Grow An Herb Garden Inside
Where do I begin if I want to start growing an herb garden inside?
A : (Jesse Mack Burns, Ask DIY Gardening expert) A great place to start is in your cookbook! Leaf through it to check out recipes with herbs, and decide what you'd like to have available in your own kitchen. You might like chives, which have an onion flavor and are good in soups and omelets , or rosemary, which is great with chicken.
Select a few of these to plant in a strawberry jar, which has openings on the sides and at the top and is a good way to showcase an indoor herb garden. One good choice is sage, because it has fuzzy leaves and will cascade from the side holes. It also has a good flavor, particularly for stuffings and stews. Parsley is also a good selection for an indoor container garden. It's delicious as a basic seasoning for potatoes, stews, breadings, sauces . . . And it's also a nice garnish.
Once you've selected the herbs you'd like to grow and purchased young plants from a nursery or home store, here's how to plant them in a strawberry jar.
Materials:
Strawberry jar
Gravel to cover bottom
Good-draining potting soil
Nursery herb plants
Cover the bottom of the jam jar with gravel for good drainage.
Add enough potting soil to reach the lowest hole in the planter.
Gently remove herbs from their individual containers. Starting from the bottom, position the herbs in the holes, planning so that one cascading herb is not in the hole above another.
Push the herbs in the side holes, adding soil from the top opening as you go. Pack the soil fairly tightly.
Gently water the soil from above, being careful not to wash the herb plants out. Include some water-soluble fertilizer in the water.
Plant a few more herbs in the top opening. Chives on top are fun, because they look like hair.
Move the planter to a sunny location in the kitchen.
More questions for Jessie Mack:
Q: How do I know when my herbs are ready to be used?
A: Look for the larger leaves. They have a lot more flavor. Stay away from the tiny leaves and give them a chance to get larger.
Q: Can you transplant herbs into the ground in the spring?
A : Definitely. Outdoors, the herbs will be decorative and provide you with a large herb garden to harvest.
Q: If I use many of the leaves, will they grow back?
A: Yes, they will. But make sure that when you're harvesting the leaves, you don't pick them all from one side of the plant, or it will get lopsided.
***
Growing Herbs in Pots
by Brenda Hyde
Some of you may not have room at all for herbs unless they are in pots. Never fear, you can have a pot garden! Many of the herbs will grow fine in pots when they have plenty of sun and are watered on a regular basis. Even if you are in an apartment with a patio or balcony you can do this. Chances are you have a sunny space, and the herbs will love the heat!
First, lets talk again about the soil for pots. Use a good potting soil- if it doesn't have limestone added-then add 1 tsp. per 6 inch pot--2 tsp. for 12 inch etc. It doesn't have to be exact. Don't use garden soil--it's too heavy for pots and won't work as well. The smallest pot you should use for herbs is 6 inches (across). This size works well for outside shelving or windowsills. The 8, 10 and 12 inch work great. All your pots don't need to be the same size. Use what you have! The ultimate are the half whiskey type barrels. You can get a lot of herbs in one of those! BUT, it can't be moved easily, so place it before filling with soil.
The pots must have good drainage or the plant roots may rot. Unglazed terra cotta works the best for all types of herbs. Plastic pots can work for mints and other herbs that like moisture but you still have to be so careful to not overwater. Group the plastic away from the clay, so you can adjust the watering schedule.
What herbs grow best in containers? In this article we're discussing containers placed outside--on a deck, porch, patio etc. These herbs tend to do better in pots: parsley, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, basil, thyme, chives, lemon verbena, mints, nasturtiums, sage, cilantro, shorter varieties of dill, tarragon, calendula, chervil, coriander, and summer savory. Wow, that is a lot of culinary herbs! You'll be able to cook, make vinegars, create blends and still have enough to freeze! There are more herbs than this that will be able to adapt to pots, so don't be afraid to experiment if you have an idea.
What is the most important thing to remember when growing herbs in pots? Watering daily when it doesn't rain and pinching out herbs that tend to grow tall. Pinch from the middle, harvest from the sides later. Once you have gotten your watering schedule down (be sure to ask someone to do it for you if you go out of town) then make sure you harvest on a regular basis when the herbs are ready. Do not allow them to bloom--especially the basil. Keep the herbs clipped, neat and trim. You can add sphagnum moss, wood chips, or gravel to the top of your containers to help keep moisture in too. If you are in a dry, hot climate it would be an added benefit for your plants to be misted on a daily basis.
Some plants that can be a nuisance in the herb bed, aren't in a pot. Mints are a good example. They can be kept under control so much better in pot. Their roots can't spread, and if you harvest often they won't bloom and reseed either! A large pot of chocolate mint is no doubt one of my favorite things.
