Herbs are a wonderful addition to every household, whether you add them to your meals for a delicious kick of flavor or use them as natural remedies for physical or emotional concerns. The great news: growing your own herb garden doesn’t have to be a difficult task! Many herbs even grow easily in containers and require only minimal care. If you have an existing outdoor herb garden, you can move your herbs inside during the cold months and keep them growing year-round!
Here are a few tips to start your own windowsill herb garden:
- A sunny windowsill is ideal for growing herbs. Find a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sun daily, and is away from strong drafts.
- You can start growing from seeds or buy small herb plants – seeds will require a bit more attention and will take longer to be able to use, but they are the less expensive option. Small plants are ready to go as soon as you plant them!
- Use a soilless potting mix to avoid soil born diseases. Regular soil, like garden soil, compresses over time, making it difficult for water to pass through.
- Be sure your pots have plenty of drainage holes. Many herbs don’t like to remain sitting in a pool of water, so it may be necessary to dump excess water out once it has drained into the saucer.
- Water plants sparingly. As stated above, herbs don’t like to sit in dampness, including damp soil. You can tell if the plant needs watering by poking your finger into the soil. If it feels dry an inch or more below the surface, it needs water. If not, let it be!
- Trim your plants often to promote continued growth (and to enjoy using the herb).
- Allow your herbs to get used to their new home – once you start seeing new growth, you can start using your herbs.
As long as there is adequate drainage, you can use almost anything as a planter: glass bottles, mason jars, plastic containers, terra cotta pots, tins, teacups, wooden boxes, etc. If you are short on space, you can even hang your planters on the wall or upside-down from the ceiling (but be prepared for drippage)! Many herbs can also be planted together in one pot, but it is important to do your research and pair herbs that like to cohabitate.