How to grow fresh herbs indoors

Fresh herbs can make a mediocre meal mouth-watering. To ensure you have them on hand at all times, why not grow them right in your kitchen? Here’s what you should know about growing herbs indoors.

Getting started
Growing an indoor herb garden will require nutrient-rich soil, pots with good drainage and a sunny window. Generally, herbs need a minimum of six hours of sunlight a day to thrive. If you don’t have a space that can provide this amount of natural light every day, consider getting an LED grow light instead.

Choosing your herbs
You can grow your herbs from seed or purchase seedlings from a garden center or nursery. If you buy young plants, choose ones with shiny leaves and strong stems. Some herbs that do well on a windowsill include:

• Basil
• Rosemary
• Parsley
• Chives
• Oregano
• Thyme
• Mint

Taking care of your herbs
Herbs should be watered regularly but not overwatered. You’ll know it’s time to water them when the top layer of soil is just starting to dry out, but the deeper layers are still damp. Plants in smaller pots need to be watered more often.

Additionally, regularly feed your herbs nitrogen-rich fertilizer to encourage strong leaf growth. To remove salt residue caused by fertilizing, flush the plants once a month by holding their pots over the sink and running water over them until it flows from the bottom of the pot.

To keep your herbs in great shape, harvest the leaves regularly. To do this, simply pinch off the topmost ones as you need them. Just be sure not to pick the big lowermost leaves that provide plants with a sturdy base. Regular harvesting will ensure your plants thrive.