A herb spiral offers native wild herbs, Mediterranean and Asian precious herbs ideal living conditions. This guide is dedicated to hobby gardeners who build representative herb gardens themselves and skillfully plant them. Read here how a DIY construction from scratch works perfectly. How to properly create a herb spiral with a pond in the garden.

The herb spiral is ideal for growing herbs in the garden

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. materials and tools
  3. Prepare base
  4. building instructions
  5. Fill the herb snail
  6. planting plan
  7. planting guide
  8. Common mistakes
  9. frequently asked Questions

    10. the essentials in brief

    • A herb spiral is usually built of stones and offers herbs optimal conditions
    • Herbs need a lot of sun, especially sun-loving herbs are planted at the top
    • Depending on the zone, the composition of the soil varies from 50% sand, 50% garden soil (dry zone) to 100% garden soil (water zone)

    Material requirements and tools

    Traditionally, a dry stone wall made of natural stone gives a herb spiral its external shape and weatherproof stability. Hobby gardeners rarely opt for wood as a shaping frame because it involves regular maintenance work. Planting stones made of concrete for a home-made herb snail are enjoying increasing popularity. The following list of material and tool requirements is aimed at DIY building a herb spiral with a stone pond:

    • Stones (at least as thick as a fist), ideally natural stones, optionally field, brick or paving stones
    • sand, gravel and limestone
    • Garden, weed or filter fleece to cover the gravel filling
    • Garden soil, compost soil, herb substrate
    • Plant bags for planting in gaps in the outer wall area
    • Pond pan (a mortar bucket is cheaper) or pond liner
    • Herb plants (see planting plan below for details)
    • wheelbarrow
    • Hand shovel, spade, rake, rake, work gloves
    • Folding rule, wooden stakes, string and chalk for marking the base area

    You can adapt this shopping list to individual alternatives with simple modifications. Replace stones with wood, metal, gabions or plant rings. Taking into account the particular material characteristics, the conceptual structure with climate zones, pond, filling and planting is retained. Please keep in mind that if you use alternative materials such as plastic, corten steel, concrete palisades or wood, you will lose the additional growing area that a dry stone wall or plant stones on the outside can offer.

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    Structure of a herbal spiral

    The herb spiral is a special variant of the raised bed. The expert construction integrates different climate zones to appreciate the herbs' respective characters. In this way, local, Mediterranean and Far Eastern herbs can thrive in the smallest of spaces. For the medium-sized herb snail in these building instructions, the following climate zones have proven themselves in practice: dry zone (top), moderate normal zone (middle area), wet zone (lower area), water zone (pond).

    Preparing the base - step-by-step instructions

    A herbal spiral needs a lot of sun

    In the garden, the self-made herb spiral deserves a sun-drenched box seat. Most premium herbs thrive as sun worshipers and have an aversion to windy locations. Plan a base area with a diameter of about 300 centimeters if you want at least a dozen of your favorite herbs to have space at a height of 80 centimeters. Position and orientation make an important contribution to a premium quality herb harvest. Please choose the location so that the herb snail opens to the south, regardless of whether the special raised bed is round or square. This is how you prepare the base area in an exemplary manner:

    Measure and mark

    1. Determine the outer dimensions with a ruler and mark with wooden pegs
    2. stick a longer wooden stick into the ground in the middle of the surface
    3. Fasten the string to the wooden stick with a knotted wooden stick at the other end
    4. Draw a circle using string and wooden sticks
    5. inside the circle, mark whorls for the snail shape with lime or light-colored sand

    Please mark the position for the pond where the herb snail opens with a southern orientation.

    prepare ground

    1. Dig the base a spade or two deep
    2. Rule of thumb: the higher the herb spiral, the deeper the excavation
    3. Top up the garden soil on the side for further use as a component for the filling
    4. Distribute a layer of gravel 10 to 20 cm high as drainage and wall foundation
    5. Tamp down the gravel (ideally compact with a vibrating plate (499.00 €))
    6. for the pond, dig the bottom 40 cm deep
    7. Create a layer of sand on the bottom of the pond as drainage and protection for the liner or pond pan

    The best time for the preparatory work and the construction of a herb spiral is in the spring, as soon as the ground has thawed. By the time herbs are planted in April/May, the soil in the bed has settled and is ready for young plants.

