Monday, January 10, 2011

How to Grow an Indoor Herb Garden on Your Windowsill



I love the smell of fresh herbs. But when you buy them at the store they quickly wilt. Have you ever considered simplifying by growing your own herbs? Even in the winter months it’s possible to have a small herb garden – just use your windowsill.

If you’ve never grown herbs indoors, here are some tips I got from an experienced gardener to help you start and maintain your own windowsill herb garden:

· Pick a window that faces south or southeast. Herbs need sunshine to stay healthy; otherwise they get tall and spindly trying to reach for the light. That weakens them making them susceptible to pests like aphids. Make sure they get at least 5 hours of sunshine a day.

· Choose a pot that securely fits on the windowsill and also provides ample growing room. A good rule is to use a pot twice the size of the root ball; usually a 4” or 6” pot is good.

· Choose herbs that stay compact like chives, oregano, thyme, oregano, mint, parsley and basil.

· Make sure there’s a hole in the bottom of the pot to allow excess water to escape. Herbs will rot if they sit in water. First, layer about ½” of pebbles in the bottom of the pot. This keeps the potting mix from clogging the hole and allows good drainage.

· Plant the herb at the same depth as it has been growing. Put in some potting mix and see if it brings the herb to the right level. Be sure to hold it by the root ball or a leaf. If you damage the stem, it won’t survive. However, if the leaf is torn, it still has others to keep growing. Gently firm the potting mix around the plant. Keep the potting mix about 1” below the rim of the pot. This gives you space to water without making a mess.

· Give it a good watering to settle the potting mix around the roots and let it drain. After this initial watering, wait until the mix feels dry to the touch before watering again. The type of pot and the conditions in your home will determine how often you need to water. An easy way to water is to place the potted plant in your kitchen sink and spray it. This cleans the leaves, too.

· Protect your windowsill with a waterproof tray under the pots. Some pots may seem safe, but over time will leave rings because of condensation while watering.

· Let the herb begin actively growing before you start harvesting. Never harvest more than 1/3 of a plant at one time but frequent harvesting keeps them compact and healthy.

· Herbs do well without any fertilizer, especially if you plant them outside in the ground over the summer.

· Next fall, to return the herb indoors, you’ll either need a larger pot or divide the herb so it will fit its pot. Just dig it up and hose the soil off the roots so you can see what you’re doing. Use sharp garden shears or scissors to cut the plant in half, leaving a good portion of root attached to each half. Repot it and you’re done.

Just imagine the tasty recipes you’ll be able to make with fresh herbs! If you have any tips on growing herbs please share them with us.

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