Growing your own fresh herbs opens an opportunity to experiment with different flavors in your food. Buying herbs at the grocery store is expensive, especially from organic brands. Growing herbs requires patience, but with plenty of natural sunlight entering through your windows, you’ll have ready-to-use herbs for cooking, garnishes, cocktails and so much more. Window World not only offers a wide variety of energy-efficient replacement windows for your home, but we’ve also outlined tips and tricks for starting your very own plant party!
Growing herbs indoors is easy, especially with an abundance of natural light. Most herbs need six or more hours of direct sunlight to thrive, making a naturally well-lit kitchen a perfect growing spot in your home.
Thyme is a Mediterranean, summer-seasonal herb. It’s an easy indoor herb to grow, as long as it receives plenty of sunlight and adequately-drained soil. To check for soil drainage, ensure water flows out of the planting container and doesn’t pool.
Parsley plants may appear to be “leggy” (when plants strain to get enough sunlight) when grown indoors, especially if they’re in a low-light area. Parsley is mostly used as a garnish for pasta dishes, grilled vegetables or roasted potatoes. Parsley seeds can also be utilized for a stronger flavor when cooking.
Chives have a beautiful green color and grow rather quickly from seeds. The herb’s leaves contain the best flavor when picked fresh and can be used in cooking or as a garnish.
Rosemary is an evergreen aromatic plant that’s typically grown outdoors because of its size. Use rosemary when basting steak, as a garnish or even burn it as incense.
Mint requires consistent moisture but is one of the easiest herbs to grow indoors. It may be easier to grow mint from a cutting or plant; mint seeds are picky when it comes to their moisture levels and sunlight exposure.
Oregano grows best in a south- or west-facing window where it will receive direct sunlight throughout the day. Its earthy, warm flavor is best experienced when the leaves are dried.
For beginners, growing basil is a great start. The plant should be kept away from cool drafts from your indoor vents. When used for cooking, the herb is added last to preserve its flavor.
Also known as coriander, all parts of cilantro are edible, but its fresh leaves are most often used in cooking. Like mint, cilantro prefers its soil to be consistently moist.
Dill grows quickly from seed, so opt for a larger container when planting. Dill is used in a variety of cuisines, including European, Asian and Middle Eastern.
It’s recommended that sage plants receive eight or more hours of direct sunlight. Sage should not be planted with moisture-loving herbs like mint and cilantro, as these herbs prefer soil that’s on the wetter side.
Before buying a ton of seeds or plants, it’s important to remember that growing plants indoors requires at least a little effort each week. While growing herbs won’t break the bank, it may take trial and error to find the best combination of sunlight, water and soil for your herbs to thrive. We’ve outlined a few basic tips to help you get started.
Some herbs grow better together than others, like basil, cilantro and parsley. If you decide to plant a variety of herbs in the same container, be sure to research their soil preferences before planting. Once you’ve established a manageable herb group, place the plants a few inches away from each other. Planting your herbs too closely together will inhibit their growth and increase competition between them.
Overwatering your herbs waterlogs the soil, increasing the chances that your plants succumb to a disease. Overly-saturated soil prevents the herb’s roots from absorbing the oxygen it needs to thrive. Avoid watering your herbs on a schedule—instead, wait until the plant needs water. A good rule of thumb is that if the soil feels damp within the first inch of soil, wait a few days before watering again. Remember: a thirsty plant can’t be overwatered.
Planting specific types of herbs, like mint and coriander, in their own containers prevents them from overtaking the rest of your herbs. Plus, ceramic pots come in a variety of patterns, textures and colors, adding style and a personal touch to your kitchen window.
Are you ready to introduce more light and depth to your space? Consider installing custom-fit, kitchen windows from Window World. Contact us today to request your free estimate!