    Building instructions - step-by-step to the shell construction

    The prepared base area also serves as the foundation for the dry stone wall of a herb spiral. For smooth construction work, all the material, including tools, should be at hand. The following construction instructions initially provide an overview of all work steps, followed by more detailed explanations of the individual construction phases:

    1. Lay the first row of walls on the gravel foundation (observe the markings)
    2. from the second row of walls, stack the stones with staggered joints
    3. Lay the following stone layers 30-50 cm shorter than the previous row of walls
    4. pile up crushed stone and gravel parallel to the construction of the wall
    5. Rule of thumb for an 80 cm high herb spiral: The height of the crushed stone/gravel layer in the core is 50 cm
    6. optionally cover the gravel layer with breathable fleece (filter fleece)
    7. Create a pond at the foot of the dry stone wall

    Explanations of the individual steps

    A herb spiral can be built from natural stones or bricks

    For the first row of walls, select the largest stones. Lay the stones close together, ideally slightly tilted and with a slight incline inwards for the best stability. Decisive for the stability of the dry stone wall is the staggered, inclined laying of the following rows of walls. Cross joints must be avoided at all costs. Thanks to this type of construction, you can dispense with the use of mortar.

    Despite the staggered laying technique, there are small and larger gaps between the bricks. These cavities are ideal for planting more herbs in them with the help of plant bags. Cracks just one or two fingers wide offer frugal herb plants sufficient habitat. If you already fill the gaps with herb substrate when piling up, you can simply do without the use of plant bags. One or the other gap in the masonry remains free and serves as a coveted hiding place and place of retreat for beneficial creatures in the garden.

    The layer of gravel (either limestone gravel or rubble) grows parallel to the dry stone wall and reaches a thickness of a good 50 centimeters at the highest point. In the direction of the pond, the layer of gravel gradually decreases, in proportion to the falling wall height. We recommend covering it with filter fleece so that the subsequent substrate layer does not trickle down between the coarse gravel, causing it to collapse and, in the worst case, making the drainage useless.

    Creating a pond - How to do it right

    After the masonry work, devote yourself to the small pond at the foot of your herb spiral. Lay out pond liner or insert a pond pan into the 40 centimeter deep pit lined with sand. Use fist-sized stones to conceal the transition from the foil or tub to the adjacent shore area.

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    Fill the herb worm correctly

    The correct climate zone of a herb spiral consists of position and filling. Within a full sun, dry zone, Mediterranean herbs will not find ideal living conditions unless they extend their roots in sandy-dry, well-drained soil. Native herbs only unfold their unique aroma when they are granted a humus-rich, fresh and nutrient-rich soil quality. The following overview sums up which soil determines the character of the respective climate zone:

    • dry zone: 50% sand, 50% garden soil
    • normal zone: 30% sand, 30% garden soil, 30% compost, 10% lava granules
    • wet zone: 50% garden soil, 50% compost
    • water zone: 100% compost or garden soil

    If mixing the various components is too time-consuming, you can use commercially available herbal soil and sand. Adjust the proportion of sand to the relevant climate zone within the herb spiral. In the dry zone, please start with equal parts herb substrate and sand. In the direction of the wet zone, the proportion of sand decreases successively.

    Please keep a supply of all soil mixes until the beginning of the planting season. Substrate freshly poured onto the layer of gravel sags by up to a third and should be filled up. The laying of filter fleece slows down the process, but not completely. For this reason, a period of at least 2 weeks should elapse between the construction of a herb spiral and the planting.

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    Kit - premium solution for beginners

    Hobby gardeners don't just shake the perfect structure of a herb spiral out of their sleeves. Nervous stress and frustration remain at the garden gate if you use a ready-made kit from a specialist dealer to build a herb snail. This clever move opens up creative design options that will bring you envious looks over the garden fence. Well-designed kits made of gabions, patina metal or plastic can be found in well-stocked hardware stores, from handy and small for the balcony and kitchen to impressive for the representative garden.

    Planting herb spirals - ideas for the planting plan

    Plants that need the most sun should grow in the upper part

    With a well thought-out planting plan, your herb spiral will serve as a valuable source of aromatic spices for the preparation of tasty dishes. Fresh parsley, crunchy chives and tart-spicy basil show artificial flavor enhancers the red card. So that your kitchen does not lack freshly harvested herbs for the preparation of local, Mediterranean and Asian dishes in the future, the following selection would like to inspire you for the perfect planting plan:

    Herbs for dry to moderate conditions

    dry zone botanical name temperate zone botanical name
    Lavender Thyme Thymus thracicus basil Ocimum basilicum
    rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis coriander Coriandrum sativum
    Spice Sage Salvia 'Berggarten' tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
    oregano Origanum vulgare chives Allium schoenoprasum
    marjoram Origanum majorana burnet Sanguisorba minor

    Mountain savory (Satureja montana), thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and curry herb (Helichrysum italicum) are also in good hands in the upper, sandy and dry regions of a herb spiral. Immediately below, in the central area, the following tend to settle: fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), parsley (Petroselinum crispum), chives (Allium tuberosum) and nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus).

