almost certainly setting yourself up for hardship. Instead, try grabbing a starter plant that is already hearty and healthy. You'll have significantly more success and will gain lots of herb gardening confidence. 

Flowers are pretty and it makes perfect sense to want to grow them. But when they are attached to your herb garden, it's a big no-no. The more flowers, the more energy your plant expels into growing them. And the less energy your plant puts into the herbs. Be sure to pick and cut any flowers you see growing on your herbs. 

Bugs stink and they can be pretty disgusting — not to mention detrimental to your herbs. Since you are likely eating your herbs, you don't want to spray them with pesticides. So instead, act quickly. Remove any infected leaves, hand pick any large pests, and spray any small infestations with a hose. 

Let's put this realistically. Mint is insane. It grows out of control. And if you let it, it will take over everything. It needs to be tamed. Plant your mint in a bottomless milk carton or in its own pot, or else be prepared for it to take over absolutely everything. It cannot be stopped unless you actively take steps to stop it. Keep an eye out for other plants with this bullying quality, and make sure they don't impinge upon the rest of your garden.