Growing an indoor herb garden is a simple way to fill your home with color and fresh aromas while adding flavor to cooking and reducing grocery bills. And growing an indoor herb garden is easier than you think. All you need is natural light, water soil and nutrients.
There are many herbs to choose from, such as basil, dill, oregano, cilantro, rosemary and thyme. Before choosing your plants, the National Gardening Association suggests that you consider how much natural light you get in your home. Herbs need a lot of sunlight, at least five to six hours a day, so windows that face south or west will provide the best sources of light. If your home doesn’t get a lot of natural light, or you live in a colder, cloudy climate, keep the plants under a fluorescent light year-round.
Once you’ve selected the herbs, either plant seeds in a container or buy small starter plants from a local nursery. Use containers with holes at the bottom to drain the excess water. Provide enough water to keep the plants moist, but not soggy. Some herbs can be planted together in one larger container, but consider their needs first. For example, basil prefers warmth and more moisture, while rosemary needs to dry out between soakings and prefer cooler temperatures.
If a plant becomes wilted, check the soil for dryness. If there are pests, move the plant to another area and spray the foliage with a soap solution every five days until the pests are gone. To keep them strong, feed the plants every two weeks with a half-solution of an all-purpose fertilizer. With a little care, your windowsill herb garden can thrive all year round.
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