Herbs to grow indoors

Here are some of the herbs which will grow well indoors. Choose as many of these as you can find room for. They will bring fragrance to your home, exciting taste to your foods, and a little fillip to your imagination.

ANISE
Hung over your bed, anise may not make you as fair and youthful as our ancestors believed, but surely the new interest which it brings to foods will keep your appetite young. Although anise is generally grown for its sweet seed, the fresh leaves are appetizing in fruit salads, soups, stews and herb teas.

Start anise from seed or bring in a young plant from the garden and let it have plenty of sunlight.

BASIL
This herb grows particularly well in the kitchen, for it doesn't mind the heat. Keep the plants trim by using the leaves generously in salads, stews, ground meats, poultry stuffings and fruit cups. It is a necessity in any dish containing tomato, or with fresh tomatoes. If you have enough basil, sprays are beautiful in bouquets.

Start basil from seeds or bring in healthy small plants from the garden. You can put three or four light green, smooth-leaved basil plants in the same container. In the spring I set the basil plants back in the garden. These plants can be counted on to produce seed. This is not always true of those raised the first year from seed, because our growing season is too short for seeds to ripen thoroughly.

BORAGE
Although borage is more attractive in the garden than in the house, a pot containing three or four plants will furnish young cucumber-flavored leaves for salads and cool drinks.

If it blooms, the blue flowers are worth the space given this somewhat coarse, hairy-leafed plant. Borage loses its flavor when dried, so use its young, tender leaves. Start the borage from seed or bring in young plants from the garden.

CHERVIL
This fine-leaved herb resembles parsley in looks but not in taste. It is too lovely to look at and too good to eat to be left out of the kitchen herb garden. Bring in a plant and use the fresh anise-flavored leaves for garnishing and to season sauces, soups and salads. The white blossoms are small and fragile. It will germinate rapidly and may be grown from seed.

CHIVES
A clump of chives may be bought at almost any grocery store. If you have both an outdoor and indoor garden, divide a large plant and bring part of it to the kitchen window. The spikey leaves are excellent wherever a delicate onion taste is desired.

DILL
The Orientals used dill in brewing up charms. We “charm” our guests by using its seeds in pickles, fish sauces and salads, but Europeans use the leaves, too, in cooking. Why not try them?

PARSLEY
This herb, one of the oldest known to man, is as popular today as always. When grown in a sunny window in a glazed or metal pot so that the roots will not dry out, it will thrive for a long time. Use rather small plants, for the taproots of mature plants are long. Parsley does better in a cool temperature. Do not use fertilizer. Although parsley will do well inside, it will not be as strong and full as when it grows outdoors. The curly-leafed variety is the prettiest, the flat-leafed type the tastiest.

If you do not have a plant to bring in from the garden, it should be easy to get one from a nursery.

ROSE GERANIUM
Best-known and easiest to find of the fragrant-leaved geraniums is the rose geranium. The leaves are useful in potpourris, sachets and in bouquets, and they are soothing in the tub. A bit of leaf in a cup of tea gives an indescribable fragrance. If you don't know how to use it in apple jelly and cakes.

Start new plants with cuttings from an established plant. Since they are sensitive to cold, you must bring rose geraniums indoors in the winter.

ROSEMARY
Rosemary, the herb of poetry and legend, is not easy to grow, but it is worth the trouble. Grown in a pot as a house plant, it may be less than a foot tall and its lower branches will fall gracefully over the sides of the pot. The leaves resemble long, oval pine needles, particularly when dried. The leaves of rosemary are more fragrant than the flowers, and when gently crushed, they will give off the warm odor of pine.

Rosemary is a tropical plant, and it must be cut back, potted and brought indoors before frost. Your first plant should be purchased from a nursery as it is hard to start rosemary from seed.

