Indoor Garden – Herb

Whether you live in a city apartment or you have snow in the ground, it is not reason enough not to enjoy having an herb garden of your own. Growing herbs indoors is just as easy as growing them outside in a garden. Indoor herb plants have the same needs as those grown outside. They need proper sunlight and a well-drained soil mix.

Choose a south or west bay window. You don’t need extensive home renovations to do this. Even though herbs have different light requirements, most herbs would need the most sunlight they can get. Herbs would need about 5-6 hours of exposure to the sun. If light is limited, make sure you rotate your plants so everyone gets a fair stab at growth. You don’t want to have stunted plants at the end of the year. During the winter, you can get fluorescent lamps or “grow lamps” to substitute for the lack of sunlight. Remember to place your herbs in a spot where there is no experience in extreme temperatures – don’t put below your heater or near a stove.

When planting your herbs, make sure the soil is not too rich by mixing two parts of potting soil and one part coarse sand or perlite. Add a cut of ground limestone for every bushel of soil. An allowance of an inch of gravel should be given at the bottom of each clay or ceramic pot to ensure proper drainage.

Watering your herbs is just as important as providing them with enough sunlight. Each herb has different watering needs but it is important to always keep the soil damp. You can use a little plate or container that matches the pot to absorb any excess water, so don’t be afraid to put a little water in everyday especially when you live in an over-heated apartment. Make sure you just damp the soil – soaking the soil can cause the roots to rot especially when the sprouts appear.

There are different sort of herbs. Annual herbs can be kept indoors for the whole year. However, it is much better for perennial herbs to be placed outdoors during the summer. To do this, fill your pot with soil up to its rim. You may want to keep it in a protected location like a porch or patio.

If you bring your plants outside your window for a time, make sure you bring them indoors before the chill comes to avoid loss of foliage and plant damage. Some herbs benefit from a light frost – on mint, chives and tarragon. Chilling them sort of puts them to sleep making them renewed and fresh.

It is easy to maintain an indoor herb garden if you plan it out carefully. Make sure you give your plants periodic light feeding. It is best if you can change pots annually. Seasonal moves for perennial plants are recommended. Consider each plant’s watering needs but still keep them damp for a general rule.