Indoor Herb Garden: A Guide For Beginners
Have you ever made pasta sauce topped your homemade pizza and wished for fresh basil? Or made fresh tea and wanted mint but did not have any? If yes, indoor herb gardens are just the right option for you. You could enjoy fresh herbs while cooking even if the weather does not permit you to go outdoors. So whether you’re new to cooking or an expert, this article will assist you in growing your very own indoor herb garden.
What Are The Benefits Of Growing An Indoor Herb Garden?
Growing your own herbs indoors is not only a fun task, its also a practical solution as it adds character to your living space as well as enhances the flavor of your food. Instead of spending money on herbs from the market, you will be able to grow them in your own indoor gardens. Indoor herb gardens can also serve as an aromatic reminder of your wonderful cooking sessions.
What Are The Steps To Setup An Indoor Herb Garden?
1. Decide A Place
The best herbs require a large amount of natural light. This is why you should place them around south or west facing windows as they seek a 4-6 hour time frame of sunlight every day. However, if there isn’t sufficient sunlight, you can always buy grow lights as an alternative.
2. Pick Your Containers
Always ensure to pick containers with adequate drainage holes and the appropriate saucers to catch excess water if needed. For the breathing of the soil, water retention must be avoided and thus, terra cotta pots are a red hot choice. Make sure that every pot has depth of more than 6 inches so as to allow the root system of the plant to grow adequately deep.
3. Use Appropriate Soil
Try to avoid the use of garden soil at all times! Going for potting mixes that are particularly for herbs would be a more sound decision. This will not only ensure that your herbs are able to thrive inside the house but will also allow for the proper drainage of water.
Best Herbs for Beginners
There are specific herbs that are most definitely a good starter pack and these include:
Basil: Considered to be a perfect match with Italian dishes as well as pesto.
Mint: Can work flawlessly with teas as well as cocktails.
Parsley: This is a herb that is able to complement a wide variety of cuisines.
Chives: This is highly preferred when a hint of onion flavor is required in the pearl.
Thyme: This is a tough one which is able to resist lack of water.
Care and Maintenance tips
You must make sure to water your herbs when the first inch of the soil feels dry. All herbs are different and have their own requirements – basil would like its soil to remain moist while on the other hand rosemary would prefer a dryer soil.
Pampering your herbs every now and then will promote fuller and denser growth among the plants. When trimming plants, make sure to not cut off two-thirds of the plant in one go as that will only damage the plants in the long run.
Common Challenges and Solutions
Yellowish Leaves? If your plant is getting too much water, then yellow leaves are the least of your concerns. Increase drainage.
Legginess? These herbs of yours lack sufficient light – get them moved near a window or consider enhancing the lighting.
Harvesting Your Herbs
The morning is said to be the best time to harvest your crops since the essential oils of the plant reach their peak concentration at that time, cutting with scissors isn’t required for all as plants have their own way of evolving which involve natural growth, however they can be done if precise cuts need to be made just above a leaf node.
Taking It Further
Once you become adept with the art of herb gardening, you can then consider:
Starting herbs from seeds
Experimenting herb gardening with different assortments of crops
Themed gardening for Italian dishes, tea herbs and etc.
Drying your vegetables once harvested.
Final Thoughts
Growing herbs indoors does necessitate a shift in mindset that encompasses gardening, cooking, and living in an environmentally friendly way, and it is completely fine to try out new methods, and fail as many times as you like while learning new things in the process, and eventually you will have a spectacular indoor garden that is visually appealing in your house and enhances the flavor of your cuisines.
Keep in mind that any expert used to be an amateur too, so take things slow and steady while you watch your indoor herbs integrate themselves into your home as majestic and practical plants.
Explore our garden guides for more expert tips and tricks on creating your perfect green space, from outdoor vegetable gardens to creative landscaping ideas. Happy growing!