Kitchen Herb Garden
You can grow your own kitchen herb garden on your window sill or counter top and enjoy fresh flavor throughout the year. It not just adds décor to your kitchen but you can also economically feed healthy meals to your family.To get started, list the herbs you use often and that can be grown as indoor plants.
Take some colorful small containers or pots and paint them with bright colors. Choose those herbs which are adaptable and easy to grow. You can also transplant seeds from outdoor garden. While transplanting take care that unwanted pests should not come along. Overgrown leaves and flowers should be cut back. More you trim them, more they will grow.
You can plant multiple herbs in one container if they need the same temperament. Most herbs need enough sunlight and cannot thrive in inadequate light. If your window is north facing, don’t place them on the window. You have to choose the place where the plants can get at least six hours of sun light. If your herbs are getting 4-5 hours of sunlight, even then you will have to arrange for supplementary lighting especially in winters because intensity of sunlight is not adequate for indoor plants to survive.
Before planting herbs, place 4 inch sterilized compost into the soil. For producing healthy herbs, soil plays an important role. Herbs must be planted with proper drainage. During winter when transpiration rate are slow they require more quick drainage. And for the best drainage use good compost based sand.
Herbs like fennel, coriander, dill, oregano and basil are easy to grow. Choose the herbs you like to use for cooking and flavor. When herbs are grown outdoor, they do not need so much attention. They give excellent flavor. But growing them in small pots requires supplementary feeding and organic fertilizers.
Watering herbs is not so significant. Water them properly only when the soil is dry. There is no need to water them frequently. While watering, take care that water is not coming out of the pot. Ensure proper drainage. If the holes are blocked and water is not draining properly, then repot the plant.
Herbs are very much susceptible to pests and insects like whiteflies, thrips, spider mites, mealybugs. Dip the containers and wet the leaf surface into insecticidal soap to control pest. Inspect your herbs regularly. Cherish your kitchen herb garden.
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