Save Money And Stay Healthy With An Indoor Herb Garden

Save Money and Stay Healthy With an Indoor Herb Garden

by

SelJones

Buying dried spices and herbs at the grocery store is expensive, and it won t give you the same flavor that comes from fresh herbs, especially those you grow in your own garden at home. Growing your own herbs indoors is not difficult and shouldn t take up a lot of space. If you have a windowsill that gets lots of light, you can introduce fresh herbs into your cooking, enjoy vitamins and minerals that come from fresh herbs, and benefit from the clean oxygen the plants create in your home.

Go to your local nursery or farmer s market to find herb plants. If it is not the right season or you want to grow them yourself, start from seeds. Choose herbs you know you will use such as basil, parsley, cilantro, mint, rosemary, thyme and oregano. The number of plants you grow will depend on the space you have available.

If you are growing from seed, pick up seed packets and starting soil. A starting soil mix is specially designed to help sprout new seeds and grow strong seedlings. If you have your own compost, add 1 part compost to 3 parts of seed starting mix. Seed starting kits are available, but you can inexpensively use toilet paper rolls cut in half or bathroom Dixie cups with the bottoms cut out and place them in a foil pan or plastic tray.

If the soil is dry, add some water and mix it together until it is thoroughly damp. Sow the seeds according to the instructions on the seed packet. The packet will tell you how deep to bury the seeds. Plant 2 to 3 seeds in each spot, and plant 2 to 3 plants for every 1 plant you want growing in your herb garden. For example, if you want 3 basil plants on your windowsill, use 6 to 9 toilet paper roll planters and put 2 to 3 seeds in each one. Put the tray in a sunny area and keep the soil moist. Depending on the seeds, seedlings should sprout within one or 2 weeks.

Find larger containers to put your herb plants in once they have grown strong. Choose decorative pots or planters if they will be in view in the kitchen or another high-traffic area of your home. Window boxes or individual planters will both work well. Once the plants are 3 to 5 inches tall, transplant them into the larger containers with a combination of potting soil and compost, if you have it. Cut away the toilet paper roll or paper cup carefully. Herbs are delicate and might not look good the first few days after transplanting. Keep the soil moist and add organic fertilizer such as fish emulsion of necessary.

Pinch off herbs frequently as they grow to use in your dishes and to encourage continued growth. Some plants might last only 6 months to a year, but others can last longer if you prune regularly and take good care of the plant. Consider expanding your herb garden outdoors in a garden or in containers during warmer months. As you start with easier herbs, you will learn a lot and may choose to expand to other types of herbs. Use this opportunity to try out new dishes as well.

Sam Jones the author of this article regularly updates himself on the latest renewable energy alternatives and scans the market on

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Save Money and Stay Healthy With an Indoor Herb Garden