So, how do you decide what to plant? Figure out how much space you can give to your pots. They should get at least 6 hours of sun per day. Gather all of your empty pots together to see what you have available. Decide if you should buy a few more and go from there.Think about what you want from your herb garden. Do you want herbs for soups, stews, meats and vegetables? Do you want to make vinegars? Or maybe dry extra for winter? Sit down with paper and pencil and write all of this out. Eliminate the herbs you really don't think you will use. Here are some ideas-some of which includes tomatoes and peppers:
Salads: Nasturtiums, tomatoes, basil, chives, oregano, parsley
Italian: oregano, basil, patio type tomato, marjoram, rosemary
Mexican: cilantro, pepper plant, oregano,
Fragrance: lavender, rosemary, miniature roses, mints
Vinegars: dill, basil, oregano, nasturtium, chives, sage
Finally, I have some tips on individual herbs and the size pots they may need and a few other tidbits.
A row of the smaller, 6 inch pots would work well for thyme, oregano, cilantro or marjoram. 8 inch pots work better for chives, parsley, and basils. The bigger 10-12 inch pots work the best for herbs such as rosemary, sage, lavender and the mints.
Lemongrass can be grow in a pot outdoors after the nights are above 60 degrees F. The container should be at least 12 inches wide and deep. Let it almost dry out between waterings. You'll have to bring it in if you have hard frosts, but it can stay outside the entire summer.
As you can see, the possibilities are endless when it comes to pot gardens!
***
Basil plants hate the cold. Keep them in a warm place, preferably in full sunlight.
Cut the plant from the top--this will encourage new growth. Just snip off the top stem right above where it meets four sets of leaves below it. The four sets of leaves will grow and become the top of the plant, ready for harvesting.
If you see flowers form, snip them off. This will improve growth of the plant and improve the flavor.
Harvest and prune often, even if you don't need it right away. The more you harvest, the more it'll grow.
Basil can be freezed. Just put individual basil leaves in a freezer bag, and store it in the freezer. You can take it out any time.
Basil can't be refrigerated directly. If you need to store them for a short period of time, drop them in a glass of water and put that in the fridge. That will last you a few days.
Cut off flowers as soon as you see them appear. This will keep your plant producing and keep the leaves savory.
Watch out for aphids.
Favorite recipes: Margherita Pizza, Chicken and Basil, Pesto
*************
Thyme is one of the easiest herbs to grow. It's best to plant them in loose and fast-draining soil which is not very fertile.
Thyme can be grown as an herb or as an attractive and fragrant plant due to their beautiful little purplish-white flowers. They can actually repel some harmful insects from your othe plants due to their fragrance.
To harvest, just snip leaves off as needed.
To dry thyme for storage, harvest sprigs in the early autumn, tie them together, and hand them upside-down in a warm, well-ventilated, and shady area. You can store the dried leaves in a container with a tight lid.
Favorite recipes: flavoring sauces, fish, meat dishes, soup and stews.
*******************
Keep Rosemary constantly moist, but never, ever let the roots be oversaturated or sit in water. The best policy is to look at your container's drain holes--if the dirt is damp, there's no need to water. Let the soil dry out between watering, but of course, don't let it stay dry for too long. Rosemary must be in a well-drained container.
6-8 hours of full sun is important.
Make sure your room has good air circulation.
Repot at least once a year, as the soil will lose its nutrients over time.
Rosemary can be frozen in small freezer bags.
Watch out for aphids and spider mites.
Favorite recipes: Herb butter, grilling meat, foccacia.
*******************
Parsley makes a great breath freshener. It's great to chew on, for example, after eating a dish with too much garlic.
Parsley also is very rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C, as well as calcium and iron.
It grows best in full sun.
Parsley is ready to harvest once its leaves begin to curl and when it's produced stems with three segments. Harvest the larger leaves at the outside of the plant first just above ground level, and allow the newer interior shoots to mature. This will encourage faster growth.
Parsley comes in two varieties: curly leaf and flat leaf. The flat leaf variety is preferred for cooking and chopping due to its stronger flavor and ease of handling.
Favorite recipes: garnish, stuffing, soup, tabouli, sauce.
Pick parsley early in the day when the oils are strongest.
Watch out for aphids!
**************
As oregano plants start to flower, pinch off the flower buds. This will help the plants grow and will improve the flavor.
Pick the leaves early in the morning for the best taste and aroma.
Start harvesting when plants are about eight inches tall and have at least a dozen leaves. Just pinch the leaves off the plants and cut back the plant about three inches once you have harvested all the leaves.
Oregano will produce a stronger flavor if you do NOT add fertilizer to the plant.
Oregano is not as easy as other herbs to grow indoors. You should have a grow light on it at least 12 hours. Be sure NOT to overwater it--only water when the soil is dry.
Favorite recipes: Anything Italian! Spaghetti sauce, pizza, meats, stews, stuffing, and breads.
