How to Care for Your Indoor Herb Garden

Do you have herbs growing indoors? If so you have probably experienced the sweet, spicy odors of these plants. In addition, they are very handy to have when cooking. Nothing beats fresh herbs in a recipe. However, as with any plant grown indoors, some care is needed to provide the optimum environment for their growth. Here are a few suggestions.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Watering can
• Spray bottle
• Clippers
• Organic pest spray (such as insecticidal soap)
• Fertilizer (your choice)

1. Light. One of the biggest obstacles to growing herbs indoors is a lack of light. Remember to place your herbs where they will receive maximum amounts of sunlight during the day. A south facing window is usually the best.
2. Pests can be a problem. Whiteflys, thrips, and aphids are common pests of indoor herb plants. They are easily controlled with an insecticidal soap from you local garden center. The waiting period before harvest is usually 1 day or less. Please read and follow all directions on the label of any insecticide.
3. Water as needed only. Watering indoor plants too much is a common mistake. Outdoors, the excess water can evaporate with wind and sunlight. Indoors, a home is usually more humid and less windy. Fungus and other organisms can damage or kill plant roots and stems. Always wait to water until the top of the soil is dry.
4. Fertilizer. Commercially available fertilizers, either organic or inorganic, usually list a dosage level for indoor house plants. Follow these recommendations for your indoor herb garden as well.
5. Pruning. If you are an avid user of your herbs, this step will not be a problem. However, if your plants become overgrown, they may go to seed and not produce as well. Study the specific herb(s) you are growing in a book or on the internet. There you will find pruning tips to keep your herbs productive. Basically, you are just trying to maintain a vegetative (or growth) stage.