TIPical Mary Ellen host Mary Ellen Pinkham provides tips for growing your very own herb garden at home.
Materials:
plastic container
scissors
newspaper scraps
herbs of choice
plastic cover
grow bulb (optional)
tray or tea cart
fertilizer
water mister
Steps:
- Choose a container in which to start your seeds or cuttings. It should be shallow and allow good drainage--a plastic deli container is a good choice.
- Poke holes in the bottom with scissors, then put that in the lid to use as a drip tray.
- Line the bottom of the container with a damp newspaper to keep the herbs moist.
- Before planting your seeds, keep in mind that there are herbs that are more likely to grow indoors. These include four of the basics--basil, thyme, chives and rosemary*.
- You can also use fresh herbs from a grocery store to start the plants. Remove the lower leaves on the stems and place in a glass of water. When roots, appear, transplant into the soil.
- Make a greenhouse out of each individual plant by placing a plastic cover over the herb.
- The most important step for growing herbs in the home is making sure that the plants are getting plenty of lights. Herbs require at least six hours of sunlight per day and should maintain a temperature of 60 to 65 degrees. Consider investing in fluorescent lighting with a grow bulb. This will simulate sunlight and can be purchased at any hardware store.
- Place the herb plants on a tray or tea cart and move them from around to various sunny spots in your home. Also, be sure to turn the plants regularly so that they grow straight.
- When the seedlings are visible, treat them with a fertilizer. To do this, dilute a common fertilizer or simply buy special fertilizer that is made for seedlings.
- Use a mister to water the seedlings to that you not only water the soil, but you also gently moisten the leaves and stems of the herbs. Remember that overwatering and under-watering are the two most common causes of death among indoor herb plants. Be sure to check the dampness of the herb plants by inserting your finger into the soil. If it is dry, then water.
- When the herb plants are too big for their small containers, transplant them into larger pots. Once the roots have surrounded the base of the plants, they should again be transplanted.
* Note: Basil can be started from seeds and will probably germinate in about 12 days. Thyme should be started from an existing plant. Chives should be grown from bulbs. Rosemary can be started from a cutting.