    Herbs with a soft spot for moist soil

    wet zone botanical name water zone botanical name
    dill Anethum graveolens stream exercise Veronica beccabunga
    Garden Calamint Calamintha grandiflora watercress Nasturtium officinale
    wild garlic Allium ursinum water chestnut Trapa natans
    sorrel Rumex acetosa Liquorice Sweet Flag Acorus gramineus 'Licorce'
    Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus sedanina Apium nodiflorum

    Chives, tarragon and parsley have no objection to living in the wet zone if the central sector is already crowded. If you still have a free spot on the pond bank of your herb spiral, it should be reserved for water celery, also known as creeping celery (Apium repens) with a wonderful parsley aroma.

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    Dabbed marigolds are useful in your herb spiral as natural pest police. The distinctive flowers repel cunning nematodes, aphids and other uninvited guests from your valuable herbs. Last but not least, the colorful flower heads enrich a herb snail as a bee pasture.

    Rampant, aggressive herbs stay outside

    Strongly growing herbs do not belong in the herb spiral

    Various herbs make themselves unpopular because they tend to overgrow. Other species exude inhibitors that affect the growth of their plant neighbors. Evict the following herbs and grow them outside of your herb spiral:

    • Lovage (Levisticum officinale)
    • Comfrey (Symphytum)
    • Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
    • Spice laurel (Laurus nobilis)
    • Hyssop, Vinegar (Hyssopus officinalis)

    If you don't want to do without the healing or flavoring power of these herbs, we recommend cultivating them in a large bucket.

    Planting instructions - how to plant herbs correctly

    Have you made your choice from the colorful array of aromatic herbs for the herb spiral? Then pay special attention to the following instructions for planting. When the temperatures rise in spring, the shelves of garden centres, hardware stores and weekly markets are full to bursting with early-grown young plants. How to plant herbs with gardening expertise:

    1. Soak potted root balls in water (ideally rainwater) until no more air bubbles rise
    2. Dig spacious planting holes at a suitable position for the herb spiral
    3. Unpot the plant and position it in the middle of the planting pit
    4. Stabilize with one hand, fill up substrate with the other hand
    5. maintain previous planting depth
    6. Press the soil down with both hands for a good ground contact
    7. pour on with a fine shower

    When measuring perfect spacing, please keep in mind that many herbs reach expansive dimensions. When purchasing, please inquire about the recommended planting distance for each individual herbal plant. Urgent narrowness in the herb garden is the main cause for an explosive spread of diseases and pests.

    Avoid common mistakes

    Building a herb spiral with stones, a pond and the right plants is not a side project. If you are aware of common mistakes, so that time and money result in a rich harvest of delicious herbs. The following overview names common mistakes in planting herb snails, points out signs of damage and provides useful tips for prevention:

    error damage picture prevention
    Herb spiral improperly bricked Dry wall collapse Lay large stones below, slight inclination inwards
    no drainage filled Waterlogging, dead herbs Fill in crushed stone/gravel for foundation and drainage
    planted rampant herbs Shadow casting and growth depression Plant lovage & Co. outside
    wrong alignment Lack of light, low crop yield Note north-south alignment
    Construction and planting at the same time Herbs don't grow in sagging soil 2 weeks waiting time between construction, filling and planting

    frequently asked Questions

    What is a herbal spiral?

    A herb spiral is a three-dimensional raised bed that simulates the different climate zones in the smallest of spaces. Traditionally, a dry wall acts as a frame that winds around a pile of stones up to a back-friendly 80 centimeters. The stone filling serves as drainage up to a height of 50 centimeters, followed by soil as a plant substrate. A herb spiral resembles a snail shell, so herb snail is a common name. Dry, normal, wet and water zones merge seamlessly and are planted with appropriate types of herbs.

    When should you create a herbal spiral?

    There is no fixed point in time for the construction of a herbal spiral. You can plan the construction work almost all year round, as long as the ground is not deeply frozen. In practice, early spring has proven to be a good time, ideally a few weeks before the start of the planting season. Furthermore, autumn is a wisely chosen date for building a herb snail.By next spring, microorganisms living in the compost portion of the filling will have prepared the soil to such an extent that freshly planted herbs can grow vigorously and healthily.

