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Grow Herbs Indoors

Growing Herbs in Pots

Growing Herbs in Pots

If you do not have a garden, you can just as well grow herbs in your apartment. Herbs can also be grown indoors in pots or window boxes. You can also use containers or hanging baskets. Growing an indoor herb garden is not much different from growing herbs in your backyard. The same growing requirements are needed in both cases.

These are sunlight, soil and water. These three things are required to assure a successful growth for any plant, including herbs.


Enough sunlight is the key for growing any plant. Therefore you should place the pots or boxes in a room with a south or west facing window, the most convenient being of course the kitchen, as long as the orientation is good enough. Different sorts of herbs require more or less sunlight but they do all need to be in a sunny location. If needed, you may supplement the sunlight with fluorescent lamps.

The soil needs to be rich and well drained. If you grow herbs in a container, add two parts of potting soil and one part coarse sand. It is also important to add about an inch of gravel at the bottom of each pot. This will ensure a good drainage. If you grow you herbs in a pot, you can add one teaspoon of lime per 5 inch pot which will make the soil sweet, something that herbs appreciate!

Herbs that are grown inside do need to get more water than the herbs growing in a garden but do not drench the roots. You can try to keep the pebbles moist and spray mist on the plants frequently.

Growing Herb Indoors

Growing Herb Indoors

If you have the possibility to put you herbs outside during summer time, this can be a good idea and it is easy to move around the herbs when they are planted in a container. Be careful though to take the plants inside before the first frost. Otherwise they may loose their foliage. Chives, tarragon and mint are exceptions to this rule as they grow back, after a rest period, even firmer when they have been exposed to light frost.

Talking about mint, this is an herb that needs to be planted in a container even if you have a garden because it is capable of taking over the garden. It is very vivacious.

As you can see, maintaining an indoor herb garden is not difficult. It is also very convenient as the herbs are always within reach when needed and you will be more prone to using them when cooking or preparing a salad.

Just follow the advice listed above and you will be able to grow fresh and healthy herbs. Don’t forget to re-pot every year.  With these tips listed above, you will be able to care for your herbs and ensure a healthy plant. Of course you will need to replant annuals each year. Make good and active use of you herbs and harvest them from time to time, this is essential in order to encourage new growth. If you do not use all the herbs you grow, give them to friends. They will appreciate it as well and your plants will strive.

For those seriously interested in growing herbs, you’ll find more information about growing herbs indoors and herb gardening in general here.