DIY Window Herb Garden

I love fresh herbs. When buying cut fresh herbs they tend to welt  and go bad fast. I started growing my own herbs and the convenience is  awesome. I cut what I need and still have so much more for the rest of the season at half the cost’.To grow well indoors Herbs  need as much natural light as possible. Place them in a sunny spot near a window that faces south and receive at least six hours of sun daily. Some herbs that require less light  like mint, parsley, and tyme  can also grow well in west facing windows. Indoor herb gardens need to be watered regularly. They should never be allowed to dry out but you should also not overwater them. Check your indoor herb garden and water it when the top of the soil starts to feel dry. Though if you stick your finger into the soil the lower layer will still be damp.

 

Annual herbs will only live over one season and are expected to live from only 1 to 4 months depending upon the herb. Before they will stop leaf production, make flowers and go to seed. An exception to the rule is parsley which is biennial and lives for about one year before going to seed. The best herbs to grow indoors include parsley, lemon balm, mint,  chives and some varieties of thyme and oregano. The bigger the leaf the better they do indoors. Lemon thyme or Doone Valley thyme are favorites in general. If an herb does not do well in particular shade outdoors, it will do well in a sunny indoor exposure. 

 

Clay pots help with drainage but they can dry out quickly if you live in a dry climate or are growing herbs indoors during winter, When furnace heat causes homes to get especially dry try  a glazed or plastic container. It  won’t dry out as quickly as clay. The best way to ruin most herbs is to let them sit in water. The roots will rot. Be sure to use a  saucer liner or drain pan under your pot to catch water.

 

Try these herbs in your indoor herb garden. 

Basil 

chives 

lemon balm 

marjoram 

mint which includes chocolate mint peppermint spearmint or sweet mint 

Oregano which includes Greek oregano Italian oregano or hot and spicy oregano 

rosemary 

sage 

 

All herbs listed can be found on Amazon. Amazon also offers for your DIY indoor herb garden, starter kits include everything you would need to start your DIY indoor herb garden from the seeds soil and planting pots