    Which herbs go where in a herb spiral?

    A herbal spiral with a pond represents four elementary climate zones in miniature. Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, oregano, thyme or sage reside on the sandy-dry summit of the spiral. The middle region is dominated by moderate, humus-fresh conditions, ideal for basil, fennel or parsley. This area merges seamlessly into fresh, moist soil qualities, where native herbs like dill, sorrel or chives feel at home. The banks of the pond are reserved for herbs that love swampy conditions, such as brook dung or watercress. Use the water level of the pond with water chestnut as a cultivation area.

    When do you plant a herb spiral?

    The time window for planting a herb snail opens in spring, when severe frosts are no longer to be feared. In the course of global warming, you can now note mid/end of April instead of mid-May as the earliest planting date in the calendar. Primarily Mediterranean herbs are sensitive to frost and should not be exposed to temperatures below freezing. Immediately after building a herb spiral, we recommend waiting two weeks before planting, so that the fresh soil can settle.

    Where can you buy a herb spiral cheaply?

    The Obi hardware stores with numerous locations in Germany and Austria are the leaders in the range of inexpensive herbal spirals. Here you will not only get sophisticated construction kits made of gabions, metal, Corten steel and wood. If you can fall back on a little manual skill, you will find all the materials and tools to build a herb spiral with a pond yourself. Do you prefer to choose and buy from the comfort of your sofa, including delivery to your door? Then you should check out Amazon.

    Is there a herb spiral small enough for the balcony?

    We looked around for you in specialist shops and discovered two recommendable mini herbal spirals. From the Bellissa range, Obi offers a kit made of gabions with a space-saving 29 cm height and a diameter of 57 cm. Filled with 20 liters of herbal soil, there is space for up to 10 of your favorite herbs. The Bellissa series also has decorative herb snails made of terracotta, wood, metal and corten steel in sizes suitable for balconies, which can be bought on Amazon and Ebay.

    How can I build a herb spiral with a stream myself?

    The DIY construction of a herb spiral with a stream is one of the supreme disciplines for hobby gardeners. Various modifications to the building instructions of this guide are required to achieve the ambitious goal. A key feature is the addition of a spring within the crown of the spiral, fed by an electric or solar powered pump. Stream mats covered with gravel have proven to be excellent for guiding the flowing water down to the lower pond in style. Important to note is continuous access to the pump and well so you can intervene when winter sets in to prevent frost damage.

    I would like to build a wooden herb spiral in the garden myself. Which types of wood are suitable?

    In the garden, a herb spiral is exposed to wind and weather all year round. Mainly hardwoods are prepared for this challenge. Robinia, oak, maple and sweet chestnut have a high wood density, which guarantees the best weather resistance. Slightly beveling the wooden posts allows water to run off more quickly and prevents rot without having to impregnate the wood with glaze. Put each post in a metal shoe to protect against direct contact with the ground. One side of the shoe is left open to prevent moisture from accumulating and penetrating the wood. Softwoods such as spruce or fir are not recommended as building material for a herbal spiral because they rot within a short time.

    My budget is too tight to buy a kit or a ready-made herbal spiral. How can I build a herb snail myself for free?

    To build a stone herb spiral for free, look out for free field stones. Farmers, hobby gardeners and do-it-yourselfers offer leftover stones for collection in classified ads and forums. Garden soil, gravel and sand are available free of charge in new development areas and recycling centers if you have transport. You can easily make compost yourself. Ask fellow hobby gardeners for seeds so that you can grow your favorite herbs on the windowsill or sow them directly in the herb spiral.

    Which herbs go best together in a herb spiral?

    In many years of cultivation practice, popular herbs have emerged as dream teams for the herb spiral. Water mint, watercress and calamus harmonize on the banks of the pond. Dill, parsley, chervil, garden cress and marjoram cultivate good neighborliness in moist and normal areas. In the arid zone, sage, oregano and thyme thrive peacefully side by side. In contrast, thyme and marjoram are at war and should be planted at a reasonable distance.

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    A square herb spiral gives your modern front garden design the finishing touch. Where clear lines and geometric shapes dominate, you are welcome to think outside the box when building a herb snail. This works perfectly with a kit made of gabions. Prefabricated herb spirals made of CorTen steel or precious rusty metal are popular, which present your herbs with an authentic rusty look in a short time.

Category:

Herbs