Growing Herbs Indoors: Fresh Herbs All Year Round.

Posted by pano | Under Herb Garden Tuesday Feb 10, 2009

Have your own corner store at your fingertips by growing herbs indoors and enjoy having fresh herb available 24/ 7.

OK, so you know how herbs can freshen up even the more lacklustre salads. You know the nutritional and health benefits to eating natural and fresh foods and you’ve had a great summer growing and harvesting your own favourites.

But as winter approaches perhaps you feel that its back to the corner store until next spring…..

But what if you don’t want to stop growing your own herbs, just because winter approaches? Or even what if you are thinking how cool it would be to start growing herbs?

Well the answer is simple and one that will not cost you a fortune. Indeed, if you speak to those who have the experience of growing indoor herb gardens you’ll find they all say how cost effective it really is.

If you’ve grown your herbs on the patio or windowsill you can easily bring your herb garden inside for the winter. You might want to plant a windowsill garden right in your kitchen, starting afresh! Whatever your choice you are starting a journey that will be cooking with fresh herbs all winter long.

Preparation

In order to successfully move your herbs into your home, you will have to have a windowsill that is in a sunny area. The best place to put your kitchen herb garden is a windowsill that gets at least five hours of sunlight per day and has minimal drafts. Often times a south or south-east facing window is perfect.

Next, purchase your favourite herb plants. Make sure that these are smaller plants as the area you will be planting them in is probably not as big as your outdoor space.

After that, find a container that is about half a foot to a foot deep. If you are planting multiple herbs, get a long container. Use your imagination. Some really great containers can be found for little or no cost. Don’t be guided by the conventional, as you will find, a strawberry pot is a great indoor herb garden.

For individual plants, you will need the pot to be at least six inches deep. Plant your herbs in the pots just as you would plant them outside (many gardeners have very specific ways that they plant their gardens, from different top soils to various potting mixes!).

Caring For Your Herbs

Once you have your herbs planted and set in the windowsill, make sure that you remember to care for them. However, do not over do it. While they were outside you probably did not have to worry about watering them, but make sure that you water them on occasion when they are in your windowsill garden. But remember, herbs do not flourish in wet soil. In addition, you can feed your herbs once a month with a specific fertilizer that says it is safe for use on edibles. Remember, you have to allow your plants some time to get used to their new setting. Do not cut them until you see new growth. Otherwise your plants will not flourish.

Tips For Your Indoor Garden

1. Make sure that you are choosing appropriate herbs for your indoor herb garden. Do you want a ‘pure’ kitchen garden or do you want a mix of medicinal plants and herbs? Growing medicinal herbs is no more difficult than growing herbs for your table so take a look it you will be pleasantly surprised.

2. If you do not have any sunny windows, use a fluorescent light and keep it on for about ten hours a day. Also, make sure it is close to the plants, about eighteen inches away.

3. Make sure that you do not trim any more than a third of your plant’s foliage. In addition, trimming them often will encourage them to grow more, but make sure that there is new growth before you clip away!

Are you still not sure cooking with fresh herbs is all people say it is? Read the following article “Cooking with Fresh Herbs: Is It All It Should Be?” I hope it will change your mind.

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