SAGE
If you can find a small sage bush, it may be brought indoors. Its furry grey-green leaves are attractive and its fragrance pleasant. Although you will probably use sage which you dried during the summer, a growing plant gives a nice variation in hue to your indoor garden.

TARRAGON
Tarragon must be brought in for the winter in most climates, and may be set back in the garden in the spring. Early in the summer, start new plants from cuttings, for tarragon does not set seed which will germinate. Plunge the new plants in the earth, pots and all, and let them grow during the summer. When the first heavy frost causes the leaves to fall, you can trim back the stems and transfer the plants to larger pots for wintering indoors. Its young leaves are delicious in eggs, fish, meat and poultry dishes and salads. Plants must be purchased at a nursery.

THYME
Thyme will thrive in your window. Use it sparingly, in poultry stuffings, stuffed peppers, onions, zucchini squash, in meat and fish dishes. Start thyme from seed, and make sure that it has a sunny spot in which to grow.

Growing An Indoor Herb Garden

Instead of planting a big outdoor herb garden consider planting one indoors. Many smaller varieties and dwarf varieties of herbs grow quite well in small pots that can be placed on a kitchen window sill. Now when you are cooking you do not have to run to your outside garden to pick a few herbs to add to your cooking. You can just simply turnaround and grab a few leaves!

It's easy to grow your own indoor herb garden. Many kits are available that have everything that you need to get started. Look for the chia herb garden which is a fun way to get the kids involved too. You can enjoy the same benefits that you would outside, but with a few distinct advantages with an indoor herb garden.

Advantages Of An Indoor Herb Garden

With an indoor herb garden you can easily monitor your plants. You will notice quickly if they need any maintenance. If they need a quick misting you can accomplish the task with little effort. Outdoor gardens are more frequently overlooked. Indoors you will not have issues with bugs eating the leaves of your herbs. You will not have to contend with trying to find a safe chemical that can be used to treat your herbs to keep bugs away.

You can do it within the comfort of your own home when it is time to harvest all of your fresh herbs. You will not have to deal with mosquitoes or other bugs while you are trying to garden.

When you plant an indoor herb garden you can bring in the wonderful fragrance that they provide. Now your kitchen will smell delicious like fresh basil or rosemary. Being surrounded by the fragrances of an indoor herb garden might even inspire your cooking. Instead of using dried herbs that have been sitting in a cabinet, any meals you do cook will now taste even better as you will be able to add fresh herbs.

Having an indoor herb garden will also protect any other plants that might be in your garden. Known to be extremely invasive are some species of herbs. Once they start growing they are hard to stop and before you know it your herb garden has taken over. By planting your herbs in small individual pots inside you can control its spreading.

Plants can make indoor spaces feel warm and cozy. Why not add a few practical plants to your kitchen to achieve the same result. You can generate an inviting atmosphere while growing herbs to use in your cooking.

Growing your own indoor herb garden is simple. Several kits are available that have everything that you need to get started. Now when you are cooking you do not have to run to your outside garden to choose a few herbs to add to your cooking.

Starting A Herb Garden :: How to start a herb garden indoors

Learn how to plan an herb garden and start seeds indoors before the growing season begins. You will have strong seedlings ready to transplant right after the last frost.

Even while the cold winters are still keeping eager gardeners indoors, there is plenty of work to be done. Winter is the best time to plan and start an herb garden. By planning the garden and starting seeds indoors weeks before the last frost, gardeners can, in effect, stretch the growing season, while ensuring the greatest possible yield from their plants.

As with any garden project, the first step is deciding what plants to include in your new garden. A logical starting point is the location of the plot. Will this bed receive adequate light? Most herbs require full sun to thrive, but a few can tolerate some shade. Check the area at different times throughout the day to determine whether it receives continuous or only partial sun. Keep in mind that light patterns may change with the seasons. An area that receives unobstructed sunlight in the winter and early spring may be in shade during the summer when trees have their leaves.

