How to Build an Indoor Herb Garden
Nothing helps the taste of a meal like fresh herbs straight from the garden. This has often vexed apartment renters or people who lived in climates that were not conducive to growing herbs. For a long time, people have thought that having an herb garden meant having enough room to have a garden outside. Now, though, it is possible to have an indoor herb garden! Here is how to build your own indoor herb garden!
Required Materials
Seeds
Potting Soil
Water
Sunlight
Required Tools
Terracotta pots-a thirteen to fifteen inch container can hold four mature plants.
Gardening tools
Instructions
Choose the seeds you most want to plant. The best herbs for indoor growing are Basil, Dill, Parsley and Summer Savory, but almost all herbs can be grown indoors.
Set up your terracotta pots. The easiest thing to do is to start out with larger pots. If you start with pots that are too small, you will have to transplant the herbs to larger pots when the plants are mature.
Add bark chips and stones at the bottom of each pot to aerate the soil.
Prepare your soil. The best soil for growing herbs is a mixture of peat moss, loam and sand (equal parts of each).
Once the soil has been prepared and placed in the terracotta pots, soak it.
Place your seeds into soil between one fourth of an inch and one half of an inch deep and then cover them very loosely with your soil mixture.
Place your pots in the window that gets the most direct sunlight.
Water the plants on a regular basis. The soil should always be a little bit damp. Make sure you check on it every day and add water when it feels too dry.
Make sure to keep the information tag that comes with each herb you are planting. If you can’t find yours, make a tag of your own. This will help you remember which herbs are planted in which pots.
Make sure that your herbs are getting at least ten to twelve hours of sunlight every day. If your windows do not provide that much sunlight, you should buy a grow lamp from your local garden store.
Herbs need a steady flow of air. You can help this flowing by putting a small fan close to the herbs and leaving it on. This both keeps the air in constant circulation and keeps bugs away from your growing plants.
Some herbs take a long time to grow. They might take from eight to ten weeks to sprout, so don’t become discouraged if you don’t see growth signs quickly after planting the seeds.
Don’t place your plants too close to the window. Window sills and window panes can become incredibly hot when exposed to a lot of direct sunlight and they could spoil your plants. During the winter, the air near the windows is far cooler than the rest of the air in your home.
Make sure to get rid of all dead or dried leaves or blossoms as soon as they appear. This will keep your plants growing quickly and keep them healthy.