There is almost nothing better than using fresh ingredients in your cooking, and what could be fresher than growing your own. This is something we have been doing more and more of over the past few years, with fruits and vegetables being grown outside in our vegetable patch and more recently we’ve been growing herbs indoors on the windowsill, herbs are actually some of the easiest things to grow – almost like weeds in that they don’t need too much care and attention.
Containers for Indoor Gardening
Herbs can be grown indoors in a variety of containers. Terra cotta pots are a popular choice, although look-alike plastic planters will retain more water and are often less expensive to purchase. Another traditional option and one that often works well in the kitchen is a long and narrow window box.
Originally designed for compactly growing strawberries, strawberry pots also make a good home for herbs. There are some trailing herbs, such as mint, tarragon, and thyme which can even be grown in hanging planters although these aren’t as practical for indoor growing. Whichever kind of planters you decide to use you’ll need to take care when planting more than one variety of herb in the same pot. You will need to do a little research first and be sure to only combine plants that share similar needs for soil, water, and light.
The Right Light for Indoor Herbs
An essential ingredient for growing any plants indoors is good light. Your indoor herb garden will need around six hours of sunlight each and every day from a window facing south or east. When growing herbs in a window, remember to give the pots a quarter turn once a week so that all sides of the plant get exposed to light. This will encourage even growth. You’ll easily learn when you need to turn your plants as they will lean toward the direct sunlight – i.e lean toward the window.
If the winter light where you live isn’t enough, you can also grow your herbs under artificial lights. Full-spectrum plant lights will produce the best results, although cool or white daylight bulbs will also work. Be sure to keep the tops of the plants at least five inches from the lights to avoid leaf/foliage burn.
Caring for Your Container Herb Garden
Don’t forget to check the moisture of your herbs and water them when the soil feels dry to a depth of one inch. Many times during the winter, the air in a heated room can become very dry, leading to brown leaf tips, red spider mites, and other plant problems. To help prevent these issues, mist around your herbs with a spray bottle once a week. This will help restore moisture in the leaves. You’ll also find in the summer/warmer months they will need more watering – I tend to water ours from the bottom instead of pouring water all over the tops, ensure the top of the soil is moist and then pour water onto the plate or tray which you set your pots onto so that the roots will drink up the water they need – this is an easier way of telling when they need more water, when the water in the tray has all gone add a little more – they will take what they need.
You don’t need to worry about fertilising your herbs since they will produce the best flavour if you don’t. Instead, be sure to start growing your plants in fertile and enriched potting soil. Once the plants are established and growing well, pinch the tips off periodically to encourage new growth.
Ideal Herbs for Indoor Growth
When growing herbs indoors, you can start them from seeds or cuttings. Herbs which are good for indoor gardening include: Aloe, Borage, Basil, Chervil, Calendula, Ginger, Chives, Lemon Balm, Hyssop, Lemongrass, Lemon Verbena, Mint, Marjoram, Parsley, Oregano, Sage, Rosemary, Sweet Bay, Scented Geranium and Thyme.
Most herbs don’t take very long grow and you can keep using them again and again in your cooking – take care of them properly and you’ll never want to buy dried supermarket herbs again, they taste far nicer too and of course you will have the satisfaction of knowing you’ve grown them yourself.
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