A : (Jesse Mack Burns, Ask DIY Gardening expert) A great place to start is in your cookbook! Leaf through it to check out recipes with herbs, and decide what you'd like to have available in your own kitchen. You might like chives, which have an onion flavor and are good in soups and omelets , or rosemary, which is great with chicken.
Select a few of these to plant in a strawberry jar, which has openings on the sides and at the top and is a good way to showcase an indoor herb garden. One good choice is sage, because it has fuzzy leaves and will cascade from the side holes. It also has a good flavor, particularly for stuffings and stews. Parsley is also a good selection for an indoor container garden. It's delicious as a basic seasoning for potatoes, stews, breadings, sauces . . . And it's also a nice garnish.
Once you've selected the herbs you'd like to grow and purchased young plants from a nursery or home store, here's how to plant them in a strawberry jar.
Materials:
Strawberry jar
Gravel to cover bottom
Good-draining potting soil
Nursery herb plants
Cover the bottom of the jam jar with gravel for good drainage.
Add enough potting soil to reach the lowest hole in the planter.
Gently remove herbs from their individual containers. Starting from the bottom, position the herbs in the holes, planning so that one cascading herb is not in the hole above another.
Push the herbs in the side holes, adding soil from the top opening as you go. Pack the soil fairly tightly.
Gently water the soil from above, being careful not to wash the herb plants out. Include some water-soluble fertilizer in the water.
Plant a few more herbs in the top opening. Chives on top are fun, because they look like hair.
Move the planter to a sunny location in the kitchen.
More questions for Jessie Mack:
Q: How do I know when my herbs are ready to be used?
A: Look for the larger leaves. They have a lot more flavor. Stay away from the tiny leaves and give them a chance to get larger.
Q: Can you transplant herbs into the ground in the spring?
A : Definitely. Outdoors, the herbs will be decorative and provide you with a large herb garden to harvest.
Q: If I use many of the leaves, will they grow back?
A: Yes, they will. But make sure that when you're harvesting the leaves, you don't pick them all from one side of the plant, or it will get lopsided.
***
Growing Herbs in Pots
by Brenda Hyde
Some of you may not have room at all for herbs unless they are in pots. Never fear, you can have a pot garden! Many of the herbs will grow fine in pots when they have plenty of sun and are watered on a regular basis. Even if you are in an apartment with a patio or balcony you can do this. Chances are you have a sunny space, and the herbs will love the heat!
First, lets talk again about the soil for pots. Use a good potting soil- if it doesn't have limestone added-then add 1 tsp. per 6 inch pot--2 tsp. for 12 inch etc. It doesn't have to be exact. Don't use garden soil--it's too heavy for pots and won't work as well. The smallest pot you should use for herbs is 6 inches (across). This size works well for outside shelving or windowsills. The 8, 10 and 12 inch work great. All your pots don't need to be the same size. Use what you have! The ultimate are the half whiskey type barrels. You can get a lot of herbs in one of those! BUT, it can't be moved easily, so place it before filling with soil.
The pots must have good drainage or the plant roots may rot. Unglazed terra cotta works the best for all types of herbs. Plastic pots can work for mints and other herbs that like moisture but you still have to be so careful to not overwater. Group the plastic away from the clay, so you can adjust the watering schedule.
What herbs grow best in containers? In this article we're discussing containers placed outside--on a deck, porch, patio etc. These herbs tend to do better in pots: parsley, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, basil, thyme, chives, lemon verbena, mints, nasturtiums, sage, cilantro, shorter varieties of dill, tarragon, calendula, chervil, coriander, and summer savory. Wow, that is a lot of culinary herbs! You'll be able to cook, make vinegars, create blends and still have enough to freeze! There are more herbs than this that will be able to adapt to pots, so don't be afraid to experiment if you have an idea.
What is the most important thing to remember when growing herbs in pots? Watering daily when it doesn't rain and pinching out herbs that tend to grow tall. Pinch from the middle, harvest from the sides later. Once you have gotten your watering schedule down (be sure to ask someone to do it for you if you go out of town) then make sure you harvest on a regular basis when the herbs are ready. Do not allow them to bloom--especially the basil. Keep the herbs clipped, neat and trim. You can add sphagnum moss, wood chips, or gravel to the top of your containers to help keep moisture in too. If you are in a dry, hot climate it would be an added benefit for your plants to be misted on a daily basis.
Some plants that can be a nuisance in the herb bed, aren't in a pot. Mints are a good example. They can be kept under control so much better in pot. Their roots can't spread, and if you harvest often they won't bloom and reseed either! A large pot of chocolate mint is no doubt one of my favorite things.
