Indoor Herb Gardening Tips

One of the more popular food show chefs are occasionally seen with a row of herbs sitting on her countertop. If you lack a garden and wish to grow herbs indoors, here are some tips to help you. 

Growing herbs indoors is just the same as growing them outdoors as far as conditions are concerned. They will need the same sunlight and well-drained soil 

and mix that are not too rich. To begin, select a south or west window; depending upon the herb, different light requirements are needed, however, but herbs need a sunny location.

To begin the planting process, mix two parts sterilized potting soil to one part coarse sand. To ensure sweetness of the soil, add one teaspoon of lime per 5-inch pot. There should be an inch of gravel at the bottom of each pot to ensure good drainage. Now you have to think about the water needs of each herb. Most growing plants need water. This holds true for herbs in clap pots or hanging baskets as well. Never give herbs too much water; you don�t want their roots to get soggy.

The good news is that annual herbs can spend their full life cycle in a pot indoors. Perennial herbs, however, will do better if you place them outdoors during the summer. Just put the entire pot in soil up to its rim. Since herb plants need sun, you can place them in areas where summer sun will directly hit them. If you notice the herb plants are losing their leaves, bring them indoors before the frost arrives. Speaking of frost, note that a light frost is good for mint, chives, and tarragon. Apparently it allows the herbs to rest which results in new and fresh growth. 

Maintaining an indoor herb garden indefinitely can be created by periodic light feeding, yearly repotting, renewing annuals, seasonal moves outdoors for perennials, and occasional pruning. Water plants as needed. Use several planters or a divided one to allow for different moisture needs of plants.

When gathering a large quantity of herbs, use an open-weave basket or containers that allow good air movement. Don�t stuff herbs into plastic bags, which can heat up and cause rapid deterioration of herbs. You can cut back a perennial herb to about half its height and can cut down an annual to a few inches. You can also remove an annual completely near the end of the season. 

Just think, the next time you are preparing dinner, you will have all of the herbs you need right in your own home. In addition, most of these herbs can be used to make tea and are known to contain medicinal properties as well. If you have any questions, visit your local gardening supply store for more details. In the meantime, you can always check online to determine which herbs you would like to grow in your herb. Your kitchen is going to smell so sweet once they are in bloom! 

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