Next, determine which herbs you would like to grow. Decide if you are interested in growing herbs for culinary, medicinal, or aesthetic uses, or a combination. Refer to a good gardening book for descriptions of each herb, and start a chart showing how tall and wide each plant grows, how much space it requires between plants, and any other specific information about their characteristics. This is very important, since some plants have specific growing requirements. For instance, mint and violets are highly invasive, so these herbs might be better suited to containers rather than the garden itself.

Once armed with this information, you’re ready to design your garden. First, outline the dimensions of the bed on graph paper. Then indicate where you want each plant to go using circles with the plant’s name written inside. It may take more than one attempt if this is your first design effort, so try to enjoy the creative process.

If you have the luxury of space, you might try a formal design, with a birdbath or other focal point in the center, and gravel paths or stone walkways dividing the growing area surrounding it. Otherwise, simply arrange the plants according to height, so that the tallest ones will not cast shadows on the shorter ones. Be sure to consider how you will get to the farther plants, allowing enough room for you to pass among the herbs to tend and harvest them. Also, remember to space plants the proper distance apart; some will not grow well when crowded.

When you are happy with your new garden design, count the number of each plant that appears in it, and prepare a master list. Then purchase the supplies needed to start your plants from seed indoors. This will include seeds; starter trays, which have multiple compartments for starting many seeds in a small amount of space; enough peat pots for the number of plants you intend to grow; plastic liner trays to hold the peat pots; and a good soil mix. This is much lighter and less dense than regular potting soil, making it easier for the tender new roots to grow. If you are not sure how much soil mix to buy, ask an associate at your garden center. He or she can advise you on how much is needed to fill the starter trays and the number and size peat pots you are purchasing.

Some beginners like to start more plants than they need to fill their garden, and this is a good idea. If some plants don’t survive, the surplus will save you from having bare spots in the garden. If all your plants make it, you can always give the extras to family, friends, and neighbours, who will be glad for your talent and generosity.

Seed manufacturers recommend starting your seeds eight to twelve weeks before the date of your last frost. Check your seed packets for specific recommendations. When you are ready to begin, fill your starter trays with the soil mix. (An alternative to purchasing starter trays is to use egg cartons. Be sure to punch several small holes in each compartment for drainage.) Add a seed to each compartment, planting them to the depth specified on the seed packets. Mist to wet the soil. Seeds require warmth in order to germinate, so arrange your trays in a warm, well-ventilated room. Keep the soil moist. Germination time varies from one plant to another, so your seeds will not all sprout at precisely the same time.

While you’re waiting, prepare to meet the lighting requirements of your plants. Although very elaborate and expensive lighting systems are available for indoor gardening, many growers have found that simple fluorescent shop lights cost much, much less and are equally effective. The light must be suspended about 30 centimeters from the top of the plants, so you must be able to raise the lights as the plants grow. As soon as your seeds begin to sprout, move the trays to their new home beneath the lights.

When your plants have sprouted their first set of true leaves, they should be transplanted into the peat pots. Place the pots in the plastic trays, then add water to the tray. It will take awhile, but eventually the water will be soaked up along the sides of the pots and throughout the soil mix. This is called bottom watering and is much better than top watering, since it will not cause the starter mix and seeds to run out of the pots. Bottom watering also encourages the new roots to reach downward.

Your plants must be hardened off before they can be planted in the garden. This means they are become acclimated to the temperature, wind and light differences between your house and the outdoors. After the last-frost date, take your seedlings outdoors for a few hours each day, leaving them in a spot where they will be sheltered from the sun and wind. After a few days, slowly expose them to the sun and wind, a little more each day, over the course of a week or two. This will allow them to make the adjustment without going into shock. Then, using your design sketch, transplant your seedlings into their permanent home in the garden.

Starting an herb garden indoors is an easy and creative way to stretch the growing season. With a little forethought and planning, growers can have herb seedlings ready to plant and the garden bed ready to receive them first thing next spring.