Bring in the Herbs

A good kitchen is where fresh ingredients are transformed into delicious meals that please all the senses. And there are no better ingredients to have than culinary herbs. Place them near a window to add the freshest possible flavors to your cooking as well as delightful aromas to your entire house. Growing herbs indoors is an easy way to bring the feeling of spring into your home--and into your heart--throughout the year. Here are some tips that can help you enjoy the many healthy benefits of fresh herbs.

Endless Choices
Selecting which herbs to grow is actually the hardest part, but it can also be the most fun. Winter is a perfect time to wander through a nursery or let your eyes feast on the all the possibilities in a seed catalog. To help you narrow down your options, decide where you want to grow your herbs and what you'll do with them.

Location, Location, Location
Once you know which ones you want, you'll have to decide where to put them and what to put them in. The only limiting factor to growing herbs inside is how much light you have. Almost all of these plants require at least six hours of sun a day to stay healthy, and when the days are short, that's a lot of sun. A south-facing corner with windows is ideal, but you can cheat by adding fluorescent lights.

Culinary herbs grow great in almost anything that allows adequate drainage, so have fun selecting your containers. Using individual pots for each herb usually works best because every plant may have different watering needs. However, experimenting with various combinations can bring beautiful and healthy results. Because purple sage and thyme both need well-drained soil, try putting them in the same pot and letting the thyme cascade down in front of the sage.

What They Want
Besides providing your herbs with enough sun, it's important for them to have the proper amount of moisture. However, most herbs are very sensitive to soggy soil, especially when grown indoors. Only water them when the soil surface has completely dried.

Using the correct soil is critical to growing herbs successfully. Either use a store-bought mixture specifically formulated for potted plants, or follow the recipe we provide.