Some Knowledge

If you don’t have a patch of ground outside or the weather is too cold, you might want to try and grow some herbs indoors.  Herbs make a wonderful addition of flavor to many meals, and a little goes a long way.  You can bring some of the freshness of the outside world into your home and enjoy not only fresh herbs, but also a pleasant splash of greenery in your home.

Any plant will need light, water, and soil to grow and be healthy.  It is hard to get enough light for some plants when you grow them indoors.  Natural sunlight is far more powerful than just about any artificial light.  A big window with a southern exposure and no shadows is the perfect place to have your indoor garden.  If you have no suitable windows you will have to go with artificial light.  Full-spectrum fluorescent tubes are the most efficient light source for your garden.  A single four-foot fixture with two bulbs will be sufficient to grow plenty of herbs.  You can buy a rack for your garden or make a simple rack with a chain suspension mechanism for the light fixture from commonly available wood.

Once you have a light source and a rack for your garden you will need to decide what kind of soil system you are going to use.  The easiest is of course simple potting soil.  You can fill clay or plastic pots with clean potting soil, or use longer trays that will fit on your windowsill or light rack.  The important thing to remember is that your plants will need adequate drainage.  Herbs need a mixture of soil, water, and air in which to grow.  If you don’t have drainage holes in your pots the roots will rot and your herbs will be sickly.

Another choice for growing medium is hydroponics.  This is a bit more complicated than soil.  Your plants will be rooted in mineral wool inside plastic tubes, suspended in a tray of water-nutrient solution.  You will need a bucket and a pump to circulate the solution and this will not only add to the expense of your garden it will also add noise and a bit of clumsiness to your system not found with silent soil in pots.  Still, if you want to go scientific, it’s hard to beat a hydro system for productivity.  The herbs I have tasted that were grown hydroponically tended to have a funny taste to them, but this would depend on what kind of nutrient solution you use.

Once you have your pots and lights and rack or windowsill set up it is time to plant your herbs.  What kind of herbs should you plant?  This depends on what kinds of herbs you use.  It would be silly to plant something you never use, unless you just want to watch it grow.  Basil, oregano, parsley, chives, all these are common herbs used in the kitchen.  Herb seeds tend to be really small, so you should be careful when planting them that you do not drop too many seeds in your pots so that you don’t have to go back and thin them out too drastically.  Thinning is not necessarily a waste, as you can use the thinnings in your cooking, but pulling out one plant right next to another can damage the roots of the plant you are trying to grow.

After you plant your seeds, or set out the plants you might have bought from a garden center or grocery store, sit back and wait.  It takes time for plants to grow.  Pay attention to your garden and make sure it gets enough water, but don’t drown it by watering every day.  When your plants start to get tall and look like they can stand a cutting, cut them back and use the trimmings in your cooking.  If you keep your herbs cut they will grow short and stocky and not get too big for your windowsill or rack.  Outside, a single Basil plant can get almost three feet tall and  a yard across.  If your herbs show any sign of flowering cut the flowers back and use them in your kitchen.  When herbs flower they will lose vitality and will eventually die.  You can also tie herbs with string and hang them in a dry place to dry if you have too many of them.

An indoor herb garden can supply flavorful herbs for your cooking and makes a nice addition to your home decor.  With some patience and a little common sense you can grow all the herbs you need in the comfort of your own home.