Beginning Gardening

Not much room for herb gardening? You can always keep a small herb garden on the windowsill of a sunny window in your house or apartment. Make sure that the window is going to provide plenty of sunshine. If your window faces south, that s the best. You can also use an artificial grow light, but they can be a bit costly (not only to get but also on your electric bill).

Don t put your herbs near your heater (maybe this is obvious?) because they will get easily scorched and too much hot air will kill them.

I gave up on bringing my herbs inside during the colder time of year long ago because I never really had good luck. If you re like me, you will drop by the greenhouse or grocery store to get the herbs you will need over the winter. Keep the indoor herbs indoors and the outdoor ones outside.

Another thing to keep in mind about indoor herbs is that they tend to get a bit leggy. What I mean by that is they grow tall, but do not often get bushy and bushy is a good thing. To help with this, snip off the top of the herb and that can trick the plant into growing more full.

Because you want your herb plants to do well in your indoor herb garden, always try to get the right pot for your herbs. Many plants have a number of kinds and with some research; you ll find the one that can do best in your garden.

These are some herbs that I ve had success with growing indoors. Not only will these bring a great smell to your home, they have a lot of uses.

• Sage: Just smelling the pungent aroma and silver leaves of the sage plant makes my mouth water. It s an excellent herb for your inside garden. You can always lop a few leaves to add to your meal. Now that is sage advice!

• Thyme: With all the tastes and types, you may have a hard thyme choosing the right one for your indoor garden. Not to mention how wonderful it smells as it grows.

• Mustard: Turn up the spice for this one. There are a lot of different varieties of mustard, but keep in mind that the leaves and seeds are full of taste. You will need to cook the leaves thoroughly before eating because they have a texture. The typical mustard herb can get rather large, so be sure that when you go to buy your mustard plant, be sure that you purchase a smaller variety.

• Angelica: This herb is awesome in its appearance and its course texture makes it a unique addition to your inside herb garden. Use the blooms in your floral arrangements. Angelica is similar to the mustard herb in size, so look for a smaller variety for your indoor herb garden.

You ll need to get a container that allows for drainage. If you don t, your herb can drown and die. But be careful where you put your pots (you do not want them peeing all over you countertops, window sills or kitchen table). All my potted herb plants sit on a tray on my kitchen table. This allows them to get plenty of sun and acts as a basin for the drained water. I enjoy using the tray because I can fast move all my herbs at once, or turn the tray so that my plants get the best light.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Mini Herb Garden. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

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If you have ever wanted to get into herb gardening, you should know that herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow. Even if you don’t think of yourself as having a green thumb, you can be a successful gardener if you grow the following easy herbs that can be used fresh or dried.

Parsley – Parsley is easy to grow and has many uses. While it is a popular garnish found in many dishes, it is also excellent for curing bad breath. You can grow curly leaf and flat leaf parsley easily, and they grow wonderfully without you having to give them a whole lot of care. They do well in light shade and full sun, and they prefer moist, rich soil. Parsley doesn’t do overly well in the heat, however.

Cilantro – Cilantro is used in many Spanish dishes and has a distinct flavor. This is an annual herb that grows well both in the shade and the sun. You’ll find that it is very easy to care for and it will grow pretty well in just about any type of climate.

Chives – Chives are a perennial herb. They can grow well in almost any soil, and almost any conditions. Chives have been known to be seen growing in old gardens that haven’t been tended in many years! It’s hardy in zones 3-9, and prefers full sun. They tend to do better in rich soils, but don’t need it to survive. Chives have a rich, oniony flavor, and they taste great on baked potatoes.

Oregano – Oregano is probably one of the most popular herbs to grow in an herb garden and it is tasty with a variety of foods. You can use it in many dishes, including pork, chicken, and pasta dishes. It is an herb that does great in just about any area. It should have soil that is well drained and also likes full sun, but it will even grow in soil that is rocky and poor.

Thyme – Thyme is a perennial herb. It is hardy in zones 4-6. It’s a small, shrub-like herb that requires full sun and moist, well-drained soil. It is quite hardy in its standard zones, and doesn’t require much care at all.

Basil – Basil in a warm-weather annual herb. It is hardy in most zones, but it requires hot, dry conditions to reach peak flavor. It needs full sun, and very rich, moist soil. The only major issues with growing basil are slugs and cool conditions. As long as basil has enough light and heat, and its soil is allowed to dry out between waterings, it usually requires little additional care.

Bay – Although it is a type of shrub, this is actually a very good herb for beginners to grow. It’s hardy in zones 8-11, and is remarkably hardy in those zones. It needs full sun to light shade, and rich, well-drained soil. It will tolerate variations in conditions rather well. Just remember, bay leaves reach their full flavor when dry, so be sure to press them between layers of paper towels inside heavy books for a few weeks before you use them.

When you grow these herbs, try to pay attention to the climate they like. While they may be hardy and grow in a variety of places, they’ll do the best when you keep them in a climate suited to their needs. So, as long as you consider the zones they grow best in, usually you’ll find these herbs will grow well in your vegetable garden, and they’ll be easy for you to take care of as well.

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