Indoor Herb Garden With Lights
An indoor herb garden is a great way to bring some of the fresh summer outdoors into the house for year-round enjoyment. Fresh herbs can make a surprising difference in how food tastes. Growing herbs indoors is fun and rewarding but takes some effort and the right type and amount of light. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
-
Types
-
Many types of herbs that can be grown in an indoor herb garden with lights. Culinary herbs are used to flavor food and are generally the most useful. Aromatic herbs are grown mostly for their flowers and scents. They are commonly dried and used to add scent around the house, in clothing, and in linens. Ornamental herbs are grown for their beautiful bright colored flowers and foliage. Flower colors range from white to crimson. Medicinal herbs are used primarily for their healing properties and are commonly used to make tea. As with anything medicinal, inappropriate or excess use of these herbs can cause more harm than good.
Considerations
-
Easy-to-grow culinary herbs for beginner herb gardeners are rosemary, sage, sweet basil, dill, mint, thyme, chives, and parsley. These are all used to flavor food and will grow well in a lighted indoor herb garden.
-
Soil
-
Herbs grown indoors need a rich soil mixture that provides good drainage, as well as proper lighting. One part regular houseplant potting soil, one part sand, and one part peat moss will provide the nutrients and soil density required. Plants or pots need to be far enough apart to allow air circulation.
Light
-
The herb garden should receive 14 to 16 hours of light each day. Place the container where it will receive at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. Use a fluorescent light or a high-intensity discharge light (HID) to supplement the natural sunlight. On days that it gets only four hours of natural direct sunlight, leave the fluorescent or HID light on them for 10 to 12 hours. Adjust the light height to about 6 inches above the plants. Continue adjusting the height as they grow to maintain a distance of 6 inches. The pots or container should be turned every other day so that the whole plant will receive even lighting.
Water
-
The herb garden should be watered when the surface of the potting mixture begins to dry out. Room temperature water that has set out for a week or so to allow the chlorine to dissipate should be used. Give them some organic plant food once per month. The plants should be misted occasionally with room temperature water. The herb garden should be watered when the surface of the potting mixture begins to dry out. Room temperature water that has set out for a week or so to allow the chlorine to dissipate should be used. Give them some organic plant food once per month. The plants should be misted occasionally with room temperature water.
-
References
- Photo Credit lovage herb image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
