Growing herbs inside the home can be very fulfilling for any gardener. Indoor herb container gardening isn’t much different from growing herbs outdoors, but there are some important differences you should be aware of. Just follow these steps and you’ll be on your way to enjoying fragrant, flavorful herbs in no time.
Step 1: Choose the types of herbs you wish to grow. You can get seeds or seedlings from your local garden center. The staff there should be able to advise you which plants are well suited to indoor growth.
Step 2: Choose a good location for your herb garden. Exposure to at least five hours of sunlight will be necessary. A sunny windowsill facing in a southerly direction should do the trick.
Step 3: Choose a suitable pot. Growing herbs in containers usually requires a pot that is large enough so that the plant can grow well for about a year. Ideally, the pot should have a depth of six to twelve inches and a rim diameter of about seven to twelve inches. This will depend on the size of the plant you are growing. Many gardeners recommend a light colored pot to help deflect heat. Choose a pot that has holes at the bottom to facilitate better drainage. It is advisable to change to a bigger container when your plant is about a year old or when you deem it too big for the pot it is in. Keeping the herb in the pot for too long will yield thin and unhealthy leaves.
Step 4: Choose the right soil mix. The soil you use for an indoor herb garden should be especially formulated for potted plants, not for outdoor gardens. Organic indoor potting mix is a prime example of the kind of medium used for growing herbs indoors. The nutrients in a potting mix are carefully balanced to sustain plants that have limited access to natural, healthy soil.
Step 5:Â If you’re planting seeds, fill the container with potting mix, leaving about an inch of clearance at the top. Gently push the seeds into the soil at a depth of about half an inch. This guarantees that sunlight will be able to penetrate the thin layer of soil over the seed and encourage growth. If you’re planting seedlings, add two or three inches of potting mix to the pot and set the plant into the container. Then top it up with more potting mix to within an inch of the container’s rim. Gently press down the soil around the plant.
Step 6: Add some water to the pot, but not too much, because herbs don’t like overly soggy soil. Some people prefer to just keep the soil well misted.
Step 7: Fertilize your container herb garden about once a month with nutrients that are safe for edible plants.
Find out if there are any specific instructions for caring for the type of herb you are growing, as there could be some variations in maintenance requirements among the different plants. But really, indoor herb container gardening isn’t difficult, and the rewards will be well worth your time and effort.
Read More