How to Spice up Your Kitchen With an Indoor Herbal Garden!

Indoor herb gardens add a little green to your home any time of the year! Herbs are easy to grow, provide fresh ingredients to cook and fulfill your desire to garden on rainy and snowy days. This article will guide you through what to expect and how to grow your own herbs indoors.

Why Grow Herbs?

Herbs require little maintenance, but provide many benefits. You will save money on purchasing herbs from the grocery. Plus, fresh herbs are more than twice as flavorful as dried alternatives, meaning you need less and get a better taste.

Growing your own herbs from home puts you in control of the chemicals and pesticides being used. You will experience a sense of accomplishment having grown your own ingredients.

Don’t forget that keeping real plants indoors adds natural beauty to any space!

Getting Started

The first step is to pick what herbs you would like to grow. Choose herbs with a small footprint so that they are easy to manage indoors. Basil, chives, mint, parsley and rosemary are common choices.

You can either purchase seeds or nursery plants. Seeds will need more time to grow before they can be harvested but cost less upfront.

Place your herbs in a pot on a drain pan. Use potting mix and put them somewhere with plenty of natural light. Window sills work well, but do not let the plants touch the glass. During cold weather, this can cause the plant to freeze and wilt.

If you are unsure about your herb garden setup, take a look at premade kits that include everything you need to get started, available at gardening retailers and online.

Tips for Growing

Water your herbs regularly, keeping the soil moist. Herbs grow best without standing water, so empty the drain pan frequently.

Your herbs are ready to harvest once they grow to 6 inches tall. For plants purchased already that height from a nursery, wait until you see new growth before cutting off leaves.

Harvest your herbs by trimming off around 2 inches from each stem. To keep the plant growing, do not trim more than a third of your herb’s leaves at a time.

After that, you are ready to take your herbs to the dinner table! Use these tips to keep a fresh supply of herbs all year long.

Happy Gardening!