If you are someone who enjoys cooking, or are looking for an easy indoor garden to care for, herbs make the perfect plants. Growing herbs indoors is a bit different than outdoors, but is still very easy and a rewarding project to take on. Herbs, for the most part, require full sun, or a bright location, and finding that it most often the largest obstacle to growing an indoor herb garden. A bright windowsill over a sink, or a kitchen window makes for a perfect and convenient location to watch your garden grow, and to use it in your meal preparation. If you do not have the specific light needed for herbs, consider getting a growing lamp to supplement the natural light available, or choose herbs with a higher tolerance for shadier environments. Herbs like chives, rosemary, basil, oregano, mint, and tarragon are easy to keep and are great additions to meals that need that fresh kick of flavor. Creating planters or gardens that are specific to your taste is easy too. If you enjoy pasta and Italian food, having a planter of oregano, basil, and thyme would be essential.
Once you have picked out the location for your herbs, and what you want to grow, you will need to consider a container and a medium to plant them in. your container should be at least 6” deep, with enough room to allow for a minimum of 2” of space between each of the plants you choose to grow. Crowding your herb planter can lead to mold and rot, and will not allow enough space for your plants to grow. Line the bottom of the container with loose stones, making sure not to plug any of the drainage holes.
Indoor herb gardens are a great way to keep fresh herbs on hand when you are cooking, and also keep the air in your home clean, and the kitchen smelling great. One idea, if your home or kitchen is too dark to normally grow herbs, is to purchase a planter that will hold several of the smaller herbs inside it without the need to plant them directly into the soil. That way, when one herb is done, or if one dies, you do not need to dig it out, but instead, just replace it with another pot.
Drainage for herbs is very important because they like having well drained soil, and it is important for root health because it allows the roots to be aerated. Fill your container with a light potting soil that is not too heavy. Heavier soil will not drain enough and will retain too much water for herbs to flourish. If your soil is too dense, mix in some universal potting soil to break it up. One you have planted your herbs, water your container, and watch them grow! Herbs do not like to be too wet, but it is important to not allow them to dry out. Fertilize them every second watering if you want to, but it is not essential.
