The Window Sill Herb Garden
The Window Sill Herb Garden
With a window sill herb garden just outside you kitchen, for example, you will be adding color, warmth and fragrance to your home. There can be many reasons why someone might prefer to grow their herb garden by their window rather than in the ground. A big reason is comfort. With a garden on your windowsill, you won’t have to deal with the elements of the changing seasons and will have fresh herbs all year long.
While you can grow almost any type of herbal plant in a windowsill herb garden, there are some that are more suited to this method than others. Plants like oregano are ideal because it is compact in size and has a truly wonderful flavor. Rosemary and basil are also a great fit for your indoor garden. Herbs can serve different purposes. Some, like rosemary, can repel pests and fungus while others may flower and bring beauty, provide wonderful taste to your dishes, or have medicinal uses.
These herbal plants will invariably do best on windowsills that face south or southeast, since, for northern hemisphere locations, that is the direction of greatest sunlight. Most plants prefer maximum sunlight for growth and health and herbal plants are no different. Herbal plants prefer at least five hours of sunlight per day. Also, remember to keep them from enduring drafts, especially during the cooler winter months.
You can grow from seed if you like, but many people find it advantageous to start by purchasing seedlings in pots which are 6-12″ deep.And don’t forget herb garden kits! They come complete, having everything you need: the containers, plants in the form of seedlings (frequently) and complete instructions on how to nurture and grow them.
While it’s fairly easy to care for these plants, you do need to be aware of their gestation periods as well as the ideal times to prune their leaves for drying, storing, or cooking. Some plants will also overtake others if you don’t tend to them and prune them back on a regular basis. You want your window sill herb garden to look as though it belongs there in the windowsill, so there is some measure of attention that they will require from you.
Be careful about the amount of water you give your herbal plants. You must always keep a proper balance between wet and dry, not flooding and not parching. They don’t like soggy roots so don’t let the soil stay damp constantly If your new kit is already in flower, go slowly. Don’t jump in and cut them back right away. Give them time to acclimatize to their new environment. And if you live in an apartment or someplace where there just isn’t enough natural light, don’t despair, just get an artifical light source and put it on a timer. Generally, your plants will thrive under this kind of light, but it’s always good to check with the nursery or kit maker to be sure.
Having your own windowsill herb garden is an obvious advantage to you if you love to cook, as there is nothing better than having fresh herbs to use in your food preparations. Growing your own herb garden and having it right there where you can see and smell it’s wonders is a great thing, and it will reward you in many ways adding life and beauty to you and to your home.
Use non-hybrid heirloom seeds for a continuous healthy fruits and vegetables for years to come.
