Spicing Up the Kitchen: Growing an Indoor Herb Garden
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Add spice to your meals and spruce up your kitchen with practical greenery – herbs. It doesn’t get much easier than this: Raise warm-climate herbs in a greenhouse window or on a windowsill that gets direct, bright sunlight, and grow moisture-loving herbs in indirect light. Naturals for your kitchen include basil, chives, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme. To plant your herb garden, just follow the general directions for planting in containers and follow these easy care instructions shown in the pictures and described in their captions below.
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| Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard |
| Step 1: Set your waterproof catch basin into your greenhouse window, on a windowsill or atop a plant stand situated in a sunny spot. |
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| Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard |
| Step 2: Plant your herbs in pots, water them thoroughly and allow them to drain. Arrange the shortest species nearest the light coming from the window, and place the taller plants behind them. |
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| Photo Credit: ©2002 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard |
| Step 3: Place moisture-loving plants such as chervil, chives, and mint in partial shade. |
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| Facts |
- While just about any plant can grow in the kitchen, a selection of herbs does triple duty by cheering up the room and inspiring the cook as it provides fresh seasonings. Given adequate light, most herbs do well indoors.
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| Tips |
- Pinch herbs regularly to keep them bushy, compact and healthy. Always remove blooms from annual herbs, such as basil, because flowering will diminish leaf production and can actually change the flavor of the herb. Avoid pinching back perennial herbs more than halfway, as this can stunt their future growth.
- Place most herbs in a bright location, such as a western- or eastern-facing window. Plants will struggle near windows with too little light, and too sunny locations may become hot during midday, burning the herbs and causing dried or shriveled leaves. Herbs also do well under artificial light. Ensure healthy growth by turning your potted herbs once a week in the same direction so that all sides of your plant receive sun. Fertilize monthly with a balanced organic fertilizer.
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| Resources |
- Not sure which herbs to try in your garden? Visit the Learn2Grow Plant Database, where you can search for thousands of plant species by name, type or region (among other ways), including types of herbs.
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| Share |
- Come to The Garden Party and share your indoor herb garden with the rest of our Learn2Grow community. Post pictures of your herb garden, write a blog, or connect with our gardening experts and other home gardeners nationwide to share more herb growing tips and ideas. Have a question about growing or using herbs? Visit the Learn2Grow Forums and post a question for experienced gardeners to answer.
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