So, how do you decide what to plant? Figure out how much space you can give to your pots. They should get at least 6 hours of sun per day. Gather all of your empty pots together to see what you have available. Decide if you should buy a few more and go from there.Think about what you want from your herb garden. Do you want herbs for soups, stews, meats and vegetables? Do you want to make vinegars? Or maybe dry extra for winter? Sit down with paper and pencil and write all of this out. Eliminate the herbs you really don't think you will use. Here are some ideas-some of which includes tomatoes and peppers:
Salads: Nasturtiums, tomatoes, basil, chives, oregano, parsley
Italian: oregano, basil, patio type tomato, marjoram, rosemary
Mexican: cilantro, pepper plant, oregano,
Fragrance: lavender, rosemary, miniature roses, mints
Vinegars: dill, basil, oregano, nasturtium, chives, sage
Finally, I have some tips on individual herbs and the size pots they may need and a few other tidbits.
A row of the smaller, 6 inch pots would work well for thyme, oregano, cilantro or marjoram. 8 inch pots work better for chives, parsley, and basils. The bigger 10-12 inch pots work the best for herbs such as rosemary, sage, lavender and the mints.
Lemongrass can be grow in a pot outdoors after the nights are above 60 degrees F. The container should be at least 12 inches wide and deep. Let it almost dry out between waterings. You'll have to bring it in if you have hard frosts, but it can stay outside the entire summer.
As you can see, the possibilities are endless when it comes to pot gardens!
***
Basil plants hate the cold. Keep them in a warm place, preferably in full sunlight.
Cut the plant from the top--this will encourage new growth. Just snip off the top stem right above where it meets four sets of leaves below it. The four sets of leaves will grow and become the top of the plant, ready for harvesting.
If you see flowers form, snip them off. This will improve growth of the plant and improve the flavor.
Harvest and prune often, even if you don't need it right away. The more you harvest, the more it'll grow.
Basil can be freezed. Just put individual basil leaves in a freezer bag, and store it in the freezer. You can take it out any time.
Basil can't be refrigerated directly. If you need to store them for a short period of time, drop them in a glass of water and put that in the fridge. That will last you a few days.
Cut off flowers as soon as you see them appear. This will keep your plant producing and keep the leaves savory.
Watch out for aphids.
Favorite recipes: Margherita Pizza, Chicken and Basil, Pesto
*************
Thyme is one of the easiest herbs to grow. It's best to plant them in loose and fast-draining soil which is not very fertile.
Thyme can be grown as an herb or as an attractive and fragrant plant due to their beautiful little purplish-white flowers. They can actually repel some harmful insects from your othe plants due to their fragrance.
To harvest, just snip leaves off as needed.
To dry thyme for storage, harvest sprigs in the early autumn, tie them together, and hand them upside-down in a warm, well-ventilated, and shady area. You can store the dried leaves in a container with a tight lid.
Favorite recipes: flavoring sauces, fish, meat dishes, soup and stews.
*******************
Keep Rosemary constantly moist, but never, ever let the roots be oversaturated or sit in water. The best policy is to look at your container's drain holes--if the dirt is damp, there's no need to water. Let the soil dry out between watering, but of course, don't let it stay dry for too long. Rosemary must be in a well-drained container.
6-8 hours of full sun is important.
Make sure your room has good air circulation.
Repot at least once a year, as the soil will lose its nutrients over time.
Rosemary can be frozen in small freezer bags.
Watch out for aphids and spider mites.
Favorite recipes: Herb butter, grilling meat, foccacia.
*******************
Parsley makes a great breath freshener. It's great to chew on, for example, after eating a dish with too much garlic.
Parsley also is very rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C, as well as calcium and iron.
It grows best in full sun.
Parsley is ready to harvest once its leaves begin to curl and when it's produced stems with three segments. Harvest the larger leaves at the outside of the plant first just above ground level, and allow the newer interior shoots to mature. This will encourage faster growth.
Parsley comes in two varieties: curly leaf and flat leaf. The flat leaf variety is preferred for cooking and chopping due to its stronger flavor and ease of handling.
Favorite recipes: garnish, stuffing, soup, tabouli, sauce.
Pick parsley early in the day when the oils are strongest.
Watch out for aphids!
**************
As oregano plants start to flower, pinch off the flower buds. This will help the plants grow and will improve the flavor.
Pick the leaves early in the morning for the best taste and aroma.
Start harvesting when plants are about eight inches tall and have at least a dozen leaves. Just pinch the leaves off the plants and cut back the plant about three inches once you have harvested all the leaves.
Oregano will produce a stronger flavor if you do NOT add fertilizer to the plant.
Oregano is not as easy as other herbs to grow indoors. You should have a grow light on it at least 12 hours. Be sure NOT to overwater it--only water when the soil is dry.
Favorite recipes: Anything Italian! Spaghetti sauce, pizza, meats, stews, stuffing, and breads.
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