|
Herbal Potpourri
Renowned Herbs
Common Ailments
Herbal Remedies
Free Newsletter
|
The ABC of Growing An Indoor Herb Garden
Herbs appeal to so many of our pallets. Some are aesthetically pleasing,
others tempt our taste buds, and many provide a refreshing, fragrant
aroma. They are often bought dried,
but most will agree they are exceptional
when they are fresh. Fresh herbs at the supermarket can be expensive
and seem to be used too quickly or go bad before they are used. Indoor
herb gardening can give you an abundant, readily available supply
of fresh herbs. With an indoor herb garden kit, a little space, some
direct sunlight, and a little care, you can create a garden to fit
your needs almost anywhere. Herbs are generally easy to grow, but,
like most things, it is best to know a little about them first.
Before you begin to build your indoor herb garden, it is important
to determine what herbs you want to grow and when you want them.
Herb is classified like other plants, in three categories:
Annuals
grow, reach maturity, seed, and die in one season. Leaves, stems,
and roots die completely and they must be grown again the next season
from seeds or seedlings.
Perennials
remain for several seasons. Some keep their leaves year round; others
die off above ground and re-grow from the roots the following season.
Biperennials
take two seasons to mature, seed, and then die. The first season usually
results in a small seedling near the ground and the second season
produces a long stem, flowers and seeds before the plant die.
You should decide which of these categories you want to include in
your indoor herb garden plan so that you can have an idea of how much
work you are going to have to put into planting each season and how
long you are going to have to wait for your payoff.
Thriving on the Inside
Some herbs do not do as well on the inside as others. Herbs like basil
require a lot of sunlight for most of the day. Coriander and dill
are annuals and do not re-grow after being harvested, meaning that
you will get limited use out of them and have to re-sow and wait for
them to mature again. Tarragon, mint, and basil have soft stems and
fragile leaves. Bushy perennials like rosemary, sage, thyme, and oregano
are best used for indoor herbs because they a little more sturdy,
having thicker, stronger stems.
Plants grown indoors need to be drained properly, and must get four
to six hours of direct sunlight, and be kept away from areas where
there are immediate and drastic changes in temperature. Florescent
lights can be used to supplement natural sunlight received by plants
that need a little more.
How To Grow Herbs Indoors
Window flower boxes and indoor herb container gardening can help bring
the garden inside. Remember not to set a flower box outside or inside
a window that faces north or is shaded most of the day. Most herbs
need too much sunlight. Containers offer a lot of possibilities in
that they can be moved easily, placed along stairwells, or even be
moved from outside to inside.
There are a wide variety of containers, or pots, available today.
Ensure that you get containers that have at least one drainage hole
in the bottom of them, are made of appropriate material for what you
want to plant in them, and make sure that they are not too heavy if
you want to be able to move them after they are filled with soil.
Begin by putting a mesh screen over the drainage hole on the inside
of the pot.
Next, you will want to place a layer of small stones or wood chips
over the screen. Your last step in preparing the container will be
to fill it ¾ full with rich, fertilized potting soil. These
measures will ensure that the soil drains well.
Once your container is ready, you can plant seeds, propagate your
herbs from cuttings, or plant seedlings that you have purchased. Seeds
should be planted in the manner specified on their instructions. Usually
they are placed ¼ - ½ inch deep and six inches apart.
Continue to : Grow Herbs on the Indoors
Related Article
chinese Herbs The Answer To Perhaps Every Ailment on Earth
Ayurvedic Herbs Magical Herbs From India
The Complete Herb Buying Guide Where And How To Buy Your Herbs
Exploring Wild Crafted Herbs Incenses, Cosmetics, Medications
The Ins And Outs of Herbal Nutrition Supplements
 Bookmark
this Page  Email
this to your friend  Add
this page to del.icio.us
|
Suggest an Article
Haven´t found the article you are looking for, please suggest your article. We value all your suggestions and comments
|
